This Weekend: Walk Ocean Drive and Beyond

This weekend, consider using your feet to tone your body and preserve Miami history.

This year marks the 30^th anniversary of the “Ocean Drive & Beyond Walking Tour,” a tour that invites visitors and residents of Miami to discover the world’s largest concentration of Art Deco architecture.

Hosted by the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL), the 90-minute tour takes you to the sites of meticulously-preserved Art Deco buildings from the 1920's and 30's. Guides explain rudimentary Art Deco features, such as geometrical ornamentation, fluted columns, chevrons, and stylized sunbursts.

The design style, which began in France, was purely decorative and considered ultra-modern, yet functional. Art Deco architecture declined during the war years when many considered it gaudy.

By touring on foot you’ll find fascinating places they don't think "regular tourists" would ever see in detail, such as the interiors of the Miami Beach Post Office on Washington and 13^th Street, and The Tides hotel. You’ll also visit Mediterranean Revival and Miami Modern (MiMo) styles of the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District.

According to the MDPL, Miami Beach has the largest collection of Art Deco architecture remaining in the world, because although New York City has more buildings, they are spread throughout the city.

If the experience moves you enough to want to live Art Deco, the Drexel Condo at 1218 Drexel, built in 1925 and masterfully updated, has unique condos that blend historic features with modern comforts.

You’ve seen the sights now watch the natives. After the tour, rest and recharge with a Pimms cocktail and lobster club at Balans Miami. This outdoor bistro in Art Deco-themed décor, is located on the corner of Lincoln Road and Michigan making it a hotspot to people-watch after a long day of sightseeing.