Also known as the “City of Change”, downtown Miami reflects the dynamic diversity and cosmopolitan lifestyle that has made Greater Miami and the Beaches famous all over the globe. The area is home to a wide variety of attractions that welcome the future and commemorate the past. For example, the Freedom Tower on Biscayne Boulevard, originally built in 1924, is the city's first skyscraper. The Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, originally built in the 1920s as the Olympia Theater, plays host to a wide selection of performing arts, ranging from stand-up comedians to the New World Symphony.

The Metro-Dade Cultural Center, contains not only Greater Miami's state-of-the-art library (the largest in the Southeast), but also an historical and fine-arts museum that display the works of world-renowned artists, past and present. Then there are the sporting attractions such as the Orange Bowl, home to the University of Miami Hurricanes football team, and host to concerts and special events throughout the year. And as of 2000, the American Airlines Arena now stands as the new stomping grounds for the NBA’s Miami Heat.

Downtown Miami shopping offers patrons big-city elegance and sophistication but with a Tropical flair. The Historic Downtown Miami Shopping District, stretching from SE 1^st Street to NE 3^rd Street west of Biscayne Boulevard has numerous shops to fit the tastes and budgets of practically anyone. Then there is the Bayside Marketplace, an open-air shopping complex located at the site of the famous old Pier 5 fishing pier. Bayside offers a multitude of shops, live entertainment and fine dining as well. Just a few minutes north of Bayside Marketplace you’ll find the Omni International Mall, a standard commercial shopping haven. And then there is the Miami International Arts & Design District, from NE 6^th Street to NE 41^st Street between NE 2^nd and North Miami Aves., a great place to find eclectic furniture, antiques and art.

Downtown Miami also has a great dining and nightlife scene, as the area is extremely multicultural. Folks can experience a wide array of regional and international cuisines that can be enjoyed in a number of different atmospheres, ranging from a bayside café to a festive party boat. Don’t forget the many clubs, bars and taverns here that also reflect this cosmopolitan neighborhood.