Extreme Miami Hot Spots

Tour Miami's most extreme experiences; see this town as never before.

By: Erica Walsh

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Miami is one of the country's hottest and hippest cities. On a tour of Miami's most extreme experiences, you'll see this town as it's never been seen before.

1. Circ X

Based in Miami, the 20 artists of Circ X consider themselves "1 part circus, 2 parts burlesque, a pinch of class and a dash of trash." The company is composed of trained actors, singers and dancers, all with degrees from theater or dance conservatories. At every performance, Circ X takes center stage in innovative, handmade, barely-there costumes using materials like LED lights and hand-cut steel. The sexy super troupe rehearses over 50 hours a week and performs over 100 original jaw-dropping shows a year.

2. Neptune Memorial Reef

Key Biscayne is Miami's small island paradise just off Florida's coast. It's also home to the only underwater cemetery in the world. Forget 6 feet under; at Neptune Memorial Reef, the ashes of loved ones are laid to rest 45 feet below the ocean's surface. The manmade reef and underwater city are located 3 1/2 miles off Key Biscayne's shore and cover 16 acres of ocean floor. Even visiting loved ones is an extreme experience; families must charter a boat to the site and scuba dive down to the reef.

3. Acqua Liana

The extremely beautiful residence known as Acqua Liana is located just 60 miles south of Miami in Manalapan, FL. Check out the mind-blowing specs for this mammoth manor: 15,000 square feet, 3 stories, 7 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 24-foot water windows, countless outdoor waterfalls, a hand-painted glass-tiled floor and a 120-foot personal dock -- all for $29 million. The brainchild of real estate artist Frank McKinney, it's also the most environmentally-friendly estate in the world. It contains a watering recycling system, nontoxic driveway, and enough reclaimed and renewable wood to save over 10.5 acres of rainforest.

4. Mondrian Hotel

One of Miami's hippest hotels, the Mondrian is home to the world's most extreme vending machine. Forget soda, snacks and gum -- this machine is fully loaded and features high-end and high-priced treats. Automatically available are MIANSAI jewelry, Nixon watches, Flight 001 travel accessories and Urbanears headphones. Just swipe your black, no-limits American Express and select.

5. Sarussi Restaurant

Miami is home to the largest population of Cubans in the US and boasts over 100 Cuban restaurants within its city limits, making it the place for authentic Cuban eats. Sarussi's first opened its doors in 1965, and for over 40 years they've been serving Miami's most extreme sandwich; the Sarussi Original is 16 inches of freshly baked bread topped with 20 slices of thinly sliced ham, 15 slices of roast pork, 8 slices of Swiss cheese, pickles and a generous helping of Sarussi's secret sauce.

6. The Miami Institute

Tucked inside the elegant Four Seasons Hotel, the Miami Institute for Age Management and Intervention has perfected the lunchtime lift. From plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry to laser therapy and skin care, the Institute perfectly combines medicine with 5-star hotel service. Patient privacy is also extremely protected -- patients enter via a secret side entrance and leave with the aid of a personal nurse on a private elevator.

7. Calle Ocho

Miami's Little Havana is home to the biggest all-day block party in the world. Calle Ocho draws over a million people -- in a single day -- to celebrate Latin American and Caribbean culture. Taking place every March, this super-size soiree sprawls over 20 city blocks and features 350 different kinds of food and over 30 different musical acts.

8. Dinner in the Sky

A concept that began in Belgium in 2006, Dinner in the Sky has spread to 19 countries across the globe. Diners are suspended 180 feet in the air and served a gourmet 5-course meal. Twenty-two guests are strapped into leather seats that are secured to the dining table. The table is connected to a crane that then lifts this dinner party straight up. With a view overlooking Miami's Coconut Creek, this is a dining experience only for those with stomachs of steel.