Going to be in Miami for 2 days - From West Coast - Need Advice (Orlando: rental car)

[ecsdude]

Hi all,

I've never been to Florida and decided to fly down to Miami for a couple of days while I am out in NYC, before returning to California. I just wanted to see what Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Orlando may be like. I also like being by the water (ocean/beach/lake) and so I thought I'd check that out. Never been to Disney World and it's been years since I've been to Disneyland. So I have thought about maybe doing that, but would only have 1 full day there, which may not be enough?

I thought if I had 3-4 days there, I could go on a cruise to the Bahamas. Never been on a cruise and the Bahamas seems like a nice relaxing place. But I only have 2 full days, so not sure what's possible on this front given the short time I have.

I was wondering if you had 2 full days in Miami Florida or around there, which of the above (or other suggestions) would you consider must-see, must-do, must-eat?

I just want to get the most out of my 2 days there, picking the things most worthwhile.

Also, I'm hoping to find hotels at least 3.5-4 stars for $100-$149/night, at most, to stay within a certain budget, if any recommendations?

Not sure yet if I'd rent a car or not when I get to the airport. What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

[Bobdreamz]

You only have 2 full days and at most you will be able to see some of Miami & Ft. Lauderdale.
A rental car is a must anywhere in Florida as a tourist so if you arrive at MIA take the free peoplemover (follow the pink signs in the terminal) that will take you to the Rental Car center that is about a mile away from the airport.
South Beach is a must and can keep you occupied for an entire day alone.
Ft. Lauderdale & the beach is nice also and is 27 miles away to the north on I-95 but you need to avoid rush hour traffic anywhere in south Florida unless you like sitting in "LA like traffic" for hours !

Forget Orlando & DisneyWorld due to your time constraints even though it's about 4 hours from the Miami area.
DW has 4 theme parks and you will need a good week to explore all of them & about the same for a cruise to the Bahamas.
You have to really pre-plan those type of vacations ahead of time to enjoy yourself.

I will let others chime in on hotels & your must-see, must-do, must-eat !
Best of luck !

PS: When are you planning your visit ?

[AnnRyan]

Two days? We'll need a lot more ideas of things you like to do in order to ake decent suggestions. Outdoors, Beach, Art, Music?

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

You only have 2 full days and at most you will be able to see some of Miami & Ft. Lauderdale.
A rental car is a must anywhere in Florida as a tourist so if you arrive at MIA take the free peoplemover (follow the pink signs in the terminal) that will take you to the Rental Car center that is about a mile away from the airport.
South Beach is a must and can keep you occupied for an entire day alone.
Ft. Lauderdale & the beach is nice also and is 27 miles away to the north on I-95 but you need to avoid rush hour traffic anywhere in south Florida unless you like sitting in "LA like traffic" for hours !

Forget Orlando & DisneyWorld due to your time constraints even though it's about 4 hours from the Miami area.
DW has 4 theme parks and you will need a good week to explore all of them & about the same for a cruise to the Bahamas.
You have to really pre-plan those type of vacations ahead of time to enjoy yourself.
Best of luck !

PS: When are you planning your visit ?

Great post!


Your hotel budget will be a little tough and when you're planning to come will make a huge difference on any advice offered as hotel prices change significantly depending on time of year and if a holiday is involved.

[elchevere]

First of all, you need to decide between South Florida and Orlando.....no way are you doing both in only 2 days.

Personally, I would stay both days in South Beach (Miami Beach) for only 2 days. Plenty to do and you will be right on the beach with good restaurants and nightlife, though plan on bumping up your budget by $50-100/night....this increase in hotel costs can be offset by not needing a rental car and paying for overnight parking if you stay in South Beach. Just take Uber from and to the airport (presumably MIA) and do the same once in South Beach, walk, rent a Citibike, use SWOOP (free golf cart taxi service that operates on tips), or use the 25 cents "Local" bus.

What other advice can I offer a Californian visiting Miami/Miami Beach??....(1) do NOT expect cars to stop for you in the crosswalk (2) contrary to what most Californians think, humidity is not like the forbidden zone from Planet of the Apes--you'll survive and be fine; (3) in many restaurants an 18% tip is already included in your bill (i.e. under "service charge") and (4) you can speak your mind, for the most part and within reason, and people are not as easily offended. (people here still chuckle in amazement when I tell them a guy came up to me in a sports bar in San Diego after I used the word p*ssy when one of the NY Giants did not go after a fumble and told me to watch my language because there were women present. I had to explain to Dudley Do Right that I'm such a brut but I was referring to the player on the television set, not female anatomy..guarantee you that will NOT happen in Miami--and thank goodness for that).

[WrongStreet]

As others said, 2 days isn't enough to do both Orlando and South Florida. You can do a Bahamas cruise for two days, like a weekend cruise from Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) and then spend the remainder in South Beach or downtown MIA. Your hotel budget for 3-4 star hotels is unrealistic if you plan to stay in the top tourist spots, just won't happen.


For that price you're looking at Holiday Inn's or Best Westerns, that sort of thing, and likely closer to the Airport.


Once in Miami - in two days you can check out South Beach, Bayside, Wynwood, Coconut Grove during that time. That should give you a pretty good feel for the sights. There is plenty more to do, depending on your interests, but if you want a 2 day cram that should suffice.