South Beach has become shorthand for “stylish.” While the style referred to with that shorthand often involves shimmery and sheer clothing and lots of chrome and glass, the fact remains that South Beach is one of the hottest international vacation destinations, drawing celebrities from New York, Hollywood, Europe, and Latin America for tropical bacchanalias that are impossibly glamorous and ineffably decadent.
Every casual visitor to SoBe tries to rub off a little of that magic, and the fact remains that in terms of sheer numbers, the gawking tourists in their rented convertibles outnumber the fashionistas on almost any day of the week.
As a result, during the peak winter season, parking in South Beach is a nightmare, getting a reservation at a hot restaurant is almost impossible, and hotel rates are laughably high. Even during the summer—theoretically the slow season—finding a comfortable spot at the large beach area is a daunting task. And parking still sucks.