1 Hotel South Beach

South Beach sits on a 10-mile-long barrier island between the beautiful Biscayne Bay and the vast Atlantic Ocean. Its position between two bodies of water makes it both a desirable destination and a vulnerable target of extreme weather events. Mostly flat, South Beach is a very vibrant and walkable oasis, covered in lush tropical vegetation as well as bustling city boulevards. 

Miami is characterized by its tropical monsoon climate with hot, humid summers sprinkled with passing thunderstorms contrasted by short, warm, and drier winters. Temperatures typically vary between 62°F to 90°F, rarely dropping below 50°F or peaking above 92°F. With an average rainfall of just over 60 inches, this coastal city typically gets enough rain to get through the hotter months.

South Beach is home to diverse tropical flora — Beach Sunflowers, Blanket Flowers, Blazing Stars, Coral Honeysuckle, Passion Flower, Powderpuff Mimosa, Scarlet Sage, Hibiscus, Azalea, Saw Palmetto, Sabal Palm, and Southern Live Oak all sprinkle the landscape with bright bursts of colors and natural beauty. 

Florida is home to some of the most magnificently diverse fauna in the country. On land, you might see squirrels, foxes, deer, raccoons, rabbits, coyotes, and even black bears. Soaring through the air, you might catch sight of hawks, parakeets, orioles, pelicans, sparrows, cardinals, herons, and peafowl. Miami’s waters also sustain a wide range of species including barracuda, dolphins, manatees, tarpon, catfish, bass, nurse sharks, angelfish, stingrays, octopus, crabs, eel, and parrotfish — to name a few. We can’t forget the amphibious creatures that call this marshy wetland home, ranging from alligators, iguanas, and snakes of all kinds to gentle turtles, adaptive chameleons, and tiny geckos.

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is 2.6 acres of urban green space in the heart of South Beach. Featuring Japanese gardens full of gorgeous native plants and wetlands full of winding mangroves, it’s the perfect place to get a closeup of Florida’s rich biodiversity. Roughly 40 minutes north of South Beach, you’ll find Oleta River State Park. With over 1,000 acres of natural refuge and tranquility, you’re free to hike or bike through forested trails or kayak through the river to get closer to nature — and maybe even catch a glimpse of a manatee. About an hour inland is the largest subtropical wilderness refuge in the country: Everglades National Park. It’s overflowing with freshwater prairies, mangrove forests, and hundreds of different species of native flora and fauna.

Immersed in nature wedged between two bodies of water, Miami holds sustainability and resilience close to its heart — prioritizing the protection of its beaches and waterways. The city has its own tree preservation program, innovative solar energy initiatives, stormwater management plans, and plastic-free incentives. The University of Miami has kicked off an inventive project to create a hybrid coral reef off the coast of Miami, creating human-made coral structures that will act as a safe haven for natural coral that’s more resilient to current climate conditions and extreme weather.