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Old 01-11-2011, 07:57 PM
 
2,217 posts, read 4,266,186 times
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excellent advice gatormama. perfect advice for everglades wildlife viewing.
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Old 01-11-2011, 09:27 PM
 
Location: Free From The Oppressive State
30,254 posts, read 23,725,162 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doggiebus View Post
The Everglades this time of year is great, and if it is a cold day you will see lots of animals as they are out getting sun to warm up. Have a fun trip!
No, if it's cold, you won't see them because they are in the brush, staying warm. Trust me, I do this every. single. day.
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Old 01-11-2011, 10:59 PM
 
127 posts, read 324,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob702 View Post
Hi friends!
I will try to escape the Milwaukee winter next month and travel down to Miami for a few days. Would you recommend to rent a car or is it do-able without? I have no idea how good or bad Miami's public transportation is.

Thanks!

as both resident and tourist i will give you the best adivce in the world: GET A CAR!! you don't want to miss out because you are stuck in just one zone trust me!!!
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Old 01-11-2011, 11:05 PM
r_k
 
Location: Planet Earth
836 posts, read 2,189,666 times
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You can rent a car for the last two days, and use those to visit the Keys, Everglades etc.

Here's a money saving tip:

Rent the car online for pickup at the airport, and return it at the airport for your flight back two days later. Generally this is cheaper than renting a car in Miami Beach, plus you save taxi fare on the way to the airport on the last day. For picking up the car, catch the "airport flyer" aka #150 bus from Collins Ave to the airport for $2.35 per person. More info on the airport flyer bus:

http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/lib...r_brochure.pdf
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Old 01-12-2011, 09:09 AM
 
3,848 posts, read 9,320,956 times
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Airport pick up is always significantly more expensive.

Airport:
Chevrolet Cobalt or similar
Unlimited Free Miles Included

1 week at 162.49 USD 162.49 USD Rate Details

Airport concession fee recovery 16.46 USD
Customer Facility Charge: 23.00 USD
Rental Surcharge 10.15 USD
Vehicle Licensing Cost Recovery 2.27 USD
ENERGY SURCHARGE 1.03 USD Vehicle Subtotal 215.40 USD

Miami Beach:

Chevrolet Cobalt or similar
Unlimited Free Miles Included

1 week at 164.99 USD 164.99 USD Rate Details

Hotel Concession Fee Recovery 33.46 USD
Rental Surcharge 10.15 USD
Vehicle Licensing Cost Recovery 2.31 USD
ENERGY SURCHARGE 1.03 USD Vehicle Subtotal 211.94 USD

Coral Gables (and generally other off airport/beach locations)

Chevrolet Cobalt or similar
Unlimited Free Miles Included

1 week at 149.99 USD 149.99 USD Rate Details

Rental Surcharge 12.18 USD
Vehicle Licensing Cost Recovery 2.10 USD
ENERGY SURCHARGE 1.03 USD Vehicle Subtotal 165.30 USD
All were based on the same dates, Feb 5 through 11.
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Old 01-12-2011, 09:32 AM
 
Location: the dairyland
1,222 posts, read 2,278,513 times
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Thanks for all your answers!

Quote:
Originally Posted by r_k View Post
You can rent a car for the last two days, and use those to visit the Keys, Everglades etc.
That's what I am trying to figure out, whether to get a car for the whole time or only for those two days. Seems like I will rent one for the last days only. Thanks for the tip to rent a car at the airport, I will definitely look into that.


Quote:
Originally Posted by patricemendo View Post
what exactly in Miami are you planning to see/do? Because depending on what you plan, you may need a car. I wouldn't waste a day walking around downtown Miami if there's nothing in particular you want to see or do...that day would be better spent on MB or add another day to Key West. It's going to take a couple hours to drive from MB to Key West.
Uhm.. well I do not really have anything particular in mind to be honest (perhaps Little Havana or Coconut Grove). I just thought that I should visit Miami itself as well if I travel to the area. Beaches are nice but I do not like traveling just to stay at the beach ALL the time for several days. What I usually do when I visit a city is to just walk around, enjoy the atmosphere and normally I find things to do.
But if there is not that much to see I probably shouldn't go to Miami.
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Old 01-12-2011, 01:14 PM
 
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It's not really a walking city.
Your closest thing to that would be Lincoln Road or along the beach.
Downtown Miami = lots of homeless / dangerous (in my opinion)
There is no real 'miami itself'. It's very heterogenous. Many sections of it are radically different from each other. You can have a good area, walk a block and you're in the hood or vice versa.
There is lots to see here but you'd need a car.
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Old 01-12-2011, 03:52 PM
 
33 posts, read 57,820 times
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Having visited both Miami and Key West and as someone who loves both, I would suggest maybe doing both equally. They are both so different but awesome in their own way. The drive to Key West is slow, but absolutely beautiful. The town is laid back, but it is a party. I highly recommend you go to the Sunset Celebration in Key West and also have a meal at Turtle Krawls- great seafood. Key West is awesome for walking or renting a bicycle once you get there. A fishing trip might be kind of enjoyeable if you have time. South Beach is a lot of fun. You can walk all over it too. Take the bus downtown, and to and from the airport. Convenient and much more economical than a cab. Also the bus is cool because you get a good look at the locals. Chances are, they won't be speaking English, and that is one of the things that I think makes Miami unique in a good way. I really enjoyed eating at Versailles in Little Havana. Ask for the Ropa Vieja. I'm still trying to figure out how to get a bus from the beach to Versailles. I ate in a lot of little Cuban diners on South Beach and I thought they were all great eating and good bargains. I don't think I ever spent more than $13 on food in Miami.
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Old 01-12-2011, 06:31 PM
 
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Once you get downtown just hop on the #8 bus.
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Old 01-13-2011, 09:36 AM
 
Location: Delray Beach
911 posts, read 1,713,145 times
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Well, I travel differently than most people and usually come home more exhausted than I left. For me travelling is like a buffet, I taste as much as I can, but not fill up on any one thing.

1st, take an early flight as possible in here. You're burning vacation daylight on that plane.
2nd, get a car at the airport . You don't know public trans here and don't have time to figure it out or wait on it. You've got places to go and things to see.

This is what I would do. Bring your GPS.

Day one: Grab a car the instant you arrive, (book online) drive downtown Miami and take the Rickenbacker causeway over to south beach. GPS to 12th and Washington, ave. there is public parking for $10 a day. Walk to Lumens park, see Sobe. Lunch at the Clevander will do After lunch, Take A1A all the way north to Hollywood Beach. Stay first night ON Hollywood Beach it's about $60 per night.

Day two: Wake up and walk Hollywood beach at dawn, breakfast on the beach. Check out of the hotel and head north on A1A to Ft Lauderdale beach then out the Las Olas blvd to Sawgrass Recreational park. Take an airboat ride in the Everglades. By 2:00 pm at end of full day one, you've seen the two top beaches in soflo, the two best cities here and the Everglades and you'll be spending the night in the Keys if you follow this plan. After the airboat ride, take the Florida turnpike from Sawgrass rec park to Key Largo. Get south and stay in Key largo, night two.

Day three: Wake up in Key Largo and go to John Pennecamp state Park, spend 1/2 day there, then back in the car and head north. (Key west is too far to drive, key Largo will give you the key experience without driving all day.) If you wanted more Key experience, head south to Islamorda and Kayak in the Mango groves at Robbie's) To come back, take US1 north, see Coral Gables, Coconut Grove. The Cocowalk is nice, it's CG's version of Alton and Lincoln road Mall in Sobe. From the Grove head up US1 through Brickell back into downtown then take the Venetian causeway into Miami beach if that's where you want to stay. Spend night 3 somewhere in the Miami area. It's a small city, so everything is pretty close.

Day four. Head to Bay Side Market place. Parking in the north garage is $10. Walk the marketplace and in the very back and you will see boat rides. Take a tour. That puts you off the boat at about noon on day four with plenty of time to do other things or nothing at all, but you have hit all the high spots with time on your hands. Port of Miami is stunning as well.

The water is cold this time of year, so leave your speedo's at home as it does nothing for your manhood and about the only thing swimming are Polar bears. You may appreciate a light jacket here on occasion and jeans more often than shorts. Shopping here can be problematic for someone new here, I would buy locally and bring it rather than waste time trying to find it here.

You'll need to keep cash on you at all times, $20 will do. Get insurance on your rental car, you'll appreciate that tip when you see how people drive here and BUCKLE up. Gas here right now is $3.20 per gallon for the cheap stuff.

Eating out is pricey. Sobe even more so, but figure on spending $40.00 for food for two. Check the bill, to see if gratuity has already been added. If you are an adventure eater, here is a link that may be of interest to you.

Hole in the walls 4 Foodies

The MIA airport is very travel friendly. Check with the rental car agency where to return the car. Some you can drop off at the airport or they can come pick you up, others require you take your car to a separate building near the airport. If it's the latter, you'll need to allow for that time.

Probably the most important thing to remember is try to stay east on US1 in the city. There's really nothing note worthy north of us1 and I395 in the city here, the best is east and south.

Other things you might want to consider:

First Time Visitor: Off-the-beat'n track. Fort Lauderdal, Miami, Key West



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