Indagare's Miami Cheat Sheet

Just twenty minutes north of Miami Beach, the stunning Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club offers the perfect blend of top-notch service and sumptuous accommodations. It's a 21st-century addition to the historic 1930s Surf Club, which welcomed Old Hollywood royalty and world leaders in its heyday. We love the three pools and Paris-based designer Joseph Dirand's soothing palette of white marble, soft blues and light greens that evoke the changing colors of the Florida sea and sky.

Decadent and fantastical, the Baz Luhrmann-designed Faena Hotel brings a sense of fabulous Latin heat and glamour to Miami Beach. It's one of Miami's most unique properties, and its candy-red-and-white umbrellas—and sumptuous arts, dining and entertainment venues—are practically considered local landmarks.

The Shelborne is a 1940s Art Deco waterfront classic—and an impressive roster of past guests includes Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Marilyn Monroe. The property reopened in 2025 following a $100-million renovation and has a strong sense of place with a South Florida-native chef serving Latin and Caribbean cuisine, Bossa Nova jazz at the pool and guava pastelitos at the cafe. Few other luxury hotels on the beach feel this Miami.

The Miami Design District has long fostered avant-garde style and art, but it is currently undergoing a stunning metamorphosis with the help of star architects and luxury brands, making it Miami's premier shopping destination. Shops to peruse include Acne Studios, Cartier, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Cult Gaia, Kith, Balenciaga, Gucci, Fendi Casa, Jonathon Adler and many more. Plus, it's also an area to get a fabulous lunch or dinner.

Name something more Miami than a glamorous day on the water…we'll wait. Reserve a boat and captain for a day chater to discover the city's canals and adjacent seafood restaurants, the downtown skyline from a different perspective and a stop at island paradise, Key Biscayne. Pack your most fabulous suit and coverup combo.

Whether you appreciate fine articles or just love designer labels, you'll enjoy an afternoon at this glamorous outdoor mall—just a 20-minute ride north from Miami Beach. All the big names are represented.

Sunny's Steakhouse, in Miami's Little River neighborhood, features distinct dining areas and a towering banyan tree—there's an elegant indoor dining room with white tablecloths and black-and-white tiled floors, a striking half-circular bar with hand-carved woodwork and palm tree-etched mirrors, plus a private dining room that can accommodate up to 50 guests. The menu highlights wood-fired steaks, fresh seafood and pastas. It's a high-quality steakhouse experience in a vibrant, alfresco setting.

Housed in a tiny, early 20th-century house in the Design District, this charming restaurant channels the Greek isles with casual charm. Feast on fresh Greek-Turkish fare like marinated gilled octopus and an excellent sampler of Mediterranean dips that is perfect for sharing.

An unpretentious Michelin-starred foodie favorite, Boia De is not your typical Miami hot spot. Housed in a strip mall in Buena Vista, people are here for the excellent, inventive food and drinks, not for the "see and be seen" vibes. The name comes from Tuscan slang for "oh my god!"—which explains the exclamation-point motif seen in the pink neon sign above the entrance, and it also might anticipate what you say after tasting some of the dishes on the menus.

Looking for a sexy, romantic night out? Lost on where to celebrate your birthday? Craving Korean? Love Wagyu? Doesn't matter the question—COTE is the answer. This sleek, Michelin-starred steakhouse in the Design District nails everything we love about Korean barbecue and a big night out.

Housed in a two-story space layered with Middle Eastern textures, mid-century furnishings and a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf of personal artifacts, this Persian-American restaurant is one of the buzziest spots in Little River. The menu leans into a custom wood-fired grill, turning out charcoal-grilled shawarma and whole duck alongside cult favorites like a heritage roast chicken. Upstairs, the Lion's Den vinyl lounge keeps the night going until 3:00 a.m.

This Miami Beach staple, which has grown into a world-famous destination, was founded in 1913 as a lunch counter and is still family-run by Joe's descendants. The restaurant is classic old Miami and the dark-wood paneled interior and devoted staff reinforces this feeling. Order the Alaskan king crab or stone crab and hash browns to enjoy the full experience.

Diners at Casa Tua can enjoy delicate Italian dishes (the gnocchi in a burrata, cream and tomato sauce is a highlight) while seated in a candlelit room that showcases rotating art exhibitions.

Delilah Miami channels the energy of a 1920s supper club with Art Deco-inspired interiors and elevated reinterpretations of classic American dishes—and a glamorous, celebratory atmosphere.

Cecconi's, in Soho Beach House, serves delicious pastas and pizzas in a seriously romantic open-air courtyard.

Art Basel Miami Beach, which started in 2002, has become one of the season’s most important social and cultural events.

This club in the Fontainebleau is classic Miami nightlife: neon lights, thumping music and beautiful people characterize the 18,000-square-foot space.

At Miami's Baz Luhrmann-designed Faena Hotel, the Faena Theater is a captivating cultural hub renowned for its immersive and avant-garde entertainment experiences.

Once the tropical home of James Deering built in 1910, Vizcaya is now a National Historic Landmark that invites visitors to engage in the culturally and historically significant estate known for its exemplary preservation.

Located in a converted warehouse, this collection features works by such contemporary artists as Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami.

This open-air gallery showcases rotating exhibitions of murals from some of the world’s leading street artists.