Named for the gold salvaged from shipwrecks off its coastline, Florida's Gold Coast, embraces more than 60 miles of beautiful Atlantic shoreline, from pristine Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
With palm trees swaying in the breeze, swathes of inviting sands and South Beach's famous Art Deco buildings, Miami is intoxicatingly beautiful. Its range of diverse neighbourhoods includes the popular Miami Beach, which is separated from the mainland by Biscayne Bay. It's here that you'll find gorgeous South Beach, with its dazzling pastel-coloured Art Deco buildings and lively Ocean Drive where terrace cafes spill across the sidewalks. Miami's beaches are adorned with iconic candy-coloured lifeguard towers and are ideal places to simply soak up the sun or indulge in some watersports.
When it comes to shopping, Miami provides an eclectic experience, from designer boutiques at Bal Harbour or familiar chain stores at Bayside Marketplace, to megamalls like Aventura Mall and Cuban delights of Little Havana. The Cuban influence is also evident in many of the restaurants, but if that doesn't appeal there's American home-style diners or steakhouses along with international flavours from all around the globe. Miami's nightlife is unsurpassed in Florida and among the best in the country, with rooftop bars, dance clubs and cocktail bars aplenty, particularly in trendy South Beach. You can also go salsa dancing, listen to live music or visit a comedy club.
Fort Lauderdale has undergone quite a transformation in recent years, having once been regarded as a haunt for rowdy college crowds, it now attracts a more genteel clientele, that tend to be more family or boating oriented. Along with 23 miles of golden sands there's a landscaped palm-fringed beachfront promenade, which is the perfect place to jog, stroll or blade along. Known as the Venice of America, thanks to the 300 miles of navigable waterways, Fort Lauderdale is a boating hotspot and numerous cruises are available taking you past mega yachts and mansions. Las Olas Boulevard is known as the 'style mile' and is lined with independently owned boutiques, lots of restaurants, lively lounges and sidewalk cafes.
Head north along the coast and you'll reach exclusive Palm Beach, while further still is Florida's Space Coast with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and wonderful Cocoa Beach, known for its surfing. Alternatively, head south from Miami and explore the chain-link islands known as the Keys, while just inland is the watery wilderness of the Everglades, home to over 350 species of birds, alligators, manatees, mangroves and more.
Premier Holidays offer a fantastic selection of hotels in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, see our brochure for further details.
GMT -5 hours
US Dollar
The flying time from the UK to Miami or Fort Lauderdale is around 10 hours.
As with much of the Sunshine State, Miami and Fort Lauderdale enjoy a subtropical climate with warm temperatures year round. Summer months can bring soaring temperatures and high humidity; however short sharp thunderstorms usually clear the air quickly.
If you are eligible to enter the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme, you will need to obtain an electronic travel authorisation (ESTA) prior to travel. Please ask for details
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Little Havana owes its name to the large Cuban community who settled there after fleeing the Castro regime. Take in the sights and sounds of this fascinating neighbourhood with its cigar factories, domino players and salsa. Continue on by skytrain to Bayside Marketplace, a port, open-air shopping centre and recreational area. Available from Miami.
From £45
This three hour tour starts with pick up from your Miami Beach hotel and then takes you to Everglades National Park, the largest tropical wetlands in the world. Learn about the 120 different species of native trees, the 300 bird species, snakes and other inhabitants. A highlight will be the 30 minute airboat ride where you may chance upon alligators basking in the sun.
From £85
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