7 Reasons Miami is Florida’s Hottest – and coolest – City

Ponder this: Is Miami so hot, it’s cool or so cool, it’s hot?

One thing you won’t need to ponder is what to do when you get here, because there’s tons of fun awaiting you in Florida’s hottest, coolest city.

Art Week

Miami is nothing new to the art or music scenes, so it’s no surprise that the city virtually revolves around them. With the popular Miami Art Week growing each year, artists and those who love them are fully, completely happy. The Miami River Art Fair in Riverfront Hall of the James L. Knight Center has plenty of outdoor space for large-scale installations and indoor booth settings for smaller exhibitors. In recent years, it’s been stealing the thunder of the grand dame of art events, Art Basel. Its location is away from the crush of city, insulated by the Miami River, as are the residences of One River Point.

Art Basel Miami Beach brings about 250 of the world’s top galleries to South Florida to present their one-of-a-kind treasures for show and sale. Because of the caliber of its presenters, Art Basel is becoming the Super Bowl for art collectors. Hooking a ride alongside Art Basel, Design Miami widens Art Basel’s reach into interior design, curation and serious collections. Visit www.artbasel.com for more information.

Then there are the sisters: Art Miami + CONTEXT. These twin art fairs bring the best of modern art and contemporary art from the 20th and 21st centuries to town in a show featuring almost 100 carefully vetted galleries. At Art Miami, it’s about the display. At CONTEXT, it’s about making connections with emerging and mid-career artists in a way that helps them develop and support their careers. And its new location at One Herald Plaza on Northeast 14th Street on Biscayne Bay is a hit. For more information, visit www.artmiami.com

Architects Aranguren + Gallegos Arquitectos designed the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami building on Northeast 41st Street, and the museum’s facade is a work of art in itself. The special exhibitions gallery displays the work of cutting-edge artists, but it also serves the community through its programs and research, both of which stimulate lively discussion and improve artistic literacy. The three-story facility is also home to loads of luxury fashion stores, restaurants and exhibition spaces. You can feed your heart, stomach and soul, all in one place. For more information, visit www.icamiami.org

Dancing… obviously

The Miami Arena can host the biggest entertainers in the world, but the city lights up for the rest of them. One of the biggest draws to Miami is the hot-hot-hot Latin club scene. Salsa to your heart’s content or until the sun comes up, whichever comes first. Miami is a 24-hour town.

One River Point summarized its favorite Latin night spots in a recent blog: Hoy Como Ayer, 2212 S.W. Eighth St., La Covacha, 10730 N.W. 25th St., Doral and three others made the list. Put on your dancing shoes (don’t forget to pack your flats for after).

Dog-friendly is in Our Blood

The clubs probably won’t let you bring your dog, and that’s for the best, but there are very few non-dog-friendly situations and plenty of dog lovers to make you feel at home in Miami. There are dog spas and doggie day care, and dozens of dog-friendly parks and five dog-friendly beaches.

Restaurants and bars that are Friends of Fido abound. The experts of the food industry at Miami.eater.com do all the hard work for you and provide a list of their 14 top places to dog and dine each year.

Private & Exclusive Living

Much of Miami is the realm of the super-rich, and its footprint is everywhere. Venture out from the super-luxury residences, the modern-day castles of today’s kings and queens of industry, and you can get anything you want here. Or you can have it delivered!

Need a place to dock your yacht? No problem. Somewhere for the pilot to land the private jet? They’ve got you covered. If you’re looking for residences with an equal commitment to the luxury brand, One River Point delivers, too.

And it seems like every day another celebrity chef opens an eatery in Miami, so the choices and innovation in cuisine here are unmatched. Success in Miami depends on top-shelf service, AAA amenities and never having to say, ‘No.’

The Hottest Place? Miami’s Beaches

But the hottest of hot, and the thing Miami delivers 100 percent on every time is the beach, the beach, the beach. There are so many beautiful beaches it was nearly impossible to choose just a few as the best. Of course, it depends what you’re looking for. Totally current, South Beach’s South Pointe Park Beach has a distinctly different vibe than Crandon Park Beach, which has white sand and a retro-feel and is perfect for families. Check out the Miami New Times’ picks for best beaches at http://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/ten-best-beaches-in-miami-9478312

One thing that the beach scene, the art scene and the dining scene share with its neighbors like One River Point is a commitment to the history and preservation of the Miami River. From a working river at the turn of the century, the river underwent restoration efforts in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, but it was 1998’s Miami River Study Commission that called the community to action to restore and re-beautify the river that the movement caught hold, turning property along the river into prime space for luxury residences like One River Point.