Florida - Welcome to Miami

Welcome to Miami!

In the words of Will Smith: ‘Party in the City where the heat is on, all night on the beach til the break of dawn’......and this is exactly why you must make Miami your next incentive destination!

What springs to mind when you think of Miami? Let me guess: sun, gorgeous white sand beaches, Muscle Beach, Miami Vice, and rollerblading down South Beach? You’re not wrong, but having just had the privilege of experiencing the destination first-hand, I’ve discovered Miami has so much more to offer (as an incentive destination) than meets the eye! Here are just some of the many reasons why:

Ocean Drive has the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world and is about 1.3 miles long. Clevelander is an Art Deco bar on the Drive that offers both entertaining and varied shows at its outdoor stage, but is best known for its epic weekend pool parties.

Another fun venue is Mango’s, renowned for its Caribbean and South American carnival theme and nightly variety show featuring acts ranging from Salsa & Merengue to Michael Jackson impersonators and dancing bartenders.

Best place to stay?

South Beach is considered to be at the forefront of Miami, with a vast array of hotels, bars, and restaurants all within a stone’s throw away from the white sandy beaches. However, the downtown areas of Brickell and Biscayne, located just 5 minutes away, are fast becoming the new hotspots!

Need a venue with a difference?

You can head to the Wynwood District, Miami's hub of food and culture, where your guests can experience something truly unusual! Wynwood is a local graffiti area where mural artists pay 30K to have their artwork on the walls.

Wynwood 5th Avenue Bar has a cafe, bar, clothing store, sushi bar and live music; and can accommodate 600-1000 people. You can have your own street party with handcrafted cocktails, live music and artisan food trucks.

Alternatively, you could try Wynwood Walls Park, a large graffiti park with the most eclectic backdrops possible, available for exclusive hire for smaller groups and budgets. Or if you’d simply prefer the authentic Miami experience, time your trip around the Second Saturday Art Walks and hang out at the best street festival in the South.

Nikki Beach is great for brunch or an afternoon/evening of partying and can accommodate 2600 pax for a meal/buffet or 4000-5000 people for drinks. You can also arrange crab racing, or even have a sandcastle built with your client’s logo on it, which can be lit up at night.

Pearl is a fabulous nightclub overlooking Nikki Beach which is only open to the public on Sunday nights, it is extremely popular and can hold 450-550 people.

The Versace Mansion’s official name is Villa Casa Casuarina, and it has 11 suites decorated in the typical Versace style. Giannis Restaurant is a must for a group, offering a blend of Italian and Mediterranean dishes and accommodating up to 30 pax exclusively.

This hotel definitely has the wow-factor and offers something very different! Ideal for small groups, and one of the few independent event venues on Ocean Drive.

Fancy sightseeing with a difference?

Then head to Little Havana, a group of neighbourhoods with Cuban influence and an abundance of Cuban bars and cigar shops.

Explore the rhythmic sounds, rich flavours and thriving centre of Miami’s Cuban community! Experience the authentic hearty cuisine, hand-roll your own cigars, and try the freshest coffee; the ‘Café Cubano’.  

We stopped at Guantanamera Cuban coffee and cigar shop and were given a talk on handmade cigars. You can even have ‘Cuban Pete’ to escort you around Little Havana and provide real insight into the pastimes and traditions of this colourful heritage.

We also visited the Cubaocho Bar & Art Gallery, an art gallery with a twist and a true Cuban feel. It has a very relaxed feel, with art worth over $2 million hanging on the bar's walls.

The Ball and Chain is another backstreet Cuban bar that was first established in the 1930's as one of the very first nightlife spots in Miami. Ball & Chain has a great atmosphere and hosts regular live acts and shows all day long.

Also located in Little Havana, Máximo Gómez Park, better known as Domino Park, is a Little Havana landmark where locals gather to play dominoes and socialise.

Enjoy drinks on a catamaran, which you board from Bayside Marketplace in the downtown area, for a two-hour sail and the best sunset you’ve ever seen. Client logos can be displayed on the main body of the Intercontinental Hotel building, which you pass by on the way back in from the cruise. Luxury yachts are also available and would work well for groups of approximately 100 people or more.

Miami's tropical climate means outdoor events should always have a wet-weather contingency, particularly during the wetter summer and early autumn months. November through spring is generally a popular period for incentive programmes.

So, put aside your current perceptions of Miami and get in touch to find out how we can create your next and BEST incentive! After all, the lyrical genius Will Smith himself said, ‘ain't no city in the world like this’!

This visit was brought to you by our DMC, The Corporate Experience Company