... Where else but Miami? I had always wanted to visit Miami having been particularly interested in the Art Deco district. As a 21st birthday present, my mum treated me, my boyfriend and my Aunt to a Caribbean cruise and a short pre-cruise stay in Miami. I was extremely excited, here's why…
***Tell ... Read review
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Advantages: Great beaches, nightlife and shopping Disadvantages: it can be expensive
...had always wanted to visit Miami having been particularly interested in the Art Deco district. As a 21st birthday present, my mum treated me, my boyfriend and my Aunt to a Caribbean cruise and a short pre-cruise stay in Miami. I was extremely excited, here's why…
***Tell me about Miami***
Miami is a city within the Miami-Dade County in the American state of Florida on the Miami River between the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. ... ...origin.
Miami is divided into several districts:
South Beach
It is where the gorgeous, young sun-seekers head for the day relaxing on the miles and miles of glorious beach, and a night partying in the clubs. It is also home to the fabulous Art Deco distric, housing around 800 buildings, near Dade Blvd at the North & 6th Street at the South.
Miami Beach
Just north of South beach on another ... more
For a 40th review, it had to be something a bit special, something that has really made an impact on my life. Where else but Miami? I had always wanted to visit Miami having been particularly interested in the Art Deco district. As a 21st birthday present, my mum treated me, my boyfriend and my Aunt to a Caribbean cruise and a short pre-cruise stay in Miami. I was extremely excited, here's why…
***Tell me about Miami*** Miami is a city within the Miami-Dade County in the American state of Florida on the Miami River between the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the most multi-cultural and lively cities in the world. It is located around 400 miles from Disney World Orlando, roughly 8 hours flying time from the UK. The county has a population of 2.2million, many of which are of Latin American origin.
Miami is divided into several districts:
South Beach It is where the gorgeous, young sun-seekers head for the day relaxing on the miles and miles of glorious beach, and a night partying in the clubs. It is also home to the fabulous Art Deco distric, housing around 800 buildings, near Dade Blvd at the North & 6th Street at the South.
Miami Beach Just north of South beach on another 'island' Miami Beach is a more affordable place to stay. Like South Beach, it is home to plenty of bars and clubs on Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue. It is also famous for the Bal Harbour Shopping mall.
Coconut Grove A trendy area for that attracts many artists, it is also home to golf courses and upscale restaurants.
Southern Miami/Dade County This is where you will find many of the city's attractions, such as the zoo, and the aquarium. A great place to go with the kids.
Coral Gables Top hotel's and restaurants located in this upscale area - golf courses bars and good shopping.
Key Biscayne The first island in the Florida Keys. Great beaches, with Hobie Beach especially good for jet skiing.
Downtown Miami One of my favourite districts, this is home to lots of restaurants including the Hard Rock Café in Bayside Marketplace. It is an outdoor shopping centre, a mixture of large brand shops such as Gap, and Bodyworks, to little market stalls that overlook the harbour. I picked up some excellent bargains here!
Little Havana It is like being in Cuba! As you can imagine the Latin America population here is quite large, and there are many art galleries with cheap eateries.
We stayed at the Blue moon hotel on Collins Drive South Beach in June 2004 for 3 nights. It was lovely! It is located in the heart of the art deco district, one block from the beach. We managed to bag a discount and got the rooms for £30 per room per night, and it had a bar, restaurant, and a small pool (a rarity for Miami hotels).
***Cocktails or a cup of hot coco?*** Miami is hot hot hot! Temperatures average at about 75-90 Fahrenheit (25-30 Celsius) year-round. The water is warm, refreshing and clear. Hurricane season is from August to November, and if you are visiting over the summer months, prepare for a short sharp shower in the afternoon, (Florida is the lightning capital of the world!) but this soon passes and it is back to glorious sunshine.
***Getting out and about*** As we do not drive, car hire was out of the question. However, it was extremely easy for us to get around as we stayed in the heart of the attractions. We flew into Miami International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Taxis are probably the easiest way of getting from A to B quickly. It took us around 10-15 minutes from the airport to the hotel on South beach (around $20-$30/ £15-£25). The port was only 5-10 minutes by taxi. Alternatively, you can opt for the metro bus. It runs from Miami Beach to west Miami-Dade and from the Middle Keys to the southern portion of Broward County. All buses are wheelchair accessible. There are over 900 buses, 94 Metro bus routes, several of which operate 24 hours a day.
***Feed me, feed me now!*** Two words; healthy and expensive. Having stayed in Florida many times before, I was expecting the food to be pleasant and cheap, as we had found around the Disney area. However, it was very hard to come across a restaurant that did breakfast for less than $10 (£7)! Granted, I had a lovely omelet with fresh orange juice on Ocean Drive, but my point is, it is only an omelet! If you want to dine at a reasonably priced restaurant, it is best to head further in land, just north of the art deco district on Washington Ave.
There are many types of restaurants, including Chinese and Indian, which I had found hard to come across in Florida! At the time, it was all about the south beach diet which every restaurant seemed to follow, so there was not a carb in sight! However, the infamous Katz Deli does a smashing American burger and chips!
***Keeping yourself amused *** Apart from sunning yourself, there is plenty to see and do in Miami.
-Aquarium A great place for families is the Miami aquarium, the home of Flipper! 38 acres of fabulous entertainment including sea-lion shows, swimming with dolphins and encounters with unusual species. Open daily 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Adults $25.95 (£15) children (3-9) $20.95 (£12).
-Miami Metro Zoo Rated one of the top 10 zoos in the U.S., this zoo is completely cage-less! It houses 1,300 animals, representing more than 400 species over 300 acres! Open daily 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; ticket booth. Adults (ages 13 & older): $11.50 (£7.00) plus tax, Seniors: $10.50 (£6.00) plus tax, Children (ages 3-12): $6.75 plus tax (£4.00).
-Everglades No trip to Miami is complete without a trip to the everglades on the hunt for alligators. You can pick up an airboat tour and catch a show in and around Miami. Adults $17 (£10) for airboat ride, farm and shows; children (4-10) $10 (£7); children (under 4) free.
-Millionaires Row Miami is home to the rich and famous, many of whom live along the aptly named 'Millionaires Row'. This area is something else, best enjoyed by a boat trip with island cruises. Here, you will see the homes of Shaquille O'Neal, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Julio Iglesias and more. You will also see the home where they filmed the Al Pacino classic - Scarface, as well as the former home of notorious gangster Al Capone. Tours run daily from 10am-7pm from $10 (£7)
***Shopping*** You cannot go to Miami and not shop! There are many stylish boutiques in and around the Art Deco district including Bel Harbour shopping mall. This mall is full of designer labels such as Prada, Gucci, and Versace. A little of out my league! So if you are like me and you like a bargain, head to the outlet malls. Our hotel ran a bus service to an outlet centre around an hour drive from Miami, just north of the North Miami district. It has hundreds of shops such as the Nike, Calvin Klein , Levi's, and Gap outlet. Not to mention the discounted music, books, and toyshops. It is the best part of the holiday!
***For the night owls *** Partying the night away is the past time on South Beach. If you do not find a club you like in Miami, you will not find one anywhere! As US law states, you have to be 21 to enter a bar/club and remember to take some ID! My best piece of advice is dress to impress! The hip-happening places to go at the moment on South Beach are:
B.E.D. - A sexy venue with luxury beds and posh pillows. Very funky and hard to get into as it is one of the top clubs in the US. Opium - An Asian themed restaurant, which hosts a sushi bar, hydraulic tables and a wind tunnel! When you have eaten, it is off to the Opium garden for bogeying on the split level dance floor. Another popular A-list haunt. Pearl - This is super funky with orange and white rooms, polka dot tables and seashell chairs. Another one for only the beautiful people! Clevender - My favourite bar/club in Miami. It is an outdoor venue on the beach and has a real party atmosphere. Drinks are reasonable and there is a good mix of people. If clubbing is not your scene, you can always take a stroll along SoBe and admire the glitz and glamour.
***To Sum up…*** South Beach is certainly THE place to be! There is something for everyone; glorious sunshine, beaches, men with bulging biceps in tiny swim shorts, happening clubs, culture, history, shopping. Although I enjoyed my short stay, I was very disappointed with how expensive Miami was for food, drink and activities. Saying that, it is probably no more than what you would pay in London so I cannot really complain. My only regret is that I did not see it all. Miami is a huge city with so much to offer, and I could quite happily stay for 1 or even 2 weeks just looking around enjoying all the attractions. I will definitely go back!
***Miami information***
General Information www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/north-america/usa/miami/
Advantages: unusual and very different nature and wildlife, beautiful towns, nice people Disadvantages: the sun is very bright, try not to get burnt
...Ave) is situated past North Miami Beach, near Ojus, and represents something between a two-star hotel and a motel. It was full of French and German elderly couples, actually faced the beach and was quite old and not very comfortable. Everything was old: the curtains was old, the sheets were old, the neighbours were old, and even the staff was not very young. Deceived by the accommodation, we decided to plan our guided tours. The first idea was to ... ...submit this opinion in the Miami section, because this is what our destination was and from there all our tours started. The sites I used to check some information were all Miami and Miami Beach, and I hope my experiences can be of some use to a traveller who would decide to take some guided trips starting in Miami.
The Alligator farm offers airboat rides, and this is what we took. An airboat is unsurprisingly a kind of a boat with an engine which ...
happy_hamster 27.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Miami
Advantages: sun, fun, sea and more Disadvantages: has bad image, and some rough areas
Miami, has finaly managed to shake off the negative image it once had, and thank-god.I am so glad I went and would definatley go back. The residents are the most beautiful, freindly people I have met. Although when I landed it was raining one hour later the sun was out and shining brightly, and it stayed that way for the rest of my stay. If you go to Miami, then expect long delays at the airport once you land, there are always loads of taxis outside ... ...is relativley cheap. Shopping is great here, check out lincon mall, and if you get the chance hop on a bus to Sawgrass Mills, an absolutley massive mall selling amongst others DKNY at rock bottom prices. Eat breakfast at the news cafe also on ocean drive and watch in amazement as celebrities and models jog by. The beach is clean and a great place to sit and relax with a smoothie from Tutis Cafe on collins avenue (They make the best smoothie in the ...
tyrone 28.06.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Miami
Advantages: Plenty to do, good choice of shops Disadvantages: Difficult to get around
...areas and decided to visit Miami for a bit of sun. We stayed in the North Beach area and found it pretty easy to get around with local transport although I would recommend that if you dont have a car to stay in South Beach where all the action is. It takes about 40 minutes by bus to get the South. We were only in Miami for 4 days but did as many of the touristy things as possible. If you have been to Orlando already and visited Seaworld then dont ... ...up from Hotels. Miami is also a great place to shop. There is Sawgrass Mills which is one of the largest discount outlets in America or Aventura Mall which is one of the biggest shopping malls, it has a cinema and plenty of places to eat. Is easily accessible by bus which does run frequently.
Food is fairly reasonable but if you are eating on a budget most restaurants have happy hours with discounts on food up until about 7pm.
Although we went ...
Sarahb1976 17.04.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Miami
Advantages: Atmosphere great, beaches and more Disadvantages: Can be a it dangerous
Miami is cool.! The beaches are great and the youh hostel which is about $12-$15 dollars is an actual hotel that is really really nice.! The beaches are amazing although the charge for deckchair/sunshades etc.. can be extortionate.! The art deco area is nice and the shopping malls great. DO NOT however travel too much and stay out of the southern coastal region as this is where you might get shot. Drive by's, car-jackin etc. occurr on a frequent ... ...sure you hire a car and make the most out of your holiday. Miami is one of the places i have tagged for a re-visit and alhtough it used to have a bad image Will SMith has managed to revive its image somewhat.
Beautiful city with a great atmosphere.! Go ...
jimstrong 12.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Miami
Advantages: Good to get a break Disadvantages: Ideally needs a night stay in the area
...you want you can use Miami as your gateway to the south of Florida. You can take a trip to the Keys and ride a glass bottom boat - a warning to you all. Don't go on straight after lunch. I learnt the hard way!
Miami is a great place to visit if you want to take a break from all of the theme parks. A different pace of life for a couple of days can leave you feeling refreshed and ready for more action.
The journey to Miami buy car will take a few ...
jonyee 07.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Miami
Advantages: Luxurious, elegant hotel with excellent service Disadvantages: Loation, location, loation
I visited the Four Seasons in Miami in March 2006 after a somewhat frantic and frenetic trip to the theme parks in Orlando and was looking for a place to rest and relax and to be pampered as well as some nice places to explore and eat out. The 70 storey Four Seasons is located I the downtown financial district of Miami at Brickell Avenue and is home to not only the Four Seasons Hotel but also the HSBC bank headquarters and Four Seasons Residences; yes you can actually live in the Four Seasons Hotel for ever!
Arrival and check-in.
From the moment we arrived at the Four Seasons the service was implacable. The bell man who took our luggage even greeted myself and my companion by name having presumably sneaked a quick look at our luggage tags! We were greeted inside the door by a pleasant lady who took us to the seventh floor to ...
Advantages: Sits on the Beach Disadvantages: Pool area always crowded
I have stayed in the Hotel Miami, maybe three times. I have been to Es Cana probably about 8 or 9 times now. I'm only 20.
Anyway, on with the review.
When I first stayed in the Hotel Miami, I was only young, but I do remember. We had a corner room with a balcony overlooking the sea and bar area, this due to my sister being in a wheelchair and needing the extra space. They were very helpful and did well to accommodate for this. Although the beds needed a bit of a shuffle and the wheelchair could not get into the bathroom. (As I say, we were young so Dad simply lifted her across). The rooms were comfortable. I remember them originally being abit dreary in decor, but I know for a fact they have since decorated as they were a nice light green colour last time I stayed. Really brightening up the room and making you feel welcome ...
Advantages: Gorgeous beaches, fantastic nightlife, amazing weather, kids clubs are excellent, great weather Disadvantages: (you don't want to leave!!), food at hotel is not so good.
I stayed in the Hotel Miami, Ibiza last year with two friends and I enjoyed my experience so much I'm going again next year.
Ibiza is the ultimate young people's holiday destination - but this hotel is family friendly aswell - kids clubs are excellent!
If you're looking to go abroad this year whatever your age and interests I sincerely recommend Ibiza. The beaches are clean and gorgeous, the sun is warm on your back, the sand is hot on your feet - I LOVE IBIZA!!
The nightlife - well, thats just too exciting to put into words! We tried a different club every night and I didn't want to leave any one of them. Some of the drinks were quite expensive in some of them, but the atmospheres in all of them was just immense. You can hear the music pounding around the club and it just brings you completely to life.
Honestly, Hotel Miami in ...
