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^LOL Well, technically, I am down here in FL too from up north, but I suppose for Miami that is true. Longer range, move where the job is, and never say never, but honestly, for permanent base I would like to be somewhere with at least some degree of all four seasons
Quote:
Originally Posted by SanyBelle
Parking for the basketball game will be no more than $8.27 so cheap enough. The UM website does say that the metrorail is convenient, I haven't looked at the map to see how far it is from the basketball venue. There is a trolley so that would work if you take the metrorail. If it was me, I'd take the metrorail.
Have fun!
Thank you! I appreciate that. That doesn't sound too bad. Usually my standard for parking for free is that the lot is somewhat big box (Publix or bigger). If I was gonna be a cheapskate and park for free, I might try to do so in the Garage at Shops at Sunset Place. Considering I am only planning on staying at the game an hour or so, that might work, though it is about a 20 minute walk, however that would also allow me to see the Sunset Place Shopping Plaza and A-Rod Park on my way over.
I thought/am thinking heavily about taking the Metrorail instead too. From where we are staying it looks like about a 2-3 minute walk only to Brickell Station, and then from the University Station, it appears to be about a five-minute walk to the arena entrance, so that really isn't bad, and would throw out the risks that still might come with walking or driving anyways. The only reason I'd feel slightly unsure is that the game is Sunday at 8, which means I'd likely be walking and riding over in the early evening (about 7), and then perhaps leaving the game roughly halftime (9 or so), and it is a Sunday evening which makes me wonder if things would be a little overly quiet then. I do see that the Green Line is still running up until 10 which means I'd be fine on making my connection. I suppose I could take it out, and then if I happened to be feeling that the metro was overly deserted or creepy at that time, I could Uber back. It looks like it would run about $15 for that ride, which isn't the worst thing given the convenience. That said, you aren't the first person to tell me that it is probably fine to do given those areas are both nice, the stations are well lit and monitored, and the distance from the station to the destination on each end is not far.
University Station is kinda hard to read. It doesn't appear that there is a pedestrian bridge, at least one visible on Google Maps or anything.. but it does appear there is a crosswalk just at the eastern part of the station leading into campus. It also doesn't appear that the road separating the station from campus, Ponce De Leon, would be particularly hard to just jay walk across and be right there... especially on a Sunday evening when students may even be going home/on break.
Just out of curiosity.. a 24 hr. MetroRail Pass.. would that expire at midnight that night, or not until 7 PM or so the next evening? I still have my EasyCard, so I'm considering whether I may even just preload it for that time frame online, or at the station if that isn't possible.
Plans are sort of solidifying. I think one thing that we are increasingly likely to head over or try to make it to now is the Miami Book Fair at MDC Downtown. It just looks really neat and like something particularly unique happening while we are in town.
Also, almost certainly stopping in Wynwood for at least a couple of hours Monday. I do see that Wynwood Walls is actually a paid attraction which is a little surprising.. but it's only $5-$10 so not really too bad. I also may make it a point to stop by the Bacardi Building (although maybe that's better seen/photographed in the evening), and the Buckminster Fuller Studios Fly's Eye recreation over in the Design District.
How safe is it for pedestrians along the Rickenbacker Causeway? Considering, perhaps our final day in town, heading out that way for a morning jog. It looks like the southern side of the street has a protected sidewalk, and then the other side is kinda a hybrid bike/pedestrian lane, though without much separation.
I don't know the answers to your questions but parking is not free at The Shops at Sunset Place, at least it wasn't free the last time I went to the movies there about 2 years ago. I was able to get my parking stub validated so you might buy something cheap there to get free parking, but you'd have to do it before going to the game since most stores are probably not open that late on a Sunday evening.
I don't know the answers to your questions but parking is not free at The Shops at Sunset Place, at least it wasn't free the last time I went to the movies there about 2 years ago. I was able to get my parking stub validated so you might buy something cheap there to get free parking, but you'd have to do it before going to the game since most stores are probably not open that late on a Sunday evening.
Right, that makes sense. Have you taken Metrorail before in the early to mid-evening hours before (open to other posters as well) What was your experience like in doing so, if you have? Like you said and another person said, I would probably be fine, but having some insight from others that have taken transit semi-regularly would be appreciated, as I would be traveling alone
I haven't been on the Metrorail in a couple of years but it's safe, especially going from Brickell to Coral Gables. You would be on the green line and not have to change trains/stations. I haven't heard any news reports that there have been problems on the Metrorail. You can also download the Miami-Date Transit App here. Just an FYI, masks are required on all MD transit.
From the UM website: Metrorail Option: Our campus has a Metrorail stop which makes for a convenient visit. From the University Metrorail stop, you can walk to the Watsco Center, Alex Rodriguez Park, and Cobb Stadium. Or, take advantage of the Hurry 'Cane Stanford Shuttle to reach our other campus venues. Please access the shuttle map here. You can call and ask about the UM trolley, I often see it parked near the metro station when I drive by, I would guess it's running during the basketball games but here is the number for the UM Parking and Transportation office: 305-284-3096, if you want to call and ask.
If you are concerned about riding the metro during the evening, you might want to just drive and park at the Watsco Center. It's only $8 for parking and you will pay $5 or $6 for the metro anyway.
Hopefully someone else will be along to give more help to you!
I haven't been on the Metrorail in a couple of years but it's safe, especially going from Brickell to Coral Gables. You would be on the green line and not have to change trains/stations. I haven't heard any news reports that there have been problems on the Metrorail. You can also download the Miami-Date Transit App here. Just an FYI, masks are required on all MD transit.
From the UM website: Metrorail Option: Our campus has a Metrorail stop which makes for a convenient visit. From the University Metrorail stop, you can walk to the Watsco Center, Alex Rodriguez Park, and Cobb Stadium. Or, take advantage of the Hurry 'Cane Stanford Shuttle to reach our other campus venues. Please access the shuttle map here. You can call and ask about the UM trolley, I often see it parked near the metro station when I drive by, I would guess it's running during the basketball games but here is the number for the UM Parking and Transportation office: 305-284-3096, if you want to call and ask.
If you are concerned about riding the metro during the evening, you might want to just drive and park at the Watsco Center. It's only $8 for parking and you will pay $5 or $6 for the metro anyway.
Hopefully someone else will be along to give more help to you!
You did make me feel pretty good about it (taking metro, that is)-honestly, the walking between part is what worries me more than the metro, which is secured by a ticket counter, etc, but that's going to be present regardless, at least on the University end (it would save the walk on the Brickell side of things). I appreciate that information about the shuttle also. Realistically, though I guess being human, I don't always think about things that way, the risk I have being behind the wheel of getting in a car accident is probably greater than the risk I have of someone accosting me at a metro station or on a city street. But again, I appreciate your insight, and also welcome feedback from others!
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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I took the Metrorail for a basketball game from Brickell once and it was a piece of cake….maybe a 5 minute walk to Watsco from the University stop. The Shops at Sunset Place is a good 15 minute walk (the South Miami Metrorail stop is an additional 5-7 minutes on top of that though there are some good restaurants in that neighborhood).
No issue walking Rickenbacker during the day.
Wynwood is fine during the day….consider KYU or Le Chick for lunch.
elchevere: Oh no! I wish I would have seen your foodie recommendations prior to our trip... last time I checked the site was earlier last week so missed out. I do appreciate them though, and I'm sure there will be follow-up trips where I can try those places.
SanyBelle: Of course!
Trip Log
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Sunday: Honestly, for a few reasons, this might be the best day for our family to make follow-up visits to Miami when traveling together. Traffic, even in Miami on the way over was virtually non-existent, things are a little quieter, and price point for things is better (staying at Aloft Brickell was $110 plus fees a night.. which IMO is probably a pretty good deal).
-Got in around 11, hung out with my wife's college friend (we have become couple friends, and with kids too, so play-date sorta thing too, for much of the early afternoon-for geographic perspective, kinda near, but not too close, to FIU)
-Went over to South Pointe Park to meet my friend and The Urban Files co-host, along with his family, and enjoy that area. Parking is almost non-existent in the parking lot itself on weekends, but we were able to find a convenient space a few blocks away, and the rate wasn't terrible (3 something an hour). That is just an extremely well-designed, active, and beautiful space with great people watching. Having been on a cruise out of Miami, it was particularly cool to wave at passengers on their way out to sea. Skyline and beach views there, and we worked our way up a bit of the Miami Beach beachfront (I love the separated paved path there) en route to our car.
-Went to the UMiami game (dinner at Pilo's Street Tacos-to go). I just drove, less because of worry about safety, but that trains only run every 30 mins on Sunday evenings, and I didn't want to be stuck waiting on the platform for 20 mins or so. In any case, the drive over was easy, and parking was only $3. I have to say-Watsco Center while nice, is quite small/intimate in nature (like, as a frame of reference, UCF's arena only seats about 1500 more, 9500 vs. 8000, but it feels like it has maybe double or more the footprint). That's fine though, honestly, for a relatively new arena, Miami's doesn't take up too much space and you'd almost miss it if you weren't paying attention (it blends in), and was cost-effective (in looking, and of course there's some inflation difference, but both were built during same decade, and UCF's is $107 million compared to UMiami's $48 million. Honestly, for a program that hasn't always been in the best of shape (I believe, shut down for 15 seasons, then playing even in the Knight Center Auditorium, and at the Old Heat Arean before finally getting their own place), it's probably just nice to have any venue, period.
-I'll be honest, I was more interested than anything in just seeing the venue and getting a feel for it (and it was kinda dead.. only 2 students in the student section not counting pep band, I'm sure if I went to any ACC Game, esp against UNC or Duke, it would be much better), so I went to go check out campus afterward. I had seen it once, but forgotten how gorgeous it was. It doesn't have older buildings going for it, or necessariliy a bucolic setting or quad, but it's still really pretty. Despite not necessarily having a super intriguing layout going for it, it does have perhaps even more beautiful modern buildings than UCFs does, or at least per capita, and particularly, Lake Osceola at night with the significantly sized pool and Shalala Student Center flanking it is a mic drop.
-When I got back, I was impressed by a particular anecdote. It was almost 11, and family needed Benadryl.. I was a little nervous about stepping out that late alone in an urban setting but turned out I didn't have any need to be. Women walking solo still at that time of night, and just a generally active, inviting feel that is unlike that of a fair number of US cities at night (or even, right across the river from Brickell).
Monday: I'll note that some of the decision-making for the trip was with the benefit of my wife and daughter in mind. Being in the car/A/C was beneficial for not overheating and so daughter could nap, otherwise I probably would've just spent more time in transit or on the ground, or not even have left the downtown core. Anyhow:
-Morning walk. Went down the stretch of The Underline I hadn't yet seen, and then went over from there to Simpson Park. Not effective for stroller so I only went in for a couple of minutes, but was thoroughly impressed at the foresight to set aside a deeply forested park like that by the early founders of the city which actually feels out in nature in a way... definitely a gem for the area.
-Breakfast on way back from the walk at La Estacion Cafe. Somewhat hard to get to with a stroller and find, but pretty good Colombian food, and price point for Brickell. Got two coffees, two breakfast sandwiches, and an arepa to share for less than $20.
-Headed up to Wynwood. We had tried and loved The Salty last time, but at that point, had gone to the South Miami location. Wynwood's was fine too, and I was so happy and excited to finally see this area and explore it (though Monday was still quite hot for our tastes). Also went to Zak the Baker, and then paid the $5 (student ID) to go into Wynwood Walls. Honestly.. I'm not sure I'd do it again, but I'm glad I got to see it once.
-Daughter was napping and wife was exhausted and overheated at this point, so they stayed in the car and parked to let me out to explore Design District, another area I was seeing for the first time. Considering I hadn't even heard of it a few years back, I was just amazed at how upscale and interesting the architecture and shopping was in this area. Honestly, I couldn't even begin to afford or think about affording most of these brands (and I'm honestly not huge on shopping either haha), but definitely did enjoy window shopping, it really is a cool place to hang out and check out all the interesting stuff, esp. the Buckminster Fuller Fly's Eye replica you exit a parking garage from to street level.
-Because of my aforementioned comment.. we went to go check out Aventura. I figured it would suit mutual purposes (give my wife/daughter a chance to do something passive and in the A/C), and for me, a chance to see another part of Miami and one of the largest and highest-grossing shopping malls in the US. I know it sounds like I'm speaking out of both sides of my mouth with saying I'm not interested in shopping, but I'm highly interested in looking at and exploring the commercial makeup of an area, suburban areas included in that, and Aventura, architecturally, people, and the unique shops in it, was worth looking at to me. Two things I did get here: Jrk (it's just called that, and as far as fast-casual, or Jamaican food, period, it's among the best I've had, anywhere.. the food court/food hall at Aventura Mall is really great honestly). Also got boozy ice cream (chocolate-mezcal), which it was my first time trying, and really cool to do, and I enjoyed seeing the Christmas decor and model train station here, as well.
-Returned to downtown, but by way of a stop at Azucar Ice Cream/Domino Park in Little Havana. I got Key Lime Pie and my wife got some espresso flavor, and we both agreed, some of the best ice cream we've had anywhere, full stop.
-Remaining few hours of the day was spent on foot around our hotel area (we went past Mary Brickell Village and I had a tea from Peet's/Capital One Cafe), and then got to show my wife Brickell City Centre, which again, while most stuff is out of our shopping budget, made for some great window shopping and people watching to cap off the day. Brickell does just have a really fun vibe and energy to it.
Tuesday:
-I dipped out for a morning run, as I'm trying to get back into it, and went from where we were staying to and around all of Brickell Key around sunrise. Beautiful views, I especially enjoyed watching the crane operating on the soon-to-be-finished Aston Martin Residences. Really a perfect way to start the morning, and finally, with perfect temperatures.
-Met our family for breakfast/brunch (my wife randomly had a cousin living in Brickell) at B Bistro. Honestly, it was delicious (I had the Pastelito Pancakes), and we had never spent all that much time with them in general, so it was a terrific opportunity to catch up and get to know them better.
-To close the trip, we decided to go check out ZooMiami. Even though it was out of the way from where we stayed of course, figured daughter would enjoy it, and also, as ZooTampa at Lowry Park passholders, our reciprocal, at least until the end of this year, extends over to ZooMiami also so we were able to get in for $12 per ticket. It's a much more sprawling zoo than Tampa's (I believe in my memory from looking, one of the largest zoos in the US period at close to 700 acres). Honestly, there were sections that felt kind of quiet or where there weren't that many animals or it was being worked on, but at the same time, I think from an animal perspective I'd way rather be in this zoo than many in the US, as the animal exhibits that were present seemed to give a much wider space for them to roam. Also, for animal aficionados, this one seemed to have more unique varieties or animals that were somewhat rare in other zoos. In any case, glad we got to check it out, and a good way to end the trip. We walked (and ran) A LOT. I think Sunday was my shortest day with right around 8 miles, but I ended up logging 10.6 miles on Monday, and 11.8 miles on Tuesday.
If you're still reading, hope you enjoyed, and we will look to another trip at some point (I think for the time being, some of my Miami curiousity is satiated at least for 4-6 months and we may plan our next regional trip to somewhere else like Jacksonville/St. Augustine, Gainesville and state parks surrounding, Pensacola etc.), that said I wouldn't rule out a trip sometime in the spring, as I was thinking about checking out the Miami Open (as many sporting events as I've been fortunate enough to attend, I've never been to a pro tennis match or event). I also would like to specifically base ourselves in Miami Beach at some point, but that may be better saved for a trip when we are able to get a babysitter : )
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Well, technically, I am down here in FL too from up north, but I suppose for Miami that is true. Longer range, move where the job is, and never say never, but honestly, for permanent base I would like to be somewhere with at least some degree of all four seasons 
