Suburban sprawl has long characterized much of South Florida, but as the well-established neighborhoods of Miami grew in popularity and more people began to choose high-rise, metropolitan, and urban lifestyles, the idea of car-free neighborhoods became possible. While most communities in Miami require a car, there are some with truly walkable neighborhoods in proximity to necessary amenities, like restaurants, retailers, grocery stores, and other services. Beyond being pedestrian-friendly, other necessary features of urban and metropolitan lifestyles in South Florida include quick and easy access to entertainment, shopping, dining, recreation, and cultural attractions.
Generally speaking, the metropolitan anchors of South Florida afford the most authentic urban lifestyles. However, even suburban communities like Kendall now have small pockets of restaurants and retailers nestled within neighborhoods that were once exclusively residential. That said, the quintessential urban and metropolitan lifestyles are going to be found in amenity-rich, walkable places like Miami Beach, South Beach, Downtown Miami, South Miami, Midtown Miami, North Beach, and Coconut Grove.
