The strip of Miami Beach below 23rd Street is where the city's international reputation was made. Ocean Drive's pastel Art Deco hotels, the wide white beach, the parade of bodies and cars — it is all here, and it is exactly as photogenic as advertised. The Art Deco Historic District runs roughly from 6th to 23rd Streets between the ocean and Lennox Avenue, with over 800 preserved buildings from the 1930s and 40s. Lincoln Road Mall, a pedestrian shopping street designed by Morris Lapidus, is the best place for an evening stroll. The beach itself stretches for miles and is well-maintained, with lifeguard stations and facilities.
South Beach is at its most pleasant in the morning — fewer crowds, golden light on the Deco facades, runners and swimmers rather than partiers. By night, Ocean Drive turns into a neon-lit strip of tourist restaurants with aggressive hosts. The better bars and restaurants are a block or two inland, on Collins and Washington Avenues.