Hotel at a Glance: Grand Beach Hotel

The brand-new Grand Beach Hotel sits on a tiny island north of Miami Beach, on an inlet called Indian Creek. This privileged spot gives one side of the hotel great views of sunsets, and those on the other side great views of the waterfront. If guests tire of enjoying the scenery from their private balconies, they can walk about 10 minutes to swim in Surfside Beach’s warm Atlantic waters.

• Time to eat: The included daily continental breakfast comes with options such as croissants and yogurt parfaits.
• Sunshine and palm trees: The deck around the outdoor pool and hot tub overlooks Indian Creek.
• Stylish suites span at least 400 square feet, and most have two bathrooms and two TVs.
• Staying fit: Floor-to-ceiling windows give gym buffs views of the water.

Miami Beach, Florida: White-Sand Beaches, Glamorous Nightlife, and Cuban Cuisine

Miami Beach is a small barrier island situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, a shallow lagoon that separates the beaches from downtown Miami. People from all over the world come here to enjoy the white-sand beaches, shop the high-end boutiques, and party at the legendary see-and-be-seen nightclubs the city is known for. The red-hot center of this sexy, international social scene is South Beach, a 20-block stretch filled with upscale lounges, rooftop bars, and ultrahip hangouts behind velvet ropes. Lummus Park beach is packed by mid-morning, and the clubs on Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue—many of which stay open until 5 a.m.—vie for the limelight with VIP service, celebrity DJs, and dressed-to-the-nines crowds.

Beyond the fast-paced luxury of South Beach lies Miami Beach’s softer side. A leisurely stroll through the Art Deco District reveals hundreds of beautiful, candy-colored buildings, including Versace Mansion—a 1930 manor modeled after a palace in the Dominican Republic that belonged to Christopher Columbus’s family. The centerpiece of the city’s arts scene, the Bass Museum of Art displays works from Peter Paul Rubens and Sandro Botticelli, and modern-design objects and propaganda arts fill three stories at the Wolfsonian-FIU museum. There’s also a handful of vibrant ethnic enclaves to explore here, and Little Havana is among the most notable. The neighborhood is lined with family-owned restaurants and Caribbean-style marketplaces, making it a great place to discover some of the country’s most delicious Cuban food, from sugary guarapo juice to pastelitos, or Cuban pastries.