Miami Beach Walking Tour

Walk along the park on Ocean Drive three blocks north, toward Tenth Street. On your left will be the Art Deco Welcome Center. This is the home of the Miami Design Preservation League, the group that formed in 1976 to preserve and restore the beach’s historical, Art Deco buildings.

In those days, the beach experienced a rough patch. It had been a popular playground for the rich in the 1920s (hence the Art Deco architecture) and was a Mafia hangout in the 50s. By 1979, however, it was a Mecca for the elderly and the poor, and many of the once-swanky hotels had become retirement homes. Old-time beach residents remember when octogenarians in rocking chairs were a common sight on Ocean Drive.

The Beach Preservation League was concerned that many of the historical hotels were being razed by developers. So they brought together architects, businessmen, politicians and residents to help revitalize the area and garnered headlines in 1980 when artist Andy Warhol asked the group for a guided tour of the area. In 1984, the entire world was introduced to Miami Beach when the hit TV show “Miami Vice” used many of the neighborhood’s buildings as a backdrop.

The Art Deco Welcome Center has books, brochures and even tours of South Beach if you want more information on the history of the area. In January, it is the epicenter for the Art Deco Weekend, a festival devoted to the unique architecture. There is also an extensive gift shot at the center, which is located at 1001 Ocean Drive. For more information call 305-531-3484.