I plan to trip to Miami for the week of my 18th birthday, how much money should I bring? (apartment, rent)

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

Jesus people. lol. Nice way to promote the local economy.

OP, It depends on your spending habits. I assume you already set aside money for your hotel, airfare and rental (if not buy them on the net, so you can find the best deals) I personally would not need $5,000 for a week. Not even $2,000. Like someone said you can't even drink. If your budget is tight consider having a light lunch or skipping it altogether, and use the money for dinner. Check the prices though, just like you would do in your own city. You don't need a translator, everybody speaks English. This is not a spanish speaking hell. You'll see. You should be fine.

[Cougar Beach]

maddywoo> I plan to do quite a bit of shopping (I'm dreaming of the Aventura Mall lol)
. . .
maddywoo> I've been looking into the trump intl. hotel in front of the beach

Maddy is not going to have to skip lunch.

By the way, Miami University is in Ohio. The University of Miami is in Coral Gables.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

We know what she means and as an alumni of the University of Miami, it's ok with me for nonlocals to confuse the name.

[Cougar Beach]

Originally Posted by lolitazz

We know what she means and as an alumni of the University of Miami, it's ok with me for nonlocals to confuse the name.

If she's actually considering applying to the school, hopefully she'll figure it out. If she's from out of state, I'm not sure that FIU would be a very good deal.

[maddywoo]

Well so far thank you very much for the helpful tips. I'm not a drinker at all so I guess that WILL save me a buck. How ever I would like to get into a club just to dance if they'll let 18 year olds in if that's all they're looking for. I don't plan on renting a car at all, if I wanna get somewhere when I don't feel like walking, I'll just get a taxi. the hotel I wanna stay in is 3 mins from the mall so I could just walk. I did my math, if I keep setting money aside I should have somewhere around 1600 dollars of spending money. Hopefully that will be enough to eat, tour and shop?

[Cougar Beach]

Most clubs that I know of are 21+, although there are some 18+ events (pool parties, etc.).

I won't say anything about fake ID's. I understand they're illegal.

[rogerbacon]

If you've been looking forward to coming here since you were 11 I fear you may have built up your expectations so high that you will surely be disappointed. For a week 1600 should be enough since you won't have a car and don't drink. You won't be able to really see Miami without a car though. Um and FIU are pretty far from Miami Beach and taking taxis everywhere will add up fast. Most car companies require you to be 25 or at leat 21 to rent a car though so I don't know what other options you have.
I would advise you to bring as litttle cash as possible and charge everything. That way if you get robbed your vacation won't be ruined.
I'm curious as to why you have been looking forward to coming to Miami for so many years. Do we have THAT great a department of tourism out there promoting this place?

[305guy]

Maddy- since you don't drink and don't have a rental i would bring about 100.00 a day to spend. Obviously it depends on how much you want to spend at aventura mall. But if you're staying for a week, i'd bring around 700 - 1000.00 bucks.

Don't listen to the haters on here, come down, enjoy the sun and surf and have a great time!

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

South Florida without a car can be very challenging. I cannot lie about that. If you haven't made your hotel reservations keep in mind that distances in South Florida are very spread, we are not a round or squared metro area, we are more like a stick, very long and not very wide. Our public transportation is terrible. I'm keeping it honest.

If you stay in Aventura, you will be very far from UM(University of Miami). A taxi would be extremely expensive, since you are like 300 streets away(250 streets, and 50 avenues) There are buses of course, but I'm not sure how safe the buses in Biscayne are (that''s where the hotel in aventura is located) the bus service will take you to the Downtown Metro Rail Station and from there you can take the Metro Rail to UM. From the University station you can take another bus, because the main UM buildings (the Ashe Building is the main one) but only someone that attends there would know what you are talking about. UM is very confusing, make sure you do your homework before you go there, I got lost many times over there because there are dozens of UM buildings in that area. It is a nice college though, once you find it. FIU is much easier to find but FIU is very hispanic and full of locals.

I don't want to discourage you, but you would enjoy this place more with a car. If you do your homework, and double check the routes with the locals you can probably enjoy it more.

This is the website for the Miami Public Transportation, it includes maps, schedules etc.

Miami-Dade County - Transit

[doom1001]

As others have said,without a car seeing everything you want to see will run you several hundred bucks in taxis or have you taking buses down Biscayne blvd,which would be the polar opposite of what you're picturing of your "Miami" vacation!!I honestly would look into staying somewhere else,maybe Coconut Grove or the Dadeland area which also has a pretty decent mall,you'll have the metrorail which you can take to UM,Downtown,South Miami or transfer from the metrorail to buses to go to Coconut Grove,South Beach and FIU,these are a bit better areas to take the bus than Biscayne blvd in Aventura.If you still want to go to Aventura Mall then you can take a taxi,but it just seems like you picked a hotel in Aventura that's pretty far from most of the touristy areas in Miami and the universities you wanted to check out!!Also walking in the area around Aventura in my opinion would be pretty dangerous as it's a major high traffic area.