Along with a return to the new normal comes a need for travelers to recapture that vibe that accompanies certain destinations. Vegas has its vibe. New Orleans has its vibe. And certainly, South Beach has its vibe.

It all starts with accommodations, since one needs a place to escape from the heat. The temperature might be a matter of perspective, but there is a reason why the basketball team is called the Miami Heat beyond their current 37-31 record. Under a clear blue sky, shaded lightly by the sparse palm trees, 87 Fahrenheit feels more like 95. It is no wonder that face masks spend more time in a pocket than on a face.

Along with the near absence of masks is the focus on the beautiful faces. Once in Miami, treat yourself to a facial at McCallister Spa at 1301 Alton Road in Miami Beach. Through a partnership with SkinCeuticals, the spa offers, among other services, a HydraFacial, a potent anti-aging and antioxidant. As it seems that part of the South Beach vibe is to always look young and healthy, services like those at McCallister Spa are the perfect fit.

The irony of South Beach is that many people are moving too fast to see the beautiful faces. Sport and luxury cars are part of the fabric, as are the latest trend, the Slingshot, a three-wheel eye-catcher that is evolving from the 5-speed manual model to the new automatic offering. Such prized possessions should not have to bear the rigors of long-distance travel to reach the South Beach showplace.

Local driving is convenient, yet if one is heading south from a significant distance to join the auto-centric party in the Miami/South Beach area, having the prized vehicle delivered to the Downtown Miami asphalt might be the way to go. Nexusautotransport.com can ship vehicles across the US through their user-friendly online platform. Company owner, George Arkin, assures that his service keeps the vehicles safe (especially important among the hotrod set) ensuring their safety for up to one million dollars in coverage. It’s like calling an Uber – just enter the pick-up and drop-off location, and focus on the fun of traveling light. The company prides itself on being punctual and professional, which makes it ideal as well for business travelers.

Travelers can continue to maintain the vibe with a stay at the SLS Hotel. Besides epitomizing the glitz and glamor of South Beach, the hotel boasts two restaurants that bathe any discriminating palate in gustatory luxury. The first is Bazaar Restaurant with its Spanish aura demonstrated through the tasteful decor, highlighted by a huge chandelier encrusted in seashells which adds to the subtle tones embellished with tea lights and faux bookshelf tapestries.

Michelin-starred chef Jose Andres, who spearheaded efforts to feed the needy during the pandemic, maintains the luxury of Bazaar where one can start the meal with a caviar cone, watermelon and tomato skewers, seared scallops, shrimp and pasta dyed with squid ink, and end it with key lime pie and S’mores chocolate cake.

Right next door, but within the SLS is Katsuya, an Asian-inspired restaurant with style and flavor added to every dish. From the zucchini with bamboo roasted aioli to the tempura-style king crab pieces, each offering is prepared with the highest regard for the guest. The dessert selections alone make one feel like a kid, from the cappuccino mochi’s cool sweetness to the Matcha Molten Chocolate Cake, which is literally on fire.

For quality accommodations, consider a stay at the Kimpton Angler’s Hotel, which used to be a haven for true anglers, and is now a luxurious hotel with a splash of chic. The 132 guest rooms and suites include studios, lofts, villas, spa villas and bungalows. The guests, from the outset, are immersed in lushness as an outdoor seating area attracts the travel weary and the leisure seeker alike. The tiles create a repeating, contemporary pattern in an Escher-like style, and the natural wood seating is a unique juxtaposition.

The rustic artifacts offer a pan-continental feel to the hotel’s hallways, which spill over into the rooms. Tropical is certainly the dominant aura, but there is also a stress on the unstressed there as well. Soft tones of the decor are interrupted only by the harsh tones of passing green parakeets, the dominant species of bird which traverse the sky and make a temporary stop in the high foliage of palm trees.

Kimpton Angler’s signature offerings include its exclusive coral reef discovery experience, in-room spa services, a rooftop pool and sun deck, a second ground-level Mermaid Pool and Lounge area, Minnow Bar, Seawell Fish n’ Oyster Restaurant, and 19,000 square feet of unconventional event space to accommodate a range of intimate indoor and outdoor gatherings.

Another spot that surrounds the traveler with the South Beach vibe is Berkeley Park Hotel. A mile and a half north of the Kimpton, Berkeley Park Hotel is more subdued but no less impressive. The tonal flavor is softer, but the bright smiles of the concierge reflect the white edifice.

One boasting point of the hotel is the outdoor decor of the patio, the spot where guests order up their breakfast. The large pergola-covered space offers well-lit seating at square tables, or for a more exotic moment, ornate carved wood benches and accompanying decorative tables have an Arabian feel to them.

Another boasting point of the hotel is the rooftop pool which gives the guests a 360 degree panorama of South Beach. The depth of the pool goes from approximately three to four feet, but has a sort of infinity pool vibe, especially when the sky is clear and blue, which happens often in South Florida.

One cannot speak of the South Beach vibe without speaking of the beach. Coming down in energy from the recent Spring Break crowds, the sand and shore seem subdued, allowing for contemplation, a brown pelican silently gliding across the shallows in its pterodactyl style, and the random beach beauty taking selfies under the blushing cheeks of mother nature. World traveler, international film actress, model and influencer, Sunessis De Brito, shared her take on the South Beach vibe. “I believe it is the mix of the Caribbean Sea with its crystalline and warm water. the nightlife, the Art Deco buildings, the excellent hotel service on the beach, and to be able to roll out of the club in the morning, throw on your bathing suit and head to the beach.”

In close proximity to the Berkeley Park Hotel and the beach are two other attractions that one would not normally include in a story of the South Beach vibe, and they are the Miami Botanical Gardens and the Holocaust Memorial. The former is a 4+ acre plethora of decorative foliage displays, koi ponds with turtle residents, dozens of species of palm trees, thousands of plants and proud orchids springing out from their less flashy hosts.

The latter is a stunningly emotional tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, from its roots from the early 30s to the mid 40s. The main structure is a four-story outstretched arm, tattooed with numbers and overtaken by a tangle of bodies clawing their way toward the top. The pathway around the sculpture takes the visitor to other life-size facsimiles of victims in different states of turmoil, granite walls engraved with the names of a fraction of the victims, and a stone hallway leading back to the main sculpture, which occupied an inner circle with more life-size epitomes.

The visitor can walk among the sculptures and stare into their horror-stricken faces and emaciated forms. The installation is eerily silent, yet screaming with the reverberation of history.

The heat of Miami and South Beach radiates on the skin, and has a therapeutic way of moving one from the solemnity of the memorial to the sustenance available within the endless food venues and the hunger they seek to satiate. Here are a few tasty selections to consider if South Beach is your destination:

So what is the South Beach vibe? It is a mix of the energy that exists on the sunburnt streets, the history of the art deco facades and the passion innate in all of us. Visitors to South Beach and Miami have a reputation for bending the rules, being what they want to be rather than what they are expected to be. Mystery hides behind sunglasses in South Beach, and beckons travelers back with the scent of sunscreen and tequila.