| City of Miami Beach | |||
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| — City — | |||
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| Nickname(s): The Beach | |||
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| Coordinates: 25°48′46.89″N 80°8′2.63″W / 25.813025°N 80.1340639°WCoordinates: 25°48′46.89″N 80°8′2.63″W / 25.813025°N 80.1340639°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Florida | ||
| County | Miami-Dade | ||
| Incorporated | March 26, 1915 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Matti Herrera Bower | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 18.7 sq mi (48.5 km2) | ||
| - Land | 7.0 sq mi (18.2 km2) | ||
| - Water | 11.7 sq mi (30.2 km2) 62.37% | ||
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| - City | 87,925 | ||
| - Density | 12,502.1/sq mi (4,829.5/km2) | ||
| - Metro | 5,422,200 | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Zip | 33109, 33139, 33140, 33141. | ||
| Area code(s) | 305, 786 | ||
| FIPS code | 12-45025[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0286750[2] | ||
| Website | www.miamibeachfl.gov | ||
Miami Beach is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city was incorporated on March 26, 1915.[3] It is located on a barrier island between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean; the Bay separates Miami Beach from the city of Miami, Florida. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Miami," despite being a distinct municipality. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,933. 55.5% of the population was foreign born.[4] A 2005 population estimate for the city was 87,925.[5] Miami Beach has been one of America's pre-eminent beach resorts for almost a century.
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In 1979 Miami Beach's Art Deco Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Art Deco District is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world and comprises hundreds of hotels, apartments and other structures erected between 1923 and 1943. Mediterranean, Streamline Moderne and Art Deco are all represented in the District. The Historic District is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the East, Lenox Court on the West, 6th Street on the South and Dade Boulevard along the Collins Canal to the North. The movement to preserve the Art Deco District's architectural heritage was led by former interior designer Barbara Capitman, who now has a street in the District named in her honor.
Miami Beach is governed by a Mayor and 6 Commissioners. The mayor runs commission meetings and the mayor and all commissioners have equal voting power. The Mayor serves for terms of 2 years with a term limit of 3 terms and commissioners serve for terms of 4 years and are limited to 2 terms. Commissioners are voted for by region and every two years 3 commission seats are voted upon. A city manager is responsible for administering governmental operations.
As of November 2009 the Mayor is Matti Herrera Bower. The Commissioners are: Michael Gongora, Jerry Libbin, Jorge Exposito, Ed Tobin, Deede Weithorn and Jonah Wolfson.
South Beach (also known as SoBe, or simply The Beach, the area from 1st street to about 25th street) is one of the more popular areas of Miami Beach. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on certain designated areas of the beach. Before the TV show Miami Vice helped make the area popular, SoBe was under urban blight, with vacant buildings and a high crime rate. Today, it is considered one of the richest commercial areas on the beach, yet poverty and crime still remain in some places near the area.[6]
Miami Beach, particularly Ocean Drive of what is now the Art Deco District, was also featured prominently in the 1983 feature film Scarface and the Birdcage.
The New World Symphony Orchestra is based in Miami Beach, Florida, under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.
Lincoln Road, running east-west between 16th and 17th Streets, is a nationally known spot for great outdoor dining, bicycling, rollerblading and shopping and features and galleries of well known designers, artists and photographers such as Romero Britto, Peter Lik, and Jonathan Adler.[citation needed]
The Miami Beach environs are home to a number of Orthodox Jewish communities with a network of well-established synagogues and yeshivas. It is also a magnet for Jewish families, retirees, and particularly snowbirds when the cold winter sets in to the north. They range from the Followers to the Modern Orthodox to the Haredi and Hasidic - including many rebbes who vacation there during the North American winter. There are a number of kosher restaurants and even kollels for post-graduate Talmudic scholars, such as the Miami Beach Community Kollel. Miami Beach had roughly 60,000 people in Jewish households, 62 percent of the total population, in 1982, but only 16,500, or 19 percent of the population, in 2004, said Ira Sheskin, a demographer at the University of Miami who conducts surveys once a decade.[citation needed]
Miami Beach is home to the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach.
According to the Morgan Quitno Awards, Miami Beach is one of the most dangerous small cities (population between 75,000 and 99,999) in the country.[7]
Each December, The city plays host to the major contemporary art exhibition Art Basel Miami Beach. In November of 2007 and 2009, a multi-media art festival ("Sleepless Night") was held based on Nuit Blanche.[1][2][3]
Miami Beach is located at 25°48′47″N 80°08′03″W / 25.813025°N 80.134065°W (25.813025, -80.134065).[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 48.5 km2 (18.7 mi2). 18.2 km2 (7.0 mi2) of it is land and 30.2 km2 (11.7 mi2) of it (62.37%) is water.
It has a Tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am)[9], with hot humid summers and warm winters. There is a marked wet season during the summer months, with dry winters that feature much lower humidity. Miami Beach is one of only a handful of U.S. locales that has never recorded snow or snow flurries in recorded weather history.
Miami Beach's location on the Atlantic Ocean, near its confluence with the Gulf of Mexico make it extraordinarily vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms. Despite only experiencing one direct hit from a major hurricane in recorded weather history, (Hurricane Cleo in 1964), the area has seen indirect contact from hurricanes Betsy (1965), Andrew (1992), Irene (1999), Michelle (2001), Katrina (2005), and Wilma (2005).
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °F (°C) | 87 (31) |
88 (31) |
92 (33) |
94 (34) |
98 (37) |
97 (36) |
98 (37) |
98 (37) |
96 (36) |
95 (35) |
92 (33) |
86 (30) |
98 (37) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 73 (22.8) |
73 (22.8) |
75 (23.9) |
79 (26.1) |
82 (27.8) |
86 (30) |
87 (30.6) |
87 (30.6) |
86 (30) |
83 (28.3) |
78 (25.6) |
75 (23.9) |
80 (26.7) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 63 (17.2) |
63 (17.2) |
66 (18.9) |
70 (21.1) |
74 (23.3) |
77 (25) |
78 (25.6) |
78 (25.6) |
78 (25.6) |
75 (23.9) |
70 (21.1) |
65 (18.3) |
71 (21.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 32 (0) |
37 (3) |
32 (0) |
46 (8) |
58 (14) |
65 (18) |
66 (19) |
67 (19) |
67 (19) |
54 (12) |
39 (4) |
32 (0) |
32 (0) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 2.4 (61) |
2.1 (53.3) |
2.2 (55.9) |
2.8 (71.1) |
4.9 (124.5) |
6.9 (175.3) |
3.6 (91.4) |
5.4 (137.2) |
6.3 (160) |
4.5 (114.3) |
3.3 (83.8) |
2 (50.8) |
46.4 (1,178.6) |
| Source: The Weather Channel[10] November 2009 | |||||||||||||
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 87,933 people, 46,194 households, and 18,339 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,829.5/km2 (12,502.1/mi2). There were 59,723 housing units at an average density of 3,280.1/km2 (8,491.2/mi2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.74% White (40.9% were Non-Hispanic Whites,)[11] 4.03% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.05% from other races, and 3.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 53.45% of the population.
There were 46,194 households out of which 14.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 60.3% were non-families. 48.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was sixty-five years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.76.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 644 |
|
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| 1930 | 6,494 | 908.4% | |
| 1940 | 28,012 | 331.4% | |
| 1950 | 46,282 | 65.2% | |
| 1960 | 63,145 | 36.4% | |
| 1970 | 87,072 | 37.9% | |
| 1980 | 96,298 | 10.6% | |
| 1990 | 92,639 | −3.8% | |
| 2000 | 87,933 | −5.1% | |
| Est. 2007 | 86,916 | −1.2% | |
In the city the population was spread out with 13.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 38.2% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were sixty-five years of age or older. The median age was thirty-nine years. For every 100 females there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age eighteen and over, there were 105.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,322, and the median income for a family was $33,440. Males had a median income of $33,964 versus $27,094 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,853. About 17.0% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 24.5% of those age sixty-five or over.
As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as a first language accounted for 54.89% of residents, while English made up 32.75%, Portuguese was at 3.38%, French was at 1.66%, German at 1.12%, Italian 0.99%, and Russian was 0.85% of the population. Due to the large Jewish community, Yiddish made up 0.81% of speakers, and Hebrew was the mother tongue of 0.74% of the population.[12]
As of 2000, Miami Beach had the twenty-second highest percentage of Cuban residents in the US, with 20.51% of the populace.[13] It had the twenty-eighth highest percentage of Colombian residents in the US, at 4.4% of the city's population,[14] and the fourteenth highest percentage of Brazilian residents in the US, at 2.2% of the its population (tied with Hillside, New Jersey and Hudson, Massachusetts.)[15] It also had the twenty-seventh most Peruvians in the US, at 1.85%,[16] while it had the twenty-seventh highest percentage of Venezuelans, at 1.79% of all residents.[17] Miami Beach's Honduran community had the thirty-third highest percentage of residents, which comprised 1.03% of the population.[18] Its also home to the forty-first highest percentage of Nicaraguan residents, which made up 1.03% of the population.[19]
Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves Miami Beach.
Private schools include Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy, Landow Yeshiva - Lubavitch Educational Center (Klurman Mesivta for Boys), and Mechina High School.
Miami Beach has 11 sister cities[20]
Fortaleza, Brazil [21]
Brampton, Canada[22]
Santa Marta, Colombia
Ceský Krumlov, Czech Republic
Nahariya, Israel
Pescara, Italy
Fujisawa, Japan
Cozumel, Mexico
Ica, Peru
Almonte, Spain Marbella, Spain
 The historical Art Deco District at South Beach during the night. |
 The Art Deco District at South Beach during the day. |
 Colorful new building blends in with the historic Art Deco |
Miami Beach is a city in Florida. This small barrier island near Miami was originally cleared of mangroves in the late 1800's to make way for a coconut farm, and was later incorporated as a city by real estate developers in 1915.
Miami Beach is a barrier island connected to the mainland city of Miami by a series of bridges.
Miami Beach, like Miami, has a huge Latin American population, and Spanish is a language often used for day-to-day discourse in many places. However, English is the language of preference, particularly when dealing with businesses and government. Spanglish, a mixture of English and Spanish, is a somewhat common occurrence, with bilingual locals switching between English and Spanish mid-sentence. The local Latin population is mostly Cuban exiles (which have now become second and third generation locals,) with South Americans from various countries gaining ground. There is also a large Haitian community and many signs and public announcements are in English, Spanish and Creole.
Miami Beach has been one of America's pre-eminent beach resorts for almost a century. The city of Miami Beach is a barrier island connected to the mainland city of Miami by a series of bridges. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Miami”, with a population of 87,925. As a world-class destination, Miami Beach offers several kinds of lodging options. The visitor can stay in a normal hotel or choose from a variety of Miami Beach vacation rentals. Visitors can plan to stay in a Miami Beach condo rental. Miami Beach has a rich history as a trend setting arts center from the world famous nightclubs of the 1950s, to the rich cultural life of today's modern South Beach. The City of Miami Beach has an identity that is intrinsically linked to the arts, and today the entertainment, production and arts communities are stronger than ever. Miami Beach is truly a major international entertainment and cultural destination.
If you come to Miami to shop, then Miami Beach can give you the best shopping experience ever. With the famous Lincoln Road Mall and glamorous shopping centers located in South Beach and all over the island, you’ll have great options to spend your time and money in the trendy retails stores that carry garments from international designers. Art museums, ballet performances, cultural events and entertainment are a part of this great city. You will have the chance to choose from a wide variety of Miami attractions. Art Center at Lincoln Road has performance art exhibitions. Classes and courses are available as well and they include photography, jewelry-making and painting.
Beyond the radiant sun, surf and sand, discover Miami Beach’s rich history as an entertainment and cultural destination, from world-famous Art Deco architecture to renowned nightclubs to designer fashions on Collins Ave and Lincoln Rd. There’s so much going on in Miami Beach, you will need an extra day to enjoy everything that makes this city so vibrant. Plan to lodge in an affordable Miami vacation home and completely enjoy the world’s elite playground. Miami Beach promises a 25-hour day, and whether you're an arts enthusiast, a socialite or a sun worshipper, there are plenty of options for where to spend that extra hour.
Miami International Airport (MIA) is closest, but Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) is only around 40 minutes away (depending on traffic) by shuttle and the rates are often better.
You can take the J Bus from Miami International Airport to Miami Beach. To Get to South Beach, then transfer to a southbound C bus. The fare is approximately $2.
Taxis are generally expensive, but available at almost any time and place. Car rentals are the most convenient form of transportation for visitors, with local companies offering better prices but national chains offering more convenience vis-a-vis return policies and shop times.
When traveling within Miami Beach, a good choice is the South Beach Local [1], a shuttle bus that operates in a loop from 19th St to the southern end of Miami Beach (buses travel in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions). Fare is only 25 cents. Regional transit buses throughout the greater Miami area are available, but may be slow and inconvenient. Schedules and routes are available from the Miami-Dade Transit [2] website or by calling +1 305 770 3131.
Miami Beach is bicycle and pedestrian friendly, although the streets can get congested close to the beach so going on foot is sometimes easier.
Miami Beach is a fashionista's paradise, with strips dedicated to designer, from Versarce to Missioni, from Vivienne Westwood to Chloe. Don your most comfortablest shoes and indulge!
Those without a budget head to Bal Harbour (9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour) where the locals shop at the Versace boutique.
Many international cuisines are to be found, with a heavy leaning towards Latin foods, particularly Cuban cuisine. Some Cuban cuisine to try includes a sandwich cubano (Cuban sandwich) and a cafecito (literally it means little coffee, but compares to a strong, sweet espresso).
Most of the drinking nightlife is centered around South Beach or Coconut Grove. "Cuba Libre" is a popular drink, known to the rest of the world as plain old "Rum and Coke". Also popular is the "Mojito", a sugar/mint/soda-water and rum drink.
Miami Beach is a tourist town and has many hotels, located mostly around the beach area. High season (fewer rooms, higher prices,) is during the winter months of November through February, with summer being the low season. There are hostels throughout the city.
Do your homework when booking a hotel in South Beach. Nearly all of the hotels have a restaurant, at least a small one, out in front of the hotel. That appears to be what gets the hotel a three-star rating. However in many cases, the hotel by itself is far from three-stars. Read reviews from other travelers before booking or you might be very disappointed.
The main area code for Miami Beach is 305, with an overlay of the 786 area code.
Emergency telephone number for fire, police and rescue emergencies is 911.
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