A city where more than half the residents claim Spanish as their native language can be called steamy for more than its weather. Known for its Latin music industry, Cuban heritage, and art deco architecture, Miami’s natural beauty is equally seductive—here are some can’t-miss stops on the hedonistic shores of America’s Riviera.

BACKSTAGE DINNER
Arrive backstage as an entertainer at the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts and be escorted to dinner in the glass-enclosed terrace that overlooks Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami. The center is only a year old and is happy to create unique occasions where the entire evening can be a private performance: hors d’oeuvres in the Bayview terrace, a personal tour of the center, dinner in the rehearsal studio, followed by a private concert in one of the performance halls such as the Ziff Ballet Opera House. Rental of the larger halls (Knight Concert Hall and Ballet Opera House) starts at $10,000 and artist fees, which range widely, start at $30,000. For reservations, call 786-468-2000 or visit www.carnivalcenter.org.

MIAMI WATERS
Even during the day, Miami sparkles from the water. Book a sport yacht with Biscayne Bay Lady Charters for any pleasure—deep sea fishing for marlin, sunbathing on the deck, or snorkeling underwater coral reefs. Destinations are at your beck and call—cruise the coastal mansions or leave the skyline behind and have the ocean all to yourself. Full-size yacht charters are also available. For rates call 305-379-5119 or visit www.biscaynelady.com.

ALLERGEN-FREE ROOMS
Purge your sins in the Mandarin Oriental’s Spa Lifestyle Rooms, stocked with a variety of organic foods including raw natural bars, dried fruits, and dark extra fine chocolate. The walls, bedcovers, and air itself go through a seven-step cleaning process that certifies the environment “allergy-friendly.” Along with views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline, guests also have an in-room fitness program, personal lifestyle consultant, and spa cuisine offerings as part of the balanced, stress-free environment. Spa Lifestyle Rooms begin at $735 per room per night. For reservations, call 866-888-6780 or visit www.mandarinoriental.com.

24-HOUR CAFÉ
People-watching is one of the primal urges on South Beach, where glamour reigns and News Café stays open round the clock. Grab an outside table at the landmark café/newsstand/bookstore, sip on a frozen cappuccino, and watch well-groomed pups and their fashionistas parade the street. The café is close to Lummus Park Beach, so you can jump into the waves if your eyes overheat. 305-538-6397; www.newscafe.com.

SWAMP CRUISE
Hike, canoe, or take an airboat ride among alligators and herons in the largest national park east of the Rocky Mountains. Everglades National Park covers 1.5 million acres of marshland, swamps, saw grass prairies, mangrove shorelines, and cypress forests. Crossed by a 50-mile wide freshwater river that flows for 100 miles from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, the park is home to more than a dozen endangered species, such as the snail kite, the West Indian manatee, and the elusive Florida panther. It’s one of North America’s most threatened parks so visit the World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve before the aquifer dries up. 305-242-7700; www.nps.gov/ever.

NITRO HOTLIST
Take a break from the frenetic bustle of Ocean Drive and cruise to South Beach’s residential block where the orchid garden at Barton G. Restaurant offers a quiet respite.

Your eyes and your taste buds will be tantalized by whimsical presentations. Owned by an event planner, the restaurant serves dishes that are performances unto themselves. Servers open laundry clips from a paper bag to release the aroma of grilled sea bass. For the popcorn shrimp appetizer, crispy rock shrimp tumble out of a cinema popcorn box onto your plate. From swordfish presented on a sword, to duck served in a decoy, and grilled vegetables served in a miniature wheelbarrow, the liquid nitrogen-infused concoctions are on the hot list. Liquid nitrogen (at -320 degrees Fahrenheit) also freezes alcohol and is used to create cocktails such as the Sin-sation, in which stirring a live rose stem encased in frozen Absolut Vanilla blends Champagne and rose petal nectar into a unique cocktail experience. 305-672-8881; www.bartong.com.

BIKINIS & ROLLERBLADES
Strap on rollerblades and join the South Beach crowd for 10 blocks of lazy palms and bronze tans. Stroll among multi-colored art deco lifeguard stands, bop with boom-box toting teens, or applaud beach volleyball from the sidelines. The stroll is free but for more information call 305-673-7730 or visit www.miamibeachparks.com.

MUD SPA
Slather detoxifying clay over your body in the Standard Hotel and Spa’s outdoor, clothing-optional mud lounge and then rinse off al fresco before stepping into a clawfoot tub overlooking the ocean. Inside the Standard’s spa, you can also lounge in a hot stone hammam, a sound shower, or a eucalyptus steam room. The mud lounge costs $10 but the open-air experience is one of a kind. Call 305-704-3945 or visit www.standardhotel.com.

100 WINES BY THE GLASS
Sip wine from your private cabana at the Biltmore pool, the largest in the continental United States. The Biltmore Hotel offers more than 100 glasses of wine from their 300-bottle selection, of which six new bottles are added weekly. Among their most prestigious wines is a Chateau Haut Brion, Grand Cru Classe (Pessac Leognan, 1986). Guests can join the Cellar Club, the hotel’s leisure lifestyle membership program, for a special event, and membership cost is $795. 305-913-3203; www.biltmorehotel.com.

ISLAND GOLF
There are sophisticated communication systems on some courses in Miami, but if you want to golf in privacy, head out to the former Vanderbilt winter retreat, Fisher Island. The course is accessible only by ferry, and your name must clear the security list before you’re allowed on board. Although Fisher Island’s P.B. Dye-designed golf course is a nine-hole, you can’t beat the Old World feel and a private stretch of beach to yourself. You must stay in the hotel to play golf ($175 for 18 holes). Call 305-535-6000 or visit www.fisherisland.com.  

 Photo Captions:
Picture 1: Miami ranks second worldwide (and first in the U.S.) for the most buildings under construction that will be over 492 feet, with 24 such buildings currently under construction.
Picture 2: Renting a canoe is an ideal way to explore Everglades National Park and to spot water moccasins, snapping turtles, alligators, and crocodiles in its fresh water resources.
Picture 3: The Standard Hotel Miami's spa features an outdoor mud lounge, as well as a Turikish hamam and a sound shower, photo courtesy of the Standard Miami.