Destinations
Miami
Overview
Miami may be the retirement capital of the United States, but there is nothing old fashioned about this bright, brash playground city that shines under the sunny Florida skies. This coastal city was a sleepy holiday town until the 1920s, when the 'in crowd' decided to make it their own. The town bloomed into a fun seaside capital and was blessed with a legacy of Art Deco architecture, particularly along South Beach, which has been carefully preserved. During World War II the forces came to town when Miami was an important military base. Today, apart from being a favourite holiday Mecca and sunny spot for retirees, it is also the gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America.
Miami's large Cuban community add to the atmosphere in the sultry neighbourhood of Little Havana. Trendsetters hang out in Coconut Grove, while sunlovers strew the miles of white sandy beaches. For families there are entertaining attractions like the Seaquarium and Metrozoo. The nightlife is sophisticated and varied. The city also gives easy access to Florida's popular Gold Coast resorts and attractions, as well as the natural wonder of the Florida Everglades.
No wonder Miami is America's favourite holiday destination and the hub of a vibrant cruise ship industry, its port jammed constantly with sleek passenger liners. North of the city, miles of beautiful sandy beaches of the Gold Coast are hemmed in by southeast Florida's major tourist resorts: Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach and Palm Beach.
Getting around
The mainstay of the Miami public transport system is buses, however the network is large and it takes some time getting used to it. The fare is standard to any destination. If you need to change buses, ask for a transfer when buying your ticket, which costs extra. There is also an elevated train service called the Metrorail, which connects North and South Miami with stations at one mile intervals, and an elevated monorail, the Metromover, which offers great views of downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay and connects with buses and trains. Most visitors, however, take taxis or hire a car. To rent a car the driver must be over 21, have a valid credit card and, if from abroad, hold a passport and English language driving license.
Travel Info
Airports
Miami International Airport
Location: The airport is located nine miles (15km) west of central Miami.
Transfer Terminals:
City Transfer: The airport is well connected to the greater Miami area by numerous services offered by the Miami-Dade Transit Department. These include the scheduled local city bus service (the bus station is on Level 1 of Concourse E); a mass-transit metro-rail system; a fixed rail system designated specifically for downtown Miami and Brickell; and the TriRail commuter train reaching Broward and Palm Beach Counties from the Airport Station to the east of the airport on NW 21st Street. Taxi cabs and super shuttle services are also available, on the ground level outside Arrivals.
Facilities: There are numerous restaurants, bars, cafes and fast food chains available 24 hours. Dozens of shops, including duty-free, are available. The airport also has ATMs, bureaux de change, barber shop/hair salon, chapel, a health club, an art gallery and a rooftop swimming pool. Facilities for the disabled are good.
Parking: Miami International Airport's long-term parking facilities consist of two multi-level parking garages. Short-term parking is available in the same area at higher rates. For more information call +1 305 876 7536.
Fort Lauderdale International
Location: The airport is located 25 miles (40km) north of Miami and minutes from the beaches of Fort Lauderdale.
Transfer Terminals:
City Transfer: Shared shuttle vans can be booked at the transportation desks located in each terminal. They offer a door-to-door service from the airport to most local destinations. Shuttle buses connect to TriRail stations and local bus services operate from bus stops outside the terminal buildings. A train service connects the airport with Miami International (MIA). Taxis are available outside Arrivals.
Facilities: There are numerous ATMs, shops, bars and restaurants throughout the airport. Each terminal has a business centre with fax and photocopy facilities. Disabled facilities are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking: There is plenty of parking available adjacent to the airport.
Activities
Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit
Nothing is staid or boring in Miami, least of all its museums. The Museum of Science north of Coconut Grove, contains more than 140 exhibits, all designed to be hands-on and interactive, coupled with live demonstrations and collections of rare natural history specimens that make discovering and learning a great deal of fun. The Wildlife Center boasts more than 175 live reptiles and birds of prey, and the adjacent Space Transit Planetarium provides more thrills with projected astronomy and laser light shows.
Opening: Daily from 10am to 6pm; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
Admission: $17 (adults), $11 (children 3-12), free for under 3's. Other concessions available. Prices include museum galleries, planetarium shows and wildlife center
Miami Seaquarium
At least a half a day is required to fully enjoy south Florida's premier attraction. The Seaquarium is world-renowned for its marine life shows and attractions, including performing killer whales and television aquatic star and dolphin, Flipper. Another favourite star is the sea lion Salty and his colleagues, who amuse and amaze with their antics.
Opening: Daily 9.30am to 6pm
Admission: $27.95 (adults), $21.95 (children 3-9)
Miami-Dade Cultural Centre
The outwardly unattractive complex of the Miami-Dade Cultural Centre, in the rather unsavoury area of West Flagler Street, is worth a visit because it houses a plethora of interesting artistic and historic exhibits. The Centre contains the Miami Art Museum (www.miamiartmuseum.org), featuring a collection of modern and contemporary works by American, Latin American and Caribbean artists. There are also themed exhibits, which bring art and artists to life, as do the twice-monthly 'happy hour' parties, organised to highlight a particular exhibit. The Cultural Centre also contains the Historical Museum of Southern Florida (www.historical-museum.org) with exhibits that relate to the fascinating history of the area and the culture, folklore and archaeology of South Florida and the Caribbean.
Opening: Art Museum: Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm, third Thursdays until 9pm. Historical Museum: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday from 12pm, third Thursdays until 9pm
Admission: $5 (adults) to each museum. Children under 12 are free at the Art Museum and $2 at the Historical Museum (Saturdays are free for Historical Museum)
Transport: Government Center metrorail station
Vizcaya Villa
Lovers of antiques revel in visiting the magnificent 34-room Vizcaya bayfront villa, built in the Italian Renaissance style in 1916 as a winter retreat for wealthy industrialist, James Deering. The grand mansion took hundreds of artisans five years to complete, and the formal gardens, which surround the villa fronting on Biscayne Bay, took even longer to lay out. Today visitors can tour the villa and grounds, enjoying the original furnishings and décor in a variety of Renaissance, Baroque, Rococco and Neoclassical styles.
Opening: Daily 9.30am to 4.30pm; closed 25 December
Admission: $12 (adults), $5 (children 6-12). Under 5s free
Transport: Metrorail to Vizcaya station
Spanish Monastery
Miami boasts the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere. Dating from 1133 the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux in North Miami Beach is a hugely popular tourist attraction, although not quite indigenous to the area. The monastery stood originally in Segovia in Spain, but in the early 1950s the medieval building was bought by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, disassembled, shipped to Miami and rebuilt on its present site.
Opening: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm; Sunday 1.30pm to 5pm
Admission: $5 (adults), $2 (children), other concessions available
Coral Castle
Legend has it that unrequited love led a Latvian immigrant to spend 25 years single-handedly carving a castle out of rock between the Florida Keys and Miami, on the South Dixie Highway. The amazing monument to the man's determination has been called America's Stonehenge and has been featured in numerous magazine and newspaper articles. Visitors are awed by the castle, which also contains affidavits from neighbours testifying to the fact that the builder had no assistance with his mammoth task.
Opening: Sunday to Thursday 8am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday until 9pm
Admission: $9.75 (adults), $5 (children); other concessions available
Everglades National Park
The vast Everglades National Park that spans the tip of the Florida peninsula, 35 miles (56km) southwest of Miami, has been described as a 40-mile-wide (64km) slow-moving river of grass, interspersed with shallow wetlands. It is the only subtropical preserve in North America, containing temperate and tropical plants. It also boasts dozens of endangered species that find a home in this natural habitat, like the swallowtail butterfly, American crocodile, leatherback turtle, southern bald eagle and West Indian manatee. The best way to explore the Park is by canoe; private operators however run rapid air-boat tours, which are popular with thrill-seeking visitors. The Park has been accorded several honours including its designation as a World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve and a Wetland of International Importance. A few sections of the park still remain closed due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina and Wilma; visitors are advised to check on the latest situation before visiting.
Opening: Open year round; the main park entrance (near Homestead and Florida City) is open 24 hours a day
Admission: $10 per vehicle, or $5 per pedestrian or cyclist, valid for seven days
Transport: Greyhound buses service Homestead, but no public transport is available from there to the park entrance. There is no public transportation within the park, but canoes and kayaks can be rented in the park
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Travel guide content from www.wordtravels.com, copyright © Globe Media Ltd. By its very nature much of the information in this travel guide is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Neither Globe Media nor Specialist Holidays Group Ireland can accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.
