IWNA 2019 Issue 2

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INTERVAL WORLD ■ Issue 2, 2019 37
Claudio Picasso; Mark Gibson/Getty Images; Sbossert/Getty Images; Buena Vista Images/Getty Images; Image Ideas/Getty Images; Boogich/Getty Images; Mark Kostich/Getty Images
EXPERIENCE CUBAN CULTURE IN LITTLE HAVANA
AND THE URBAN BUSTLE OF DOWNTOWN MIAMI
WHERE TO GO: The best way to take in Little Havana
is by checking out Viernes Culturales, a nighttime street
festival celebrating Latin American culture, which takes
place every third Friday. Attracting thousands of revelers
every month, the avenues surrounding Domino Plaza on
Calle Ocho (Southwest Eighth Street) come to life with
live music, salsa dancing, art exhibits, dominoes, and even cigar
rolling. Another Friday-night experience to check off your South
Florida bucket list is Laser Fridays at the Phillip and Patricia Frost
Museum of Science in downtown Miami. Every first and third
Friday of the month, the Frost Planetarium’s 67-foot dome puts on
an out-of-this-world laser show, where laser-light visuals move along
to the beat of Queen, the Beatles, and other music legends.
WHERE TO EAT: Get your Cuban-
food fix at El Exquisito Restaurant
in Little Havana with vaca frita (lime-
and-garlic-marinated shredded beef),
arroz moro (white rice with black beans),
and tostones hawaianos (large fried
green plantains). Garcia’s Seafood
Grille & Fish Market in downtown
Miami has called the Miami River home
for more than 50 years. Devour the
famous fish dip and admire riverfront
views from the outdoor deck — or, if
you want to take your dining experi-
ence to the next level, Garcia’s offers
a dock-and-dine service.
WHERE TO SHOP: Cuban cigars
are synonymous with Little Havana.
Bring home your own cubano from
Guantanamera Cafe . Enjoy the
bay breeze as you window-shop for
beach-themed souvenirs, novelty
Florida license plates, comic books,
and more at the open-air Bayside
Marketplace plaza, just a mile south
of the Frost Museum.
GET ARTSY IN WYNWOOD AND
THE MIAMI DESIGN DISTRICT
WHERE TO GO: Zigzag your way through the streets
and avenues of Wynwood, stopping to take countless
selfies in front of the many murals along the way, such
as Jean-Francois Rauzier and Ara Peterson’s zebra-
striped facade of the Wynwood Building, or Felipe
Pantone’s geometric patterns and optical illusions on the
walls of The Lab Miami. And in December, watch artists as they
paint over their old murals to create new designs — just in time for
Art Basel Miami Beach and the Miami Art Week frenzy. While the
nearby Miami Design District is chock-full of designer boutiques,
don’t miss out on the galleries, including Locust Projects (the city’s
longest running alternative nonprofit art space) and the Institute of
Contemporary Art, Miami (both have free admission).
WHERE TO EAT: For Zagat-rated
Chinese with a tropical twist, head
to Palmar in Wynwood and try the
duck confit dumplings with five-
spice aioli and pickled red ginger.
Quench your thirst with a Father
Francisco Belgian-style golden ale
from Wynwood Brewing Company,
Miami’s first full-production craft
brewery. Take a trip to Greece with-
out leaving the country at Mandolin
Aegean Bistro in the Miami Design
District (reservations required).
WHERE TO SHOP: Bring a piece
of Wynwood home with a print from
Wynwood Shop , or splurge at one of
the many luxury retailers in the Miami
Design District, from the famed red-
sole stilettos at Christian Louboutin
to off-the-rack designer clothing, jew-
elry, and home goods at En Avance,
a local icon for more than 20 years,
which moved to the neighborhood
in 2008.
LEFT: Watch seasoned
players, some of whom
are former Cuban
political prisoners, play
a round of dominos at
Little Havana’s Máximo
Gómez Park, aka Domino
Park. RIGHT: Graffiti art,
such as this Star Wars–
themed mural, adorns
the walls of Wynwood’s
ever-changing arts scene.
FLORIDA’S RIVER OF GRASS
Spanning 1.5 million acres of South Florida wetlands,
there’s no shortage of outdoor activities at Everglades
National Park — especially during the dry season,
from November to April. Start at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor
Center in the Royal Palm area near Homestead, where
you’ll learn about the Everglades’ history and wildlife,
as well as preservation efforts. Explore the canopy of
gumbo limbo trees, royal palms, and other plants on the
Gumbo Limbo Trail, or hike the Anhinga Trail boardwalk for
marshland views, alligator sightings, and bird-watching.
To experience a different side of the Anhinga Trail, join a
ranger-led starlight walk, where the sights and sounds
of the night come alive — from hearing pig frogs and
seeing fireflies to even meeting a gator’s gaze.