Driven: 2013 Lincoln MKZ

2013 Lincoln MKZ BASE PRICE: $38,690 POWERTRAIN
ENGINE: 16-valve DOHC turbo I-4
DISPLACEMENT: 2.0 liters (122 cu in)
POWER: 240 hp @ 5500 rpm
TORQUE: 270 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic
DRIVE: 4-wheel CHASSIS
STEERING: Electrically assisted
FRONT SUSPENSION: Strut-type, coil springs
REAR SUSPENSION: Multilink, coil springs
BRAKES F/R: Vented discs/discs, ABS
TIRE SIZE: 245/40R-19 MEASUREMENTS
L x W x H: 194.1 x 83.3 x 58.2 in
WHEELBASE: 112.2 in
TRACK F/R: 62.3/62.0 in
WEIGHT: 3874 lb
EPA MILEAGE: 22/31 mpg

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Mister Miami Beach Miami Beach might still be little more than a mangrove swamp were it not for automobile headlights and one driving personality. Carl Fisher made millions in the early 1900s supplying his Prest-O-Lite acetylene auto headlights to the nascent auto industry. In addition to cofounding Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one of Fisher's subsequent endeavors, starting in the 1910s, was the development of Miami Beach. He financed the construction of Collins Bridge from the mainland, dredged Biscayne Bay to build up the land on Miami Beach, and then platted the land and started erecting winter homes for the wealthy. No small thinker, Fisher also built the Dixie Highway (today's U.S. 25) to bring Northerners to Florida -- it ended at the foot of Collins Bridge (since replaced by the Venetian Causeway). Fisher lost his fortune when the 1920s Florida land boom went bust and the stock market crashed, but his accomplishments in Miami Beach endured (neighboring Fisher Island is named for him) and earned him the sobriquet Mister Miami Beach.

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Trip Notes Park Central Hotel, 640 Ocean Drive, 305-538-1611, theparkcentral.com
Opened in 1937, this restored Art Deco hotel is on the oceanfront main drag but is located toward the quieter end. There's a small heated pool off the lobby and Quinn's restaurant out front, which, unlike most Ocean Drive eateries, is classy enough to forgo a sidewalk barker. Indomania, 131 26th Street, 305-535-6332, indomaniarestaurant.com
Just off Collins Avenue at the north end of South Beach, this intimate restaurant serves superior Southeast Asian food at surprisingly reasonable prices. The four different tasting menus (rijsttafels) are very popular -- we can vouch for the Sumatra. Las Olas Cafe, 644 6th Street, 305-534-9333
This tiny, cafeteria-style corner spot, where the Cuban fare doesn't get any more authentic, is jumping. No menu -- point to what you want. Eat in or take away. Cash only. My Ceviche, 235 Washington Avenue, 305-397-8710
Come to this hole-in-the-wall eatery for ultrafresh fish tacos and burritos, stone crab claws, and chopped salads. Sit on the bench outside or get 'em to go. Juvia, 1111 Lincoln Road, 305-763-8272, juviamiami.com
High above the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall, Juvia feeds Miami's beautiful people. The rooftop deck offers an equally stunning view for those who can turn their attention outside. The Wolfsonian-FIU museum, 1001 Washington Avenue, 305-531-1001, wolfsonian.org
Housed in an ornate, Mission-style building originally used for storage, the Wolfsonian is dedicated to art and design from the Industrial Revolution until the end of World War II. Admission is $7, or check it out for free on Fridays after 6 p.m. Miami Design Preservation League, 1001 Ocean Drive, 305-672-2014, mdpl.org
Support the work of the MDPL by patronizing their gift shop, or get an architectural primer on Miami Beach by taking a walking tour ($20, all proceeds go to fund their ongoing preservation efforts).