Miami used to be known as the playground of bronzed beach babes, but in the past 15 years, the coastal destination has morphed into a contemporary-art mecca, thanks to the annual Art Basel fair each December, cultural centers like the waterfront Pérez Art Museum, and the larger-than-life graffiti murals at Wynwood Walls. Plus, the city’s hotel circuit boasts some of the best spas, pools, and nightlife spots on the East Coast. Add to that an intoxicating mix of cultures—roughly 60 percent of residents were born outside the U.S.—and it’s clear that the so-called Magic City has so much more to see, do, and experience beyond the beach.
