The boardwalk stretches for miles and runs right along Miami Beach.  We did a lot of strolling along the boardwalk this year because the hotel is about a mile from the center of South Beach (which we decided was Lincoln Road, a 15 minute walk from the hotel). 

The growth along the beach has been quite vigorous.  New hotels are spring up everywhere.  We decided to leave the laptops home this year, but we did pop into the library to check our email.  They had an exhibit of old Miami Beach tourist pamphlets and post cards.  A number of the old hotels have been torn down, but it was still pretty amazing to see how many of them have been renovated, including the one we stayed at.

We also managed to talk our way into the the 61st Miami International Orchid Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center.  The Convention Center was also hosting American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology on the other side, but we decided due to time constraints, we couldn't cover both.

The Orchid Show was an amazing gathering of orchid growers, sellers, and buyers.  There were workshops on orchid propagation, cloning, and everything else under the orchid-ian sun.  We did learn that most of the orchids grown for sale in the US either come from California or Miami.  We may do a RainyDayGarden orchid cloning project later this year.

While walking from the library to the convention center, we happened upon this new construction.  New constructions are EVERYWHERE in South Beach.

This one caught out attention because of the stainless steel external covering that was being installed, and because we couldn't figure out whether it was a commercial or residential building (the people at the homeless shelter next to it couldn't either).  The panels had these floral and insect cutouts.  The panels are both a protective and decorative skin for the new construction...very cool.   We are going to have to find out more about these for our RainyDayRenovation section!

We've been going to South Beach for the past six years.   The tradition started when we all decided to celebrate one of RDM's senior writer's birthday there.  Some of us loved it so much that we just kept going back.

The weather this year was PERFECT.  It was 75º when we landed and stayed that way the entire weekend.

Reviews:

1. The Hotel

2. The Food

3. The Activities

Past Reviews:

1. South Beach 2005

1. Carolyn's World - Haircut

1. Carolyn's World - Eats

1. Carolyn's World - Richmond

2. Carolyn's World - Miami