Miami

[wander_woman]

I'm going to Miami for a bachelorette party in October. Any recommendations? I saw there was a thread about restaurants in South Beach, but I would love recommendations about places to stay (on the beach, preferably), places to go out, spas, "must see's," etc. Thanks!

[HeatherFL]

I hope you'll love my hometown as much as I do. I am not sure exactly what you all want to do as far as adventure/shopping/relaxation, so I am just going to throw a bunch of stuff out there.

Hotel

I would say just stick to Collins, Washington or Ocean between the 1500 and 5th blocks. Do not go lower than the 5th block! Not such a good area. You can definitely go further north, like on Collins Avenue when you hit the 4100 block there are nice hotels...But it's a cab ride to South Beach (about 5 minutes if that).

A personal favorite. Beautiful pool area. Walking distance from everything!
Loews Miami Beach Hotel (http://www.loewshotels.com/hotels/miamibeach/default.asp)

A Todd Oldham designed hotel is called The Hotel of South Beach (http://www.thehotelofsouthbeach.com). Supposed to be really nice.

I know you want on the beach, but just a suggestion too. I stay at the Mayfair House in Coconut Grove (http://www.mayfairhotelandspa.com/) a lot. Actually, we just got back from there last night LOL. :) They have rennovated all the rooms. They are large, more like suites and big bathrooms too- and all have jacuzzis on the balconies. Plus it's more reasonable than the beach most of the time and it's a quick drive. It's in a popular area called Coconut Grove (http://www.coconutgrove.com/) which has shopping, dining, bars/clubs, etc. I recommend the Grove just for fun no matter where you stay.

There are also the norms like The National (www.nationalhotel.com) andThe Delano (http://www.delano-hotel.com/).

Bayside (http://www.baysidemarketplace.com/) is an outdoor shopping area. Hard Rock Cafe' is here. There is dining, live music and it's on the water.

Other shopping: Dolphin Mall (http://www.shopdolphinmall.com/) (about 30 minutes from beach) and Bal Harbour Shops (www.balharbourshops.com) (all high end shops).

Matheson Hammock Park Beach (http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/parks/matheson_beach.asp)

If you feel like straying from South Beach to a fabulous pool (only one on National Registry of Historic Places) The Venetian Pool (www.venetianpool.com) is beautiful!

Key Biscayne/Virginia Key (http://www.keybiscaynechamber.org/) (I went to High School there) has Miami Seaquarium (http://www.miamiseaquarium.com/index.htm) and one of the top beaches called Crandon Park (http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/Parks/crandon_beach.htm)

Lincoln Road (http://www.southbeach-usa.com/shopping/lincoln-road/lincoln-road-shopping.htm) is on South Beach. Art galleries, eclectic shops, clothing stores, restaurants and great people watching!

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (www.vizcayamuseum.org) are beautiful.

Also, a lot of people don't know about it, but Espanola Way (http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=miami@102&cur_section=sig&property_id=68486) also is a pretty cool street on South Beach. There is a Mexican place there I really like. LOL I drove right past it the other day and told myself I would remember the name, and of course I can't think of it!

An example itinerary from Fodors: What to do in Miami by Fodors (http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=miami@102&cur_section=fea&feature=30002)

And of course A LOT of people do the Florida Everglades (http://www.nps.gov/ever/welcome2.htm) to see manatees, alligators and other animal life on airboat tours (http://www.airboateverglades.com/).

As for spas Eden Roc (www.edenrocresort.com) on Collins and 42nd and Collins is very popular.

A few others are The Ritz Carlton Spa on South Beach (http://www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/south_beach/default.html), Turnberry Isle Resort Spa in Aventura (www.turnberryisle.com) (a bit north of the beach, but I LOVE this place!!!!) and the spa at the Mandarin Oriental (http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/526000002.asp) on Brickell Key (not too far from the beach-also a beautiful place!)

Link to other things to do in Miami:
Miami Attractions (http://www.visitflorida.com/destinations/area.php/ca=63)

Let me know if you have any questions. :)

~H.

[HeatherFL]

Oh-one more thing. I would fly into Ft. Lauderdale (airport code FLL) rather than Miami (MIA). It's much LESS hectic than Miami and it's a quick drive to Miami and the beaches.

[LexyLou]

bump.

DH is going to Miami for a work conference at the end of May. My (then) 20 month DD and I will meet him for 3 or 4 extra days.

I will be 6 months pregnant-which isn't a big deal but does limit the drinking establishments, etc.

Any recomendations for kid-friendly things to do?

I'm not sure what hotel he will be staying at but we'll definitely be renting a car.

How long of a drive is it to Key West?

[HeatherFL]

Depending on traffic the drive to Key West is about 3 1/2 to 4 hours-about 160 miles, but some of it is one lane roads and smaller towns you'll go through so the speed limits will be lowered and you'll sometimes get stuck behind slow moving traffic if it's busy. If you get the time, it would be worth it to go down and spend at least a night there. The drive down is beautiful and the 7 mile bridge is pretty cool. Just take the Turnpike South and keep going! Link to thread on Key West (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26564&highlight=key+west).

Kid friendly things would be:

The Venetian Pool (http://www.venetianpool.com/)
The Miami Seaquarium (www.miamiseaquarium.com)
The Parrot Jungle Island (www.parrotjungle.com)
The Monkey Jungle (www.monkeyjungle.com)
Miami Children's Museum (www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/)
The Goldcoast Railroad Museum (www.goldcoast-railroad.org)
Miami Metro Zoo (www.miamimetrozoo.com) Eh, not that great of a zoo when I lived there. Unless anyone says otherwise, I'd only do this if you're out of other options.


Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions! When you find out your hotel, if you want to post it or PM me I can give you a better idea of what you'll be close to.

Have fun! :)

~H.

[LexyLou]

Thanks so much, Heather. Great links.
I will definitely skip the zoo. I'm not a big fan of the zoo anyway and tend to stay away from them unless they are really good and keep the animals in their natural habitat.

Oh bummer, the venetian pool doesn't allow kids under 3. Oh well. I'm sure the hotel will have a pool we can hang out at while DH is in meetings.

Hopefully, he'll find out his hotel soon. I'm sure it's more of a business hotel but very nice. His company usually puts him in very nice hotels.

[HeatherFL]

LexyLou, you can't have kids in the big pool at the Venetian Pool, BUT I think you can take them in the kiddie pool. I've taken my nieces and nephews there many times when they were all younger than three (and I even had them in the big pool too!) :)

ETA: What a bummer. :( It looks like they changed the rules! I just called there to confirm it. Sorry! But I'm sure you're right-you'll probably get a great pool at the conference!

[LexyLou]

Heather, do you think we need a rental car? We'll be staying at the J.W. Marriott (http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/miajw-jw-marriott-hotel-miami/)

I'm pretty sure we will need one, just trying to get my ducks in a row.

[HeatherFL]

Ahh that's a nice property! Okay, you're in a business district that is downtown-the Brickell area. It can get a bit busy traffic-wise, but I'd recommend you getting a rental car, for sure! You'll be very close to Key Biscayne (http://www.keybiscaynechamber.org/) (Seaquarium (http://www.miamiseaquarium.com/index.htm) is there as well as Crandon Park (http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/Parks/crandon_beach.htm)), South Beach, Bayside (http://www.baysidemarketplace.com/), Vizcaya (http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/) and the Coconut Grove (http://www.coconutgrove.com/). You could try to use buses, but Florida is definitely not known for its public transporation. Taxis can get to be expensive too.

Are you flying into Miami or into Ft. Lauderdale? Either way, I'd try to find a deal on-line and pick a car up at the airport. :) Let me know if I can help anymore!

~H.

[LexyLou]

Thanks Heather.

We're flying in to Miami and I actually found an awesome car rental deal on priceline.com. We're getting an SUV from Alamo for $36 a day/unlimited mileage.

I was pretty sure you needed a car but thought I would check.

Thanks for the links of things close by. The hotel looks really nice. We're going to get a suite so that we can put DD to bed and still hang out comfortably in the evening.

[HeatherFL]

Great! Well if you need directions or anything, let me know. I'm out of town, but I'll try to check in on you, or feel free to PM me or whatever works. Alamo should be able to get you to your hotel pretty easily. You'll probably take the Dolphin Expressway (AKA the 836) to I-95 downtown. Just be aware that the Dolphin Expressway can be really congested just about any time of day. It's like people get to the airport and traffic just stops, but the airport isn't too far from your hotel. MIA can be a bit of a pain, but they've done a lot of improvements, so hopefully you have an easy time getting in and out.

I am betting a suite will be pretty nice there! It's a great property. :)

Have fun!

Heather

[tinkerbelljenny]

Thanks Heather for posting that list of things to do in Miami with kids, very helpful. We will be going in June for business staying at the Doral Resort. Can you tell me anything about that resort? Thanks!

[HeatherFL]

Ahh that's a very nice place! It's not very close to a lot of things, but it is HUGE for golf. They also have a really nice spa! One thing that is close-"ish" to there is the The Dolphin Mall. (http://www.shopdolphinmall.com/) They have restaurants there too, and a lot of shopping. Is there anything you're interested in doing? I can give you recommendations based on what is the most nearby. :)

~H.

[ihearttx]

Bumping this up...

Heather, if you are still reading this..do you have any suggestions for nice hotels in Ft. Lauderdale as well? We are debating whether to do Miami or Ft. Lauderdale with our 2 year old this fall. Any help would be MUCH appreciated!

Thanks!!!

[taraL]

HealtherFL, seeing as how you are a Miami native, I'd love to pick your brain a little. I am a Colorado native currently living in Washington DC. I just got offered a job in Miami. I have been to Miami once, but only to South Beach and it was for work, so I didn't get to see much of the area. If you have time, could you tell me what the best 10 things about living and working in Miami are, as well as the top 10 worst things about living in the city? I need someone (or anyone reading this thread), who can give me a good sense of the pros and cons of life in Miami. I am in my 20s and married with no kids. Thank you in advance!

[KrissyCat7]

Tara:

Pros
Beautiful Weather
Lots of culture
Nightlife, events, museums
Beaches/water sports

Cons
Cost of living
Hard to communicate in some areas without knowing Spanish (I know only limited Spanish)
Traffic
People moving in and out all of the time

My DH and I loved our time in Florida, we were there 5 years, 1 of which in Miami (Coral Gables). Ultimately, once we were ready to settle down, buy a house, start a family, we felt more comfortable back where we grew up.

[Sasha]

Tara - I live outside of Fort Lauderdale, about 30 minutes north of Miami. My DH works in Miami.

Pros
Beautiful weather (well, except for very hot summers)
Lots of events, year-round due to weather (festivals, art shows, etc)
Diversity
Great nightlife and restaurants
Great shopping
If you plan on having kids, it is great that they won't have to be cooped up indoors during winter

Cons
Hurricanes
Disgustingly hot summers
Knowing Spanish has become a must (I am not Hispanic and know very little Spanish)
High cost of living
Terrible housing market currently
Bad traffic and tons of bad drivers
I personally miss seasons (I'm orginally from PA). Fall and Spring do not exist here

I'm not sure we will remain here indefinitely but we do enjoy South Florida. My DH grew up here and I've been in South Florida for 9 years now. Especially when you have no kids, there are tons of things to do here. :)

[HeatherFL]

Hi there,

Sorry I'm just seeing this. I think for a single person in her 20's, Miami can be a great place to live. You can get a lot of experience and exposure to different food, culture, history, etc. On that note, I have to echo what the others have written...

Pros

Great weather, almost year round
Close to the Caribbean for easy and cheap vacations (flights are very inexpensive to Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica, etc.)
It's also somewhat cheaper to fly to Europe and South America-and shorter flights
Amazing restaurants
Star-spotting if you're into it
The club scene is like no other-not that you have to do it all the time, but it can be fun
GREAT restaurants
Great shopping
You're a short drive from Tampa Bay, Orlando and the Florida Keys-all which have a plentitude of things to do and you can get away from the "big city" with day trips to Naples, Marco Island, Key Largo, etc.
Near the Everglades, the last place like it on earth
I am a marine biology freak, and there is some great diving and snorkeling in the area. Even if you aren't into it now, do it once and you'll most likely get hooked!
Hop on a jet-ski whenver you want...don't have one? Rent one. They're readily available.
The beach in general
A lot of culture
Great museums
A lot of history
A lot of sports related activities (if you're into sports)
Excellent universities
Excellent hospitals
No state income tax (this is the whole State)
Low sales tax (also the whole State)
If you do purchase a home the $25,000 Homestead Exemption is nice (again applies in all of Florida)



Cons

Traffic -ESPECIALLY near the airport. It does't matter what day of the week it is - or what time of day, usually traffic stops on the 836 (aka Dolphin Expressway) near the airport-no accidents, no reason-it just does. On that note-a lot of people in Florida in general are transplants. So imagine you have people from all over the country, and world and you're trying to mesh all those drivng styles into one city. Yep, makes for interesting traffic.
It's expensive
Rainy season (which is summer) and HOT, MUGGY summers (rainy season sucks)
Hurricane season-but that written the media definitely blows it up to more than it is, not that they don't and can't happen!
If you like four seasons (which I do NOT LOL) Miami will suck for you. It's warm, warmer, hot and damn it's f'in hot!!!!
School system is not that great if you plan on having kids.
I'm lucky, I'm a Spanish speaker-but yep...if you don't know Spanish you might have a hard time. Expect to go to the Supermarket and not be able to communicate in some areas. That's just how it is.
Snowbird season (think it's crowded? Just wait 'til the snowbirds come down! That's all of Florida, though.)
In Miami, I feel, there is a big wedge between the Black, Hispanic and White community. I think this is somewhat everywhere, but in Miami as a half European (white) woman and half Hispanic woman, I definitely feel it.



I'll think of more...but this should give you a bit of an idea. If you need more information, feel free to PM me or post here. I'd be happy to help. :)

~H.

[HeatherFL]

I thought of another con...

BUGS. Hey...it's part of life in Florida. I mean, keep your house clean LOL, but I don't remember seeing the wonderful species of the cockroach in Colorado.

~H.

[taraL]

Thank you KrissyCat7, Sasha and Heather, this is all great information to have, so I appreciate you taking the time. Right now the biggest hindrance in moving to Miami or anywhere is the different salary grades between metro Washington DC and pretty much anywhere else except New York, Chicago, LA and San Fran. I am not sure the cost of living is low enough to justify taking a significant pay cut, so I'm still trying to figure out those details. Your comments made me laugh though -- so thank you for your humor and your honesty!

[Sasha]

I thought of another con...

BUGS. Hey...it's part of life in Florida. I mean, keep your house clean LOL, but I don't remember seeing the wonderful species of the cockroach in Colorado.

~H.

LOL, of course you can't forget the wonderful offshoot of that, the flying cockroach, aka, the palmetto bug. I've never encounted that disgusting thing anywhere but Florida!!

Heather made some fantastic points. But after spending all of today in Miami, I can't agree enough that the traffic is horrendous. :rolleyes: