A Night Out In South Florida's South Beach

It may sound cliché, but South Beach is hands down the best place to go bar hopping. It's one of the few places in South Florida where you can go to jazz club, a hipster hangout and an ultra modern club all in the same neighborhood. It's diverse and if you truly want to experience it, then you have to try out all of these bars, kind of like a pub crawl. Each time, you'll get a taste of something new and out of the ordinary and that's what a true South Beach experience is all about.

Haven Gastro-Lounge
1237 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 987-8885
www.havenlounge.com

Your bar sojourn begins with Haven Gastro-Lounge. It's unlike any bar, pub or lounge that you have ever experienced in Miami because it specializes in mixology. At dinnertime, this lounge serves the best in sushi and gastropub fare, but after 11 p.m., it becomes a lounge complete with a live DJ. The decor is clean, modern and bathed in a blue glow and the music covers all genres, depending on the night. While there, step over to the bar and order one of its chemistry-concocted nitro cocktails. The smoke billows off of this drink as you sip it, making this a night of high-class entertainment that the foodie or drink connoisseur will enjoy.

Upstairs At The Van Dyke Cafe
846 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-3600
www.thevandykecafe.com

The Van Dyke Cafe is another restaurant and bar combination. This bar is located just down the street from Haven and sits on the second floor of the Van Dyke Cafe. It caters to the 30-something crowd and there is always a live band that ranges from jazz music to Latin spice to comedic stylings. It's a great way to unwind especially after a hard day at work but get there early because it only stays open until 1 a.m. Check the website to see who will be playing nightly.

Kill Your Idol
222 Espanola Way
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 672-1852
www.facebook.com/killyouridolmiami

The next stop on the tour of Miami Beach is Kill Your Idol. It's a couple of blocks away from The Van Dyke Cafe on the Christmas-lit street Espanola Way and is drastically different from the two previous bars. This unpretentious and unapologetic dive bar isn't the least bit ornate and is dimly lit but it promises a good drink and a good time. Listen to a live rock band or turn up the jukebox to listen to sounds that will put you in hipster heaven. Here, all you have to be is yourself.

Related: Top Secret Bars In Miami

Lost Weekend
218 Espanola Way
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 672-1707
www.facebook.com/LostWeekendSB

Adjacent to Kill Your Idol is Lost Weekend. Even more divey than Kill Your Idol, the atmosphere is very low key and the sounds come courtesy of the jukebox and the occasional live band. Pull up a stool or play a round of pool while enjoying domestic and imported beers. Either way, you've just stepped into another hipster haven and you might need to walk outside to remind yourself that you are still in South Beach.

The Clevelander
1020 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(877) 532-4006
www.clevelander.com

After experiencing culinary hotspots, jazz retreats and dive bars, you and your friends will long to experience something that is quintessentially South Beach. The Clevelander is located on Ocean Drive on the main strip. This outdoor, neon-lit explosion promises all of the electronic and hip hop music you can handle and a rowdy crowd of 20-somethings that can't be tamed. It's packed end to end, has a pool and features a bar that specializes in mojitos and other fruity cocktails. Catch the live band and experience true South Beach swag.

Related: Best Jukebox Bars In Miami

Niema Hulin was born in Newark, NJ but raised in Lexington, South Carolina for the bulk of her formative years. In 2002, she moved to Miami after graduating from the University of Florida. Since then, Niema has worked in film, television and commercials as a Production Assistant and Production Coordinator. Some of her films have included Bad Boys II and I Am Number IV. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.