What better way to see the world than through the eyes of our favorite tastemakers? In Hidden Trails, we look at the places that feel most like home to our community of design insiders — wherever those might be — to help you uncover what their cities have in store for you.
The backdrop to countless films, from Brian De Palma's classic crime drama Scarface to Barry Jenkins's Oscar-winning, piercing coming-of-age film Moonlight, Miami calls for no introduction. Still, despite its suspense-filled cinematic depictions, the Floridian destination is rooted in nature and its seaside at heart, or so long-term resident and Design Miami's CEO Jen Roberts seems to suggest.
To her, the so-called Magic City is transient, ever-changing. Yet, "it is always a beach town at once," she tells me when we connect ahead of the comeback of Miami Art Week (December 1-7), which brings a plethora of coinciding fairs, including Design Miami itself and Art Basel Miami Beach — two of the year's hottest cultural events — to the Sunshine State's legendary hotspot, along with thousands of visitors from across the world.
To get a vibe check of Miami outside of the exhibitions' tents, all you have to do is "head to the beach and walk from South Point north to see how vibrant and diverse it really is," Roberts, who trained in Art History at Christie's Education and was co-executive director of NYC's The Salon: Art + Design fair before moving to Miami Beach to take up her current role ten years ago, recommends.
The Best Things to Do in Miami — During and Beyond Miami Art Week
A preview of Conie Vallese's "Fonderia Fendi" installation, celebrating FENDI's 100th anniversary at Design Miami 2025.
She explains that the city and Design Miami, specifically, have connected her to the global cultural world, of which the appointment remains at the forefront. Co-founded by designer and consultant Ambra Medda and native Miami Beacher, real estate developer, and collector Craig Robins in 2005, Design Miami — its CEO tells us — is part of a wider story.
A story that, "for more than a quarter of a century now, has largely fueled the positive changes the city has undergone — great architecture, elevated public spaces, and much more," Roberts explains, adding that the fair has opened her mind "to how design, art and architecture can change the world."
What does she love most about her chosen home? Discover some of the best things to do in Miami below, from cultural institutions to foodie hotspots and locations to plunge into the Magic City's breathtaking outdoors.
Explore How "Art and Design Shape the Way We Live" on a Cultural Itinerary
Zhu Jinshi's "Boat" (2015), an installation made of Xuan (rice) paper, bamboo, and cotton threads, spanning 18 x 7 meters, is part of the Rubell Museum's permanent collection.
Miami Design District; Wynwood; Rubell Museum; Wolfsonian, FL, USA
There are so many great art and design hotspots in Miami — from the Miami Design District and vibrant Wynwood neighborhood, to notable art museums and collections such as the Rubell Museum and Wolfsonian. I love how these places are so integral to the fabric of Miami; living proof of how art and design can shape the way we live. If I had to pick a favorite spot, it would be the Rubell. Every visit and exhibition always feels fresh. It's my favorite place to visit for a quiet moment by myself. I particularly appreciate the industrial architecture in dialogue with the surrounding art.
Feel the Pulse of Miami's Shape-Shifting Design Scene Directly on Its Streets
Katie Stout's "Gargantua's Thumb", this year's Design Miami Annual Design Commission, is one of the installations set to grace Miami Design District in the coming months.
Miami Design District, FL, USA
The city is in a constant state of evolution, undergoing rapid changes with new developments. I mostly enjoy the atmosphere of the Miami Design District. It is home to several great restaurants, loads of stores, and art installations. My favorite aspects are the design and architecture elements of it, including several installations from years of commissions — in particular, the Annual Design Commission, which is unveiled every December, in collaboration with Design Miami Curatorial Lab. This year, the commission will be celebrating its 10th anniversary with an immersive installation by American artist and designer Katie Stout, titled Gargantua's Thumb. It's a fun neighborhood and offers much more than retail alone.
Get "the Best Deal in Town" at Local-Approved Eateries
Pick Abbalé for an hearty dinner or a refreshing Mediterranean lunch.
Samba Brazil Restaurant; Abbalé Modern Mediterranean Restaurant, FL, USA
There's a small, very relaxed restaurant in Miami Beach on Collins Avenue, called Samba Brazil. It's family-run, and the food is great and authentic, genuinely the best deal in town! Otherwise, I also adore Abbalé, a Mediterranean eatery on Miami Beach — best clean cooking in Miami, in my opinion.
(Extra Livingetc tip: from vintage and independent furniture stores to dreamy coffee shops, Miami has got it all).
Shop Independent at Locally Owned Beach Boutique
My favorite shopping destination would have to be the Beach Boutique in Sunset Harbor on Miami Beach. The store is locally owned and has a great selection of the newest fashion pieces.
Soak in Sunshine and Hit the Waves on the Biscayne Bay
"The whole area is a haven for people who enjoy wind sports." — Jen Roberts, CEO of Design Miami
Anywhere on the Biscayne Bay is the ideal location to make the most of Miami's sunshine and waves — sail, motor, or kite! The whole site is a haven for people who enjoy wind sports, and often the last way in which visitors experience Miami. A terrific day in my book would be taking a boat out on the bay for a full day or afternoon, visiting Stiltsville (house structures on stilts) while watching the kite surfers near the channel, and heading out to sea or south to the top of Key Largo through the bay. The water is beautiful and shallow there, so it has that Caribbean blue in many areas.
One (Lesser Known) Thing
I think the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens and the Deering Estate are little-known outside of Miami. An interesting fact is that 20th-century American artist John Singer Sargent, whose work is currently exhibited at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, painted Charles Deering's portrait in the early 1900s.
Peeking Inside Miami Art Week 2025
For our readers in wintry London, even the slightest reference to Florida, the Sunshine State, and its culture and nightlife capital, Miami, will inevitably evoke images of a remote tropical paradise. But the much more lenient temperatures of the city's 'cold' season aren't the only ones to keep its streets hot this month (forgive us the pun).
From Tuesday, December 2, Miami's Pride Park welcomes the 21st edition of Design Miami (until December 7), one of the most anticipated exhibitions on the cultural calendar. Taking place in the year of its 20th anniversary, the showcase is part of the wider Miami Art Week agenda, which next week also sees the return of Art Basel Miami Beach (December 5-7).
Design Miami 2025's Highlights
Reuniting more than 70 galleries from across the world, including over 25 newcomers, the 2025 iteration of the fair is curated by American design curator Glenn Adamson, whose chosen theme, Make. Believe., examines contaminations between the past, present, and future of collectible design to chart its evolution and monitor new trends.
Chris Wolston's "Aurora Armchair", part of The Future Perfect's Design Miami 2025 showcase.
Among our favorite highlights from this year's Design Miami are an exclusive collaboration between FENDI and artist, designer, and model Conie Vallese, honoring the house's 100th anniversary through delicately beautiful, one-off bronze, ceramic, glass, carpet, and leather creations developed in partnership with five Italian ateliers, and a Peekaboo bag by the creative.
Fiore di Cactus, a special re-edition of Gufram's spirited 1972 CACTUS®, created for the occasion by Francesco Vezzoli and commissioned by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos' residential lifestyle brand RAY. And a captivating group exhibition by trailblazing residential gallery The Future Perfect, still fresh from the unveiling of its new Miami location, grouping a provocative cohort of artists exploring materiality as a vehicle for artistry, storytelling, and boundless imagination.
Where & When: Design Miami, Convention Center Drive & 19th Street. By invitation only preview: December 2. Open December 3-7. Buy your tickets. Interested in Art Basel Miami Beach instead? Head to the Miami Beach Convention Center. By invitation only preview: December 3-4. Open December 5-7. Buy your tickets
After more city guides? Follow me to the discovery of some of Europe's coolest gems and the world's rising global capital on our Weekend Itineraries, or find your favorite among the destinations featured in our spotlight on underrated design capitals.
