THE CITY OF MIAMI

WHERE IS MIAMI?

• Miami is a city found in Florida

MIAMI BEACH

Miami Beach is actually a separate municipality from Miami. It is located on an island, connected to the mainland by a series of bridges. The area is known for its popular beaches and the Art Deco District, with pastel buildings from the 1930s sporting classic neon signs. An expensive tourist district, this area features numerous beachfront restaurants, shops, hotels, and plenty of sunbathing opportunities.

OCEAN DRIVE

Ocean Drive runs along the oceanfront in Miami Beach, passing the historic Art Deco buildings and the famous strip of sand known as South Beach. It is a popular place both day and night for a slow cruise and some drive by sightseeing.

AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA

The American Airlines Arena is the home of the NBA's Miami Heat. It is also the main venue for large concerts and other special events, including top name singers and performers. It can hold more than 19,000 people.

HOW THE CITY NAME CAME TO BE

• The city of Miami gets its name from one of the native tribes that lived in the region in the 1600 and 1700s, the Mayaimi,.

FACTS ABOUT THE CITY

• approximately 14.5 million people visited Miami in 2014. Based on occupancy rates, it's the fourth-best hotel market in the country after Oahu, San Francisco, and New York• More than a quarter-million persons of Cuban origin live in

and around Miami. This group has expanded greatly from an influx of refugees both after Castro came to power in Cuba in 1959 and during Castro's release of persons seeking to leave Cuba in 1980.

• It has snowed exactly once in Miami's official meteorological history. Flurries were recorded on January 19, 1977. The chances of a white Christmas in Miami? "Less than one percent," according to a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

CELEBRITIES FROM MIAMI

• In 2008, Miami was ranked #1 Cleanest City in America by Forbes Magazine.• Miami was a popular place for pirates to visit and bury their

treasure. Famous pirates such as Gasparilla, Blackbeard and Lafitte were regular visitors and caches of gold, silver, and treasure have been uncovered on and off land in the Miami area.• The first suntan lotion was invented by Miami Beach

pharmacist, Benjamin Green, in 1944.