Exploring MIA via Metrorail (Miami, Hialeah: condos, big home, transfer)

[SFLrunner]

Miami-Dade County - Transit - Metrorail Map (http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/rail_stations.asp - broken link)

Ok, so I am still new to the area. Most of what I have seen has been centered in Brickell, Midtown or SoBe. I plan to hop on the Metrorail, I have never been on it, and see some more of the area.......

I have pasted the link that shows all the stops. Do you have any suggestions for things that might be interesting to see along the way? Preferably things that I can reach on foot from the metrorail stop....I plan to ride it from one end to the other.....

Thansk!

[doggiebus]

If you get off at the South Miami station you can walk over to the shopping area/restaurants and Sunset Place in South Miami. Just walk north to Sunset Drive and the walk east... If you get off at the Dadeland North Station you will be able to walk to a shopping complex next to to the station that has a Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Sports Authority. You can also walk to Dadeland Mall, DSW, TJ Max from the station. If you get off at Dadeland South there is a BBQ restaurant called Shorty's next to the station on US1. You can walk around the new Downtown Dadeland with all the condos and few restaurants downstairs like Lime and Chillis. There is a Barnes & Nobles across the street from this station and you can walk to Dadeland Mall, The Container Store, Old Navy, Office Depot, Comp USA, etc... from here too. The Dadeland Station you can catch a bunch of busses if you want to explore more parts of South Miami Dade.

The Coconut Grove Station is a far walk from CocoWalk in the grove, it can be done though...

The University station you can walk around the University, there is a bar/restaurant called the Titanic that is near the station.

[Coconut1]

You could ride from one end to the other, but don't need to get off at every stop. Some stops are just residential, and not the type of residential where you would like to stroll the streets and "Ohh and Ahh" at big homes.

With that being said, some highlights:

Dadeland North and South give you access to the mall, big box retail, restaurants, etc. North is much closer to the mall area.

South Miami gives you access to South Miami and Sunset Place. South Miami's streets are nice to walk around and enjoy a cup of coffee or cold drink as you stroll.

University station gives access to UM, obviously, but I'm not too familiar with what else is close by.

Douglas Road you can pick up the Coral Gables trolley which is free and runs on weekdays only, I believe. Its can take you up to the Miracle Mile. Additionally, from Douglas Road you could walk to Merrick Park.

Coconut Grove gets you to Coconut Grove () but you're on the outskirts. I don't mind the walk into the heart of the Grove by CocoWalk, Mayfair, etc. and assuming you're a runner you probably won't, either. The only thing is there's not too much to do in Coconut Grove, IMO.

Vizcaya is close to the Miami Science Museum, the Planetarium and Vizcaya.

You know Brickell, and Downtown. Overtown I don't believe there's much to see, the same goes for Culmer, Civic Center, Santa Clara, Allapattah, Earlington Heights, Brownsville, MLK.

You could stop at Northside for the shopping center there, but it's rough around the edges and nothing you won't find any place else. I wouldn't stop.

Tri-Rail transfer you could transfer there and go up to FTL, or any stop along Tri-Rail.

Hialeah you could go to Hialeah Park. There's no racing until late November... I'm not sure if they have simulcast going on or not. I'd call first because otherwise there's nothing to do at Hialeah.

Nothing at Okeechobee or the Palmetto.

It's a shame once you get past Downtown there's really nothing along the corridor. Hopefully within years to come that will change.

Have a good time! Don't forget to buy a day pass at least so you're not paying by the ride.

[MiamiRob]

Coconut gives great advice! Seriously I wish we could TRIPLE Metrorail to where it should go including South Beach or MetroZoo!

[SFLrunner]

cool, thanks for all the great feedback!

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

Coconut gives great advice! Seriously I wish we could TRIPLE Metrorail to where it should go including South Beach or MetroZoo!

Thanks and ditto, ditto, ditto!

[hurricaneMan1992]

A few easy and quick bus connections from Metrorail:

-Take the Coconut Grove Circulator from Coconut Grove station to the main area of Cocowalk and shops of Mayfair.
-Free and frequent Coral Gables Trolley service from Douglas Road Station to: Village of Merrick Park, downtown Coral Gables, Miracle Mile. Actually, it's a nice walk through the heart of Coral Gables from Merrick Park to Miracle Mile along Ponce de Leon Blvd. Nice architecture. But I'd only do it in the winter or evening after a thunderstorm, otherwise you'll sweat! Of course, you can hop on the Trolley at any point along the way.
-South Dade Busway to "The Falls" Mall at SW 136 st. Pretty much any bus from Dadeland South Station.

[WINTERFRONT]

^^^ Listen to this man.

[clean_polo]

A good thing about elevated trains is that you can view a lot of areas without even getting off the train. When I was in Chicago I rode the EL all the way around downtown viewing the skyscrapers and different streets and stuff, it was awesome .

[WINTERFRONT]

THat's what I tell people when they try to diminish elevated trains. I'm not a fan of subways, to be honest.