Little Havana

This small neighborhood packs a big cultural wallop. Settled in the years following Castro's revolution, it's now home to a third of Miami's 2 million residents. Its main drag, Calle Ocho (or Southwest Eighth Street), is the heart of Little Havana, a place to indulge in authentic food, hand-rolled cigars and strong, fragrant coffee. In Maximo Gomez Park, older folks gather daily to play dominoes, talk politics, and share stories, while each March, the Calle Ocho festival celebrates Latino culture in a boisterous street party. There's the Cubaocho Museum and Gallery for those interested in learning about Cuban art and culture, nightclubs like Hoy Como Ayer to dance in at night, and plenty of delicious eateries in which to sample and savor Cuban (and Nicaraguan, Honduran, Mexican, and Salvadorean) foods. Don't leave without trying the Cuban coffee, which is said to be the lifeblood of Miamians.