Recent activity on the cultural and entertainment fronts suggests a rebirth. You don't people-watch in Miami; you celebrity-watch. Hardly the brash, drug-ridden crime capital of America that was made famous in the 1980s television series Miami Vice, today’s booming metropolis has since been dubbed ‘America’s Casablanca’, the ‘Magic City’ and, more recently, the ‘America of the Millennium’.

There's lots of reasons to visit Miami- the beaches and weather, buisiness conventions, and awesome attrations to name a few. Find here a list of resources to help with everything from finding a hotel to finding events around the city.

Everyone should drive along the main north-south thoroughfare, Collins Avenue, at least once—it's an education. After that, take a look at some of the top attractions. Start in South Miami Beach with the 18-block Art Deco District, a national preservation zone. Nowhere else in the United States are there so many buildings from the jazz age. Chrome, Bakelite, streamlined ceramics, coloured glass and Aztec motifs set the tone in hotels built during the 1930s and '40s. Crossing the district from one side to the other is the pedestrian Lincoln Road shopping mall.

Don't let Miami Beach seduce you away from Miami on the mainland. To get your bearings, know that Miami is divided into four sections, NW, NE, SW and SE. Streets and terraces run east-west, with numbers starting from Flagler Street; avenues, courts and places are aligned north-south, with numbers beginning at Miami Avenue.

The city’s real genius, however, is that, in recent years, it has successfully absorbed the different cultures of its multi-ethnic population and been influenced by them all – and now Miami is considered a model community for the 21st century and a compelling example of America’s changing face. Despite this, not every immigration story is a happy one. Immigrants are not given as hearty a welcome as the Eastern European immigrants to America once were, for example, as the sad story of young Elian Gonzales and his attempted illegal emigration shows, when, in 1999, his mother lost her life in trying to secure US citizenship for her son. And, indeed, there are downsides as a result of its diverse population but, nevertheless, Miami is essentially a city founded on the ideals of liberation by immigrants looking for an opportunity to flourish. Now one of the most exhilarating cities in the country, this safe, successful, multicultural metropolis has vibrancy and savoir faire and really is a ‘City of the Future’.

Miami is full of interesting and appealing tourist attractions and historical landmarks. Some of the top tourist attractions in Miami include Miami's Miracle Mile - one of Miami's major shopping regions, situated in the Coral Gables district of Miami, the Miami Freedom Tower - an important landmark tower built in 1924, Miami Metrozoo - one of the finest wild animal parks in America and the Miami Seaquarium - a 38-acre complex of huge saltwater pools, with a number of majestic killer whales and friendly dolphins, sea lions, porpoises and a group of manatees. Countless other tourist attractions are situated nearby Miami, such as the Miami Everglades National Park, which is one of the largest natural parks in the Miami area, made up of large swamps and marshes. Air boat tours are available to safely negotiate the Everglades National Park and view the numerous alligators in the Miami park.

While Little Havana has its beginnings downtown, the centre of the district is a 30-block-long section further west along SW 8th Street, otherwise known as Calle Ocho. Restaurants here specialize in Cuban and Spanish-style cuisine, and street-side snack bars serve up strong and aromatic café cubano.

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Miami experience is the sight of leaping dolphins and a trained killer whale performing antics in the marine spectaculars of Miami Seaquarium (across Rickenbacker Causeway) on Key Biscayne. Other attractions include sharks feeding, performing sea lions and the rare and gentle manatee.