Miami Travel Guide

By the 1970s Miami was a still-fading resort area that was barely on the travel radar anymore, but as you probably know, things changed...a lot. In the 1980s developers started refurbishing many of the dilapidated yet photogenic art deco hotels and before long Miami was cool again. The tourism boom in Miami continues as now it's one of the most glamorous cities on the planet and the hub for the rich and beautiful, particularly those in the Spanish-speaking and Latin American worlds.

Today's Miami, particularly the area known as South Beach, is home to modern resorts tucked in between glamorous nightclubs and modeling agencies and all manner of displays of wealth. The club scene is particularly vibrant in Miami as the home to the internationally famous Winter Music Conference each March.

But when planning a trip to Miami it's important to realize a few things. The City of Miami is a mixed bag of neighborhoods on the Florida mainland overlooking Biscayne Bay, while Miami Beach is a barrier island several miles across the water and connected to Miami by several long bridges. The famous beach scenes we are used to seeing almost all take place in Miami Beach, and almost all of those in the southern portion of it helpfully known as South Beach.

What to do

Going to Miami is all about going to the beach. There are many from which to choose, but the most famous and glamorous beaches are those in the South Beach neighborhood in Miami Beach. That same area is crammed with hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs so it's an excellent place to stay if those things are your focus. And Just south of downtown you'll find Calle Ocho, the disappointing-looking yet authentic hub for the Cuban ex-pat community. It's worth a trip if you've decided to rent a car during your stay.

If you've got a car you can also head south to the Everglades National Park to see some alligators and other wildlife you don't see in many other parts of the United States. Or if you want something a bit more frivolous you can drive all the way down to Key West on the stunning highway that connects all the small islands jutting southwest off the coast. It can be done as a day trip, but it's a fun place to spend at least one night too.

Getting there

You'll definitely want to book a flight to Miami if you can, but you can also book a flight into Ft. Lauderdale if the Miami price seems too high. The airports are only about 30 miles apart and Ft. Lauderdale often has lower prices.

If you need to go to the airport by car you can save both time and money by paying for your Miami airport parking in advance. Or you can pay for a Miami airport shuttle to get you fast and cheap to the airport and back.

Where to stay

There are obviously plenty of hotels in Miami, and accommodations in the trendy areas are predictably more expensive than elsewhere, but South Beach is fairly compact so you wouldn't need (or want) a car there. Many of the most expensive hotels in South Beach are recently overhauled hotels from the 1920s that stand between other hotels from the same era that have yet to be refurbished. So if you look around you can find rather cheap hotels right next door to chic resorts and the main difference is the paint job and the age of the furniture inside. The rooms will not be as large or as cheap as Orlando hotels, but it's still possible to find good deals. There are a few hostels in Miami as well, so check one of those out if your budget is limited.