Our back-to-back cruise on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam started in San Diego, cruised many ports in Mexico then stopped in Guatemala, Panama City, transited the Panama Canal, to Cartagena, Columbia , Half Moon Cay, Bahamas and finally finished in Miami, Florida.
Miami
Miami, Florida was our final destination on our cruise and we spent a few days there renting a downtown apartment giving us the chance to see a little of the city.
Miami is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, located on the southeastern coast of Florida along Biscayne Bay. Known as “The Magic City” due to its rapid growth, Miami is a vibrant hub for international trade, tourism, and cultural diversity. Its strategic location near Latin America has established it as a key gateway for commerce and travel. The city is ranked as a global city for its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, and international trade, and is home to the largest concentration of international banks in the United States.
Miami is the southernmost large city in the continental United States, boasting a beach 7 miles long. Nearly 300,000 Cuban refugees have arrived since 1959, establishing the iconic “Little Havana” neighbourhood within the city. Tourism is at the heart of the city, and Miami is known as the cruise capital of the world, home to major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian, with the Port of Miami welcoming millions of passengers each year.
Miami Beach
We took an organised city tour and made a stop at the famous Miami Beach area giving us the chance to take a walk and admire the beautiful Art Deco style architecture along the seafront.
Miami Beach is a barrier island city located just across Biscayne Bay from downtown Miami, connected by a series of causeways. Officially incorporated as a city in 1915, it became a popular tourist destination in the 1920s, with its growth fueled by the construction of luxurious hotels and resorts catering to wealthy visitors seeking sunny vacations. The 1920s brought explosive growth and financial prosperity, evident in a stretch known as “Millionaire Row,” which was eventually developed with small hotels that became the famous Art Deco District, also popularly known as South Beach or “SoBe.” Miami Beach boasts a rich history as a premier global cultural destination that fuels a thriving entertainment and production community.
Today, Miami Beach is world-renowned for its beaches, nightlife, and striking architecture. The Miami Beach Architectural District holds the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in the world, covering styles such as Streamline, Tropical, and Med-Deco, built mostly between the Great Depression and the early 1940s. Immigration patterns have greatly influenced Miami Beach’s cultural landscape, particularly with the arrival of Cuban exiles after 1959, which brought diverse cultural elements such as cuisine, music, and festivals that enriched the city’s social fabric. Beyond its radiant sun, surf, and sand, Miami Beach is celebrated for its world-famous Art Deco district, renowned nightclubs, world-class restaurants, and designer fashion.
Wynwood
During the city tour we stopped in the Wynwood area to enjoy the eclectic bars, wonderful art murals and interesting eateries.
Wynwood is an eclectic neighbourhood in the urban core of Miami with a rich and layered history. In the early 20th century, Wynwood emerged as an industrial stronghold, dotted with warehouses and factories. By 1980, the area had become the third largest Garment District in the United States, and many innovators in fashion and the arts called Wynwood home. After World War II, descendants of early Miami settlers moved to the suburbs, and the area began to attract a large number of immigrants, particularly from Puerto Rico, later joined by Cubans, Haitians, Colombians, Dominicans, and other groups. By the 1970s and 80s, the neighbourhood fell into decline, marked by rising crime and economic stagnation.
The transformation of Wynwood into the vibrant arts district it is today began in the late 2000s. In late 2009, Tony Goldman launched the Wynwood Walls project to coincide with Art Basel, as a small-scale experiment of outdoor public art intended to set the tone for the neighbourhood. Today, Wynwood is home to art galleries, retail stores, antique shops, eclectic bars, artisanal eateries, and one of the largest open-air street-art installations in the world. It attracts over 3 million visitors annually, with over 70 art galleries, weekly events, and the world’s only museum for graffiti.
Sawgrass Recreational Park
To sample a little of the famous Everglades of Florida we took a trip out to Sawgrass Recreational Park. Sawgrass Recreational Park is a family-owned and operated attraction located in Weston, Florida, situated in the heart of the Florida Everglades along US-27, about 25 miles west of Fort Lauderdale. Originally a fishing camp, the park transformed over 30 years into a one-boat airboat attraction in the 1970s and eventually became one of South Florida’s top destinations for visitors in the new millennium. In 2005, shortly after Hurricane Wilma hit, the Soverns family acquired the park and since then has expanded the exhibit areas to allow for the adoption and rescue of more reptiles and mammals, while also forging partnerships with local schools to educate students about the Florida Everglades. Visitors can glide across miles of the Everglades on airboat tours at speeds up to 40 mph, getting up close and personal with native wildlife, many of whom are endangered in this fragile environment. Along with the airboat rides, admission to the park gives visitors the opportunity to explore various wildlife exhibits, including those inhabited by reptiles and other exotic creatures, and nighttime tours are also available to observe nocturnal animals in their natural state.
Little Havana
We visited Little Havana during our city tour and loved it so much we returned another day to further sample the restaurants, the bars and wonderful Cuban vibe.
Little Havana (La Pequeña Habana) is a historic neighborhood located just west of downtown Miami that serves as the cultural and political heart of the Cuban American community in the United States. Before it earned its iconic name, the area was known as Riverside and Shenandoah, home to a lower-middle-class Southern and Jewish population. The turning point in the neighborhood’s history came after the 1959 Cuban Revolution, when a major wave of Cuban exiles arrived in Miami searching for safety, freedom, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives. The availability of affordable real estate played a crucial role in establishing Little Havana as the center of Cuban American life, and by 1970, the area was more than 85% Cuban.
Little Havana has been the cultural and political center not only of Miami’s Cuban American immigrant community but also of the Cuban community across the entire United States. The neighborhood has been home to everything from political organizations hatching plots against Fidel Castro’s communist regime to Latino music bands, art festivals, and religious parades. At the heart of the neighborhood is Calle Ocho (Southwest Eighth Street), the main thoroughfare that runs through Little Havana and keeps its culture, heritage, and rhythm alive. Iconic landmarks along Calle Ocho include Maximo Gomez Park (known as Domino Park), cigar factories, and vibrant street murals.
Today, Little Havana is one of Miami’s most culturally significant and visited neighborhoods, drawing tourists and locals alike with its rich blend of food, music, and tradition. The history remains visible in everyday scenes: longtime residents playing dominoes in the park, cigar rollers practicing a craft passed down through generations, and family-owned restaurants keeping Cuban culinary traditions alive. While the Cuban community remains central to its identity, the neighborhood has also absorbed broader influences from Central and South America, making it a vibrant and evolving mosaic of Latino culture.
Stuart Taylor of HighlanderImages Photography has been making images for over 40 years focusing on Asia with a documentary/photojournalistic style.
Stuart is available for a variety of assignments in subject areas of photojournalism, commercial, architectural, real estate, industrial, interior design, corporate, urbex, adventure, wilderness, and travel.