Miami Springs vs. Miami Lakes vs. Miami Shores (Aventura, Doral: apartment, homes)

[FLover]

What are Miami Springs, Miami Lakes, and Miami Shores like? Which one is the safest, has the most to do, and is the overall best in your opinon? thank you

[kevinkagy]

All three areas are safe, family-oriented, and mostly olders single-family homes (Miami Lakes is much newer though).

Miami Shores is minutes from Downtown Miami, and very close to the Design District, Aventura, Midtown and the beaches. Really nice older homes, quiet, laid-back. Good private schools, decent public schools. Safe, but close to El Portal which is pretty sketchy.

Miami Lakes is the newest of the three communities, and it has a really nice Main Street with shops, restaurants and the such. As a western suburb though, it's far from Downtown, South Beach, Midtown, and all the neighborhoods east of it that are really popular. Miami Lakes is busier than Miami Shores or Springs, but still very safe.

Miami Shores is quiet, very safe, clean, older homes, lots of parks, trees, etc. Miami Shores also has good public schools and is close to MIA and Doral. I prefer Miami Shores over Miami Lakes.

[FLover]

Does Miami Shores have its own beach? I'm pretty sure it doesn't but just wondering

[kevinkagy]

Originally Posted by FLover

Does Miami Shores have its own beach? I'm pretty sure it doesn't but just wondering

No. It's not on the ocean, it's on Biscayne Bay. Either way, it has no beaches, but you're 5-10 minutes from the beach max via the Broad Causeway or the 79th St Causeway. There are a lot of bayfront homes in Miami Shores though that are amazing.

I forgot to mention, just in case you're into golfing, all three areas have great country clubs.

[crisp444]

For families with school-aged children (taking into account schools):
Lakes > Springs > Shores

For adults without school-aged children (taking into account location, character, proximity to nightlife/entertainment)
Shores > Springs > Lakes

Demographics:
Lakes: about 2/3 Hispanic, 1/3 non-Hispanic white
Springs: about 2/3 Hispanic, 1/3 non-Hispanic white
Shores: about 1/2 non-Hispanic white, 1/4 Hispanic, 1/4 non-Hispanic black

[FLover]

Thanks for all the replies

[suzannef]

Miami Shores is wonderful. In my opinion, it is light-years better than Springs and Lakes but more expensive.

[FlyMIA]

Miami Shores is a very nice area, I went to school in that area and have a lot of friends there. It does not have that "Miami" feel it feels like the US but is close enough to Miami to do things like South Beach, Downtown etc.. Homes are very nice and old. Old homes are great and actually do best in hurricanes. There is a lot of green space and Miami Shores has the best Recreation department in the county for kids.
Miami Lakes is nice also, very suburbia but unless you work outside the area you really dont need to leave the area except for the beach and South Beach. It is safe and modern but a bit far from Miami.
I dont know much about Miami Springs but I would live in Miami Lakes or Miami Shores before Springs.

[angelo7221]

In Springs they have the no speak-uh the ingles deal...the Milam's (which was Piggly Wiggly) has a food by the pound inspired hot foods section which actually sucks.....the strip malls have many cafeteria's....

But the Cubans that live there are mainly of the freedom flight persuasion sans accent (is that distinction of "persuasion" appropriate to bandy around?) and the ones that ask you questions in spanish may be their parents..either that or it's the apartment dweller trash....apt row on poinciana is hialeah in my opinion. The other day I had a really bad situation happen to me upon picking out flowers for a friend's mom at "the Pig"..a.k.a. Milam's