Cheap crash pad to luxury suite, Miami has it all, no matter how you slice it:  American Heritage or world tour; lazy beach restoration to healthy and scheduled; zen, decadent and much more. The next few weeks we’re posting some of the big thematic ways to think about and plan a great visit that authentically taps more of what Miami and Miami Beach offer LGBTQ travellers in addition to genuinely open arms.

Today we have Miami for the art and culture lover. In coming posts we feature best bets for Foodies in Miami; Miami for the active traveler; How to connect with the proud LGBTQ businesses and community; and how to find the very best Miami has to offer for a luxe time that hits all the iconic spots. Of course, the best trips will likely pick from a few lists.

(If we miss your favorite or you’ve heard of something great, please comment and help us build each post into a great resource.)

Creative Stays

The MARLIN HOTEL has a rotating art program, and is right in Miami’s cultural center with many museums and galleries.

THE STANDARD SPA Funky culture and design are part of the brand, and the hotel shop is off the charts. Plus there’s currently a Mini Martini Happy Hour. How gay is that?

The Betsy Hotel South Beach offers its Writer’s Room, a library, typewriters, and literary events.

The Setai, Miami Beach showcases a remarkable collection of Asian art and features a relaxing serene courtyard for relaxation.

Luxurious and artistic, the Faena Hotel’s many unique design elements include a gold-covered woolly mammoth skeleton.

Go out in Miami

THE BAR (VERSACE) Located in the (former) Versace Mansion. With a top shelf array of hand-crated cocktails, including a 24 karat Golden Margarita, this before- or after-dinner stop samples and suggests the gilded life and legacy of Gianni Versace’s South Beach

BASEMENT Bowl & Skate & DANCE with international DJs at the Edition hotel LGBTQ friendly all the time.

Eat 

COTE MIAMI Chic design & Korean steakhouse in the Design District with 1 Michelin Star https://www.cotemiami.com/ 

CAFÉ LA TROVA Live music & retro Cuba atmosphere (& a James Beard award-winning chef, Michelle Bernstein) 

THREE WYNWOOD Local artists on the walls, and a weekly changing menu. 

Shop Miami

MIAMI DESIGN DISTRICT A hub for fashion, art, design, architecture, wellness & dining… Galleries including Opera Gallery, David Castillo

Opera Gallery Major Art Gallery (16 galleries worldwide)

David Castillo MarjoArt Gallery (Miami only) Included as one of “10 things to do in 24 hours” in Miami, by Time magazine.

Acne Studios Stockholm-based fashion house

Off-White High street fashion and activewear, founded by Virgil Abloh

Kith Upscale clothing; lifestyle brand and progressive retail concept that’s celebrated globally https://www.kith.com

Luminaire Lab Upscale, modern designer furniture, lighting & accessories founded by Nasir Kassamali

THE STANDARD SHOP Features local designers and craftsman. 

BOOK & BOOKS A great independent bookstore heavy on diversity, and hosting frequent author events. 

Sights to See

WOLFSONIAN-FIU MUSEUM A museum dedicated to the decorative and propoganda arts, often offering insights into LGBTQ+ history and culture.

MARGULIES COLLECTIONS AT THE WAREHOUSE 50,000 sqft warehouse in the Wynwood Arts District – exhibitions & education, open October through April. Established and upcoming contemporary artists – sculpture, painting, photography, multimedia – including Anselm Kiefer, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, Noguchi, Tony Smith, Frank Stella, Richard Serra,…

PEREZ ART MUSEUM PAMM – an outstanding collection of contemporary, 20th and 21th century, art. Yoyoi Kusam’s exhibit “Love Is Calling” runs through 2/11/24.

MID-CENTURY MODERN LIFEGUARD STATIONS Built post-Hurricane Andrew in the mid-90s, when many original beach structures were lost, these high-on-design technicolor landmarks in South Beach.

Art Events

MIAMI ART WEEK Contemporary art fair. Second biggest in the world. December 6-10 2023

ART GAYSEL At the Gaythering Hotel December 1-3, 2023

photoMIAMI New this year online – going live in 2024, part of Miami Art Week

UNITITLED ART FAIR + OTHER ART WEEK SATELLITES Contemporary art, a program of curated special projects, installations, performances, podcast conversations and more… (December 5-10 2023)

EVENTS ART BASEL Major international art fair also held in Basel, Hong Kong & Paris (now in Miami June 15-June 23)

Get Outside

Walk the WYNWOOD WALLS. Street art on the streets Shepard Fairey, Invader, Kenny Scharf, Okuda San Miguel, Retna, Kobra…

STILTSVILLE Within Biscayne National Park, and accessible only by water, Stitsville dates to early last century, a haven for illegal alcohol and gambling during Prohibition, the ghosts of that era are preserved and protected.

and some stray eclectic last ideas….

The pastel, iconic buildings of Art Deco Historic District; Famous drag bar, The Palace, for brunch or nightly shows; Lummus Park Beach —not specifically LGBTQ — for people-watching.