{"id":2278,"date":"2013-11-12T15:14:56","date_gmt":"2013-11-12T19:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/~travelwriting\/?page_id=2278"},"modified":"2013-11-12T15:14:56","modified_gmt":"2013-11-12T19:14:56","slug":"miami-beachs-lincoln-road-popular-with-visitors-for-shopping-and-dining","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/?page_id=2278","title":{"rendered":"Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road popular with visitors for shopping and dining"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted November 12, 2013<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By KARLA DURANGO<\/p>\n

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Lincoln Road is more than just a street, it is the cultural centerpiece of one of the world\u2019s top playgrounds: Miami Beach.<\/p>\n

Running east to west between 16th<\/sup> and 17th<\/sup> streets in Miami Beach, this pedestrian-only road has long played host to a trendy collection of stores and boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and other local businesses that people from all over the world explore.<\/p>\n

Ranked fifth among the top nine things to do in Miami by http:\/\/travel.usnews.com<\/a>, Lincoln Road has always been one of the premier shopping venues in Miami and a yearlong hotspot for locals and tourists alike.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the best locales in town to get a bite to eat or enjoy drinks with friends while watching the endless exhibit of people,\u201d said Stephanie Silva, a Miami native and longtime Miami Beach resident. \u201cIt has something for everyone and each time you go it\u2019s a unique experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, on a typical Saturday afternoon, anyone can witness as Lincoln Road transforms into a never-ending runway for locals to parade around with their elegant pooches and as the alfresco restaurants become the front row seats for shopped-out foreigners to sit down and enjoy the Miami glamour.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery little shop from Books and Books Caf\u00e9 to The Dog Bar has a different story to tell,\u201d assured Silva. \u201cEven the Starbucks at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Lincoln Road is different from your typical coffee shop.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Silva, on most afternoons around 4 p.m., chess aficionados from all walks of life come together to take part in chess tournaments that help convert the resident Starbucks into a cultural attraction in and of itself.<\/p>\n

Today however, after a recent string of new developments, Lincoln Road Mall holds an even more transcendent reputation. \u201cIt is synonymous with must-have merchandise,\u201d said Terri Kravits, senior convention sales manager of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau as she directly quoted their 2012 “It\u2019s So Miami” branding campaign.<\/p>\n

Nowadays, \u201cThe Road\u201d as it is also known, draws in a diverse crowd to complement the eclectic mix of venues present on the scene, she assured.<\/p>\n

As a matter of fact, visitors can now find anything from giant retail chains like Forever 21, Gap and Victoria\u2019s Secret, to unconventional boutiques from the Brazilian luxury label Osklen and the Spanish jewelry brand Uno de 50, which showcase both local and international designers.<\/p>\n

Among an array of different shops, locals and in-the-know travelers also flock to the area to buy one-of-a-kind items from the latest brands like All Saints Spitafeilds, Scotch & Soda, Diesel, Lucky Brand Jeans and Steve Madden.<\/p>\n

\u201cLincoln does have the same relaxed Miami vibe it always did,\u201d said Frangina Castillo, a Miami Beach resident and sales associate at Original Penguin on Lincoln Road. \u201cYou can still find the classic venues that have always been around like Van Dyke Caf\u00e9 that has forever played live music, but now there are new stores and restaurants that have been like a breath of fresh air to the area.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recently renovated and opened in 2010 is the Mall\u2019s westernmost block, which has proven to be among the most successful and attractive areas on Lincoln Road, Kravitz said, who often recommends this area to clients.<\/p>\n

Keeping in tune with the post-modernist designs of Lincoln Road\u2019s original architect Moris Lapidus, the newest pedestrian plaza features eye-catching imagery that sets the stage for an elite combination of shops that include Mac Cosmetics, Adidas Y-3, SLVR and the \u201cglossy and upscale coffee table\u201d bookstore, Taschen Books.<\/p>\n

Along with the new additions on the mall\u2019s western frontier, have also come a string of New York premier establishments that are again allowing Lincoln to live up to its moniker as \u201cthe Fifth Avenue of the South.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the most notable places to have surfaced on the promenade are Rosa Mexicano, a popular New York-based Mexican restaurant, Shake Shack<\/a>, a \u201cgo-to\u201d spot for sun-drained pedestrians to cool off with a frozen custard shake and a classic \u201croadside\u201d Manhattan burger, and Serendipity 3<\/a>, the place that satisfies every homesick New Yorker\u2019s sweet tooth.<\/p>\n

In addition to all of the new eateries offering a wide variety of salty and sweet snacking options, Lincoln Road is also a popular place for moviegoers, as it houses a state-of-the-art multiplex cinema.<\/p>\n

\u201cLincoln is always the place to go when you have no idea what you want to do,\u201d said Manuela Sinisterra, a Miami Beach Senior High School student. \u201cYou can always rely on Lincoln to have a plan for you,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Although \u201cThe Road\u201d attracts millions of people from around the world, with a high number of those being among European and South American tourists during the winter high season according to Kravitz, it certainly does feel the pressure to keep up with its status as an iconic destination.<\/p>\n

With that said, in the mean time, Lincoln Road will undoubtedly remain one of the coolest places to shop in town and in the world, having recently struck gold with the debut of the five-story European retail store H&M.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe weekend it opened, I remember there was a line of people that stretched about three blocks down\u201d said Castillo. \u201cI can\u2019t even imagine how the opening of Zara will be,\u201d she said smilingly.<\/p>\n

Zara, which is indeed the latest store to join the \u201clet\u2019s open a store on Lincoln\u201d bandwagon, is one of the hottest international brands set to arrive on the world-renowned street this winter, confirmed Kravits.<\/p>\n

\u201cLincoln Road is the place in Miami to see the world, from its people to their fashion,\u201d she voiced. \u201cOn Lincoln, it\u2019s clear we keep on trend.\u201d<\/p>\n

If You Go
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Lincoln Road Mall<\/strong><\/p>\n