If you think Miami is all palm trees and little substance, you’re wrong.Miami is one of the few cities that actually benefits from multiplepersonality disorder. You can get plenty of Miami cheap flights, and cheap hotels.Biscayne Bay ripples in the sunset as the last speedboats come home for the night. Little Havana provides a glimpse of pre-Castro Cuba juxtaposed by the Mc-pleasures of modern life. And the alluring sands of South Beach glitter with glitz, glam, and all the makings of a juicy gossip column. This is as chic as La Florida gets, where La Dolce Vita fuses with La Vida Loca, creating a tropical cocktail that’s guaranteed to both shake and stir. With the exception of theme parks and Mouse-ka-things, you can find just about everything worth finding in Florida in Miami.

First-time visitors are most surprised by the city’s cultural and natural resources. Sapphire-blue water, gleaming quartz beaches, and tropical gardens are complemented by such standouts as Villa Vizcaya, Biscayne National Park, and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area. And yes, if you need an attraction fix, some of Florida’s most enduring — among them, the Miami Seaquarium and Metrozoo — are here to prove that animal life does exist beyond the maniacal drivers on I-95.
I’ll chauffeur you to those as well as to other attractions in Chapter 10, but for now I get you here, through the check-in line, and parked at a dinner table.

Most folks come by air because flying is convenient and in most cases reasonably economical. Trains can be tedious, and even rail buffs find them time-consuming if they only have a week off. Ditto for drivers — they’re staring at about 450 miles between the state line and Miami.

Touch down at Miami International Airport (MIA), which handles 34 million passengers annually. The tenth busiest airport in the world, it’s served by more than 100 domestic and foreign airlines, offering direct links to 200 cities on five continents. The airport’s 121 gates may seem overwhelming, but the layout isn’t quite as complicated as it appears. For further information, call %305-876-7000, or visit the airport’s Web site (www.miami-airport.com).

After picking up your luggage — the route to baggage claim is clearly marked — you can take advantage of a number of services:
 Car-rental desks for Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, Value, and Royal are on the first level near the baggage-claim exit. (See the
Appendix for rental-car agency information.) Customs has two inspection areas. Passengers arriving at Concourses
D, E, and F exit at Concourse E, Level 1. Those arriving at Concourses A and B exit at Concourse B, Level 3.
 Foreign currency exchange booths are at six locations on Level 2
and on Level 3 in the Greeter’s Lobby Concourse B. A booth at
Concourse E operates 24 hours a day. If you’re coming from another
country, convert to U.S. dollars at a bank back home. The exchange
rate may not be better, but you’ll save on fees.

The 24-hour information center is on Level 2, at Concourse E across from the hotel. There are four other centers, including two at baggage claim on Level 1, Concourses D and G (open 11 a.m.–7 p.m.).You can also get information by calling %305-876-7000.

A full-service bank is located on Level 4 of Concourse B. ATMs are
also located at the Passenger Service Centers between Concourses
B and C and between Concourses G and H on Level 2 of the Terminal.
The bank is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Interstate 95, toll roads, and interior highways link Miami International
Airport, 6 miles from downtown Miami and about 10 miles from the
beaches, to the tourist areas. As I mentioned earlier, all the major carrental
agencies are located at the airport, or they run shuttles to their
nearby offices.

If you reserved your rental car before you left home,
head for the rental agency’s desk after you’ve collected your baggage.
Cabs cost from $1.50 to $3 to start the meter and $2 for each mile. So a
one-way fare for up to five people from the airport to the beaches would
range from $24 and up. Cab rides from the airport are blissfully short: To
South Beach, it’s only about 15 minutes; downtown is less; Coral Gables
and the South, about 20 minutes, which is the same for the North Miami
area. Taxis line up outside the airport’s arrival terminals. SuperShuttle is
one of the city’s busiest van services. Its rates from the airport to South
80 Part III: South Florida Beach are $13 per person one-way. That’s not a bargain for larger families.

Be prepared to make several stops because you’re likely to share a ride
with several strangers. For more information, call %305-871-2000, or
visit the shuttle’s Web site (www.supershuttle.com).
I don’t recommend using public buses. They’re unreliable and brutally
slow, taking an hour or more to travel the 10 miles to South Beach.
If you are headed to the northern section of Miami you may be better off
flying in and out of Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.

Oftentimes, flights routed through this airport are cheaper than those flying into and out of
MIA. Located in the middle of Broward County, it’s actually closer to North
Miami Beach and Aventura than Miami’s own airport. See Chapter 13 for
more on this airport.

Its proximity to Miami makes it also the liveliest,especially on weekends

when it is crowded.There are much tourists looking for Keys vacations rentals,the island’s greatest draws are the diving and snorkeling

opportunities along the coral reef found just offshore, in the

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the National Marine Sanctuary.

Another Key Largo attraction is the African Queen, the boat used in the 1951 film of the same name. This makes short pleasure trips (between extensive periods of restoration). It is moored at MM 100, which is also the base for a casino ship offering a different kind of trip – one that provides a rare chance to gamble.Local legend tells of a mysterious and secretive former government official who lives in the hammocks and returns to civilization only when an ecological need arises. His

various exploits over the years have resulted in land,once slated for development, being

returned to pristine wilderness. Much of Florida’s wetlands,hammocks, and beaches have gone

under the bulldozer for high-rise apartments, new beachfront resorts, and

shopping malls, but with the help of concerned citizens throughout the state, there is hope for keeping Florida’s delicate ecosystem intact.

Just under FIVE percent of this park is on dry land, and its facilities include a visitor’s center, a small museum on the ecology of the reef, swimming areas, and woodland trails.

The park is best known for its fabulous underwater reaches,which extend 3 miles (5 km) east from Key Largo and provide an unforgettable glimpse of the vivid colors and extraordinary

forms of coral reef life.There are canoes, dinghies,or motorboats for rent, as well as snorkeling and scuba gear.Snorkeling and diving trips can easily be arranged, and there’s a diving school that offers certified courses. Those who are less inclined to get wet can take a glass-bottomed.

North America only coral reef system extends 200 miles (320 km) along the length of the Keys, from Miami to the Dry Tortugas. A complex and extremely delicate ecosystem, it protects these low-lying islands from storms and heavy wave action emanating from the Atlantic

Ocean. Coral reefs are created over thousands of years by billions of tiny marine organisms known as polyps. Lying 10 –60 ft (3 –18 m) under the surface,the reef is an intricate web of countless cracks

and cavities and is home to a multitude of plants and diverse sea creatures,including more than 500 species of fish.

Book your Keys vacations rentals in our site

It´s easy to turn a blind eye to what lies beyond the Florida coast, miami florida attractions is where the beaches are varied and abundant enough to satisfy every visitor – whether you want simply to relax beneath azure skies or make the most of the state’s
fine sports facilities. However,great rewards await those who put aside their suntan lotion and beach towels to explore.

The lush forests, the rolling hills of the north, the colorful displays of bougainvillea and azaleas in spring shatter the myth that Florida’s landscape is totally dull and flat. Wherever you are, it is only a short trip from civilization to wild areas, such
as the Everglades, which harbor an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life, and where alligators and snakes are living
reminders of the inhospitable place that Florida was not much more than 100 years ago. By world standards the state was a
late developer (most of its historic districts date only from the early 1900s), but Florida boasts the nation’s oldest town: St.
Augustine, where a rare wealth of well-preserved buildings provide a glimpse of life in the 18th century.

Both climatically and culturally,Florida is a state divided – a bridge between temperate North America and tropical Latin America and the Caribbean. In the north, roads are lined with stately live oak trees and people speak with a southern drawl,while, in the south, shade from the subtropical sun is cast by palm trees,and the inhabitants of Miami are as
likely to speak Spanish as English.

PEOPLE AND SOCIETY

The state “where everyone is from somewhere else,” Florida has always been a cultural hodgepodge. The Seminole Indians, who arrived in the 17th century, have been in Florida longer than any other group. They live mostly on reservations, but you see
them by the roadside in some southern areas, selling their colorful, handmade crafts. The best candidates for the title of “true Floridian” are the Cracker farmers, whose ancestors settled in the state in the 1800s; their name comes perhaps from the cracking of their cattle whips or the cracking of corn to make grits. Unless you explore the interior, you probably won’t meet a Cracker; along the affluent, heavily populated coast, you’ll rub shoulders mainly with people whose roots lie in more northerly states.
North Americans have poured into Florida since World War II; the twentieth most populous state in the US in 1950, Florida is now
ranked fourth. The largest single group to move south has been the retirees, for whom Florida’s climate and lifestyle of leisure (plus
its tax concessions) hold great appeal after a life of hard work. Retirees take full advantage of Florida’s recreational and cultural opportunities. You’ll see many seniors playing a round of golf,fishing, or browsing around one of Florida’s state-of-the art shopping
malls. While super-rich communities like Palm Beach fit the conservative and staid image that some people still have of Florida, the reality is very different. An increasing number of the new arrivals are young people, for whom Florida is a
land of opportunity, a place to have fun and enjoy the good life.
It is this younger generation that has helped turn Miami’s South Beach, where beautiful bodies pose against a backdrop of Art
Deco hotels, into one of the trendiest resorts in the US.There has also been massive immigration from Latin America, and Miami
has a large Cuban community. Here, salsa and merengue beats fill the air while exuberant festivals fill the calendar. The ethnic
diversity is also celebrated in the local food: as well as genuine re-creations of Caribbean and other ethnic dishes, you can enjoy the
exciting and innovative dishes that have emerged with the craze for cross-cultural cuisine.

The Biltmore Hotel

$$$$ Coral Gables
Old-world glamour and rich history permeate the Biltmore as much as the
pricey perfume of the guests who stay here. Built in 1926, it’s the oldest
Coral Gables hotel and a National Historical Landmark — one of only two
operating hotels in Florida to receive that designation. Rising above the
Spanish-style estate is a majestic 300-foot, copper-clad tower, modeled
after the Giralda bell tower in Seville and visible throughout the city. Over
the years, the Biltmore has passed through many incarnations (including
a post–World War II stint as a VA hospital), but it’s now back to its original
splendor. More intriguing than scary is the rumor that ghosts of wounded
soldiers and even Al Capone, for whom the Everglades Suite is nicknamed,
roam the halls here. But don’t worry. The hotel is far from a haunted
house. It’s warm, welcoming, and extremely charming. Always a popular destination for golfers, including former President Clinton (who stays in
the Al Capone suite), the Biltmore is situated on a lush, rolling 18-hole
course that is as challenging as it is beautiful. The spa is fantastic, and the
enormous winding pool is legendary — it’s where a pre-Tarzan Johnny
Weissmuller broke the world’s swimming record.

The Creek

$ South Beach
This funky and arty hostel-like hotel, formerly known as the Banana
Bungalow, is cheap, campy, and quintessentially Miami Beach. Popular
with the MTV set, The Creek is a redone 1950s two-story motel that’s
loaded with amenities and where it’s always spring break. There are three
types of rooms: The Waterway Standard, no frills rooms which face a
narrow canal where motorboats and kayaks are available for a small
charge; the noisier Cabana Room, which opens to the pool deck (which
boasts a serious sound system that the hotel turns off around midnight);
and the Signature Rooms, 18 “altered living spaces” designed by artists and
on the second floor facing the pool deck. I highly recommend the Signature
Rooms that are facing the Intracoastal Waterway in terms of decor and privacy,
something you won’t have if you face out onto the buzzing pool deck.
Shared rooms are available for the uber budget conscious.

David William Hotel

$$–$$$$ Coral Gables
At this sister hotel to the Biltmore, you get many of the same amenities for
a lower price. Guests can even take a shuttle to the Biltmore to play a
round of golf, enjoy the health club and spa, play tennis, or take a dip in
the pool. The luxurious one- and two-bedroom suites are extremely spacious
and have eat-in kitchens for extended stays. For a spectacular view
of Miami, go up to the roof and have a drink by the pool. The hotel, which
has undergone a recent exterior renovation, is directly across the street
from the Granada Golf Course, less than 5 miles from the airport, and only
20 minutes from Miami Beach. Carmen The Restaurant, the culinary brainchild
of chef Carmen Gonzalez, features Post-New-American Cuisine, a sexy
spin on New American Cuisine steeped in exotic Hispanic/Latino influences.
If you want luxury without the price, this is your best alternative in the Gables.

The Delano

$$$$ South Beach
Today, the Delano, a place where smiles from staffers were once as rare as
snow in Miami, is kinder and gentler to its guests (with an emphasis on Band
C-list celebrities and tourists not entirely in tune with the times), which
for some, takes away the whole caché of staying here. But it certainly still
is amusing to look at — with 40-foot, sheer, white, billowing curtains hanging
outside, mirrors everywhere, Adirondack chairs, and faux fur–covered
beds. The rooms are done up sanitarium style: sterile, yet terribly trendy,
in pure white save for a perfectly crisp, green Granny Smith apple in each
room — the only freebie you’re going to get here. A bathroom renovation
recently took place in all the rooms — but they remain small and spartan.

Fontainebleau Hilton Resort

$$$–$$$$ Miami Beach
In many ways, this is the quintessential Miami Beach hotel. Designed by
Morris Lapidus, who oversaw an expansion in 2000, this grand monolith
symbolizes Miami decadence. Since its opening in 1954, the Fontainebleau
has hosted presidents, pageants, and movie productions, including the
James Bond thriller Goldfinger. This is where all the greats, including Sinatra
and his pals, performed in their prime. Club Tropigala is reminiscent of Ricky
Ricardo’s Tropicana and features a Las Vegas–style floor show with dozens
of performers and two orchestras. Rooms are luxurious and decorated in
various styles from 1950s to ultramodern; bathrooms are done up in Italian
marble. In 2001, the hotel underwent a $10 million renovation of its restaurants,
introducing the massive, cruiseship-esque, 150-seat Bleu View
Mediterranean restaurant and cocktail lounge. Meanwhile, the 7,000-squarefoot
Cookie’s World water park brings a bit of Disney to Deco-land, complete
with a water slide and river-raft ride. Along with supervised children’s activities,
the water park is geared to (though not reserved for) the little ones.
The hotel’s size tends to cause problems. The staff is overworked, and
lines in the lobby area are frequently long.

A car is your best option for getting around and visit miami, as long as you have
a reliable map or a GPS. Taxis are a distant
second — economical only if you’re in a group of four or five people.
Public transportation is plodding, and, except for South Beach and the
shopping and dining meccas of Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, Miami
isn’t much of a walker’s paradise.
Visit Miami by car:
Most streets on the mainland and beaches are numbered, so finding your
way around is fairly easy if you have a reliable map. (You can get one from
one of the information sources listed under “Fast Facts” in Chapter 10,
from AAA if you’re a member, or from your car-rental agency.) Miami’s
attractions, beaches, restaurants, and hotels are spread out, making a car
almost essential if you want to explore in a timely, cost-effective manner.
If, on the other hand, you plan to camp at a resort or on South Beach and
do your sightseeing by guided tour, you won’t need a car. (Don’t forget to
allow time in your schedule for delays caused by traffic congestion and,
if you’re going to or from the beaches, drawbridge openings.)
Chapter 9: Settling into Miami 87
Generally, there are plenty of parking spaces throughout Miami-Dade
County (a major exception is South Beach), but parking can be expensive.
Keep your pocket or wallet filled with quarters to feed the hungry meters
or be prepared for fines of $20 or more. You can find parking garages and
valet service in some areas. The going rate for valet parking at restaurants
and hotels is $3 to $20 depending on how much they think you need them.
(If you’re in South Beach and don’t mind losing a little shoe leather, there
are parking garages at 17th Street and Washington Avenue, Seventh Street
between Washington and Collins avenues, and 13th Street between Collins
Avenue and Ocean Drive. The cost is $1 an hour or $8 a day.)
See the Appendix for contact information about rental-car agencies.

Visit Miami by taxi:
Unless you can fill the cab (five passengers), this isn’t a cheap way to
travel, especially when you add a tip. However, a taxi is usually quick
and direct, with fixed rates between certain points. Usually it’s $1.50 to
start the meter and $2 for each mile. The county’s main cab companies
are Central (%305-532-5555), Metro (%305-888-8888), and Yellow
(%305-444-4444).
Visit Miami by bus:

Miami’s public transit system offers little to recommend it. Bus routes
almost universally are designed for commuters, not visitors. Even if buses
go your way, they’re slow, making too many stops and often requiring
transfers and more time. For the record, the Metro-Dade Transit System operates the
county’s bus line. Fares are $1.25 plus 25¢ for each transfer.