Miami showcases new attractions

With the US borders finally open to vaccinated travellers from the UK, Miami is excited to welcome back Brits to sunny South Florida.

There are plenty of new openings from a brand new underwater sculpture park set to open later this year, to ground-breaking, experiential art installations, and of course, world-class hotels, restaurants and bars for which Miami is renowned.

New attractions

The Underline

Over the course of the next four years, the underutilised land below Miami’s Metrorail, stretching from the Miami River to Dadeland South Station will be transformed into a 10-mile linear park, urban trail and public art destination. The first section of The Underline, called the ‘Brickell Backyard’ opened in February 2021 and features urban biking paths, a basketball court, an outdoor gym, nature and butterfly gardens, as well as landscaped areas for activities such as yoga and doggy meetups.

The Reefline

The ReefLine is an underwater public sculpture park and artificial reef slated to open its first phase at the end of 2021, as a partnership with the City of Miami Beach and Coral Morphologic. The ReefLine will feature environmentally functioning artworks by major international artists and designers. The seven-mile underwater public sculpture park, snorkel trail and artificial reef will be located off Miami Beach’s shoreline. Conceived by BlueLab’s Chair Ximena Caminos, in close consultation with a team of expert marine biologists, researchers, architects and coastal engineers, the ReefLine will begin on South Beach and run north, providing a critical habitat for endangered reef organisms,

The Oasis at Wynwood

Located in Miami’s artistic Wynwood neighbourhood, The Oasis at Wynwood opened in May 2021. This creative space covers around 350,000 square feet, all surrounding a courtyard filled with restaurants and bars. Experience six premier outdoor dining destinations and outdoor nightlife at the “Tower Bar.” Enjoy weekly live performances, including top music artists, and cultural events with a focus on art and neighbourhood programming, plus retail pop ups, and a bevy of other events, all in an expansive outdoor setting.

Le Rouge Lounge

Another live entertainment destination in Wynwood, Le Rouge Lounge, opened its doors in June 2021. The 7,000-square-feet venue, is reminiscent of a glamorous 1920s French cabaret, drawing inspiration from the famed Moulin Rouge. It opens Thursday through Saturday, 9pm through 3am.  Le Rouge Lounge provides an authentic live entertainment experience in a highly stylised setting.  The first venue in Miami to feature a 360-degree, DJ “in the round” experience, Le Rouge Lounge boasts a live stage draped in red velvet, spacious enough to accommodate a 10-piece band, with elevated VIP seating for guests during DJ performances. Mixology is also an art form at Le Rouge Lounge, with veteran mixologist Samer Abdallah creating unique prohibition-era cocktails with a unique, modern twist.

Superblue

Another major opening of 2021 was Superblue in the heart of Miami’s Allapattah neighbourhood.  Superblue is a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind art destination specialising in large-scale installations that offer transformative experiences for visitors of all ages. Its trailblazing inaugural show Every Wall is a Door, showcases a new immersive environment by Es Devlin, a transcendent digital experience created by teamLab, and an illuminating light-based Ganzfeld work by James Turrell. The newly converted 50,000-square-foot industrial space will also boast a shop filled with artist-inspired items, event spaces, and an on-site outdoor cafe.

Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel

The end of 2020 saw a new landmark for Downtown Miami’s skyline with the 200-fwwt tall Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel. Located at Bayside Marketplace, the Ferris wheel allows guests to take in spectacular views of Biscayne Bay and Miami’s skyline from one of the 42 climate-controlled gondolas. Each enclosed gondola can hold up to eight people, staying in compliance with state and local COVID-19 guidelines. There is one VIP gondola with a glass floor, leather bucket seats and a custom LED light show.

New Foodie Attractions

Over the course of the past year, dozens and dozens of new restaurants, bars and dining concepts have opened across Miami – and there is no sign of this slow down as we approach 2022.

Earlier in the year, arts and cultural district Wynwood welcomed one of Brooklyn’s acclaimed wood-fired restaurant and bar, Shelter, as well as Wayku, a unique dining experience of Latin fusion rooted in Andean culture. Down in Miami Beach, July 2021 saw the opening of Jia, a modern Chinese Dinner Club concept, as well as Gordon Ramsay’s acclaimed Lucky Cat in South Beach.

Sushi Fly Chicken, Toothfairy Bakery and Winker’s Diner

Back in September, Miami’s Groot Hospitality unveiled three new dining concepts on Miami Beach’s Alton Road. This trifecta of restaurants is located next door to one another, with each offering a completely different dining experience. Toothfairy is a retro-modern bakery and ice cream parlour, Sushi Fly Chicken is a taste of Tokyo’s underground nightlife scene and Winker’s Diner serves up the best all-American comfort food.

Oche

In July, South Beach welcomed the city’s first gastro-gaming experience, combining action-packed dart games, elevated cuisine and craft cocktails. Named for the line players stand behind when throwing darts, Oche features 13 booths with tech-driven, action-packed dart games offering 85 minutes of entertainment for guests to enjoy. If you’re a complete newbie to darts, no worries – Oche’s proprietary technology makes darts simple and fun even for the novice player.

New hotel openings

Greystone Miami Beach, opening late 2021

The Hotel Greystone is located within an iconic 1939 Art Deco building at the cultural crossroads of Collins Avenue near Lincoln Road and the Miami Beach Convention Center. The historic hotel officially aims to open its doors in late 2021 after undergoing a complete renovation. An expression of Miami Beach’s past, present, and future, the 93-room adults-only property from Salt Hotels and B Group Capital exudes both a relaxed and refined vibe evident in eclectic spaces.

Esmé Miami Beach, opening November 1 2021

On nearby Espanola Way, Esmé Miami Beach exudes bohemian grandeur throughout its Spanish-Mediterranean-inspired setting. Across the 145-room property, the ambiance captures the artistic spirit of days gone by, with elegant rooms in rich rose and emerald colours, mahogany tones, and gold accents featuring distinctive details. Stylish spaces for mixing and mingling abound with five food and beverage concepts. The Roof, featuring four interconnected spaces, provides a chic destination to sip artisanal sangria poolside.

Essex House by Clevelander, re-opened July 2021

The newly renovated Essex House by Clevelander reopened on July 15 after closing its doors over a year ago. The historic Art Deco hotel, on the corner of Collins Avenue and 10th Street has made property-wide updates that include refurbishing 70 rooms and suites, new flooring in the guest rooms and corridors, the restoration of the historic lobby, new lobby furniture and a new conference room equipped with AV capabilities.  Essex House originally opened in early 1939 and was designed by renowned Miami Beach architect Henry Hohauser and associate Frederick A. Gibbs.

The Goodtime Hotel, opened in spring 2021

Earlier in 2021, the Goodtime Hotel, the first collaborative lifestyle hotel brand from David Grutman of Groot Hospitality and Pharrell Williams, officially opened its doors on Miami Beach. The 266-room property offers an escapist atmosphere through its reimagined Art Deco aesthetic, which unwinds over nearly 100,000 square feet of public space. The Goodtime Hotel stands in a central, historic section of South Beach, along the town’s famed Washington Avenue.

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is an accredited not-for-profit sales and marketing organization whose mission is to attract visitors to Greater Miami & Miami Beach for leisure, business and conventions.

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