Miami Beach as a City has its own Mayor and 6 Commissioners who share equal votes in formulating laws and ordinances for the City. The Mayor has a term of only two years while the Commissioners have terms of 4 years. However, while the Commissioners can serve for only two consecutive terms, the Mayor has a term limit of three consecutive terms. In terms of function, the Mayor runs and heads Commission meetings and has veto power over legislation.

Miami Beach City is a world recognized Art Deco center because of its famed Art Deco Historic District which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places The Art Deco District of Miami Beach has the largest existing structures in the world composed of Art Deco architecture of hotels, apartments and other structures constructed between 1923 and 1943. This Art Deco District includes Mediterranean and Streamline Moderne in its designs that add color and grandeur to the art Deco Historic District of Miami Beach City. This district is located and bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the East, Lenox Court on the West, 6th Street on the South and Dade Boulevard going along the Collins canal to its North. Barbara Capitman, a former interior designer, was the moving person in the preservation of the Art Deco District’s architectural heritage. Her efforts were rewarded with a street named after her.

One of the more popular areas of Miami Beach is its South Beach or simply called the SoBe. This area is a stretch starting from the 1st Street to the 25th Street. Formerly, this stretch of Miami Beach is a crime area with abandoned and dilapidated buildings. However, with the coming of business investors into the area, it has now been converted into one of the richest commercial districts of the city. Signs of poverty still linger in some areas. Criminality has markedly reduced with the crime rate controlled to a minimum. The City of Miami Beach and Miami City are both on the right road to progress by all indications.

One advantage of Miami why it is becoming a fast growing metropolis is its port. Miami port is the major berthing place of many international shipping companies. It is also home to many big cruise ships that ply the oceans of the world. Commerce and trade in Miami City are serviced by a large concentration of international and local banks that have their international headquarters in the city. In a study undertaken by the United Nations, it was revealed that in 2007, Miami ranked fourth as the largest urbanized area in the US after New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Miami is said to be the playground of the rich and famous. Many affluent families from the north would tend to come to Miami to escape the harsh winter. Soon, even the middle income group, because of affordable travel, realized the advantage of coming over to Miami and to make it their permanent place to live and find work. Many residents of Miami came from the northern part of the US. The weather of Miami and the many job opportunities that are in Miami are the reasons why there are many northerners live in Miami. Being a vacation place, Miami is a city where you can find plenty of hotels and lodging places to stay.

One place you can go in Miami is the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, where you can find artifacts from sunken galleons of long time ago. Other places of interest for museum goers are the Viscaya museums and gardens and the Wolfsonian museum. A nice and exciting treat for nature lovers will be an airboat tour of the everglades which is the most popular sightseeing undertaking most tourist in Miami does.