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General Information

Miami International Airport is served by most US domestic carriers and a wide selection of international airlines. Although scheduling can occasionally place airplanes at any gate, typically airlines board in standard areas.

Location
Located 14km (9m) west of Miami
4200 N.W. 21 Street Miami, Florida 33122
Time zone: GMT -5 (GMT -4 between Apr-Oct)
Contact
Telephone: 305-876-7515
Fax: 305-876-7398
Number of Terminals
1 with Concourses Numbered A-H

For shuttle service to and from Airports and Cruise Ports in Fort Lauderdale or Miami
Please call 954-791-6575

Transfer Between Terminals
There is only one terminal but moving walkways are available to assist travel between concourses.

Miami Airport Terminals

The main terminal at MIA dates back to 1959, with several new additions. Semicircular in shape, the terminal has eight pier-shaped concourses, lettered counter-clockwise from A to J (B was demolished in 2005; Letter I was skipped to avoid confusion with the number 1). From the terminal's opening until the mid-1970s, the concourses were originally numbered clockwise from 1 to 6.

Level 1 of the terminal contains baggage carousels and ground transportation access. Level 2 contains ticketing/check-in, shopping and dining, and access to the concourses. The airport currently has two immigration and customs facilities, located in Concourse E, Level 1 and in Concourse J, Level 3. Gates in Concourses A, D, E, and J, and most in F and some in H, can route passengers to either the main concourse on Level 2 (for domestic arrivals), or to the immigration and customs halls on Level 3 (for international arrivals). However, all gates at Concourses C and G, Gates F4, F6, F8, and most gates in Concourse H are designed only for domestic arrivals. MIA is unique among American airports in that all of its facilities are common-use, meaning that they are assigned by the airport and no one airline holds ownership or leases on any terminal space or gates, thus giving the airport much more flexibility in terminal and gate assignments and allowing it to make full use of existing facilities. The entire airport became common-use by the 1990s.

The airport is served by three parking facilities: a two-level short-term parking lot located directly in front of Concourse E, and two seven-story parking garages (Dolphin and Flamingo) located within the terminal's curvature and connected to the terminal via overhead walkways on Level 3. In the late 1990s, the Dolphin Garage was expanded to better serve the then-new Concourse A; it is expected that the Flamingo Garage will be similarly expanded in the near future to serve the new Concourse J. The two parking garages are connected at their westernmost end; at the top of this connection are the airport's SIDA and ID Section offices. The single terminal facility is divided into three sections known as the North Terminal, Central Terminal, and South Terminal.

At present, the terminal is undergoing a dramatic transformation, the largest ever undertaken on any operating airport. Concourses A, C, and D, which currently serve American Airlines and its regional affiliates, are being merged into a single linear concourse, to be designated Concourse D and called the North Terminal. Portions of the new North Terminal have already been built as extensions of Concourses A and D; to make space for the remaining portions, Concourse B was demolished in 2005 and Concourse C is slated for demolition by 2010. Although this construction was originally slated for completion in 2005, it has been delayed several times due to cost overruns. The current substantial completion date is the first quarter of 2011. With sections of the terminal opening in phases, a significant majority of the structure has already been completed and opened for airline use. Once the entire project is finished, the North Terminal will house American Airlines and its oneworld alliance partners. Currently, American Airlines is spread between Concourses C, D, and E, while its alliance partners use either Concourse F or Concourse J.

The South Terminal is located at the other end of the terminal, and is comprised of Concourse H and Concourse J, the latter of which opened on August 29, 2007.(photo) The new addition is seven stories tall and has 15 international-capable gates, and a total floor area of 1.3 million square feet (120,000 m2), including two airline lounges and several offices. Concourse H will serve Delta Air Lines and its partners in the SkyTeam alliance, while Concourse J will serve United Airlines and its partners in the Star Alliance.

The remaining Concourses E, F, and G make up the Central Terminal. Aside from some minor changes in signage, the three concourses are remaining relatively untouched. Upon completion of the North Terminal project, the Central Terminal will be used to house airlines not affiliated with any of the "big three" airline alliances as well as the low-cost carriers the airport hopes to attract.

Airlines and Contact Numbers

Concourse A

Miami International Airport's Concourse A serves Aces, British Airways, Lan Chile, Lan Peru, Swissair, and Turkish Air. It contains gates A3 through A18.

Airlines:
Aces - (305) 265-1272
British Airways - (800) 247-9297
Lan Chile - (305) 670-9999
Lan Peru - (800) 735-5590
Swissair - (800) 221-4780
Turkish Air - (800) 874-8875
Concourse Lounges and Restaurants:
British Airways- Terraces Lounge

Concourse B

Miami International Airport's Concourse B serves Aero Mexico, Air France, Aviateca, Mexicana, Nica, Taca, Transbrasil, and Virgin Atlantic. It contains gates B1 through B15.

Airlines:
Aero Mexico - (800) 237-6639
Air France - (800) 237-2747
Aviateca - (800) 327-9832
Mexicana - (800) 531-7921
Nica - (800) 831-6422
Taca - (800) 535-8780
Transbrasil - (800) 872-3153
Virgin Atlantic - (800) 862-8621
Concourse Lounges and Restaurants:
Armed Forces Service Center
Club America - B
International Press Center

Concourse C

Miami International Airport's Concourse C serves Aero Continente, Aero Postal, Air Aruba, Air D'Ayiti, American Airlines, Avensa, Copa, Lab Bolivia, Lacsa, Martinair, Qantas, and Servivensa. It contains gates C1 through C15.

Airlines:
Aero Continente - (877) 359-7378
Aero Postal - (888) 912-8466
Air Aruba - (800) 882-7822
Air D'Ayiti - (888) 822-3434
American Airlines - (800) 433-7300
Avensa - (305) 871-8858
Copa - (800) 359-2672
Lab Bolivia - (800) 337-0918
Lacsa - (800) 225-2272
Martinair - (800) 627-8462
Qantas - (800) 227-4500
Servivensa - (305) 381-8001

Concourse D

Miami International Airport's Concourse D serves American Airlines and American Eagle. It contains gates D1 through D20.

Airlines:
American Airlines - (800) 433-7300 American Eagle - (800) 433-7300
Concourse Lounges and Restaurants:
Admirals Club D
AA Advantage Platinum Service Center
TWOV (Transit Without A Visa) Lounge

Concourse E

Miami International Airport's Concourse E serves Aeromar, Allegro, Air Caribbean, Air Jamaica, Airtran, Air Transat, Alitalia, American Transair, Balair, Bwia, Falcon Air Express, Ltu, Miami Air, National, Premiair, Sun Country, Suriname Airways, Tam, Military Charter, Chalks-Ocean-Airways, and Signature Charter. It contains gates E1 through E19 and satellite gates E20 through E35.

Airlines:
Aeromar - (305) 871-4262
Allegro - (800) 915-7351
Air Caribbean - (888) 533-2500
Air Jamaica - (800) 523-5585
Airtran - (800) 247-8726
Air Transat - (877) 872-6728
Alitalia - (800) 223-5730
American Transair - (800) 883-5228
Balair - (800) 322-5247
Bwia - (800) 538-2942
Falcon Air Express - (305) 592-5672
Ltu - (800) 888-0200
Miami Air - (305) 871-8001
National - (888) 757-5387
Premiair - (866) 522-4582
Sun Country - (800) 359-5786
Suriname Airways - (305) 262-9794
Tam - (888) 235-9826
Military Charter - (305) 526-5304
Chalks-Ocean-Airways - (800) 424-2557
Signature Charter - (800) 627-8465
Concourse Lounges and Restaurants:
Admirals Club E
AA VIP Lounge
Flagship Lounge
Club America - E
Consular Lounge
MIA Hotel- [Top of the Port Lounge, Executive Conference Center, Rooftop Health Club]

The Miami International Airport Hotel

Concourse F

Miami International Airport's Concourse F serves Aerolineas Argentinas, Air New Zealand, Alm, Avianca, Cayman Airways, Iberia, Lauda Airlines, Lufthansa, and United Airlines. It contains gates F1 through F23.

Airlines

Aerolineas Argentinas - (305) 648-4100
Air New Zealand - (800) 262-1234
Alm - (800) 327-7230
Avianca - (800) 284-2622
Cayman Airways - (800) 422-9626
Iberia - (800) 772-4642
Lauda Airlines - (800) 588-8399
Lufthansa - (800) 645-3880
United Airlines - (800) 241-6522
Concourse Lounges and Restaurants:
Club America - F
In-Transit Holdroom F
Red Carpet Club

Concourse G

Miami International Airport's Concourse G serves Air Canada, Canadian Airlines, America West, Continental Airlines, El-Al, Northwest/KLM, TWA/Royal Maroc, and Varig Airlines. It contains gates G1 through G19.

Airlines:
Air Canada - (888) 247-2262
Canadian Airlines - (888) 247-2262
America West - (800) 235-9292
Continental Airlines - (800) 525-0280
El-Al - (800) 223-6700
Northwest/KLM - (800) 225-2525
TWA/Royal Maroc - (800) 221-2000
Varig Airlines - (800) 468-2744

Concourse H

Miami International Airport's Concourse H serves Bahamas Air, Delta Airlines, Metro Jet/Delta, and US Airways. It contains gates H1 through H18.

Airlines:
Bahamas Air - (800) 222-4262
Delta Airlines - (800) 221-1212
Metro Jet/Delta - (888) 638-7653
US Airways - (800) 428-4322
Concourse Lounges and Restaurants:
Crown Room Club

Auto Rental

Miami International Airport provides easy access to numerous On-Airport and Off-Airport car rental companies. The On-Airport car rental companies have registration counters inside the baggage claim area on the first level of the terminal. Vehicle pick-up for all companies is off-site, accessible by courtesy shuttle van.

Restaurants and Shops

There is a wide variety of places to shop, eat and drink at Miami International Airport. The options for dining range from Burger King (located in concourses E and D) to fine dining at Top of the Port (located on the 7th Floor of the Miami Airport Hotel). For Latin food visit La Carreta at the entrance to concourse D. There are two Ice Cream shops in concourses E and H along with numerous cafeterias and snack bars throughout the terminal.

Cocktail Lounges are located in every concourse and in the Miami International Airport Hotel lobby.

There are numerous shops throughout the Miami International Airport terminal, featuring books, souvenirs, sportswear, cameras, electronics, and fine gift items. You will also find Duty Free Stores near the entrances of all the concourses.

Information and Help Desks

Passenger information centres can be found on level 1 by baggage claims 9 and 20, on level 2 concourse E, in the concourse E interline Customs lobby, and in the concourse B Customs greeters lobby. There are several tourist information desks and telephones located throughout the Terminal.

Airport Facilities

ATM machines, foreign currency exchanges and a full service bank are located throughout the Terminal. Other facilities include pharmacies, a health club, an art gallery, shops (located on level 2 and including duty-free) and 24 hour snack bars. The Miami International Airport Hotel has a full service restaurant and pool-side snack bar.

Disabled Facilities

Most toilets are wheelchair-accessible and TDD telephones for hearing-impaired people are available at the passenger service centre on level 2 and on most other levels.

Business Facilities

Miami International Airport Hotel, located on concourse E, provides business services including meeting rooms for up to 12 people fully equipped with AudioVisual equipment, a conference suite for up to 200, and catering.

Airport Hotels

Miami International Airport Hotel is located inside concourse E of the Terminal, with restaurant, health club and business facilities. Nearby hotels include Airport Regency, Days Inn Airport, Hilton & Towers Airport and Marriott Airport. Miami hotels include Best Western, Holiday Inn, Hyatt, Radisson, Ramada and Sheraton.

Miami Airport History

The airport was opened to flights in 1928 as Pan American Field, the operating base of Pan American Airways Corporation, on the north side of the modern airport property. After Pan Am acquired the New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line, it shifted most of its operations to the Dinner Key seaplane base, leaving Pan Am Field largely unused until Eastern Air Lines began flying there in 1934, followed by National Airlines in 1937.

In 1945, the City of Miami established a Port Authority and raised bond revenue to purchase the airport, which had meanwhile been renamed 36th Street Airport, from Pan Am. It was merged with an adjoining Army airfield in 1949 and expanded further in 1951. The old terminal on 36th Street was closed in 1959 when the modern passenger terminal (since greatly expanded) opened for service.

Air Force Reserve troop carrier and rescue squadrons also operated from Miami International from 1949 through 1959, when the last such unit relocated to nearby Homestead Air Force Base, now Homestead Air Reserve Base.

Pan Am and Eastern remained Miami International Airport's main tenants until 1991, when both carriers went bankrupt. Their hubs at MIA were taken over by United Airlines and American Airlines. United slowly trimmed down its Miami operation through the 1990s, and eventually shut down its crew base and other operations facilities in Miami. At the same time, American expanded its presence at the airport, winning new routes to Latin America and transferring employees and equipment from its failed domestic hubs at Nashville and Raleigh-Durham. Today, Miami is American's largest air freight hub, and forms the main connecting point in the airline's north-south oriented international route network.

For many years, the airport was a common connecting point for passengers traveling from Europe to Latin America. However, stricter visa requirements for aliens in transit (a result, in part, of the September 11, 2001 attacks) have lessened MIA's role as an intercontinental connecting hub. In 2004, Iberia Airlines ended its hub operation in Miami, opting instead to run more direct flights from Spain to Central America. Air France still has flights to Port-au-Prince using Airbus A320 aircraft.

AeroSur, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, American Eagle, Gulfstream International Airlines, Sky King Airlines, and Vision Airlines all operate regular flights between MIA and several airports in Cuba, the one of the few direct airlink between the two nations. However, these flights must be booked through agents with special authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and are only generally available to government officials, journalists, researchers, professionals attending conferences, or expatriates visiting Cuban family.

20 Things To Do In Miami

1. Indulge in sheer pleasure on South Beach

South Beach, surf capital of Miami is the place to enjoy yourself. The scene certainly lives up to the stereotype of Miami. You'll find surfers catching the waves in a turquoise ocean, models sauntering along golden sands and rollerbladers gliding down Ocean Drive. Hyper-tanned celebrities rub oiled shoulders with hipsters in the sidewalk cafés, designer boutiques, lounge bars and dusk-til-dawn clubs. They make this a perfect place for chilling out after browsing through the World Erotic Art Museum. Among the quintessential hangouts are the Nikki Beach Club and the Opium Garden, while great restaurants include Joe's Stone Crab, which is known for its legendary lime pie.

2. Feel like a flapper on Art Deco Ocean Drive

Forget the sand: take a stroll around the art deco buildings on South Beach to catch its golden era of architecture. Here you'll find a glamorous array of hotels, which grew up when a theatrical style swept the design world in the 20s. Crowded along Ocean Drive are the best of these giddy individuals. Park Central Hotel and the Imperial, designed by New Yorkers Henry Hohauser and L Murray Dixon, feature bold bands of colour and window 'eyebrows', characteristic of this flamboyant style. This is the ideal place to start off exploring the Art Deco District, which contains over 800 buildings from the 1930s and '40s. Visit the Art Deco District Welcome Center for self-guided audio tours.

Miami Car Rental

3. Spruce up your home decor in the Design District

If you fancy giving your home a facelift, then the Design District is the place to visit. Once a pineapple grove, the area evolved into Decorators Row during the building boom of the 1920s, when home-design stores occupied this space. Among the high-end showrooms is Holly Hunt (3833 NE 2nd Avenue, at NE 38th Street, 305 571 2012), with deluxe furniture and interior designs by Rose Tarlow, Christian Liaigre and Wendell Castle. And European kitchen-cabinet maker Bulthaup (3841 NE 2nd Avenue, at NE 38th Street, 305 573 7771) sells reproductions of mid-century modern classics here. Making the most of the Design Art trend are a number of galleries. Established names include Daniel Azoulay (3900A NE 1st Avenue, at NE 39th Street, 305 576 1977) and Barbara Gillman (414 NE 2nd Avenue, at NE 41st Street, 305 573 1920), which show internationally acclaimed artists.

4. Light up your Cubans in Little Havana

Visit Little Havana for a taste of Cuba. Miami Cubans are incredibly proud of this neighbourhood, even if they don't live there. Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) and the surrounding area are testimony to the American dream followed by the hundreds of thousands of Cubans who fled to Miami after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. Here, you'll find many restaurants and shops that are replicas of their ones back home. The Mediterranean-style houses with rocking chairs on the porch, fragrant air of tobacco wafting from cigar stores and hum of Latin music from record shops collude to maintain the illusion.

5. Have a Sex and the City moment

For those jaded by the preening crowds on Ocean Drive, the hippest place to visit is Lincoln Road Mall. Designed by iconic architectural guru Morris Lapidus in the 1950s, when it was dubbed the 'Fifth Avenue of the South', it's now simply known by locals as the 'Road'. Wall-to-wall sidewalk cafés, clubs and cultural venues stretch along its length (from Washington Avenue to Alton Road), looking glamorous thanks to a $16-million facelift. You could imagine the girls from 'Sex and the City' clicking their heels around its stylish boutiques. Among the best cafés are the Van Dyke and Balans. Highlights include the glam gay nightspot, the Score, the Lincoln Theater, home of the New World Symphony, and the Regal South Beach Stadium 18 movie theatre.

6. Step into a fairytale at the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

The sight of the Italian Renaissance-style Vizcaya Museum & Gardens on the Biscayne Bay is straight out a fairytale book. It's bizarre to discover a European-style palace in this beach lovers' paradise, but visiting it is like entering a wonderland. Built for Chicagoan industrialist and Europhile James Deering in the 20th-century, the extravagant architecture conceals an opulent interior. Full of European antiques and decorative works from the 16th to 19th centuries, and complete with original fittings, it will whisk you away to a golden age. It's a popular wedding destination.

7. Dine in style at a classic Miami restaurant

In a city of glamour, the beautiful people need a grand stage on which to eat, so you can enjoy some fantastic dining experiences. The 19th-century Parisian façade of The Forge conceals a glitzy interior that is a rococo lover's dream. The steakhouse once hosted the likes of Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Richard Nixon. It still has an 1822 Château Lafite Rothschild worth $150,000 to prove its star quality. Decadent wines accompany steak and fish dishes, and there's a healthy spa menu for the calorie conscious. The Wednesday night club scene at this venerable place calls to mind the soap opera 'Dynasty'.

8. Plot your great escape at Key Biscayne

The Key as the locals call Key Biscayne may not be as pretty as Miami Beach or attract as many beautiful bodies, but it compensates for this lack of superficial beauty with its serenity. The northernmost island in the Florida Keys, its life began as an exclusive resort in the early 1900s and it attracted the US president Richard Nixon in the 1970s, when he bought a home here. Despite rising property prices, it has maintained a tranquil air. With little nightlife or shopping, the lure for visitors is nature: there are pristine beaches, two waterfront parks, a cycling path and gorgeous views of Miami. On the east Crandon Park has barbecue and picnic areas for family trips, while at the tip of the island there is good swimming in the 400-acre park of Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area.

9. Get real with funky, fresh food

There's more to American food than 24-hour diners and burgers in Miami. Here, you'll find unique restaurants serving fresh American food. In the South Beach area, Barton G serves fabulous cuisine funked up with presentations that include popcorn shrimp and grilled sea bass in a brown paper bag. A superb Caesar salad comes complete with a cheese-grater and for the grand finale, a plume of cotton candy reminiscent of Dame Edna's wig is served. For those who prefer a light meal, the hip hangout Segafredo is a great option. Here, you can eat tasty sandwiches, salads, carpaccios and desserts while lounging on comfy upholstered chairs and listening to a soundtrack of cool lounge music all day long.

10. Loosen those purse strings at designer shops

In Miami, you'll find great shopping malls, with designer stores and boutiques to cater for every fashion whim. South Florida's newest upscale mall, the Village of Merrick Park has three open-air storeys with 115 shops and boutiques, including the area's only Burberry, plus Diane von Furstenberg, Etro, Gucci, Jimmy Choo and Sonia Rykiel. The best all-rounder Aventura Mall has all the big department stores, such as Bloomingdale's and Macy's. To purchase top-end T-shirts with grand embellishments visit Rebel. Long Island hipsters flock here for jeans and other items from Ya-Ya, Juicy Couture, Vince and Sass & Bide.

11. Go wild at the Carnaval Miami

Miami needs no excuse to party: from the traditional to the tacky, the city is fast on its feet when it comes to celebrations. For ten days each spring (in early March), Latino Miami struts its stuff with a vibrant array of beauty pageants, sports, concerts and international foods at Carnaval Miami (www.carnavalmiami.com). There are culinary competitions, galas and an upscale Latin jazz festival. The grand finale is Calle Ocho, a 23-block street festival in Little Havana, which is the largest block party in the world. Over a million watch live entertainment on 30 stages featuring salsa, merengue and Caribbean music.

12. Shop with the stars

In Miami, you can spot celebrities shopping for designer gear and pick up items in vogue with the stars. When Janet Jackson heard that Beyoncé was shopping at Poltrona Frau in the Design District she made a beeline for some Peter Marino sofas. At Bal Harbour Shops, Jennifer Lopez has been known to walk into Gucci and splash a few thousand dollars on goods. You're most likely to see Britney Spears and Paris Hilton splurging in South Beach stores such as Atrium. Further south, rappers like Diddy, Usher and Kanye West might park their Rolls-Royce Phantoms in front of Intermix to buy some Stella McCartney threads.

13. Cure your ale-ments

Are you sick of sipping on candy-coloured martinis in glitzy bars and restaurants? Do you fancy spending a low-key evening chatting to locals over a pint of beer? Then, why not go back to basics at the hole-in-the-wall turned microbrewery, Abbey on South Beach. It offers European imports as well as several own-made beers. Despite its upgrade to a brewery, it still has the soul of a class dive-bar. This place has tons of atmosphere, a dartboard and is teeming with locals who you can try and chat up. Watch out for drunken arrowists.

14. Buff up at the beach

In Miami, why waste time in the gym when you can enjoy the outdoors while getting buff on the beach? With the sun, sea and scenery, sandy sports might not even seem like exercise. For an easy workout, grab a paddleball set or Frisbee at any store on the South Beach, join a game of soccer or round up a volleyball team. For the thrill of wave riding, hire an instructor at Florida Surf Lessons (www.floridasurflessons.com). Kick up the power a few notches at the South Beach Bootcamp, where a personal trainer will take you through a rigorous programme. But if that's too intense, then mellow down at a sunset yoga class.

15. Glam up for clubbing

Miami often gets a reputation for its cookie-cutter nightclubs. But there are a handful of glamorous, individual bar-clubs on South Beach, where you can live it up well into the night. The dusky, chandelier-lit Florida Room mixes old-school décor with the aesthetic of a swanky cruise-ship, attracting everyone from young hipsters and chic sophisticates to Golden Girls clones on a fancy night out. Cameo is a renovated art deco movie theatre that's a premier venue for superstar DJs. It's popular with a mod squad of glamazons and scenesters. Dress to get noticed here.

16. Listen to the grape vine

A city hasn't arrived until it can boast a selection of swanky wine bars and Miami has certainly embraced its inner wino. Cefalo's is a wine emporium with a difference: it's a chilled Coconut Grove hangout run by a former Dolphins player, which sells 2,000 wines by the bottle and around 40 varieties for sampling. As well as the bar and shop, it hosts tastings and classes, and its eaterie serves Italian cuisine. The first wine bar to open on the beach was Vino Miami, a sleek lounge with a sophisticated wine list and moreish menu of cheeses. For an intimate venue head to W Wine Bar in the chichi Design District or go by the reviews and stick to Wine 69, voted the city's best wine bar by the Miami New Times.

17. Live your reel life dreams

South Florida has the stuff of cinematic fantasy: neon glamour, quasi-tropical vistas and buff bodies. It's no surprise that those in the dream business, film-makers, adore making movies here. Since the days of 'The White Rose' in the 1920s, the motion picture industry has engaged in a heady love affair with the city, and you can spot clues to its movie stardom. The nightlife of Miami Beach has appeared in several films, including the 1964 Bond outing 'Goldfinger', and its gangsta-rapping features in Brian De Palma's remake of 'Scarface'. A hair-raising scene from 'There's Something About Mary' is played out at the Cardozo Hotel, and there's a big starring role for the Carlyle Hotel as a gay club on the flamboyant South Beach in 'The Birdcage'.

18. Release your inner child

For those with children, and fun-loving adults, the Miami Children's Museum is the ideal place to visit. With a futuristic design by the stellar architecture practice Arquitectonica, it's an exciting playground with many interactive displays. You can discover a colourful, mosaic-tiled sandcastle, a teddy-bear exhibit and a television studio. Children under-five can have an adventure in a sea room and enjoy more mundane exhibits: a bank with teller stations and fake cheques, a supermarket with checkout lanes and police motorcycle and fire truck. A visit here will be an endless source of delight for young ones.

19. Get to the art of the matter at Art Basel Miami Beach

Miami Beach is better known for kitsch than fine art, so it seemed odd that organisers of Switzerland's sophisticated Art Basel would choose Miami for its first American sortie. And yet it has been an amazing success: it draws galleries and dealers from around the globe, and showcases the work of more than 1,000 artists and over 200 galleries in the main fair alone. Being in Miami, this is an art fair with a difference: showbiz culture and celebs are part of the equation. Spotting stars buying art and seeing them again at exclusive galas adds to the fun. There are a number of satellite fairs including the NADA fair, Pulse and Design Miami. Galleries hold special shows, South Beach clubs host art parties and restaurants offer specials. This event is all about drinking cocktails on the sand while chatting about alfresco art. For information, visit www.artbaselmiamibeach.com.

20. Discover a rustic paradise

If you've had enough of the sun and surf, the farm fields around Homestead make for a bucolic break. The Fruit & Spice Park is the only garden of its kind in the United States, a 30-acre park exhibiting over 500 varieties of fruits, veggies, spices, herbs, nuts and exotic edibles. An old schoolhouse and coral rock building chart Florida's pioneer life. Another throwback to the fruit farming of old is Robert is Here, which started life in 1959 when the shop's namesake, then six, began selling the family's cucumbers from a small stall. Since then, it has grown into an exotic emporium of fruit and veg. In the lovely setting you can drink fruity milkshakes and buy sweet gifts.