You don't have to travel over the rainbow to reach the fabulous tropical destination you've been dreaming of. For more than a decade, Miami has been rolling out the welcome mat for gay men and lesbians from around the world. Hit the clubs of SoBe, shop the boutiques of tony Coral Gables, or just bronze your bod under the warm Florida sun. Tempted? Learn more about the sights and sounds of The Magic City below and book a gay-friendly hotel from $59.

Sophisticated and seductive, South Beach rocks with a sizzling array of very gay-friendly and specifically gay-oriented lodgings, restaurants, and nightspots. Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Little Havana, and Bal Harbour vie with South Beach and downtown Miami to offer up a head-spinning mix of world-class dining, culture, shopping, and eco-tourism.

Also raised to an art form in Miami is America's true national sport--shopping! From the funky, sometimes outré shops of SoBe to the chic boutiques of the Grove and the Gables, there's something for every taste and wallet. Meanwhile, interior-design enthusiasts will get a charge out of the Miami Design District just north of downtown, with 18 blocks of showrooms, boutiques, and art galleries that span just about every taste and time period. Then, of course, the great outdoors comes in all shapes, sizes, and speeds in America's most sun-worshipping big city. The gay scene at SoBe's 12th Street Beach has been celebrated far and wide, but 20 minutes north, the gay section of Haulover Beach Park is just as popular with locals, if not more so. Or avoid sand in your suit at the Gables' lush, romantic Venetian Pool, where a gay contingent frolics amid the waterfalls and grottoes along with everyone else.

Finally, when it comes to nightlife, Miami Beach offers many clubs that cater to every taste and style--but don't overlook the wealth of goodies across the causeways from South Beach. Lots of mixed or mostly gay nightspots are peppered throughout downtown out to the heavily Latin areas to the west and south. You'll get a taste of a bigger cross-section of gay Latino américa than any place else in the hemisphere, and a guaranteed blast even if you don't habla español.

For more information about accommodations, tours, attractions, nightlife, and other aspects of Miami, visit Miami Expressions or call toll-free 888-76-MIAMI. Also, the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has published a comprehensive new gay and lesbian travel guide, "Miami: Diversity Celebrated Daily." For a copy, visit Go Gay Miami or call 305-573-4000.