Tour Information
You will be picked up at your hotel and will continue to South Beach, "The Art Deco District," where your tour will begin. As you drive through Miami your tour guide will point out some of the city's most popular and historical sites dating back to the late 1800's. You will learn about people such as Julia Tuttle, William and Mary Brickell, Henry Flagler, John Collins, Carl Fisher, George Merrick and what roles they played as the founders of the cities of Miami, Miami Beach and Coral Gables.
You will drive through downtown Miami and Brickell Avenue, the nation's second largest banking center after New York City. You will visit Coconut Grove, a small town settled in 1834 by Bahamian seamen. This enchanting, lush tropical village is considered the oldest and most important settlement in Florida because of its location on the edge of Biscayne Bay. It is home to Vizcaya, the James Deering mansion built in 1916 to resemble a 16th-century Italian country villa. Here you will have an opportunity to stretch your legs and visit the Mayfair Shops and Coco Walk Mall. You'll have plenty of time to shop for gifts and maybe even find something you can't live without.
The tour will take you through the affluent neighborhood of Coral Gables, home of the University of Miami, where residential "Mediterranean Style" architecture and landscaping awaits you. You will visit the famous Biltmore Hotel, luxury golf and spa resort, and Venetian Pool, perhaps the only swimming pool anywhere to be included in the National Register of Historic Places.
From Coral Gables you will be taken to Little Havana, the heart of the Latin community on SW 8th Street or "Calle Ocho" as it is locally known. The tour makes a brief stop at Domino Park, where many local retirees spend their days playing their favorite game of Dominoes. You will be able to sample a "Café Cubano", a strong sweet coffee, and see where many famous artists have their names displayed on the Latin Walk of Fame.
You'll get the ultimate Miami experience when you visit the open-air market of Bayside. Here you can browse many artist's carts, have a cool tropical drink and stroll along the pier. With more than 100 shops and 30 restaurants this is a wonderful place to shop and have lunch enjoying typical Latin cuisine. This is not just any mall; here you'll get a chance to experience south Florida life, you'll enjoy Miami's beautiful skyline along Biscayne Bay and enjoy the fresh ocean breeze.
Before the tour concludes and you return to your hotel you can complete your day with a journey aboard a unique, narrated sightseeing cruise of Miami's Biscayne Bay and the homes of the rich and famous on "Millionaire's Row".