Miami is one of the country's hottest and hippest cities. On a tour of Miami's most extreme experiences, you'll see this town as it's never been seen before.
Extreme Performance
Circ X
Based in Miami, the 20 artists of Circ X consider themselves "1 part circus, 2 parts burlesque, a pinch of class and a dash of trash." The company is comprised of trained actors, singers and dancers, all with degrees from theater or dance conservatories. At every performance, Circ X takes center stage in innovative handmade barely-there costumes using materials like L.E.D. lights and hand-cut steel. The sexy super troop rehearses over 50 hours a week and performs over 100 original jaw-dropping shows a year.
Extreme Burial
Neptune Memorial Reef
Key Biscayne is Miami's small island paradise just off Florida's coast. It's also home to the only underwater cemetery in the world. Forget 6 feet under, at Neptune Memorial Reef, the ashes of loved ones are laid to rest 45 feet below the ocean's surface. The manmade reef and underwater city are located 3 1/2 miles off Key Biscayne's shore and cover 16 acres of ocean floor. Even visiting loved ones is an extreme experience; families must charter a boat to the site and scuba dive down the reef.
Extreme Butler
The Ritz-Carlton
Leave it to the residents of Miami, FL, to kick up the sunning service. The Ritz-Carlton on South Beach is the only hotel in the world to employ a tanning butler -- a poolside attendant in flip-flops, sunglasses and bathing suit. He packs an arsenal of SPF to apply on demand with an indulgent massage that keeps guests from baking in the Miami heat.
Extreme Residence
Acqua Liana
The extremely beautiful residence known as Acqua Liana is located just 60 miles north of Miami in Manalapan, FL. Check out the mind-blowing specs for this mammoth manor: 15,000 square feet, 3 stories, 7 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 24-foot water windows, countless outdoor waterfalls, a hand-painted glass-tiled floor, and a 120-foot personal dock -- all for $29 million. The brainchild of real estate artist Frank McKinney, it's also the most environmentally friendly estate in the world. It contains a watering recycling system, nontoxic driveway, and enough reclaimed and renewable wood to save over 10.5 acres of rain forest.
Extreme Vending
The Mondrian Hotel
One of Miami's hippest hotels, The Mondrian is home to the world's most extreme vending machine. Forget soda, snacks and gum, this machine is fully loaded and features high-end and high-priced treats. Twenty-four-carat handcuffs are just the tip of the iceberg. Also automatically available: a $90,000 Bentley, a $68,000 1968 Corvette convertible and a $1.2-million 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment in the hotel. Just swipe your black, no-limits American Express and select.
Extreme Eats
Sarussi Restaurant
Miami is home to the largest population of Cubans in the US and boasts over 100 Cuban restaurants within its city limits, making it the place for authentic Cuban eats. Sarussi's first opened its doors in 1965, and for over 40 years they've been serving Miami's most extreme sandwich; the Sarussi Original is 16 inches of freshly baked bread topped with 20 slices of thinly sliced ham, 15 slices of roast pork, 8 slices of Swiss cheese, pickles and a generous helping of Sarussi's secret sauce.
Extreme Makeover
The Miami Institute
Tucked inside the elegant Four Seasons Hotel, the Miami Institute has perfected the lunchtime lift. From plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry to laser therapy and skin care, the Institute perfectly combines medicine with 5-star hotel service. Patient privacy is also extremely protected -- patients enter via a secret side entrance and leave with the aide of a personal nurse on a private elevator.
Extreme Party
Calle Ocho
Miami's Little Havana is home to the biggest all-day block party in the world. Calle Ocho draws over a million people -- in a single day -- to celebrate Latin American and Caribbean culture. Taking place every March, this super-sized soiree sprawls over 20 city blocks and features 350 different kinds of food and over 30 different musical acts.
Extreme Dining
Dinner in the Sky
A concept that began in Belgium in 2006, Dinner in the Sky has spread to 19 countries across the globe. Diners are suspended 180 feet in the air and served a gourmet 5-course meal. Twenty-two guests are strapped into leather seats that are secured to the dining table. The table is connected to a crane that then lifts this dinner party straight up. With a view overlooking Miami's Coconut Creek, this is a dining experience only for those with stomachs of steel.
