South Beach
South Beach, with its sexy, high-octane mix of leggy models, hot sun and neon lights, has seen its fortunes surge and recede over the years. While many of the notable Art Deco buildings that give the area its charm were constructed in the 1930s, the beach had a second heyday in the 1950s and ’60s, when TV stars like Jackie Gleason helped draw tourists to the town with the backdrop of swaying palm trees and a tropical moon. A downward spiral that followed was halted in the mid-80’s with another renewal, this time when Miami Vice depicted candy-colored South Beach through a new and flattering lens, equal parts alluring and dangerous. The area has continued to thrive since then, with a celebrity-fueled club scene, the annual Art Basel influx of money and culture and a reputation as an international playground.
