“The Vegas of Florida” Returns as Sunny Isles Beach Becomes America’s Hot Spot

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The Vegas of Florida

Acqualina Sunrise

“The Vegas of Florida” Returns as Sunny Isles Beach Becomes America’s Hot Spot. Sunny Isles Beach is a two-mile stretch of white sandy beaches just 10 minutes north of Miami Beach and 5 minutes from Bal Harbour.

In the 1950s, Frank Sinatra and his cronies played here. They occasionally ducked out to bet on jai alai and dog races as it was once known as ‘The Vegas of Florida.’ This former Rat Pack playground has come back to life with fury and is experiencing an exceptional luxury oceanfront condo boom it has ever seen.

Celebrity Residents @ The Vegas of Florida

With the overcrowding and overhype of South Beach, sun-seekers are coming to Sunny Isles as the area is seeing a proliferation of luxury development and high-class restaurants. New celebrity residents and European Investors are seeing the great value. Buyers are snapping up shiny condo deals along the ocean, including Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys.

Here we find South Beach’s first-class services, yet a new exclusive location offering additional privacy and a luxury lifestyle.

The Acqualina Resort comprises a hotel and private condo residences at 17875 Collins Avenue. Acqualina Hotel is currently the most luxurious condo hotel on the ocean. The luxury hotel consists of 97 rooms, starting at $850 per night. Acqaulina has attracted hordes of wealthy Brazilians and Russians who arrive in style, driving Jaguars, Ferraris, and Bentleys. This hotel has an ESPA spa, which offers Asian elegance with first-class pampering.

What To Do & Where to Go

If the royal treatments put you in the shopping mood, have the chauffeur drive you to the Bal Harbour shops at 97th and Collins. Here, you’ll soon find the most exclusive open-air mall in the country. The Bal Harbour shops have hundreds of designer boutiques to choose from. Shopping options include Gucci, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Yves Saint Laurent, and many more.

For dinner, there are many great places. Locals love Il Mulino inside Acqualina or La Vita e’Bella at The Golden Strand, featuring delectable Italian dishes. Ready for a Miami martini? Head over to Lime Lounge at the Trump International Beach Resort at 18001 Collins, where you’ll mingle with a fashionable Miami crowd of locals & celebrities. The Trump Resort, like the Acqualina, is all about excess. The 32-story resort has lagoon-style swimming pools, air-conditioned cabanas, and sumptuous rooms.

The next morning start your day walking the peaceful beach at sunrise and looking for that perfect shell. Now that the Rascal House has closed, we’ll patiently wait for the new Epicure market (coming 2009), where breakfast will dominate Sunny Isles Beach!

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