student moving to miami - which area to choose?

[PeteInTheHouse]

I can choose what campus to attend..

Reading all the replies here I think the Biscayne Bay campus will be a better fit, mostly because it's easier to reach the ocean.. and I would definitely like to go to the ocean as often as possible.

Would it really be possible to find something walking or biking distance to the beach, for around $1000 per month? Looking at a map it looks like there are tons of small places between miami beach and fort lauderdale beach.. aventura, hollywood... How are the living standards and prices here? Would a commute from these areas down to biscayne bay in north miami be doable on a daily basis?

Bay Harbor Islands looks very small on the map like a little island. Wouldn't it feel a bit isolated living there?

[JacobMAX]

Bay Harbor Islands would probably be the best fit in/near that budget, you can walk (big distance though) to the beach, it's nice and safe. There's a main street 96th St with shops and other stuff. You probably wouldn't feel really isolated there, especially as it's a dense area, people going 'round, etc. Also the commute to FIU would be minimal.

Hollywood and Hallandale Beach (just to its south) probably are other worthy good alternatives, but it will be very difficult to get a place on the beach (near A1A), but totally possible somewhere between it and the US-1 (maybe Golden Isles in Hallandale). The commute would be fine, even with possible traffic jams on the US-1 and/or I-95, as the distance is relatively short. And take a look at the Neighborhood-O-Meter of Broward at the FTL Forum.

Plus there's the North Beach area of Miami Beach, which would be within budget, but its crime rate is worse, high number of sex offenders and for that price range you will probably rent just a basic low rise - would have to talk with neighbors and check on the web about reputation, crime and the sex offenders; however (a big however) it's just beachside, relatively near the FIU Biscayne, and walkable (shops, markets, restaurants, bars, etc. etc. in the neighborhood), plus it's not far at all from South Beach and Downtown/Brickell (for nightlife and other things). Decent to reasonable area overall, I'd say.