Miami Highlights City Tour - Half Day

Visit the original "Little Havana", settled by 40, 000 Cubans fleeing the Cuban Missile Crisis. Isolated, they kept their Cuban identity by their cigars, food, flowers, signature drinks, and music. There will be time for lunch, and I can help if you are looking for a menu type or cultural experience. There is a second "Little Havana", not isolated at all, but indeed a full tourist destination of Cuban shops and cafes. See how "Little Haiti" has emerged as "Wynwood Walls". Graffiti has given way to full-color murals, which has attracted an entire trendy community of art galleries, beer gardens, and dance clubs. Explore the famous Art Deco District. The 1920s architecture has been preserved, and the shops, bars and cafes attract celebrities, sports stars, and tourists, alike. You'll also learn why Little Havana and the Art Deco District face an uncertain future.

We'll drive through the "original" Little Havana, where the Cubans were able to thrive in their isolation. Today, the "new" Little Havana welcomes tourists! Enjoy either a hosted walking tour or unhosted "free tIme" along "Calle Ocho" (their main street), with a stop at Domino Park, and the infamous "Ball & Chain", once a speakeasy. Watch the locals make cigars, and perhaps try a "Mojito" (rum drink). A short drive reveals more about the Cuban culture here. We will pass the Freedom Tower and then visit the amazing outdoor art of "Wynwood Walls". Once a poor area, it now attracts tourists to see trendy art galleries and shops. Next, we will cross Biscayne Bay to Miami Beach, home of the Art Deco District. We will tour the amazing architecture of Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue. Hear the story of Gianni Versace, Gloria Estefan's Conga Party, and see famous properties like "Mangos", the "Palace Bar" and "Miami Ink".