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1. R&R on the Beach
Consider this your reward for hours of class planning. From lounging to shopping, there is plenty to do at these hot spots. The weather will be in the 80s and 90s, so bring your sun tan lotion! South Beach is the best surfing and people watching spot. If you walk up north to 79th Street and Collins Avenue, you will find North Shore Open Space Park, which has long been voted the best beach in Miami for its greenery and open spaces. Walk higher up on Collins and discover the only pier in the area for fishing and walking at Sunny Isles Beach and Pier.
South Beach (5.7 miles)
North Shore Open Space Park (13 miles)
2. Get Your Latin Flavor on in Little Havana
Visit Little Havana for a taste of Cuba and the American Dream. Drive to Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) and the surrounding area where hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled to Miami after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. Here, you'll find many restaurants and shops that are replicas of their ones back home. The Mediterranean-style houses with rocking chairs on the porch, fragrant air of tobacco wafting from cigar stores, and hum of Latin music from record shops will captivate your senses.
3. Shop Til You Drop
Stroll down the street for some upscale shops, salons, and spas at Mary Brickel Village or swing by the Bayside Marketplace for more specialty shopping. Then, venture out of downtown to Aventura Mall and choose from over 280 stores. For one of the most high end fashion stops in the country, go to the Bal Harbou, and check out designs by Giorgio Armani,
Christian Dior, Gucci, Chanel, Brooks Brothers,
and many others. At Bal Harbour Shops, Jennifer Lopez has been known to walk into Gucci
and splash a few thousand dollars on goods.
Mary Brickell Village (0.6 miles)
Bayside Marketplace (1.2 miles)
Aventura Mall (17.8 miles)
4. Marvel at the Museums
Just a few miles down the street from the hotel is a must see work of art. Opened since the 1910s, this former mansion of James Deering is surrounded by acres of serene European-style gardens and architecture influenced by Veneto and Tuscan Italian Renaissance models and designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, with Baroque elements. Another option is to check out Miami’s Art in Unexpected Places. Use the website to plan a tour through the artistic side of Miami, including public art found in hotels, on college campuses, and in lesser known galleries.
5. Local Nightlife
The Hyatt Regency Miami has provided a list of recommended bars for you to choose from to hold those important networking meetings.
6. Let's Go to the Movies Cuban-Style
From the Tower Theatre Web site: "MDC's Tower Theater is one of Miami's oldest cultural icons. When it opened in December of 1926, it was the finest state-of-the-art theater in the South. With the surge of Cuban refugees during the early ‘60s, the area surrounding Southwest Eighth Street – the famous “Calle Ocho” – became a place of new beginnings. At the theater, films meant more than just entertainment; for many Cuban families, they were an introduction to American culture." For more movie times, go to miami.com.
7. Downtown Neighborhood Dining
Are you looking for a place to wine and dine with colleagues? Here are some great restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.
11th Street Diner (24 hour diner on the beach)
Burger & Beer Joint (Sports bar with great deals on food & drink)
Daily Bread Marketplace (Great for takeout food, homemade breads & Middle Easter food)
Big Pink (Vintage Diner with a massive menu and average fare near the beach)
Bond St. Lounge (A NYC import packed with sushi and located under the Townhouse Hotel)
8. Fun on a Breezy Budget
If
you are looking for some freebies or low budget fun, consider the adventures you can have without pinching your purse. Enjoy views of the bay,
relax in the park, take a free yoga class or take a class at the
on-site Flying Trapeze School at Bayfront Park Miami. To capstone itinerary, explore local and exotic flora and fauna, along
with animal interaction, exhibits, and shows at Jungle Island. Or, spend a day with sea creatures of all kinds through the exhibits, shows, and attractions at Miami Seaquarium, located a short drive across the bay.
9. Support Local Arts
For all things arts in Miami go to the Art of Miami web site. Don't forget to check out local dance performances offered in the City during conference weekend! Miami City Ballet will be performing works by Balanchine and Wheeldon on Oct. 18-20 and 25-27. Pilobolus performs on Oct. 25-26 at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
10. Explore the Panhandle
If you have some free time before you catch your flight out of Miami or if you plan on adding extra days to your stay, rent a car at Enterprise (a one minute walk from the hotel) and take a drive north of Miami to the stylist city of Fort Lauderdale, where
you’ll find luxury mega-yachts, waterways, riverside cafés and beaches,
or head south to Key Biscayne and the Florida Keys. Take a
day trip to the Everglades, a flooded wetland area with swamps,
sub-tropical forests, mangroves and a wide variety of plants and
animals. Finally, your trip is not complete until you make one last stop to Disney World and engage your inner child (3.5 hours from hotel).
Enterprise (1-minute walk)
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