Since the early heyday of the so-called Magic City, when Jackie Gleason broadcast from Miami Beach, bathing beauties strolled the boardwalks and international jetsetters stopped en route to Havana to see Ol' Blue Eyes at the Fontainebleau, Miami's image as the sun and fun capital of the world has changed little.

It's still a colorful backdrop for lingerie shoots, music videos and action films. From Some Like It Hot to There's Something About Mary, Hollywood still portrays this tropical city as a playground for the rich and raunchy. Of course, there were many years when the population who called Miami Beach home mostly comprised legions of grandparents parked on the terraces of cheap rooming houses, giving way to the city's unfortunate nickname of "God's Waiting Room."

But the public relations folks always found a way to advertise that celebrated Florida warmth. And now, as a multinational urban area with the largest cruise ship port in the world (some 3.5 million cruise-ship passengers passed though last year) and an airport with more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other American city, Miami is a pretty easy sell. Especially since it's surrounded by sparkling beaches and a shimmering necklace of blue seas.

THE CITY'S CHARACTER
Miami's history is a richly woven tapestry, with threads in more colors than an interior decorator could name. It has weathered changes as dramatic and sweeping as the waves that lap its 15 miles of shorelines. From decades-long wars between Native Americans and settlers in the mid-1800s to the drug wars portrayed in the long-running series Miami Vice in the mid-1980s, Miami has seen its share of trouble. And so has the local cast of characters dominated by outlaws, gangsters, celebrities and bon vivants.

Floridians have experienced plenty of devastating hurricanes and fires, as well as perhaps the defining event of the young city's heritage: the Cuban revolution. When Fidel Castro seized power in 1959, this backwater town— more accustomed to fried chicken than frijoles—changed nearly as much, if not more than, the island nation some 90 miles south of our southernmost border in Key West.

Always a beacon for newcomers, Miami is now proud of its diverse population—more than 57 percent of its 2.3 million-plus citizens are Hispanic, and an estimated 75 percent of inhabitants speak Spanish as a native language.

But Miami is not only Cuban-influenced. The shops and sidewalks are alive with the sounds of a dozen Spanish dialects, including Cuban, Mexican, Argentine, Nicaraguan and Uruguayan. So, while the street signs are mostly in English, you are sure to feel more at home if you speak a bit of español. And depending on the part of town you decide to explore, you're just as likely to hear Portuguese, German, Italian, Yiddish, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese or French as Spanish. So, no matter what language you dream in, this sprawling polyglot metropolis is accessible to you. Art lovers, golfers, tennis aficionados, gourmets and wine connoisseurs all enjoy an array of options in Miami.

One downside is that the city isn't always easy to get around. Mass transit is nearly nonexistent, and the Los Angeles-like highways sprawl out for miles. Many people don't realize that what is commonly referred to as "Miami" is actually Miami-Dade County, made up of some 30 separate cities, each with its own government and character. From the beautiful Mediterraneaninspired streets of Coral Gables to the luxurious island of Key Biscayne, the gritty Miami River and the bustling streets of Little Havana, not one area feels untouched by the one of the most dramatic real estate booms in history.

Even though the glittering scenes of South Beach, the southern tip of Miami Beach, provide the attraction for such diverse luminaries as Madonna, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, P. Diddy, Andy Garcia and Oprah Winfrey, other areas are also being pioneered by artsy newcomers and cutting-edge restaurateurs looking to create the next big thing. Up-and-coming neighborhoods include the Design District, the Miami River and the Upper East Side.

Although postcard-perfect images of cloudless blue skies and a scorching sun still dominate the Miami landscape, scaffolding, cherry pickers and mammoth cranes have become the most common sight when looking upward from any corner of town. That means more traffic than ever, as well as unexpected tie-ups.

Still, as the city goes through its inevitable growing pains, it also gains in stature and prestige. On the horizon is a world-class, $400 million-plus fine arts complex near downtown, designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, which will house a ballet-opera house, studio theater, concert hall and various other performance spaces. Completion is expected in 2006.

WHAT TO SEE
One of the country's largest historically designated areas, the Art Deco district on the southern tip of Miami Beach is an amazingly preserved architectural wonder. Hundreds of 1930s-era hotels in shades straight out of an Easter basket line the wide boulevards, which are fringed with equal numbers of palm trees and beach umbrellas. Dozens of restaurants and bars beckon strollers-by, as does the wide, sandy beach across the street. For a guidebook or tour, visit the Art Deco Welcome Center (1001 Ocean Drive, 305-531-3484).

Though not commonly considered a repository for great art, Miami is, in fact, home to some of the most diverse and respected contemporary pieces in the world. Collectors Mera and Don Rubell opened their outstanding collection of Warhol, Basquiat, Damian Hurst and other cutting-edge artists to viewers at their family compound, a former Drug Enforcement Agency warehouse (95 NW 29th Street, 305-573-6090).

Other galleries and museums worth visiting include the Wolfsonian-FIU on Miami Beach (1001 Washington Avenue, 305-531-1001), which contains a vast assortment of international decorative arts and propaganda dating from 1885 to 1945; and the Bass Museum of Art (2121 Park Avenue, 305-673-7530), an eclectic home to art through the ages.

ENTERTAINING CLIENTS
Miami lives up to its reputation as a grownup playground, especially in winter, when much of the rest of the world shivers. The golf courses and beaches are open year-round.

Some of the best courses, including Doral's famed Blue Monster (305-592-2030) and Crandon Park Golf Course (305-361-9129) on Key Biscayne, usually require booking in advance. The Biltmore's historic course, built on a rock quarry in 1925, has lots of doglegs and remains a challenge (305-460-5364). All three courses are open to the public.

Miami's melting-pot culture lends itself to an equally diverse assortment of restaurants. Many are geared to on-vacation tourists seeking umbrella-dotted frozen cocktails, but plenty are mindful of the multinational business clientele who make their way to Miami year-round. Many of the top luxury hotels have exceptionally good restaurants, including Azul at the Mandarin, where Clay Conley, a veteran of Todd English's kitchens, turns out bold flavors in Florida-inspired fare. Waterfront fish houses on the southern tip of this peninsula are, surprisingly, in short supply—perhaps a result of the outrageous real-estate prices. However, one standout for lunch or dinner is the gritty Garcia's, a Cuban American family-owned seafood wonder. Kids in cutoffs sit next to attorneys in Armani for some of the area's freshest local catches.

For a more upscale only-in-Miami option, try Mosaico, in the heart of the downtown Brickell area. The gazpacho with cucumber jelly or braised lamb shoulder with plum anise marmalade and other Nuevo Latino specialties are divine, especially while overlooking the Miami skyline from a seat on the rooftop patio.

The top steakhouse in town for sealing the deal is Capital Grille, a D.C.-based chain that gets service right. For an Argentine steak cooked on the open spit, the new Graziano's in Coral Gables, an offshoot of the original in Westchester, is incomparable—and you'll enjoy discovering its outrageous South American wine list. Though on a busy Saturday night, you won't be able to hear yourselves talk there, Ortanique on the Mile is a unique option in Coral Gables for upscale Caribbean fare in a festive setting. It's a great lunch option or place to unwind with a drink at the bar.

For a taste of South Beach—crazy prices and all—the smoldering hot Restaurant at the Setai is the current rage. The Asian-themed serene dining room, with some 15,000 square feet of dining and drinking space, wows the international set with global cuisine from Wagyu beef and Indian thalis to pizzas and curries. The 450-label wine list of unusual bottles from estates, auctions and family-owned wineries is unparalleled.

Though sports franchises are a relatively recent phenomenon in this young city, The Miami Heat has once again fallen into favor, with legendary center Shaquille O'Neal on the court as the very visible center. Games are played in the downtown bayside American Airlines Arena. About 15 miles north of downtown in North Miami Beach, you'll find Dolphins Stadium, the home field of football's Miami Dolphins and baseball's Marlins.

Getting there
Miami International Airport (MIA) is in the final throes of a nearly $2 billion expansion that began in 1995. In typical Miami fashion, construction has been beset with delays and accusations of corruption. As a result, signage is often lacking, detours are common and employees can be rather confused.

While that doesn't make it any easier to negotiate for now, at least this sprawling micro-city is located within minutes of downtown and the other major business centers. Baggage claim is a few minutes' walk from most gates, and taxi lines move quickly. Plus, you can get one of the best Cuban coffees, a cortadito, on the departure level of concourse D's La Caretta restaurant.

Flat rates for taxis, including tolls, range from $18 to Coral Gables to $28 to most addresses on Miami Beach. Addresses further afield in the county could go to $40. Depending on traffic, you can reach most areas within 15 minutes. Royal-blue-andgold Super Shuttle vans (305-871-2000) circle the airport and will drop you at the door of your hotel for a little more than half the price of a taxi. Don't forget that Fort Lauderdale Airport (866-I-FLY-FLL, or 435-9355) is host to many major carriers, including such discount airlines as JetBlue, USA3000, Ted, Song and others that have taken advantage of the proximity to Miami (27 miles) and the much lower tenant fees—a fraction of MIA's. Flying into Lauderdale is a viable option if you are willing to drive a bit further to get into town. A taxi or limo costs an extra $40 to $50. Just be sure not to land at rush hour if you plan to catch a morning meeting in Miami.

Restaurants
Azul
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
500 Brickell Key Drive
Downtown Miami
305-913-8358

The Capital Grille
444 Brickell Avenue
Downtown Miami
305-374-4500

Garcia's
398 NW N. River Drive
Downtown Miami
305-375-0765

Graziano's
394 Giralda Avenue
Coral Gables
305-774-3599

Mosaico/Salero
1000 S. Miami Avenue
Downtown Miami
305-371-3473

Ortanique
278 Miracle Mile
Coral Gables
305-446-7710

The Restaurant at the Setai
2001 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach
305-520-6000

Hotels
The Biltmore Hotel
1200 Anastasia Avenue
Coral Gables
800-727-1926 (toll-free)
305-445-1926
An 80-year-old Mediterranean revival building set on a historic golf course—the choice of presidents and dignitaries.

The Conrad Miami
1395 Brickell Avenue
Downtown Miami
305-503-6500
800-371-8675 (toll-free)
Not your daddy's Hilton, this upscale newcomer welcomes business and leisure travelers in a sleek downtown setting.

The Four Seasons Miami
1435 Brickell Avenue
Downtown Miami
305-358-3535
800-332-3442 (toll-free)
Reliable elegance and a world-class spa in the heart of downtown.

The Mandarin Oriental
500 Brickell Key Drive
Downtown Miami
305-913-8288
800-526-6566 (toll-free)
The sleekest new addition to the Miami skyline, this modern Asian-themed stunner excels at service.

The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove
3300 SW 27 Avenue
Coconut Grove
305-644-4680
800-241-3333 (toll-free)
An Italian-style boutiquey Ritz within blocks of downtown Grove.

VICTORIA PESCE ELLIOTT is a freelance travel writer and the restaurant critic for The Miami Herald.