Miami - Prepare

Pack your most dazzling swimwear, your best clubbing threads, an extremely open mind, and at least one pair of designer sunglasses.

Pick up fine art at Coconut Grove Arts Festival (Feb), and get your grooves on at Carnaval Miami (Mar), and the Miami-Bahamas Goombay Festival (Jun). Celebrate bedtime at Coconut Grove's 4th of July Bed Races, and eat like a king but pay like a pauper during Miami Spice Restaurant Month (Aug). Gowns and elaborate costumes are de riguer for the star-studded White Party Week HIV/AIDS fundraiser in November.

New Year's Day (1 Jan), Martin Luther King Day (15 Jan), Presidents' Day (19 Feb), Good Friday (Apr/May), Easter (Apr/May), Memorial Day (May), Independence Day (4 Jul), Labour Day (Sep), Veterans' Day (11 Nov), Thanksgiving (Nov), Christmas Day (25 Dec).

Miami enjoys year-round sunshine, with average temperatures at 23C. June-August are humid the further you are from the beaches. Frequent downpours are not uncommon, but they never last. Hurricane season runs from June to October.

110-120V, 60Hz, two-pin plugs are standard (three-pin plus for heavy-duty and/or equipment such as computers).

+001 (international), then area code and seven-digit number.

US dollar ($) is the currency.

-5 Eastern Standard Time (+1 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).

Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau website

Casual by day, but be ready to impress at night, even if you are just sitting on your hotel balcony. Locals take evening wear to the highest level.