Most of these areas are in the northern part of Greater Miami, but be aware that just two to three blocks from popular Coco Village, the so-called “Black Grove� is unfortunately quite rundown and dangerous.

In outlying areas, outside the bubbles of Miami Beach, Greater Miami and Key West sophistication, you suddenly find yourself in Old Florida, where values can still be quite prejudicial if you are in any way “alternative.�

Ordering alcoholic beverages in a bar if you are under 21, and having alcohol on the beach at any age are strictly prohibited. Needless to say, drunk driving is also entirely unacceptable – often roadblocks are set up on causeways leaving Miami Beach to nab suspicious drivers.

Buying tobacco if you are under 18 is against the law in Florida. Not that it makes much difference if you’re a smoker, as smoking in public buildings is illegal, and they’re also considering making it illegal to smoke in bars. All restaurants are non-smoking and many hotels are entirely non-smoking.

Tipping is not an option in the US. Waiters and waitresses get minimum wage or less in the US and depend on whatever tips they clear. Very rarely, the gratuity will be automatically added to your bill, so check. If not, 15 percent of the total before taxes for lunch, and 20 percent for dinner is considered about right.

To avoid the dangers of pick-pocketing, as well as the nuisance of being accosted by the occasional panhandler, try not to appear to be lost, and don’t load yourself down with too much stuff, such as bags, cameras, maps, etc. How you dress is really not such an issue here, as everyone tends to dress down – lots of men even go shirtless all over South Beach streets. One thing that’s a definite fashion no-no, however, is wearing socks with your sandals.

If you didn’t bring any sunscreen or sunblock with you, go out immediately and buy a good one. Sunburn is the number one health hazard here, and the sun will get you, you are not an exception. Be sure to apply sunscreen liberally and often, especially to the exposed areas you tend to overlook. If you go to the nude beaches, that advice goes double!

Standing in line at a popular club can be a real drag – and you might not get in at all. Talk to your hotel concierge about getting you into the VIP lounge of the club of your choice. For a little extra money, you can save yourself a lot of time and potential disappointment.

Getting on the wrong side of the Miami cops is never a good idea. There are three separate law enforcement agencies here – city police, county sheriffs, and the highway patrol, and they are generally friendly and helpful, in the spirit of promoting Miami’s image as a tourist mecca. However, in the same spirit, if they suspect you are a trouble-maker, they can be notoriously harsh.

Sex without a condom in this pleasure-loving area is a really bad idea. Miami has the highest incidence of AIDS in the US, according to a 2002 study. Fortunately, most of the bars, especially the gay ones, have big bowls full of free condoms for patrons to help themselves to.