Integrated with Biscayne Bay, Miami’s scenic waterfront is filled with history, shopping, and entertainment. Although primarily a business district, the downtown Port of Miami is the largest cruise ship port in the world, handling over three million passengers a year. There are a large variety of boats available for long charters or brief excursions. These include dinner cruises, fishing charters, casinos, and sightseeing tours of Millionaire’s Row.
Miami Waterfront
Like most of the waterfront, the Bayside Marketplace is open-air. It offers a wide selection of shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities. In the north section of the Marketplace is the site of Pier 5, featuring unique local and international products. Outdoor performances can be enjoyed throughout.
Bayfront Park features a number of popular monuments honoring events and individuals throughout history. Concerts and dance shows can be found at the outdoor AT&T Amphitheater. Each October, the site hosts the All Saints Day Festival, when the city’s large Haitian community gathers to celebrate a sacred holiday of the Voodoo religion.
A few blocks away is the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, an ornate 1920′s movie palace that now serves as downtown Miami’s concert hall. Also worth visiting is the Miami-Dade Cultural Center, which contains the city’s main art museum, historical museum, and library. Fans of contemporary art should visit the interior design showrooms and art galleries of The Miami Art and Design District.
An impressive historical landmark is the Miami Freedom Tower. Once a processing station for Cuban refugees, it is now a museum commemorating the plight of the immigrants.
Miami’s downtown skyline, lit in neon at night, is considered one of the nation’s most colorful. The NationsBank Tower, First Union Financial Center, and American Airlines Arena are well known sights.
