♥♥ Have been swamped with wedding plans - hope all is well with everyone ♥♥
♥♥ Have been swamped with wedding plans - hope all is well with everyone ♥♥
Member since:24.10.2003
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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 WorldOrlando, 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/
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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.
Oct 10th, 2005
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