Where is best to go in Miami?

I am going with my boyfriend in May, wanting to spend alot of time on a very nice beach, go shopping alot, go to restaurants and bars, not a hectic nightlife but couply things to do of an evening.



I heard Miami beach/South beach have the nicest beaches, but are major clubbing areas, would it be too loud etc?



Ideally I would like a nice beach with a shopping mall closely located! If you could provide a hotel name with that it would be great! But im mainly just after an area. thanks.Where is best to go in Miami?
"South Beach" is broken down really by 3 streets, Ocean Drive, Collins, and Washington. Ocean Dr. is the most popular with alot of loud restaurants but not too many clubs. The sidewalks are always crowded with people eating dinner and walking around. Plus, cars ride up and down Ocean dr. with loud music. I personally think this is the best part of South beach because it's so energetic and beautiful, especially at night.

Collins Ave runs parallel to Ocean Dr. and there's mostly hotels, and more low key restaurants and stores. Washington is the next street over and that's considered club central.

If you're looking for more low key I would try going a little north towards Bal Harbour orSunny Isles beach. Bal Harbour has an excellent shopping mall, but it's very high end with stores like Chanel, Saks 5th Ave etc. That area of Miami Beach is more quiet, and not that far from South Beach. Bal Harbour is also close to the Aventura mall, a 2-story mall that is very nice. That area may be a little more pricey for hotels since it's in a wealthy neghborhood. Also, you stated you were going to Miami in May. I know the last weekend in May is memorial Day and it's "hip hop weekend" on South beach. It's extremely crowded so you might want to avoid that time.



Hope you have fun!Where is best to go in Miami?
The Fountain Bleau in Miami is beautiful. It is the hotel used in some scenes from the movie Scarface and a couple of other movies including a James Bond movie. It has a beautiful relaxing pool a beach area and a waterfall running into the pool. Not to far- a short taxi cab ride is Bayside. It has just about everything. It is a "bayside" area that has shopping, "market type" shopping also. It has sidewalk shows, acts, artwork. There are many restaurants and bars if you like. Bubba Gumps shrimp house is located there. They have good food and a nice bar area that plays the "forrest gump" movie on it's tv's. The Hard Rock cafe is there. You can make it fast paced or intimate. They have dinner cruises and party cruises that take off from there every couple of hours and if you want you can just sit over looking the bay and the boats with cocktail in hand ! Enjoy !!Where is best to go in Miami?
Depends what you and your boyfreind like in a beach. South Beach can be very expensive to stay at but the beach's are nice . If you want a real nice beach experiance I would suggest Haulover beach about 20 minutes north of South Beach Haulover is a clothing optional beach. and is very large. The hotels around there are less expensive.Where is best to go in Miami?
Try the Eden Roc, Fountinbleu, wonderful , hotels from a great era. Visit the Vivcaya, historic mansion, romantic. Go to the Versailles restaurant, Little Cuba, nice. Have a great time.
Hollywood beach is nice. The boardwalk has a strip of restaurants (French, Italian and other ethic places. They're actually ON the beach). There are privately owned hotels on the boardwalk and more famous (moderately priced) chains a little off the beach (But in walking distance) It's pretty laid back compared to South beach, but still lots of choices and different tastes.



It's just north of miami beach.