History Main / OnlyInMiami

If you believe TV and the movies, Miami is ''the only'' city in Florida. The state's other major metropolitan areas -- some of which have populations in the multiple millions -- are either treated as merely being suburbs of Miami or else are ignored entirely. You would also think that everyone lives in ArtDeco mansions, speaks Cuban-accented Spanish (or Cuban Spanish-accented English), has access to a speedboat, wears [[CoolShades the latest designer sunglasses]] and [[GlassesPull takes off said sunglasses at the slightest provocation]]. Not quite TruthInTelevision. Nobody ''actually'' [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne takes off their sunglasses]] -- it's too bright for that. The abundance of palm trees however is [[TruthInTelevision true]], as are the boats (though there are usually more yachts than speedboats), thanks to Miami's proximity to both Biscayne Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.

People in other parts of Florida have noticed that this trope is in action, and they really, '''''really''''' aren't happy about it.

Ever since a [[Series/MiamiVice certain 1980's detective show]], UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}} has become a favorite destination of TV and movie writers (and [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto makers of certain video games involving homicide and car theft]].)

If you believe TV and the movies, Miami is ''the only'' city in Florida. The state's other major metropolitan areas -- some of which have populations in the multiple millions -- are either treated as merely being suburbs of Miami or else are ignored entirely. You would also think that everyone lives in Art Deco mansions, wears the latest designer sunglasses, speaks Cuban-accented Spanish (or Cuban Spanish-accented English), has access to a speedboat and takes off their sunglasses at the slightest provocation. Not quite TruthInTelevision. [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne Nobody]] ''[[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne actually]]'' [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne takes off their sunglasses--it's too bright for that.]] The abundance of palm trees however is [[TruthInTelevision true]], as are the boats (though there are usually more yachts than speedboats), thanks to Miami's proximity to both Biscayne Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.

* In ''FanFic/OriginStory'', after falling in love with the beaches in Florida, Alex Harris and Louise Fulford decide to settle in South Florida. While Miami becomes “her city” (and she becomes fiercely protective of it), Alex decides that its better for SecretIdentity purposes that they live on Big Pine Key, an island some 70 miles south of the city. The idea that their "hometown superheroine" doesn't actually live in their hometown never occurs to anyone in Miami, because hey, its Miami. Why would anyone live anywhere else?

* The second ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' movie headed to Miami.

* A few years before ''Series/MiamiVice'', there was the 1983 movie ''Film/{{Scarface|1983}}'', which also contributed heavily to the image of Miami as a noir/cop setting by depicting the city as being a hotbed of criminal activity and gang violence. Because of the depiction of the city and its mostly Latino characters, the film's credits contain a disclaimer that Cuban-Americans as a whole are not anything like the gangsters in the movie.
* One of the odder examples is ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'', which involved the Miami Dolphins. And involved a story based on their real-life archrivals, the Buffalo Bills, losing Super Bowl 25 on a missed field goal.

* Averted- and how- in ''Film/DolphinTale''. The movie takes place in Clearwater, Florida. Which is not an obscure little town- but not one of the major 4 Florida cities either (though it is just west of one- Tampa). It is based on a real story- and they kept the actual specific West Central Florida location instead of moving it to the better known Miami.

* Averted in ''Film/TomorrowLand''. Casey and her family live in Cape Canaveral. Justified, since that is where NASA is located- and her father works as an engineer for them.

Ever since a [[Series/MiamiVice certain 1980's detective show]], UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL has become a favorite destination of TV and movie writers (and [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto makers of certain video games involving homicide and car theft]].)

It makes sense. If aliens, terrorists, or Mother Nature decide to smite a city, they'll go for one of those [[HollywoodCalifornia other]] [[BigApplesauce two]] first. It has all the warmth and tropical glamor of the West Coast, but with an East Coast hipness. You might mistake it for [[HulaAndLuaus Hawaii]] at first glance.

* Both ''Film/BadBoys'' and ''Film/BadBoysII'' center on a couple of {{Cowboy Cop}}s who work for the Miami PD. These movies also had a bit of of an odd case of CaliforniaDoubling, not with Cali but with quiet, gentrified Delray Beach, Florida, 50 miles to the north for some scenes. Many areas are instantly recognizable to native Miamians, though.

Ever since a [[Series/MiamiVice certain 1980's detective show]], Miami, FL has become a favorite destination of TV and movie writers (and [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto makers of certain video games involving homicide and car theft]].)

Miami has the largest immigrant population of any city in North America, just ahead of UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}, thanks to its large Caribbean and Latin American communities and it is one of the few major American cities where a majority of the populace primarily speak a language other than English.

* Miami itself has exploited this trope: In 1972, shortly after Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, the Miami Board of Tourism placed vacation ads in eighteen different newspapers in the northern US and Europe which encouraged visitors to visit Miami because it was "just down the road from Disney World". This statement is technically true... if by "the road" you mean Interstate 95, and by "just down" you mean 235 miles (378 km) south...

* ''Series/MiamiVice''. Of course.
* ''Series/CSIMiami'': Now the setting this show focuses on is...*puts on sunglasses* OnlyInMiami. ''[[MemeticMutation YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!]]''

The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Florida_metropolitan_area Miami/South Florida metro area]] is the biggest urban area in the state, and ninth largest in the United States (it isn't the largest city proper in the state; that would be Jacksonville, which is also the largest city in the continental United States). Miami has the opposite issue from Jacksonville: whereas Jacksonville has a low population spread out over a truly huge city, Miami/Dade has a ton of tightly packed, separate municipalities which are really just fancied-up neighborhoods of a single city.

If you believe TV and the movies, Miami is ''the only'' city in Florida; despite being hundreds of miles apart, Tallahassee (which, by the way, is far up north enough to experience at least occasional ''snow'' in winter), Jacksonville (which is just as far away from Miami as Tallahassee is), Key West, Tampa, and Orlando are just suburbs. You would also think that everyone lives in Art Deco mansions, wears the latest designer sunglasses, speaks Cuban-accented Spanish (or Cuban Spanish-accented English), has access to a speedboat and takes off their sunglasses at the slightest provocation. Not quite TruthInTelevision. [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne Nobody]] ''[[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne actually]]'' [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne takes off their sunglasses--it's too bright for that.]] The abundance of palm trees however is [[TruthInTelevision true]], as are the boats (though there are usually more yachts than speedboats), thanks to Miami's proximity to both Biscayne Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.

The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Florida_metropolitan_area Miami/South Florida metro area]] is the biggest urban area in the state, and ninth largest in the United States (not the largest city proper in the state, however; that would be Jacksonville, which is also the geographically largest proper city in the mainland US, and is therefore cheating: Miami has the opposite issue[[note]]Which is to say, a ton of separate municipalities which are really just fancied-up neighborhoods of a single city.[[/note]]). It also has the largest immigrant population of any city in North America, just ahead of UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}, thanks to its large Caribbean and Latin American communities; it is either the only or one of the few major American major metropolitan areas where a majority of people has a native language other than English (when you double-count native bilinguals, of whom there are a ''lot''--which only proves the point).

Often used in RealLife [[AccentuateTheNegative negatively]] as a NoTrueScotsman fallacy. It's totally safe to visit Miami; it doesn't have nearly as many shoot-outs and car chases as it does on TV, but the clubs and beaches are really that glamorous.[[note]]While much of the crime is gang-related and won't affect the average citizen, just note that tourists flying into the airport are a prime target for criminals because Florida's very friendly concealed carry laws--which exist largely thanks to the Southerners living in North Florida (yes, what?)--make them the least risky targets. Then again, this is true in most of the world, albeit for different reasons.[[/note]]

Ever since a [[MiamiVice certain 1980's detective show]], Miami, FL has become a favorite destination of TV and movie writers (and [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto makers of certain video games involving homicide and car theft]].)

* Averted with ''[[Franchise/AmericanGirlsCollection American Girl]]'' Maryellen Larkin. She lives in Daytona Beach with her family.

* Averted with ''Main/AmericanGirl'' Maryellen Larkin. She lives in Daytona Beach with her family.

* Both ''Film/BadBoys'' movies center on a couple of {{Cowboy Cop}}s who work for the Miami PD These movies also had a bit of of an odd case of CaliforniaDoubling, not with Cali but with quiet, gentrified Delray Beach, Florida, 50 miles to the north for some scenes. Many areas are instantly recognizable to native Miamians, though.

* The climax of ''Film/TrueLies'' takes place in the Florida Keys and Miami. Subverted at the end, as the main characters head to Switzerland for a ballroom meeting.

* Almost all Creator/ElmoreLeonard crime novels, largely because Leonard is a Miami-based author. DaveBarry has also set his fiction in Miami for the same reason. In 1996, Barry, Leonard and 11 other Florida writers, some of whom also set most of their works or one or more series in Miami, collaborated on a Miami-set comedy mystery novel entitled ''NakedCameTheManatee''.

* Averted with ''Franchise/AmericanGirl'' Maryellen Larkin. She lives in Daytona Beach with her family.

* Averted with ''Literature/AmericanGirl'' Maryellen Larkin. She lives in Daytona Beach with her family.

!!Examples

[[AC:{{Advertising}}]]

[[AC:Fan Works]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* The second ''TheFastAndTheFurious'' movie headed to Miami.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:{{Live-Action TV}}]]

[[AC:TabletopGames]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

* Miami itself has exploited this trope: In 1972, shortly after Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, the Miami Board of Tourism placed vacation ads in eighteen different newspapers in the northern US and Europe which encouraged visitors to visit Miami because it was "just down the road from Disney World". This statement is technically true... if by "the road" you mean Interstate 95, and by "just down" you mean 235 miles down...