Miami

**Dirtyfilthymech** · 24-01-2010, 22:57

I'm going to Miami in May and have yet to book my accommodation. I don't know which area to book so I'm looking for a bit advise, Is it down town or Miami Beach?

Where is all the good night life?

Ta

**AFA06** · 24-01-2010, 23:10

South Beach!!!!!!!!

Just watch 'Burn Notice' and you will see why!!

**CountryGal** · 24-01-2010, 23:18

the news cafe on south beach makes a great place for brekie, and you can people watch at the same time ;o)

we stayed at the blue moon hotel on collins, a short walk from south beach,

Its a great city to visit - enjoy

**Sid447** · 09-02-2010, 15:06

Originally Posted by Dirtyfilthymech

I'm going to Miami in May and have yet to book my accommodation. I don't know which area to book so I'm looking for a bit advise, Is it down town or Miami Beach?
Where is all the good night life?
Ta

I stayed,

at the Holiday Inn. Decent enough. The "Mango Bar" is or was a brilliant night out.

**Miner** · 09-02-2010, 15:12

I thought Miami was a dump when I went there.
The hotel was a shite hole, the city was a shite hole, everyone looked crazy or a drug dealer, I couldn't get a drink anywhere, the women weren't interested in me, & the night life was crap.

Admittedly I was only 11 and it was 1987, but thats besides the point.
Although I did get my hands on some cracking G.I. Joe figures that hadn't come out in the UK yet. :D

**Fronty** · 09-02-2010, 16:25

Not really stopped in Miami, but just kept on going past it to Ft. Lauderdale. Maybe next trip (work) I'll try it and see what happens.

I'll let you know if I find knocking shop cum hotel cum bar cum shooting range in the Miami Dade area.

**Bouillabaisse** · 09-02-2010, 16:44

Originally Posted by Fronty

Not really stopped in Miami, but just kept on going past it to Ft. Lauderdale. Maybe next trip (work) I'll try it and see what happens.

I'll let you know if I find knocking shop cum hotel cum bar cum shooting range in the Miami Dade area.

I believe it's a large outdoor urban simulation range. You'll find it right outside your hotel (if CSI Miami is to be believed)

**Fronty** · 09-02-2010, 17:05

Are guests allowed to carry within this range? Whilst the wife might not agree with it, I'd like to try my hand with one of those "NevrEmpty 3000" pistols that seem to catpult badguys twenty feet in the air on a hit.

**POGscribbler** · 19-02-2010, 14:05

After a fortnight travelling around Florida the other year, Hurricane chasing (or rather they chased us) Mrs Pogs and I decided to splash out for the last few days and stayed at The Colony Hotel in Miami on South Beach, it was brill, also having mentioned I was in the Armed Forces We got upgraded to a swanky apartment so even better!! a short stagger to bars and restaurants and just across the road from the beach.

PoGs

www.pocketcomms.co.uk

**DavidBOC** · 19-02-2010, 14:27

Be sure to visit "Calle Ocho" which is the Cuban district. Name means 8th Avenue, not sure about the spelling. Lots of Cuban restaurants and Cuban pastry shops.

If you get there before May 15th try Stone Crab. Hard shelled crab but worth the work and the price. Joe's Stone Crab at far end of Collins is a bit pricy but very nice. By the way, crabs are not killed! They catch the beasts, take off the claws and throw it back and it grows new claws. You can only buy stone crab from Oct 15- May 15. Lots of good fish restaurants if you like fish.

There is a really nice seafood place in Coconut Grove eating outdoors on a dock. Eat and watch the yachts. I forget the name but if I talk to the the former wife in the next few days I will ask her if she remembers the name. Great place.

If you are going with kids the Miami Zoo is great. A bit of a drive from downtown on site of a former naval air station so they had lots of room building it. I would go to zoo even without kids but I am a bit weird and like that sort of thing.

**DavidBOC** · 20-02-2010, 06:21

DirtyFilthy:

Something else. If you have time and a rental car go to Shark Valley Visitor Center in Everglades National Park
Shark Valley Linky
It is about 25 miles west of downtown Miami on US Route 41 called the Tamiami Trail.

A couple of years ago I was in Florida with my son. He had been down the previous year with his girlfriend. He was mad to get me to go to the Everglades. I wasn't that keen but went to humour him (readers with grown kids will understand). The kid was right. Great place to visit.

It is very hard to believe that you are still legally within the limits of Miami and Dade county. You can take a tram trip through the park and the driee tells you all about the wildlife. All kinds of snakes, birds, lots of alligators etc. At the turnaround point there is a observastion tower and when you go up you see about nothing made by man except the road you came in on.

The entry fee to the park is $10 per car. It was a couple of years since I took the tram tour but I think it was $15. You can hike the 15 mile road but do so only if you have no fear of gators and poisonous snakes, pythons etc. I think the tour is worth it.

**CountryGal** · 20-02-2010, 12:11

Even if your not a fan, catching a game at the heats stadium is worth the ticket price too

**TheIronDuke** · 20-02-2010, 18:40

Hire a car and buzz over the other side of Florida. The Gulf bit. Full of demented old hippies and guys who've 'Never been the same since Vietnam'. A bit more laid back than Miami or the Disney nightmare. And far less hassle if you're landing coke. Not that you are, obviously. That would be illegal. Just saying...

Sorry, just I'm struggling to think of another reason you'd go to Miami?

**DavidBOC** · 21-02-2010, 20:39

Dirtyfilthymech:

The Iron Duke has an excellent point if you have the time. West coast has a lot of nice places to vist. I have condo on the west cost i do not get to much but as of Feb 26th I am retired and will be there more.

Another thread on what is cheap/free with military ID has a lot of discussion on this. Check out Other thread linky

Another alternative is Key West. The southernmost point in the US. Lots of nightlife. People gather at the town pier at sundown to watch the snset and will applaud a particularly nice sunset. There is a USN base quite close to downtown. Key West is about 150-175 miles south of Miami and is a bout a 3.5 hour drive. For US military there is lots of MWR housing dirt cheap. Not sure about other military people using it, I think not unless you are in US on orders. The nice officers club at Key West os now open to all ranks I think (no idea what rank you are) and does a really great Sunday Brunch. Last time i was there the TV was a bit odd as you are closer to Havana than Miami and the only channel that came in well broadcast loooong speeches by Fidel. I presume they have cable down ther now.

Also, word of warning. For reasons that are totally unclear to me young US women seem to think a British accent is very sexy (probably Hugh Grant influence) and you may have a surplus. Being American I don't have this problem and any young woman is likely to think I remind her of her dear grandpa.

Edited to add: In Tampa, lots of nightlife in Ybor City section (pron: eeeBore) Being an old fart I just go there for excellent Cuban food at Columbia restaurant. (great place).

Also, wherever you go, I hope you enjoy your visit to the US.

**POGscribbler** · 22-02-2010, 00:33

Just a quick repost as Mrs PoGs has pointed out that it was on Palm beach not south beach!... either way keep your forces ID in your pocket as you never know when it might come in handy :D

PoGs
www.pocketcomms.com

After a fortnight travelling around Florida the other year, Hurricane chasing (or rather they chased us) Mrs Pogs and I decided to splash out for the last few days and stayed at The Colony Hotel in Miami on Palm Beach, it was brill, also having mentioned I was in the Armed Forces We got upgraded to a swanky apartment so even better!! a short stagger to bars and restaurants and just across the road from the beach.

see link

www.thecolonypalmbeach.com/Hotel/

PoGs

www.pocketcomms.co.uk