Hollywood South -- Celebrities' South Beach (& Beyond)
It's not that ironic that the French Riviera is now billing itself as a European South Beach. Between all the jet-setters, celebrities, rock stars, and magazine stories on the place, it's about time! Some people come to South Florida just for a taste of this fabulous life. This is not an itinerary per se, but the following tips will help you plan a busy social schedule so you don't miss out on a Paris or Diddy sighting.
Haute Hotels -- Wherever you decide to stay, it won't matter, because if you're looking for celebrities on South Beach, you'll end up spying most of them by the end of your trip. We suggest you do breakfast at the Blue Door Restaurant at the Delano, where you may catch a glimpse of Jamie Foxx sunbathing by the wading pool. Linger as long as you are able to before heading next door to the Raleigh, where you may find Vogue editor Anna Wintour hiding behind her sunglasses and sipping an iced tea at the pool. Grab some lunch if you're hungry or wait until you go next door to the Shore Club, where Nobu acts as the hotel's resident star magnet, a place where Britney Spears always stops when in town. Hit Lincoln Road and see if you can spot J-Lo. If you don't, she's probably at the Bal Harbour Shops, so you may want to go there. For early evening co*cktails, head to The Setai, where Jay Z, Beyoncé, Bono, and Lenny Kravitz have all partied. Take your drink either at the bar indoors or outside by the pool. Next door at the W South Beach, young Hollywood rules, and you may have to Google some of your sightings to discover you're downing a beer next to the 'tween star from the Twilight series. For a mature caliber of celebrity, head to Mr Chow where the A-listers dine on exorbitant Chinese food. For a little Gossip Girl with your sunset co*cktail, the Mondrian on South Beach's bayside is command central for celebrity-studded co*cktail chatter. For so-called reality star sightings as well as the possible Lindsay Lohan or Fergie sighting, the Gansevoort South and its STK Miami, Philippe and Plunge rooftop pool are the places to check. Hit the Ritz-Carlton South Beach for a nightcap, where some of the Desperate Housewives have stayed. Off of South Beach, you'll probably spot the likes of Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga at the Fontainebleau, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, J-Lo, or Janet Jackson, either at the Viceroy on Brickell, the Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key, the Four Seasons Miami and, on Key Biscayne, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne.
Stars & Bars -- Keeping in mind that you can go to any of these places on any given night, some clubs do have specific nights that are better than others in terms of crowds and celebs. On Monday night clubs are usually at rest, so hit the hotel bars at the W South Beach, the Gansevoort South, Mondrian, Delano, Shore Club, and Setai. Tuesday night, head to the Lenny Kravitz-designed Florida Room below the Delano. Thursday night, check out Skybar and Set, where you're likely to run into everyone from Mary J. Blige and her famous friends to Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Ryan Seacrest. On Friday, head to Cameo, where Matt Damon actually met his wife, Luciana, who was a co*cktail waitress there. On Saturday it's all about LIV, where any celeb who's in town will stop by -- if not for the evening, at least for one drink. On Saturday, Mansion's hot, but even hotter is WALL, the new club at the W South Beach, where a keen eye may spot an A-lister lounging in or dancing on a banquette. Sunday afternoon, thankfully, is the day of pool parties -- Shore Club, Viceroy, and Mondrian all have one -- where you can lounge by the pool along with the likes of a chart topping rapper to a starlet on Beverly Hills, 90210 revisited. On any given night you may run into Bono or Lou Reed at Ted's Hideaway or Mac's Club Deuce, two of Miami's beloved dive bars.
Eating It Up (Stars Eat, Too) -- Among the places you'll find celebs stuffing their faces: Asia de Cuba; Mr Chow; Philippe; Macaluso's; Nobu; Nemo; The Restaurant at the Setai; DeVito South Beach; The Blue Door; Barton G. The Restaurant; Prime One Twelve; Azul; Michael's Genuine Food & Drink; Eos; Scarpetta; Hakkasan; Burger & Beer Joint; News Café; China Grill; and, we kid you not, La Sandwicherie, the late-night sandwich bar across the street from Club Deuce.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
