Grand Hotel

286 Grand Avenue

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Since 1887, Grand Hotel beckons guests to their porch where old-world meets new charm. 

Let's start at the top .. the Cupola Bar is located at the very top of the hotel on the fourth floor with two levels of seating, a comprehensive cocktail list, nightly entertainment and panoramic views of the Straits of Mackinac, the Mackinac Bridge and spectacular sunsets.

Murano glass chandelier in the Cupola Bar at Sunset

The stunning Murano glass chandelier hangs as a dramatic centerpiece above the dance floor and between the two levels of the lounge. Designed by Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Co. when the Cupola Bar space was originally redesigned in 1987.  Suspended at the highest point of the Grand Hotel, offering panoramic views of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and the Mackinac Bridge.  

The view of the Straits of Mackinac from the Cupola Bar.

Design elements in this space feature patterns of greens and blues inspired by its surrounding views, along with sconces on the walls to match the iconic chandelier.

The Grand Hotel kitchen serves around 70,000 signature Grand Pecan Ball desserts every single season served since 1947.  Other prominent menu items include their Michigan Cherry Bread Pudding, German Chocolate Cake and Grand Marnier Creme Brulee. The Grand Pecan Ball Pudding is made with quality vanilla ice cream rolled in toasted pecans and topped with the hotel's signature hot fudge sauce. The Michigan Cherry Bread is a croissant custard featuring local tart and sweet cherries with a bourbon glaze. The German Chocolate Cake is made with Valrhona sponge cake layered with dark chocolate ganache and coconut-pecan cremeux. The Grand Marnier Creme Brulee is made with vanilla custard infused with Grand Marnier capped with glazed berries and turbinado sugar or natural brown sugar.

And before you leave the island you must sample Mackinac Island Fudge, it's the best!

Overlooking the World's Longest Porch and the Straits of Mackinac, the Grand Hotel's Main Dining Room offers one of the most picturesque dining experiences in an elegant setting for unforgettable breakfasts, lunches and formal dinners. The landmark dining destination centers on old-world hospitality, where dressing up for dinner is a tradition and gathering for a meal is an event.  The dining room transforms as the day progresses and it all begins with coming together for breakfast, the hotel's primary place to begin the day with both classic and unique dishes. In  the evening, there is a dress code as the dining room transforms with nightly live entertainment from the Grand Hotel Orchestra anda five-course rotating dinner menus that is locally focused and globally artistic.  The Grand Pecan Ball with fudge sauce, which made its debut in 1947, is the signature dessert.  Each season, Grand Hotel guests happily consume more than 60,000 Grand Pecan Balls.  

Recently honored with the Wine Spectator Award for "Best of Excellence", the dining room has over 350 selections of wine (dinner and dessert wines) curated by the hotel's Master Sommelier, Elizabeth Schweitzer.  The beloved staff, the heart of the Main Dining Room, graciously welcomes guests each season.

Somewhere in Time

This 1980 romantic fantasy drama starred Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.  A Chicago playwright uses self-hypnosis to travel back to 1912 and finds the actress he loves through time-travel.

Grand Hotel guests who stay at the hotel in some way do experience time travel as it is like going back-in-time upon entering its front doors.

Somewhere in Time was heavily filmed on location at the historic Grand Hotel. The production crew received special permission from Mackinac Island authorities to bring a few motor vehicles onto the island.  The film crew brought both 1910-era and 1970-era cars across to match the time-travel plot.  Cast members and crew were strictly prohibited from driving the vehicles outside of active camera rolling.  Even stars Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour had to get around by bicycle, horse-drawn carriage or on foot when not shooting scenes. The hotel has a Somewhere in Time weekend each year. 

"Jane Seymour once said she thought there was "Pixie dust" sprinkled over the film and she has come to several of these themed weekends.  "She loves our hotel.  She has a true love for Mackinac Island." 

Robert Tagatz, Grand Hotel Resident Historian

The Somewhere in time weekend here at The Grand Hotel was pure magic.  It iwas so woderful to spend time with all of the amazing people who love this special film.  Thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to make it happen, to whose who came to celebrate and to all of you for joining us for the journey.  My heart is full!"

Seymour posted this message on social media after the event.

Seymour was 28 years of age when Somewhere in Time was filmed in 1979 and released in October 1980. Her character was Elise McKenna. Christopher Reeve, also 28 years of age at the time played the main character Richard Collier. Located near the "Is it You?" tree at the end of the boardwalk along the water's edge is the exact site where Richard and Elise first look at each other and she delivers her famous line "Is it you?"  A small commemorative marker rests near the base of the trees along the shoreline of Lake Shore Drive, directly south of the Grand Hotel. 

Somewhere in Time has remained a romantic favorite since it first hit theatres, but it turns out the real love story went beyond the one on screen. So when you saw this film, you saw the real thing.

Both actors were single when filming began on Mackinac Island. They developed an intense, real-life connection and "fell madly in love" which translated directly into their on-screen chemistry as Richard and Elise.  They kept their relationship subtle with only a few crew members knowing about the affair during production.  Before filming wrapped, Reeve's former girlfriend, Gae Exton, a modeling executive, informed him she was pregnant with their child, a son they named Matthew.  Still holding deep feelings for Exton and wanting to do the right thing for his family, Reeve made the difficult choice to end his relationship with Seymour and return to Exton. Reeve and Exton would go on to have a second child together, a daughter named Alexandra. Seymour later joked about hiding her heartache while filming a happy romantic scene right after hearing the news, saying she had to "put my big-girl pants on" with tears in her eyes. 

Despite the sudden end to their romance, there was a consensus among the actors and accounts that they maintain a profound, platonic bond.  They remained close friends for the rest of Reeve's life.  Seymour even named one of her twin sons, Kristopher, after her beloved former co-star. 

"The good part of the story is that Chris went on to have these two beautiful children and we met one another on many occasions. We remained really, really close friends, literally until the day he died.  I have to believe that I will one day see him somewhere in time."

Jane Seymour 

The combination of the majesty and elegance of Mackinac's Grand Hotel and the romance and charm of Somewhere in Time creates a potent cocktail of history, drama and emotion.  It's impossible to stroll on the white timber of the hotel's porch without being transported back in time to the heady days of the 1890s when the Grand Hotel was the talk of the mid-west.  The rocking chairs that line the veranda have silently witnessed the comings and goings of hundreds of visitors over the last century; actors and musicians, business owners, socialites, doctors and lawyers.  Add a sprinkling of time travel into this heady mix and a delicious effervesence is guaranteed.

On July 6, 1898, the village council officially prohibited automobiles. The ban was extended to Mackinac Island State Park in 1901 and it remains a strictly enforced state law today.  

The Grand Hotel, a massive wooden structure on Mackinac Island, opened on July 10, 1887 with 397 rooms (every single one is different) charging initial nightly rates between $3 and $5.  It was built in just 93 days by a group of railway and steamship companies consisting of 600 laborers as a luxurious summer escape for wealthy Victorians.  Famous for its 660-foot porch which is lined with dozens of white rocking chairs and decorated with thousands of geraniums. The teal-painted underside of the grand porch uses a specific color shade called "Dewkiss" that historically stops birds from nesting.  

The landmark has hosted numerous presidents and cultural icons.  The Grand Hotel was designed by Detroit architect partners, George D. Mason and Zachariah Rice.  The prominent resort builder was Charles W. Caskey. The first manager was experienced hotel operator, John Oliver Plank who managed the property at its opening and it was initially named Plank's Grand Hotel.

Five United Presidents have stayed at the Grand Hotel including Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.  Other notable guests were Thomas Edison and Mark Twain. 

The original rectangle Grand Hotel Pool 

The 200-foot-long, hourglass-shaped pool was originally built in the mid-1920s and frequently nicknamed "Paul Bunyan's footprint".   It was later named after actress and competitive swimmer, Esther Williams after she filmed the 1947 movie This Time for Keeps.

Circa October 17, 1947

The movie was filmed partly on location at the Grand Hotel co-starring,

Jimmy Durante and Johnnie Johnston with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra.

Esther Williams as guest of honor was joined by interior designer, Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Co.  He designed the Esther Williams Suite for the occasion alongside hotel staff, press and resort guests participating in the centennial festivities. Williams had returned to the island for the hotel's 100th celebration to rechristen the newly named Esther Williams Swimming Pool. 

1887-1987

Circa July 8, 1987

In 2021, the newly renovated Esther Williams Swimming Pool at the Grand Hotel was officially reopened and dedicated on Thursday, June 24, 2021, following a $10 million, 32-week multi-featured renovation by adding cabanas and an adult infinity pool, keep Williams' legacy alive.  At the 2021 ceremony, hotel executives, local officials including Mayor Margaret Doud and resident historian, Bob Tagatz gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the updated facility during the hotel's 100th-anniversary milestone. The modern update added a zero-depth beach entry family area, a waterslide, reservable private cabanas and an adults-only infinity edge section. 

Video of the Grand Hotel with 'Grand' Resident Historian, Bob Tagatz.

If you go to the Grand Hotel, make sure you take a tour with Bob, the Resident Historian.

"This hotel, this institution has lasted 135 years and 136 seasons and we have never closed our doors through wars through depressions.  We've always opened our doors to the traveling public and we have fourth generations coming here because of it." 

Bob Tagatz

By the way, Bob's favorite room is the Vanderbilt Suite of the 70 named rooms/luxury suites at the hotel. There are 95 deluxe guest rooms with a balcony.  Named rooms include the Lodge of Teddy Roosevelt, the Napolean and Josephine Suites, Lord and Lady Astor Suites, as well as seven rooms in honor of former First Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Jacqueline Kennedy and Laura Bush.

After a long wait (approximately 20 years in the making) a book was released entitled Rooms to Remember by Carleton Bates Varney (1937-2022). The book is a tribute to Varney's more than 40 years of work at the historic Grand Hotel.  He was an American decorator, designer, lecturer and author.  Known as "Mr. Color", his work was based on the use of bright, vivid, multicolors and patterns.  His design philsophy "stresses the use of bright colors and the rejection of all that is impractical, uncomfortable and drab. 

As a sidenote, in 1982, Varney served as curator for the restoration and decoration of the USS Sequoia, the presidential yacht.  

Hospitality design was Varney's ultimate signature where he "gift-wrapped" massive properties with unique, unforgettable visual memories at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.  Arguaby hs defining masterpiece, Varney sept 60 years expanding and maintaining the property's vibrant floral aethetics originally established by Dorothy Draper.  Varney was renowned for designing the historic Grand Hotel's iconic look starting in the late 1970s.  He individually curated every single one of its 388 guest rooms with bod themes including the famous Geranium Bar and the Hollywood Grand Suite.  Varney also successfully decorated Palm Beach's most prestigious luxury stays including The Breakers, The Colony and The Brazilian Court.  In New York City he put his colorful mark on such landmarks as The Plaza Hotel and The Waldorf Towers.  In Ireland, he brought his joyful styling to estates and castles.  He also completed restorations for hotels in London and Brussels as well as a section of the Royal Palace in Lithuania.  

Varney's "bipartisan" approach to design earned him high-profile political consulting roles across multiple administrations. His residental clientele read like a "who's who" of Golden Age Hollywood and gobacl royality.  He decorated several apartments for his cinematic legend and close friend, Joan Crawford.  Varney curated three distinct homes for Broadway star, Ethel Merman using heavily saturated colors and custom textile collections.  He designed private homes for other notable icons such as Judy Garland (preferring sunshine yellow walls), Fay Wray, Van Johnson and even sports icon, Joe Namath. Varney also designed a private residence on Maui, Hawaii.

From 1933 through 2019, the Musser family preserved the history and tradition of the Grand Hotel, thoughtfully improving the grand experience of every guest for over 85 years.  The hotel overlooks the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas.  Located high on a bluff, the hotel's famous  front porch is visible when approaching the island by ferry, boat or airplane.

The Grand Hotel, the world's largest summer hotel is open April through This year, 2026, was the 140th year.

The Grand Hotel view as you depart on the ferry back to Michigan's lower peninsula 

.. with a suitcase full of memories "somewhere in time". 

 

 

 

419 Main Street

Franklin, Tennessee

The Franklin Theatre is an historic 1937 Art Deco landmark on Main Street known as the "Crown Jewel" of downtown Franklin. Opening in the Great Depression, the theatre served as a beloved local movie house and community hub before closing in 2007.  Restored and reopened June 3, 2011 after an $8.5 million investment by the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County.  It features intimate vintage charm with restored architectural details, a classic neon marquee, 300-seat venue and a 44-seat balcony lounge.

 

The theatre's enduring romance with the Franklin Theatre began in the summer of 1937 when the marquee first illuminated Main Street, invited middle Tennesseans to buy a ticket and laugh, cry and dream.  Inside the theatre walls, moviegoers enjoyed fresh popcorn, afternoon matinees and first kisses.  They walked away with a lifetime of memories.

Over the next 70 years the world changed, but the Franklin Theatre stood as a testament to a simpler way of life though time eventually took its toll on the venerable movie house and the doors closed under rising rents and the trend toward mega-theatres.  

Enter the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County.  Rather than lose the hear of Main Street, the nonprofit preservation group stepped in to buy and rehabilitate the historic landmark.  After three years of work, the historic Franklin Theatre re-emerged better than ever.

The new Franklin Theatre continues the cherished tradition of showing movies, but also adds a new dimension to Main Street .. live music.  With a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system and undeniable charm, the Franklin Theatre is destined to be an entertainment and cultural icon for years to come. 

 

Dolly Parton's modest two-room cabin in Dollywood symbolizes a rich chapter in Tennessee's tourism narrative. 

Dolly's childhood cabin in East Tennessee (Locust Ridge, near Sevierville, TN) with no electricity or running water.  A far cry from the life the singer would eventually build as a Grammy-winning musician, actress, philanthropist and the namesake behind one of the South's most adored theme parks.  The small cabin consisted of just two rooms (a kitchen and a single bedroom/living space) share with her parents, Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton and 11 siblings. 

The original Parton family cabin still stands in the mountains near Sevierville, but it is located on private property and isn't open to visitors.  Travelers shouldn't attempt to access the property, but there is another way to get a glimpse of what Dolly's childhood home was like. A replica of her childhood home is featured in Dollywood, showcasing her humble beginnings.  The replica is original to Dollywood and has been part of the park since it opened on May 3, 1986. Despite its small size, the cabin tells a big part of Parton's story.  Inside, visitors can see a recreation of the family's simple living space including beds, a kitchen area, photographs and household items that help illustrate what everyday life was like for the Parton family.  Some original family treasures are also displayed inside.  Even the walls help tell the story.  The replica features the same type of "wallpaper" made from magazines and newspapers that adorns the original cabin.  The attraction feels particularly personal because Parton's own brothers helped construct the replica while her mother, Avie, helped to decorate it. 

Dolly's family relied on clever, low-tech solutions to manage their large household.  Here is how they handled daily life in their two-room cabin.  

Water and Cooking

They gathered daily water from a nearby fresh mountain spring.

Wood-Burning Stove

A single cast-iron stove served for both cooking food and heating the cabin.

Outdoor Well

They utilized an outdoor well and a traditional outhouse for sanitation.

Lighting and Warmth

Glass lamps filled with kerosene provided light after dark.

The main room relied on a stone fireplace for essential winter warmth

Share Beds

The children slept multiple to a bed to share body heat during freezing winter nights.

Sourcing and Storage

They grew most of their food in a large vegetable garden.

Canning

Her mother preseved vegetables in glass jars to last through the winter.

Livestock

They raised chickens and hogs for independent meat and egg production.

For those stepping inside the replica cabin take a moment to imagine what life must have been like for Dolly and the other family members who shared such a small space.  There are Easter eggs all through the display and don't forget to look for the calendar hanging inside which is set to 1946 and has January 19 circled to mark Dolly's birthday.  Visitors can also spot a box of chocolate-covered cherries, a nod to a sweet Parton family tradition.  Dolly's parents used to exchange boxes of chocolate-covered cherries at Christmas, a tradition she later carried on with her husband, Carl Dean.  

The cabin helped shape one of country music's biggest icons and later inspired her hit "My Tennessee Mountain Home". 

"It certainly puts context to where Dolly came from."

Pete Owens, vice president of marketing and public relations at Dollywood

She truly traveled from rags to riches though she never forgot her toots. Her upbringing inspired her music and attractions, reflecting her deep connection to her Tennessee roots. 

As fans remember the life and legacy of Dolly Parton following her passing on August 25, 2026, many are remembering the country music legend not only for the career she built, but for the humble Tennessee roots she never forgot.

 

Coat of Many Colors

This Coat of Many Colors is the one her mother remade from memory to display.  It is also the coat made for the musical of Dolly's life titled "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors".   It is on display at Dollywood though we will never know how the original appeared on Dolly as a young girl growing up in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Thank you, Dolly for penning the song about your coat of many colors.  We know it kept you warm through many a cold Tennessee winter. 

This is the coat that used to be in Dollywood's "Chasing Rainbows Museum" that closed in 2021.  As to who created this version is unknown.  It is just a shame the original no longer exits. It would be priceless. 

Dolly Parton's iconic 1971 autobiographical song "Coat of many Colors" tells the true story of her impoverished childhood in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tenneseee, when her mother sewed her a winter coat out of colorful fabric rags.  Growing up in a cabin with very little money, young Dolly needed a winter coat.  Her mother, Avie Lee Parton, collected a box of colorful fabric scraps and rags to piece together a small coat.  As she sewed, her mother told her the Biblical story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis, whose father gave him a coat of many colors.  Her mother blessed the finished coat with a kiss and told Dolly it would bring her good luck and happiness, making the young girl feel like a queen. 

Proud of the unique garment, Dolly wore it to school with great excitement. Her classmates laughed at her, mocking her for wearing a coat made of literal rags and scraps. Dolly could not understand their cruelty because she felt rich and knew the deep love her mother had stitched into every single thread.

A daughter with her proud mother.

The Enduring Message

Though they had no money, Dolly realized she was rich in love and self-worth.  She often called the song her personal favorite of all the tracks she ever wrote. The song remains a timeless anthem about human dignity, proving that true wealth comes from love and character rather than material possessions.  

"Whimsical illustrations pair with Parton's poetic lyrics in this heartfelt picture book that eloquently reveals how love and positivity make us richer than anything money can buy."

Penguin Random House

Brooke Boynton-Hughes is an award-winning children's book illustrator. Hughes first met backstage at a concert during Dolly's 2016 Pure and Simple North American tour.  Dolly invited Brooke to the private backstage event during her concert stop at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Hughes, a lifelong fan of Dolly's music described meeting her as "wonderful". She later attended the concert, noting she was moved to tears when  Dolly performed "Coat of Many Colors" live. 

Beyond the book,  the two women bonded over a shared lifestyle trait.  While Dolly famously traveled the country in her tour bus, Hughes and her husband similarly traveled the United States full-time in an RV.

Their connection initially began professionally earlier that year when Penguin Random House asked Hughes to collaborate with Dolly.  She was hired to provide all-new illustrations to adapt the lyrics of Dolly's classic 1971 song into the children's picture book Coat of Many Colors.  While they collaborated remotely on the book's details with Dolly sharing personal memories of her childhood to help shape the artwork they did not meet face-to-face until later in the project.  

For the 2016 picture book adaptation of Coat of Many Colors, Dolly Parton wanted the visuals to focus heavily on warmth, family love and vibrant colors to mirror the emotional heart of her classic song.  To capture Dolly's rural childhood memories of growing up in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, the book features specific visual choices.  Hughes used a warm, comforting watercolor art style.  The soft textures and gentle lighting are intended to make the reader feel wrapped in the same love Dolly's mother stitched into the coat.  The illustrations emphasize bright, rich fall colors to give the rural backdrop a sense of vibrancy and magic.  This directly reinforces the lyric that Dolly felt "rich" despite her family's lack of money.  

Dolly requested the imagery emphasize the love and joy overflowing in the Parton household.  Dolly is drawn as a joyful, blonde, curly-haired child, showing that her upbringing was filled with emotional wealth. The artwork intentionally captures the pai of childhood bullying when classmates mock her coat, but pivots beautifully into an uplifting message of self-worth and resilence.  

2026 celebrates the 10th Anniversary Edition 

Celebrate Dolly Parton's cherished storybook that brilliantly lends the lyrics of her classic song with a beautifully crafted 10th anniversary edition, featuring a special butter-yellow fabric cover and a new foreword from Dolly that is sure to resonate with fans of all ages.

In her 10th annivesary message, Dolly reflects on how the coat has become a symbol of strength and comfort against bullying, expressing her hope that people learn to love and accept one another as a "world of many colors".  

On May 26, 2026, Penguin Random House released the 10th Anniversary Edition of Dolly's Parton's Coat of Many Colors.

Dear Reader, 

It seems as though my little coat of many colors has become as big a star as I have.  It sure shines after all these years, offering strength and comfort to children and adults who still love to read and cherish its message.  So many people have suffered bullying in one form or another or have been made fun of for different reasons, and it is not a good feeling.  In fact, it is a terrilbe feeling that no one should ever be made to feel.  My hope every day is that we learn to love and accept each other for how and what we are. After all, we are a world of many colors.  So let's wear our love as proudly as I wore my little coat.  

Love, Dolly

April 10, 2026

Connection to the Imagination Library

The book is deeply woven into the fabric of Dolly Parton's Imagination Libary, which gifts one free book a month to registered children from birth until age five.  

Honoring Her Father

Parton launched the philanthropic effort in 1995 to honour her father, "whose difficult Appalachian upbringing never allowed him to finish school or learn to read and write." 

The themes of Appalachian poverty and pride in Coat of Many Colors directly mirror the life of her father.

A Milestone Anchor

The book is a staple of the program's curated collection and is specially mailed to children when they turn four years old. 

The Power of Ownership

Dolly designed the program to deliver books directly to children with "their little name on it and to them, it's personal."  Sending a story bout finding value in simple things directlyto a child's mailbox reinforces the magic of book ownership, regardless of a family's income.

Bilingual Expansion

To support the program's massive global scaling, this version of the book has been widely distributed in a fully bilingual English and Spanish edition to serve diverse communities.

Rest in Eternal Peace, Dolly

We Will Always Love You

and your

Coat of Many Colors

Recorded April 1971

Released September 27, 1971

 

I'll Always Love You

The moment the Empire State Building lights changed to sparkling pink in honor of Dolly Parton at 9:25 pm as a direct play on the numbers of Dolly's iconic hit song and movie title "9 to 5".  The specific 9:25 start time served as a direct nod to her famous song.

Did you know that Dolly used her long acrylic fingernails to create the rhythmic typewriter sound in "9 to 5"?  Now you know!

Dolly's favorite flower was the yellow rose which she described as feeling like "a little ray of sunshine".  The flower symbolizes friendship, joy and new beginnings, making them a cheerful gift for celebrating conections and uplifting others. 

Dolly Parton, a rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see.  Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth and kindness that made us all feel like family.  Dolly Parton's legacy is one of love, compassion and resilience.  With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.  Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.

At Dolly's request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family.  Dolly's fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com 

In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com 

 

SUN, SAND, SOUL

Ocean Drive Miami Beach

Deco Delights

Miami's Art Deco history centers on Miami Beach where a 1926 hurricane and the Great Depression paved the way for a 1930s building boom. Architects blended European modernism  with a playful regional style know as "Tropical Deco" which is characterized by nautical designs, pastel colors, floral reliefs and "eyebrows" (a shelf structure placed above a window to provide shade from sunlight, cooling the interior) creating the world's largest collection of historic Art Deco and Streamline Moderne buildings.  The architectural forces that shaped Miami Beach were Mediterranean Revival, Art Deco and Miami Modern (MiMo).  

The Avalon

700 Ocean Drive

Tableside setting along Ocean Drive

In 1926, a massive hurricane destroyed much of early Miami Beach, followed by the economic crash, halting grand plans.  In the 1930s, low construction costs triggered a building boom of low-rise hotels and apartments.  Within ten years, when building had come to a near total stop in much of the country due to the Depression, the streets of South Beach were lined with buildings designed by *Henry Hohauser in the increasingly fashionable art deco style.  The now iconic view of Ocean Drive is in large part due to Hohauser's designs.  

Ultimately, Miami Beach's embrace of Art Deco was a perfect storm of circumstances:  The city needed buildings to accommodate the people, it had the space to do so, and Art Deco was the style at the time. Dozens of architects like Albert Anis, Lawrence Murray Dixon and Henry Hohauser took their Art Deco talents to South Beach.  

Grace and Henry Hohauser

In 1933, Grace Hohauser, the wife of Henry Hohauser, suffered from ongoing sinus infections.  She needed Miami and so they moved from New York, permanently.  In retrospect, Grace's affliction helped bring about the remarkable transformation of Miami Beach and the creation of the world's greatest concentration of art deco architecture.

*Henry Hohauser was a businessman, but he believed he was designing for the ages.  Many now share that belief. Henry Hohauser helped build one of the more distinct districts in America with creativity, boldness and budget. In the 1930s and 1940s, Hohauser became one of the defining architects of Miami Beach's Art Deco skyline.  His work helped transform a sleepy barrier island into a glamorous resort destination, designing landmarks like the Crescent, the Essex House, the Park Central Hotel, the Century Hotel, the Breakwater, the Raleigh, the Edison, the Henrosa, the Victor, the Avalon, the Tides, the Leslie, the Belmont, the Commodore, the Marlin and the Cardozo Hotel along Ocean Drive.  Hohauser relied on inventive geometry, pastel facades, porthole windows and nautical motifs to create buildings that felt modern, playful and unmistakably Miami.  Today, his designs remain at the heart of the Miami Beach Art Deco District, one of the largest and most recognizable collections of Art Deco architecture in the world. 

Several of Esther Williams' extravagant swimming pool sequences were filmed at The Raleigh. The historic pool is famous for its unique clover-like or fleur-de-lis shape.  It was dubbed "the most beautiful pool in America" by Life magazine in 1947 and served as a a glamorous backdrop for Williams. The pool features a shallow permeter with an 8-inch deep warm water shelf running around the edge. 

The Raleigh

1775 Collins Avenue

South Miami Beach

The Raleigh is a legendary 1940s Art Deco landmark. The original architect was Lawrence Murray Dixon. In 2024-2017, fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger bought the art Deco landmark with plans to convert it into a private club, but Hurricane Irma's severe 2017 damage forced a sale and the hotel was closed.  In 2019-2025, developer Michael Shvo and partners purchased the property for $243 million alongside adjacent parcels (The Richmond and The South Seas) to build a $1 billion ultra-luxury complex and glass residential tower.  Plaqued by construction delays, a high-profile broker shakeup and a looming $190 million mortgage it was later sold to NYC-based Nahla Capital in October 2025 ending Shvo's involvement.  

The Raleigh is known for its architectural flair and star-studded past.  Over its glamorous history since opening in 1941, the Raleigh has hosted numerous iconic celebrities, golden-era movie stars, fashion designers and musicans.  Among the musicians were Desi Arnaz who performed with his band on site before his hit show, I Love Lucy.  Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra were frequent quests enchanted by the property.  Clark Gable, Sammy Davis Jr. and Andy Warhol visited or lounged aroung the historic Art Deco pool.  Its private cabanas once hosted the likes of Audrey Hepburn. Esther Williams, the famous competitive swimmer and actress frequently swam in the hotel's pool. In 2008, Karl Otto Lagerfeld, a German fashion designer who joined Chanel in 1983, hosted a massive, iconic Chanel cruise fashion show at the pool featuring a synchronized swimming team.  

In 1995, the Moon Over Miami Ball was held at The Raleigh. Hosted annually from 1978 through the 1990s, the Moon Over Miami ball was a black-tie soiree held as a fundraiser for the Miami Design Preservation League.  The event celebrated the theme "Art Deco Latin America" featuring a lively evening with a 1930s nightclub atmosphere.  Over the years, the Balls brought in some of the greatest talent in the industry including Cab Calloway, Eartha Kitt, the Xavier Cugat Orchestra, Lionel Hampton and the Swing Classics.  

In 1979, thanks to the work of community activist, Barbara Baer Capitman (1920-1990)  who led the Art Deco preservation movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s and co-founded the Miami Design Preservation League.  The Art Deco District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 14, 1979. It was the first 20th-century historic district in the United States to receive this recognition. 

The nonprofit MDPL remains dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the architectural character and historical integrity of the Miami Beach Architectural Historic Districts, home to the largest concentration of Art Deco architecture in the world, with more than 800 preserved historic buildings. The district's 800 or so buildings were built to look like ocean liners.  The annual Art Deco Weekend festival draws approximately 400,000 locals and visitors. 

Barbara Baer Capitman, Champion of Art Deco

"My whole life had been Art Deco.  I was born at the beginning of the period and grew up during the height of it.  It's a thing of fate."

Capitman was president of the Art Deco Society of America and had organized chapters in cities around the country including Los Angeles to preserve the "decorative arts" style of architecture popular between the two world wars.  Although somewhat more whimsical in Miami, the style is exemplified by the Chrysler Building and Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the old Pan Pacific Auditorium and the Times building in Los Angeles. At the time of her passing, Mrs. Capitman was putting together the first World Congress on Art Deco and working on a book "Art Deco U.S.A." She had published a book about Miami Beach's 1930 hotels and other Art Deco buildings called "Deco Delights".

The Leslie

1244 Ocean Drive

The Crescent 

1420 Ocean Drive

Hotel Henrosa

1435 Collins Avenue

The Henrosa is a 3-star boutique historic Art Deco hotel.  Built in 1935, originally called the Biarritz Hotel with the last renovation of the lobby entrance added in 1951 by architect Harry O. Nelson.  It features 40 elegant rooms. It is located steps from the ocean and the Versace Mansion.  

The 1950s

Dorothy Sebastian was a silent screen actress who married Herman Shapiro and bought the Henrosa.  The 1950s brought a brand new career for Dorothy when she and her husband ran the hotel .  In the beginning she feared she might be bored, but soon she reveled in the busy atmosphere and the opportunity to mix with the public again as a hostess (she was recognizable to many as a former actress).  Dorothy was really taken with many of the Cuban visitors that stayed at the hotel and she worked hard to quickly learn Spanish to she could better converse with them.  In December of 1955 she traveled to Cuba to visit her new friends made at the Henrosa.  

The Commodore

Postmark November 22, 1943

The Belmont

301 Ocean Drive

The Belmont was an Art Deco hotel was documented in vintage 1930s and 1940s postcards featuring classic local architecture. It was on the ocean front with a private beach. The Belmont was designed by Henry Hohauser along with his temporary  Lawrence Murray Dixon. The building utilized clean horizontal lines, rounded corners reminiscent of ocean liners and smooth stucco surfaces.  The exterior featured bands of decorative geometric reliefs, a classic Hohauser signature, designed to play with the intense Florida sunlight. Like many hotels South of Fifth (SoFi) neighborhood, it was designed on a human scale, typically three stories, prioritizing boutique charm over the soaring heights seen in later eras.

In the 1930s and 1940s boom the Belmont operated as a popular, budget-friendly tourist hotel during the Great Depression and WWII eras, capitalizing on its direct proximity to the beach and the standard amentities of the decade. As tourism shifted further north toward mid-beach (where massive high-rises like the Fontainebleau were built in the 1950s), older South Beach properties like the Belmont began to decline in popularity. Sadly, the Art Deco Belmont with the round window above the front door was  demolished 

Most of the Art Deco hotels have survived to be enjoyed today.

Miami Beach, drenched in sunshine

Miami Beach, drenched in neon