Florida - Miami ideas

Folks,

So my summer trip is booked and I'm pretty excited.

Spending 23rd June till 28th June in Miami and then 28th of June till 4th of July in LA.

I'm looking for Miami ideas.

26 YO travelling with a friend, we're interested in cities, nice beaches, good shopping, scenic drives, nightclubs etc, funky places to go see etc maybe a bit of scuba diving and/or snorkling.

We were lucky enough to secure a rental of a chevvy corvette convertible in MIA to make the time a bit more interesting as we're intending on driving around a bit.

I know its not a good season to go to Miami as I am guessing there will be a fair amount of rain but hopefully it will be warm and not as busy as during high seasons!.


Would welcome all ideas. Currently looking at the potential of driving to Key West for 2 days not sure if that's too long and if we'll get bored and would be better off staying in MIA area.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,
k3bab

June is not so bad in that, although the hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30, the historical major storms have come in the mid-August to late October time frame.

You should be able to get some good use out of the 'Vette's convertivle top - the general weather pattern is typically tropical - the mornings are typically clear, with the rain coming in the early afternoon and ending before evening - repeat the next day.

South Beach, the southern portion of the City of Miami Beach (connected to Miami via short roadways), offers a plethora of beaches, dining and (especially) nightlife options.

Shopping options abound, from unique boutiques to massive regional shopping centers. At the risk of bias (since I live in Broward County and we need the tax revenue :D) I would strongly recommend a visit to Sawgrass Mills. Especially after the addition of the Colonnade section, the selection of store options is wider than ever, from large outlets by mainstream brands like The Gap and Calvin Klein to luxury options such as Hugo Boss, Burberrys and the recently opened Bloomingdales and Prada outlets.

I know its not a good season to go to Miami as I am guessing there will be a fair amount of rain but hopefully it will be warm and not as busy as during high seasons!.It's warm today (84°F) :)

South Beach is definitely where the nightclubs, top-tier shops, and famous beaches are. Another Miami neighborhood with good shops, restaurants, and more dive bars is Coconut Grove. It's not quite as insanely touristy as the beach, but I still see plenty of the Hertz Corvettes around here (good car, by the way).

Key West is a bit of a drive, but it's a completely different experience from Miami, and if you've got two days to spare, totally worth it.

Thanks for those! Any other tips on things to do aroun ld the Miami area? Any interesting / scenic places in the region? Key west is quite far but sounds like it's worth the drive! How are the roads to key west? Generally clear?

In South Beach, you want to stroll up Lincoln Road Mall. Lots of funky shops. Dining options while in SOuth Beach include the Clevelander for the views, News Cafe for the history, Van Dyke for the people watching. While in South Beach, I would drop into the Club Duece Bar for the funky aspect. You can run into models, locals, homeless people, and all in between. http://www.yelp.com/biz/macs-club-deuce-bar-miami-beach


A swim at the Venitian Pool in Coral Gables is a great way to cool off and spend an afternoon. http://www.coralgablesvenetianpool.com/
Visit the Biltmore Hotel since you are in the area. http://www.biltmorehotel.com/

If you want to dive without heading all the way to the Keys, you can check out Biscayne National Park and the dive operators associated. http://www.nps.gov/bisc/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

I like all of pbiflyer's suggestions (Lincoln Road is a mandatory stop). I will suggest some other options.

Bal Harbor Shops - High end shopping:
http://www.balharbourshops.com/

Aventura Mall - Variety of shopping options, Nordstrom's, Bloomingdale's Etc.: (I think this is one of the best malls in Florida)
http://www.aventuramall.com/

And if you desire shopping, restuarants, and gambling then you need to visit Gulfstream Park and the Villages at Gulfstream Park:
http://www.gulfstreampark.com/
http://www.thevillageatgulfstreampark.com/

Key Largo is another great option for Snorkeling and Diving if you decide to visit the Keys. Many operators will take you out to John Pennekamp Park to see the coral reefs.
http://www.pennekamppark.com/

I could go on and on......there is a lot of stuff to do and see in South Florida.

A scenic place here in the Grove is the Vizcaya Mansion (http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/):
With its phenomenal human-made and natural resources, Vizcaya was built in the 1910's, a decade in which Gilded Age cultural standards were enlivened by the irreverent spirit of the dawning Jazz Age. It also introduces visitors to Miami’s place in this history—a time when America’s wealthiest industrialists created lavish homes inspired by the palaces of Europe.

Not sure how well that will work with June temperatures; it was 80°F and ridiculously sunny today: http://presn.s3.amazonaws.com/scottys-landing.jpeg