Miami Vice with actor Don Johnson became a hit television show, and around the same time a photographer ventured onto the top of one of Ocean Drive's Art Deco hotels for a Calvin Klein "Obsession" photo shoot. Both events helped renew interest in South Beach and it soon became the destination of choice for fashion shoots and films. Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Marisa Tomei, Angelica Houston, Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Woods, Jamie Lee Curtis, Whitney Houston, Kevin Costner and Sean Connery have all appeared in films shot in Miami in recent years. Fashion and commercial photo shoots are commonplace throughout South Beach.
During the day, models, vintage cars, Harleys, and rollerbladers of all ages parade past tourists who are relaxing and people watching from one of Ocean Drive's many outdoor cafes. By night, the clubs sizzle.
There’s no doubt that Florida makes a fun vacation destination for travelers of all disposition, but a certain type of person probably isn’t satisfied with common scenes of golf courses, beachcombing and quiet strolls along nearly-empty sidewalks. South Beach is famously filled with energy, nightlife options, celebrity sightings and beautiful people. If these are the things that would best take you away from your current situation, providing you with the kind of vacation you need to calm down and loosen up, there’s no place like South Beach.
This coastal magnet for hedonists around the world has been hopping for years. Fashion shoots, TV and movie filmings, big-time parties and a general atmosphere of buoyant, beach time fun have characterized South Beach for decades—ever since the birth of t-shirt/blazer combos and rollerblading. Things have modernized a bit, of course, but there’s still an otherworldly feel to this destination; it’s as if there are cameras constantly rolling and everyone is ready to attract attention and impress their fellow revelers.
In other words, bring your chicest duds as well as a readiness to indulge in frivolity. Lounge on the beach for a bit, taking in the quintessentially relaxing sight of top-notch surf and sand. After you’ve whetted your appetite for swimming and sunning, revive your creative side by taking an Art Deco District Tour. Local historians and architects happily show visitors around the town, pointing out all the noteworthy details of the city’s appearance.