All About the City of Miami Beach

Miami Beach, Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire United States, and with good reason. This warm coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County has been one of the top beach resorts in the country for nearly a century and it features some of the most beautiful architecture, as well as great dining, hip nightclubs and miles of pristine beaches.

If you're planning to move to or visit the city of Miami Beach, here are some things you should know about the city.

The History of Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach's history dates back to 1876, when the first structure was built in this uninhabited region of the coast. The Biscayne House of Refuge was built to offer food, water and a return to civilization for individuals who had been shipwrecked, and it was followed by a coconut plantation along the shore during the next decade by Elnathan Field and Ezra Osborn. While the plantation failed, one of the investors, named John S. Collins, bought out the other partners and planted a number of successful crops on the land that later became Miami Beach.

The City of Miami was established nearby in 1896 when the railroad arrived and the Collins family saw an excellent opportunity to turn the beach into a resort. At this time, the beach was only a day-trip destination accessible by ferry from Miami, with no hotel built until 1915. This was a massive undertaking that required clearing a jungle of mangroves, deepening channels and eliminating growth for development but the Town of Miami Beach was chartered in 1915.

By the 1920's, it was promoted as a site for wealthy industrialists from the north to build winter homes and tourists eventually began flocking to the city by the 1930's, giving rise to what is today the Art Deco district of Miami Beach.

The Culture of Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach, FL is known for its thriving arts community and hosts Art Basel Miami Beach every year, which is one of the largest art shows in the country. The city is also home to the New World Symphony, as well as the Miami Beach Festival of Arts and the Miami City Ballet, which is housed in a large building near the Bass Museum of Art.

Miami Beach has an excellent public transportation system, although cycling remains very popular in the area. In 2011, a public bicycle sharing system was launched in Miami Beach, one of a few in the entire country.

South Beach makes up only 2.5 square miles of Miami Beach, but it's the area's best-known neighborhood. South Beach has a thriving LGBT community, many of whom moved to the area during the 1980's and are credited with contributing to the revitalization of Miami Beach after years of decline. Newcomers restored Art Deco clubs and buildings and transformed South Beach into an international tourist destination.

The Art Deco Historic District

Miami Beach's Art Deco Historic District was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and it's the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the entire world. This collection includes hotels, clubs, apartments and other buildings erected between 1923 and 1943, when Miami Beach, Florida was starting to become a major tourist destination in the U.S. The district represents Art Deco, Streamline Moderne as well as Mediterranean architecture and the movement to preserve this heritage was led by Barbara Capitman, a former interior designer.

Miami Beach, FL is unlike any other place on earth, which a unique blend of great weather, friendly people, rich culture and plenty to see, do and eat. The city receives an estimated 13.3 million visitors every year, and it's no surprise many end up staying for good!