Miami, FL Road Trips

Flagler’s railroad sparked a wave of expansion in areas such as Miami Beach, Homestead and Cutler. Soon after the railroad was built, the Overseas Highway was created. This highway connected the Florida Keys to the mainland. Growth and progress in Miami continued through World War I and into the mid-1920s. A devastating hurricane in 1926 halted Miami’s growth and temporarily put the city and Miami Beach in a recession. It was the city’s support of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal that helped the city rebuild. Roosevelt almost lost his life, however, when Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate Roosevelt when he came to Miami to thank the city for its support of the New Deal. When a German U-boat sank a US tanker off Florida’s coast, the majority of South Florida was converted into military headquarters for the remainder of World War II. The Army’s World War II legacy in Miami is a school designed for anti-U-boat warfare. Following the Cuban revolution, Miami has become a haven for Cuban immigrants. The city has also been the base for cocaine smuggling, as depicted in the 1983 film Scarface, the Miami Vice TV series and the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, Miami is generally hot. The summer months of June–September will see most daytime highs over 90°F (32°C). Combined with the region's humidity, these can make for stifling temperatures, both day and night.

Of course, if you're in Miami, you'll want to spend some time on the beach. The only beach inside Miami city limits is Virginia Beach. However, there are many other beaches nearby in South Florida, from Tequesta all the way to Key West. As Miami has pretty temperate weather, the beaches will be active all year round, but the water will usually be too cold for locals to swim in during winter. The city of Miami Beach is closest to Miami, on a barrier island across Biscayne Bay, and is most famous for its South Beach party scene. Topless sunbathing is allowed in Miami Beach, and if you want to take it all off, go to Haulover Beach in North Beach. The Miami Marlins (baseball) play in the Little Havana neighborhood, while the Miami Heat (basketball) play in Downtown Miami. Three other major league teams play in the suburbs of Miami - the Miami Dolphins (American football) in Miami Gardens, and the Florida Panthers (hockey) and Inter Miami CF (soccer) in Broward County. Inter plans to open a new stadium near Miami International Airport in 2026. The Miami area also has three major college sports programs. The Miami Hurricanes (University of Miami) play most sports at the university's campus in Coral Gables, but the football team plays at the Dolphins' stadium in Miami Gardens. The FIU Panthers (Florida International University) are located in the unincorporated area of University Park just to the west of the Miami city limits, and the Florida Atlantic Owls (also FAU Owls; Florida Atlantic University) are in Boca Raton in Palm Beach County.

Foodies and chefs alike herald Miami for its unique American cuisine. Created in the 1990s, the cuisine alternatively known as New World, Nuevo Latino or Florribean cuisine blends local produce, Latin American and Caribbean culinary tradition and the technical skills required in European cooking. Nuevo Latino is said to be the brainchild of four chefs: Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, Mark Militello and Douglas Rodriguez. All of them still work in Miami and most of them work at the restaurants they created in the 1990s. New World is not restricted to these chefs’ menus. This cuisine influences several restaurants around the city to this day. Miami may be known for its Latin American cuisine (especially its Cuban cuisine but also cuisines from South American countries such as Colombia), but there are other different kinds of restaurants to be found around the city. In addition to stand-alone Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Italian (among others) restaurants, there are cafés, steakhouses and restaurants operating from boutique hotels, as well as chain restaurants such as TGI Fridays and Ben & Jerry’s. Miami is known for having nightclubs double as restaurants throughout the city. Most of these restaurants, such as Tantra, BED and the Pearl Restaurant and Champagne Lounge (attached to Nikki Beach), are found throughout South Beach. However, some of these restaurants/nightclubs like Grass Lounge can be found in the Design District (north of downtown but south of North Miami).

Nightlife in Miami consists of upscale hotel clubs, independent bars frequented by locals (including sports bars) and nightclubs. Most hotel bars and independent bars turn the other cheek at your physical appearance, but you have to dress to impress (which does not mean dress like a stripper) to get into a nightclub. Also remember to never, under any circumstances, insult the doormen and/or nightclub employees that will grant you entry or touch the velvet ropes or you may as well be sitting on the opposite side of the clamoring masses trying to get in. Attempting to tip the doormen and claiming that you know employees that work in the nightclubs (unless you actually called and reserved a table or a spot on the VIP list) is also considered an affront. Getting to the club unfashionably early and pushing through the crowd (and not the doormen) also can help make you stand out in the crowd. Finally, most nightclubs won’t admit groups of men unless those men are waiting in front of a gay bar. Bring some women or leave the pack if you’re desperate to get in. And once you get in, remember that the charge to get in these clubs can cost up to $20—cash only (some clubs, however, mercifully have ATMs—that can charge up to $7 for a withdrawal). Popular drinks in Miami include the Cuba Libre and the mojito.

Miami is known for its boutique hotels (especially those in South Beach). Designers such as Ian Schrager (the Delano, Shore Club), André Balazs (Raleigh, Standard on Belle Isle) and Todd Oldham (the Hotel) helped put South Beach on the map with their creative hotel designs. The downside of many of the boutique hotels is that rooms can be small, particularly if the building was built during the height of the Art Deco period in Miami. If you value space, a boutique hotel may not be the type of hotel for you. If you don't need to stay in a boutique hotel (and value space), Miami has several upscale high-rise hotels north and south of South Beach, as well as near the downtown area. Miami does have its share of less costly chain hotels for those who value space and/or money. The high season for hotels is around Nov to Apr because of the lower temperatures. However, Miami's lower temperatures, in comparison to the majority of the United States around this time, are still warm. High season is also marked by the advent of many Miami events, such as the Winter Music Conference and Spring Break. If you wish to reserve a room during Miami’s high season, especially at a boutique hotel or a hotel on South Beach, you should book months in advance. Hotels must charge a 12.5% room tax and some hotels may add a 15% service charge which may or may not be added if you reserve a room through the hotel, through a travel agent or agency (either in person or using an online site).

1 Miami International Airport (MIA IATA) (just west of the city in an unincorporated suburban area). The airport is an important hub for traffic between North America, the Caribbean and Latin America, and one of the largest airports in the world. As a result, Spanish is just as likely to be understood as English. The international traffic makes MIA a large and congested place. Be sure to allow extra time when departing MIA, particularly if flying internationally, as you may face an hour-long line just to check your bags. Curbside check-in is an excellent idea. At MIA, public transportation and car rental are at the new 2 Miami Intermodal Center, which is a short shuttle train ride away from the terminals, follow signs for "MIAmover". The MIC is to become Miami's Grand Central station with hub connections of Metrorail station (for connections to Metromover), Greyhound, Megabus, Tri-Rail, taxis, Metrobus, and all car-rental facilities. For downtown Miami, take the Metrorail to Government Center station, where transfers are available to buses to most destinations. Many hotels are along the MetroMover which is one level down from the MetroRail Government Center station. Consult a map for the closest MetroMover station or bus route to your hotel. It costs $2.25 for the MetroRail to downtown Miami. You pay by purchasing an "EASY Card" or "EASY Ticket" fare card, which can be bought from the Metrorail station at MIA, or at Terminal E of MIA. If your destination is far from a MetroRail station, you may want to take a taxi or rent a car from the MIC instead.

Miami's public transit system is the most diverse and extensive of any locality in Florida. If travel time is not a priority, it is possible to travel to all commercial areas and major attractions within Miami without a car. That being said, this approach will involve a lot of walking, which can be unpleasant at many times of year. A map of transit run by Miami-Dade is available at this website. Miami's bus system covers the entire county and connects to bus lines serving Broward County and the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. Sometimes buses still have a hard time remaining on schedule. Most routes run about once every 20 minutes, while the most popular routes may run every 5-10 minutes, sometimes with service all night long. One useful route is the S, which connects downtown Miami to all of Miami Beach, terminating at Avenutra Mall in north Miami-Dade. The Metrorail is an elevated rail system serving Miami and surrounding cities, running 22.4 mi with 23 stations on two lines (green and orange). It connects many areas of tourist interest, including downtown Miami, Miami International Airport (Orange line only), Dadeland Mall, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Lowe Art Museum, Miami Museum of Science, Village at Merrick Park and many other nearby shopping areas. Coconut Grove and downtown Coral Gables can be reached via short shuttle bus from various stations. The two Metrorail lines share common tracks through the core, before splitting near the airport.

Miami's crime rate is a routine topic of news media, but the city is only relatively dangerous for the passing tourist in certain areas. Almost all crime is related to the illegal drug trade, owing to Miami's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, which makes it a major transit point for narcotics from South America. Overtown (next to Liberty City) has the highest violent crime rate in the city and is best avoided altogether. Little Haiti is also best avoided at night. If you are in any crime-afflicted neighborhood, take the same precautions as you would in other dangerous neighborhoods in the US: mind your own business, be aware of your surroundings at night and in high-traffic areas, get to your destination quickly, and avoid wearing flashy jewelry and electronics. The emergency telephone number for fire, police and rescue emergencies is 911. If you require non-emergency assistance, do not call 911. To contact police in a non-emergency situation, call +1 305 4POLICE.