27 Years Online
••• The International Writers Magazine -Miami 2026

Sam Hawksmoor in Miami Miami 2026 - one of the most vibrant and prosperous cities in America is a city under perpetual construction, growing ever taller. I'm told 1300 people a month are arriving looking for a property to buy. They are building accordingly...

So I didn’t get shot by ICE. That was a relief. Visiting the USA is pretty damn fraught these days,
so it was something of an anticlimax to be waved through customs without a word being said. It’s all digital.
All your life details and a photo have already been submitted, so it was easy – they even let a guy in
covered head to toe in tattoos, so maybe he fitted the profile for desirable visitors better than old guy pro-Democrat me these days.

The great secret no one tells you is that there is the Tri-Rail train from the airport to downtown Miami. (It’s a bit of a distance from where Virgin Atlantic docks, but if you can walk it, it takes you to a people mover which takes you to the station and bus hub and a train that takes you to the Government Centre and beyond for just $2.75, or the Bright Line train which connects to West Palm Beach and Orlando). Or you can order an uber and stay in traffic for hours.

I was in Miami for a month to look after Gracie, a VIP dog. Gracie is normally an uber dog. But since I always walk or train, she discovered she had legs. She spent the next four weeks in shock as we did our fifteen thousand steps a day. One day we decided to walk from downtown Bayside where we were living on the 40th floor to South Beach via the Venetian Causeway. Ok, to be honest 9 miles was a bit far for me too in 28c sunshine. Gracie absolutely refused to walk back, so I had to carry her. Only a small dog, but gee she got heavier with every mile back. I learned that a dog has limits. (And next time we took the free ferry!) Photo: Gracie at the Perez Gallery

Downtown Miami is the place to be now with the new 100-floor Waldorf Tower being built next door to where I was staying. This new building has only tiny balconies (due to high winds) but our tower of 49 floors has vast 1000 sq feet balconies with great city views – at least Gracie’s apartment has, but unfortunately it’s in the take-off flight path from Miami airport. It feels like they are going to land on the building every five minutes. They will have to fly elsewhere once the Waldorf is built … one hopes.

I first came to Miami in 1971 and then the lovely Dupont building (Built 1928) was the highest downtown building on Flagler Street. That building is still there and is a class act with marble floors and brass-plated elevators and with great coffee and pastry at street level at La Boulangerie (no baguettes). Flagler Street is zoned for preservation – about the only place that is sadly, so if your looking for old mid-town Miami elsewhere you won’t find it – especially when Trump knocks down the Freedom Tower to build his library to store the one book he he ever bought. (But never read). Find street markets here on weekends and street jazz in the evenings on Flagler and beer at The Lost Boys bar.

Met a local historian who showed me photos of the lovely mansions that used to populate Brickell along the Miami River. All gone, replaced with vast skyscrapers now.  Sad to report too that Wynwood (famed for the street art - see photos) is fast disappearing under newly built condo towers. 14 new ones are being constructed this year alone. So visit now before it goes. America is famous for killing the things that people love. One wonders if the art deco hotels in South Beach will survive the developers. Photo: Miami River and Metromover monorail

Under the Miami Riverwalk

Gracie and I walked and met some interesting people and thanks to Rob, Vanessa, Pilar and Helena for buying my books. I also got some writing done and soon I hope to start typing it up and see if any of it makes sense.

Photos below Sunset on the 40th Floor and a moment on the Omni Loop

Flights to and from Miami on Virgin (who really do look after you better than BA). And yes it is safe, but then again there are cops on every corner and I’m not exaggerating. Every corner.  And let's not leave out the chickens. Yep really, wild chickens live in various underpasses and car parks and if you are walking a small dog beware they defend their young chicks with force! And whatever your budget is – double it. A coffee and croissant will set you back 15/16 dollars, a pizza around 20/25 a glass of wine around 28.  Use the Metromover to get around downtown – it’s free – and maybe avoid Bayside as it’s a bit like Skegness, only warmer.

And oh yes, download a translation app – Miami is a Spanish city. You’ll need it. I left the day after the US vs Iran war broke out. One wonders how it will end and what price the world will have to pay for it? $200 dollar oil anyone? I suspect Iran will fight back to the last missile in their arsenal and take the rest of the Gulf with it.
March 23rd 2026
Photos © Sam Hawksmoor 2026
Author of The Days After She Went Dancing and The Repossession of Genie Magee series.
(PS Perfect gifts for readers you might know)

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