The U.S. is home to one of the top three most iconic beaches in the world: South Beach.
Can you believe this strip of land that overlooks the Atlantic was just farmland until the late 1800s? By the early 1900s, Miami Beach (a separate city from Miami) was incorporated and became one of the most prosperous cities in the country. Meanwhile, the city's South Beach — or as those in the know call it, "SoBe" — became a worldwide star, earning particular attention during its thriving Art Deco period.
Here, pastel-colored homes rest beside restaurants' outdoor patios and the neon lights of nightclubs as expensive and flashy sports cars cruise along A1A. Sure, there was a period when it looked like South Beach would die out, but a 1980s rejuvenation has kept it on the world's radar.
South Beach has been Instagrammed more than 7.5 million times, and another 11.5 million posts are tagged #miamibeach! This love does mean crowds — last year, 23 million people visited — but then again, people-watching is part of the fun.