Heading to Miami? Then ditch your guidebook and let these famous locals show you how to really spend a few days in their city. -- Necee Regis

Dave Barry
Humor columnist
“If you want to sit by Biscayne Bay and have a beer and a fish sandwich -- and who wouldn’t? -- go to Scotty’s Landing. It’s next to city hall and kind of hard to find, which is why it tends to draw mainly locals. It’s absolutely nothing like South Beach.”

Terence Riley
Director of the Miami Art Museum
“At Old Lisbon, one of my favorite dishes is a kind of fish hash -- shredded cod, shoestring potatoes,

and scrambled eggs. Xixón, run by natives of Asturias, Spain, is part tapas restaurant, part grocery, and part wine bodega. Speaking some Spanish helps but is not required. Well off the tourist track, in the Design District, are Michael’s Genuine Food and Brosia.”

Lynn Martinez
Newscaster and cohost of Deco Drive at WSVN-TV
“I’ve lived in Miami for years and have been to dozens of spas, but there’s nothing like Pecan’s Day Spa to make you moan with pleasure! My favorite food is dessert, and the best in town is Soli Organic ice cream. They use agave instead of processed sugar. It’s, like, four bucks for an ice cream cone, but when you bite into the chocolate, your tongue forgets all about your wallet.”

James W. Hall
Novelist
“My wife and I have always loved a funky old seafood restaurant in Pinecrest, off US 1, called the Captain’s Tavern. There’s no view, but the fish is superfresh, there’s a great wine list, and the staff is terrific. It was the only place open after Hurricane Andrew.”

Michelle Bernstein
Chef/restaurateur
“If you crave Vietnamese [food], as I do about twice a week, Hy Vong on Calle Ocho is tiny, übercasual, and delicious. Sample the pork rolling cakes, spring rolls, and fish with mango. You will crave it for the rest of your life. Rebel has awesome hip clothing for women, and Julian Chang, who designed my wedding dress, also makes beautiful everyday fabulous clothes.”

Adrienne Arsht
National business leader and philanthropist
“Start Sundays out at Nemo in Miami Beach for a brunch that epitomizes culinary decadence, especially in the dessert department. Then head north to walk Lincoln Road and shop at Base and Base Annex, sister stores with everything from clothing and jewelry to home furnishings -- all high-design pieces. Grab a healthy late lunch on Lincoln Road at Pasha’s, which has an amazing Mediterranean and Middle Eastern–inspired menu.”

Donna E. Shalala
President of the University of Miami and former Secretary of Health and Human Services
“For lunch, I like the Rathskeller (“the Rat”) on the university’s Coral Gables campus. I love sitting on a glider lakeside and talking with students. For dinner, Caffe Abbracci, because I don’t have to return calls; I just work the crowd. And, of course, I love the food too. The Village of Merrick Park is a beautiful spot in Coral Gables for shopping.”

Manny Diaz
Mayor
“For excellent Haitian food, visit Piman Bouk and try the griot and piklees while strolling through our Little Haiti neighborhood. Grab an amazing fish soup and fried grouper at La Camaronera, but be forewarned: You eat these delicacies while standing, as the restaurant has no tables or chairs. Try any of the tropical-fruit flavors at King’s Ice Cream, which looks the same as when my parents took me.”

DJ Le Spam
Musician and founder of Spam Allstars
“I became hooked on Cuban coffee soon after I moved here in the early ’90s, [so] I have this city more or less mapped by coffee counters. My all-time favorite is Ayestarán Restaurant near Calle Ocho. If you like your coffee straight, just ask for a cafecito; if you like a little shot with a lot of milk, get a café con leche; if you want less milk with your shot, order a cortadito. And forget all that grande and tall stuff!”

Dwyane Wade
NBA All-Star guard for the Miami Heat
“[Begin] your morning on the beautiful beaches of Miami by renting lounge chairs and umbrellas. Then call Club Nautico boat rentals on Miami Beach and rent a boat and captain for the afternoon to take you around the crystal-clear waters of South Florida. Stop in at Prime One Twelve for the best roasted chicken on South Beach, and end your day with a room at my favorite hotel, the luxurious Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key.”

NECEE REGIS writes about travel, food, and culture for the Boston Globe. She’s currently en route to Soli Organic for a chocolate ice cream cone.