Memorial Day in Miami is filled with events that are outside the norm for the holiday.  Yes, there are parades and celebrations related to the holiday itself, but some of the biggest fests have nothing to do with marking Memorial Day.  Urban Beach Week, one of Miami’s largest springtime parties, culminates on Memorial Day weekend with concerts and beach parties.  This event adds to the usual assortment of attractions along Miami’s seafront strip.  But there are plenty of non-wild-party options in Miami and the other cities along South Florida’s Gold Coast.

The most visible event during the last weekend in May is Urban Beach Week.  This event originally had a music theme, but has grown into a full-blown beach party that more-or-less dominates South Beach during Memorial Day weekend.  Parties at some of South Beach’s hottest clubs will feature appearance by rap luminaries like Sean Diddy Combs and Busta Rhymes.  For those who don’t care for the hip-hop scene, Miami also plays host to the Best of the Best Concert.  Many of reggae’s biggest names will be taking to the stage, as will stars of the Caribbean’s other musical genres.  The event will be held in Bicentennial Park on Sunday May 3oth.  The tunes will start at 1:30 and last for more than 10 hours. If you have too much fun while visiting, find great Miami summer travel deals to keep the party going.

While Miami’s city beaches are crowded – more-so than usual – during the holiday weekend, sandy spots up the Gold Coast are reasonably calm.  Fort Lauderdale is a favorite alternative to the big city, as is West Palm Beach  These beaches are cleaner and the vibe more laid back.  But not too laid back.  Monarchy, a club in West Palm Beach, will host legendary DJ Roger Sanchez on Sunday May 30th, while the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida features plenty of entertainment options to go along with its gaming tables.

Fort Lauderdale also hosts the Great American Beach Party, a family-friendly version of the holiday events taking place to the south in Miami.  The event is free and features movie screenings, a classic car show, sand castle contest and plenty of musical performances.  The Beach Party will take place on Saturday, May 29th.

Museum Month runs throughout May in Miami.  Visitors to area museums are offered a buy-one, get-one-free deal until the end of the day on May 31st.  For those who really want to explore the city’s exhibit halls, there is also a deal that allows anyone who purchases an annual membership to any museum to visit every other museum in the city free of charge during May.  The museums involved in this promotion include the Miami Science Museum, Miami Beach Botanical Garden, the Children’s Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Haitian Heritage Museum.

Florida’s Gold Coast has something for everyone on Memorial Day.  Fans of urban culture, hip-hop and reggae will enjoy the scene in central Miami, while those looking for a more relaxed South Florida vacation will find what they are looking for in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Hollywood.

South Beach is the glitziest part of the Miami metro.  Known for its hot beach scene and hotter nightlife, the district draws the city’s scene-makers and visitors from across the country looking for the perfect combination of glitz and good times.

The Mondrian Hotel fits perfectly into the South Beach scene.  The over-sized, fairy-tale-inspired decor and stylish mix of amenities earned it a spot on Conde Nast Traveler’s 2009 Hot List.  It was the only hotel in the area to earn such a distinction.  But, at least for most of December and January, you don’t have to be on a “hot list” yourself to afford a room at the Mondrian.

An early winter promotion puts the hotel within any South Florida visitor’s reach.  The regular nightly rate of $295 will be reduced to $175 per weeknight (Sunday-Thursday) from December 1st to 24th.  Weekday rates remain below normal for all of January, at $225 per night.

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The Mondrian’s studio rooms include plasma screen TVs and iPod docking stations.  The spacious bathrooms feature rainfall shower heads and high-quality bath products.  The whimsical, over-sized decor found in the hotel’s public spaces is carried over into the studios, though at a much smaller scale.  The indoor/outdoor lounge on the hotel’s terrace overlooks Biscayne Bay and the 5-star Asia de Cuba Restaurant consistently earns praise for its gourmet take on the fusion cuisine fad.

Those who want to make the Mondrian part of their South Beach experience will need to book by November 30th.  The promotion is not in effect during Christmas and New Year.  The only other blackout dates are between December 3rd and 5th.