City Guide: Miami

Get your suncream and shades ready because this one will be a scorcher! Formula One is making its debut in Miami this weekend for the Miami Grand Prix.

Grandstand tickets sold out in days, pre-sale sold out in minutes, and the hype for this new Grand Prix could not be higher.

Nicholas Latifi, Alex Albon, and the rest of the Williams Racing team cannot wait to get to the Magic City.

So if you're going to be out there supporting Williams, here's your city guide for what might be the coolest Grand Prix of 2022.

Of course, this weekend, F1 cars will be speeding around Hard Rock Stadium, the city's usual home for the Miami Dolphins NFL team. But for even more motorsport action, head south to Homestead, where you'll find Florida's home for NASCAR – Homestead-Miami Speedway. You can even have your own NASCAR racing experience here, too.

Miami is a city abundant in sports. If you're looking to see where the legendary basketball player LeBron James' old stomping grounds are, head to the FTX Arena, where you can catch the world-famous Miami Heat live in action. The Miami Marlins play baseball at LoanDepot Park, and you'll find the Florida Panthers NHL team at the FLA Live Arena, too.

Miami Gardens is home to the Miami International Autodrome so stay in this area to be close to the F1 action. Yet, with so much on offer, it's well worth exploring everywhere you can in this unbelievably cool city.

Coastal Miami Beach isn't just home to the glamorous South Beach. Join us at 846 Lincoln Road to cheer on Williams Racing and get involved in our week-long activities, including getting close to an FW44 show car and plenty of driver and celebrity appearances.

North of downtown is a melting pot of culturally-rich districts with Little Haiti, Allapattah, and Historic Overtown, plus Little Havana sitting to the west. Miami's diverse heritage and immigrant influences are brought to life through food, speciality shops and museums in all of these neighbourhoods.

Wynwood and the Miami Design District are hip neighbourhoods for craft breweries, art galleries and fine dining. To stay with a view over Biscayne Bay – the bay between the city and its famous beaches – head to a glittering skyscraper on top of buzzing Downtown Miami.

You'll find Coral Gables and Coconut Grove to the city's south. These quaint and historic neighbourhoods offer a serene escape from the bustle of the city.

Being on the Atlantic coast of the USA, Miami offers plenty of opportunities to take to the water. Biscayne National Park is ideal for snorkelling in coral reefs, paddling through mangroves, or spotting bottlenose dolphins and Florida's manatees.

Embrace your weekend in the tropics in Coral Gables, where you can relax in the lush acres of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. For authentic flora, a short day trip from Miami takes you to the Everglades, where you can ride the airboats over swampy wetlands. But, of course, you'll need to watch out for predatory alligators, crocodiles, pythons and panthers!

Miami is world-famous for its colourful art deco buildings. South Beach oozes 1930s glamour, where this architectural style has been restored and revived.

Visit Historic Overtown to learn about the city's black history and segregated past. Stop by the Black Archives at the legendary Lyric Theatre, a historic venue once headlined by Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

The district of Wynwood is the Instagrammable heart of contemporary art. Street art lined blocks will lead you past art galleries to the Wynwood Walls, an outdoor urban graffiti museum.

Upscale boutiques fill out the Miami Design District. You'll find inspiring designs from luxurious fashion houses and contemporary furniture makers.

If you're looking to shop 'til you drop, look no further than Aventura Mall. As one of the largest shopping malls in the USA, this shopper's paradise has everything you could look for – and more.

The Miami Grand Prix comes right at the end of Miami's Stone Crab season. Stone Crab claws are a Miami delicacy; see if you can still get your own claws on this sweet crab meat smothered in mustard sauce.

Miami's proximity to the Caribbean brings an abundance of Latin cuisine. Perfectly-pressed Cuban sandwiches, flaky sweet or savoury pastelitos, and melt-in-your-mouth croquetas are all on the menu.

Forget energy drinks – a cortadito is the fuel for your Miami trip. Sugar is whipped into Cuban espresso and cut with steamed milk. The cortadito is a short yet potent pick-me-up.

Are you raising a toast to the Grand Prix weekend? Enjoy a cocktail with the city skyline from a rooftop bar in Downtown Miami, or party hard with a world-famous DJ at one of Miami Beach's iconic nightclubs.

Miami is a sprawling metropolis, but there are plenty of options for getting around. Hop on board the well-connected bus network or the free City of Miami trolley to ride four different route loops. You'll easily explore from Hard Rock Stadium to South Beach to Coral Gables. You don't need a car for a Miami stay but may find your ride helpful for further afield day trips.

Language: English and Spanish

Currency: United States Dollar (USD)

Weather: Warm year-round with hot, humid summers. Bring shorts, shades, and tees for the Grand Prix. There are even rumours of a new Miami clothing collection that'll make sure you blend in...