[caption id="attachment_70" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="From the glass brick to the rounded corners and dramatic use of pastels, the Waldorf Towers Hotel in Miami’s South Beach is vintage art deco."] [/caption]   With art deco due for a major renaissance (trends for fall 2012 are all about Great Gatsby-esque glamour and decorating details lifted directly from the 1930s), I figured it was the perfect time to tick a particular tourist destination off of my bucket list. Like any child of the 1980s whose decorating esthetic was shaped by those superchic "Golden Girls," I’ve always wanted to go to Miami, Florida, and there’s no better neighbourhood in North America to see art deco in its glory than South Beach.   [caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="The backbone of South Beach’s art deco district is Ocean Drive, which runs parallel to the beach itself. This neighbourhood is protected on the United States’ National Register of Historic Places, and it’s as close as you can get to stepping back in time to the 1930s."] [/caption]   For an architecture junkie like me, strolling down South Beach’s Ocean Drive is like entering the gates of Walt Disney World for the first time. Set against a backdrop of swaying palms and tropical foliage, the façades of these historic hotels, nightclubs and restaurants have been painstakingly restored to their original 1930s-era grandeur, with pristine paint jobs that positively glow in the sunlight.   [caption id="attachment_73" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="Some of the colour schemes are lifted directly from the Atlantic Ocean on the opposite side of Ocean Drive. This vertical frieze-work positively pops against the cool blues on the façade of this particular building."] [/caption]   [caption id="attachment_75" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="The ocean-inspired palette continues at the Park Central Hotel. The vintage ride out front is period-appropriate window dressing!"] [/caption]   [caption id="attachment_76" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="At the Barbizon condos, straight lines meet elegant curves with a striking effect. I’m not normally a huge fan of yellow, but that warm, buttery pastel shade is totally winning me over."] [/caption]   [caption id="attachment_77" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="The restoration work on these art deco gems is especially impressive when you consider that as recently as 30 years ago South Beach was crumbling to bits."] [/caption]   [caption id="attachment_78" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="No walk down Ocean Drive is complete without a stop at the Versace Mansion. Tucked inside a ring of dense tropical foliage and an impressive iron gate – decorated in a Greek key motif, natch – it’s a stunning example of Mediterranean revival style."] [/caption]   [caption id="attachment_79" align="aligncenter" width="410" caption="Where other than the Versace Mansion could you find planter pots adorned with the brand’s iconic Medusa motif?"] [/caption]   After a lifetime of dreaming about strolling through South Beach, Miami certainly didn’t disappoint! Have you ever been wowed by architecture while on vacation? I'd love to hear which destinations most inspired you in the comments section! {Photography by Brett Walther}