Miami Beach - North, South beach or other nearby area!

[Maggiethecat]

Going for a wedding later this month and will have two nights in Miami before heading a bit further north for the wedding. Ideally Dd and I would like to hang out at the beach and also do a bit of touristy stuff. Probably the art deco area and checking out the cultural and food scene.

I’ve left it late to book accommodation, but I’ve seen a few things on Airbnb and am trying to decide if we should go for south Beach or North Beach.

I’m getting the feeling that south beach is more busy and touristy, but for that reason also easy to walk to places, whereas North beach is probably a bit quieter and a bit further out.

Anybody know these areas and have any suggestions?

I would stay on Collins Avenue - around the Loews hotel area. You can walk to the art deco area easily but you’re not stuck in the middle of it. Lots of restaurants and bars.

There are a few blocks just south that you should avoid at all costs though for safety reasons. Google will tell you where to avoid.

Miami is a bit like that - take the Wynwood Walls area - just a few blocks down has the highest shooting rate in all of the USA. For that reason I really wouldn’t rely on air b n b for accommodation unless you can be 100% you know exactly where it is. I would use the Tripadvisor forum to ask advice.

I have painted a bad picture above - it’s my favourite US city and have holidayed there several times so please don’t be put off. It’s beautiful, fun and everything you expect and more!!!

Was in Miami at the tail end of last year.

I would stay in a hotel rather than use airbnb and the area that Bookworm has cited is fine. Its also near Lincoln Road which is a pedestrianised shopping district with some restaurants.

Would you use a car for those days?. If so you may want to think again as parking can be a problem for those in the South Beach area. UBers and Lyfts are widely available and there is a good bus network that runs throughout South Beach into other areas of Miami.

Wynwood walls can be seen via the Red Bus tour of the city.

@AttilaTheMeerkat and @BookwormButNoTime - thank you for the feedback.

I ended up not booking something at the beach, but instead booked an Airbnb in the upper Buena Vista area.

It has very good reviews especially re location but I must say that I’m feeling a bit concerned now.

Will you be using a car for these few days?.

No, I plan to use Uber so as to avoid parking charges.

Maggiethecat, you have not booked into a good area. Apart from it being a haunt for characters you may not feel comfortable with, you are quite a long way from the beach areas you want to visit. You are booked to stay in the city of Miami itself, whereas the area you need is the city of Miami Beach. This is a few miles away, over the nearby bridge, along a very pretty causeway where the huge liners are docked, then a little further on past Fisher Island where you come to the main Miami Beach street, Collins and Lincoln avenues. South Beach starts around 12th Street and continues up to 19th. This is the liveliest, most historic and charismatic area to be, whether to stay or sight-see. There is loads of public parking, and far cheaper than the $20-$30 each way that Uber will charge.

I have an idea of where you are potentially going to stay and its pretty much not near anything even like a Metro station let alone Miami Beach itself

@Micksdottir - oops! We thought that we would stay on the mainland instead, so that we could do some of the cultural stuff like galleries, Wynward etc and then hang out on the beach one day.

My main concern at this point, however, is not being in an area that is likely to be prone to violence!

“Wynwood”

Little Haiti and the “wrong” side of Wynwood are areas you DEFINITELY want to avoid.

It is all a bit confusing - from the map the Airbnb doesn’t appear to be in Little Haiti area.

I did check the reviews and no one mentioned feeling unsafe, seems to be an artsy/ design part of town - hard to know for sure.

abnb.me/k0yJkCUkoxb

Erm, I honestly wouldn’t stay there…..

Thank you @BookwormButNoTime

I think you can describe the area as “up and coming”. It’s on the outskirts of some very dodgy areas though. Some Uber drivers won’t go through them and will drive the long way round.

I realise that I need to get a sense of perspective here but I’m beginning to wonder if walking around places like Wynwood (a popular tourist destination) is safe. Sounds you’re never far away from a troubled area but I expect that’s the same for most big cities?

I know that staying in a place and just visiting for a couple of hours are two different things, but I find that I’m actually beginning to rethink what I would like to do for this short trip!

Walking around Wynwood Walls is very safe during the day and is well worth a visit. But I would get an Uber there and stick to tourist walking routes. Our driver was very clear as to where we shouldn’t go. It’s about being sensible and getting local advice.

Same with Little Havana.

It is honestly such an amazing city that you shouldn’t be put off. Just plan what you want to see and do your research. I mean, Ocean Drive is a place I wouldn’t want to be during Spring Break. If you have visions of hanging out and walking between the Design District and Wynwood then you are probably asking for trouble.

I do think you have to suck up the prices for accommodation in the main tourist areas though. Brickell and Coral Gables are cheaper than South Beach but are further south. If you find cheap accommodation in Miami then there’s a reason why it’s cheap.

As for the crack pipe comment above, you get that in pretty any US city. There are big problems with homelessness and many suffer from mental illness and addiction. The difference is that in the Miami tourist areas the police keep things under control.

Honestly, please do go and visit as it’s amazing city. Just do your research and be sensible.

I would also use the Tripadvisor Miami forum to pick the brains of local people as to location. I personally wouldn’t stay there - I live in central London and am well travelled (including 32 US states and a year backpacking round Asia and South America). I’m used to visiting and staying in some not so great areas and accommodation. The difference is that gun crime carries a much higher risk to your personal safety than having your bag nicked.

Maybe I’m a little risk averse, but honestly, the comments from taxi and Uber drivers made me understand that the threat is real.

It was a long time ago but reviews still look good, Hollywood beach is just north of Miami, Very nice and tranquil
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g34296-d632053-Reviews-Hollywood_Beach-Hollywood_Broward_County_Florida.html

I lived in Miami for the best part of a decade but a few years ago now. If I was going for 2 days I'd suck up the cost and stay in the tourist areas. Granted there are other areas which are lovely and perfectly safe but you'll spend a lot of time travelling. I've had a friend complaining about traffic on the 395 which is the main bridge into and out of Miami Beach, just this morning, saying one way took 3m and the other way took 3h! Stay in South Beach or North Beach which is lovely but a little quieter.

It is hard to give advice in other areas as even within those areas there are good bits and bad. The beaches have a heavy police presence.

Just to update here.
I thought about it and we really do want to be just relaxing by the beach. Although the Airbnb may be just lovely, I’d rather not have to worry about the possibility of it not being safe.
So South Beach here we come!

Yeah, if you want to be by the beach, stay by the beach if you're only going to be there for two days @Maggiethecat. Don't expect South Beach to be squeaky clean though - there are homeless people everywhere down there, people taking drugs, camping on the pavements, using the pavements as a toilet. There are some very expensive hotels on Collins and just outside there are some very dodgy characters. We were there at New Year and I thought Miami was dirty, dodgy, and the traffic is horrendous. We much preferred Ft Lauderdale.

Yay!!! I can recommend The Loews and The Betsy (although neither are cheap!!!!). Definitely get an Uber out to Wynwood Walls too as it’s so cool. Good way to spend a few hours.

@BookwormButNoTime - those look lovely but waaaay out of affordable reach for me!

Still hoping to soak up a bit of sun and see a few things.

I can HIGHLY recommend the Mondrian which is in south beach area but on the west side. Safe, quiet, fab hotel, whole foods nearby & a free tram to Lincoln road mall & espanola way (restaurant street)