ranger83

Hey
So, my mom and sis are visiting me from my native country- and without informing they went ahead and booked tickets for Miami for the next weekend. As a single guy, I am not even sure if Miami is a place to go to with your Mother/sister- in any case, it'll be great if folks can give me ideas about the places/cities I can do over the three days. I had planned Miami for a day, Orlando for the other and key west or the everglades for the last day. Any thoughts?
Thanks

garyt22

Thats a lot of driving... you will be in the car way too much to enjoy the trip... its very hot there now and rain pops up at any time... I would take them to South Beach for an overnight stay near Ocean Drive... prices are less in Summer... but you can see the Ocean, restaurants, shopping and lifestyle... then on Day 2 consider a ride along the Keys and stop at an upper key or as far as Islamorada for lunch... you could continue to Key West for Sunset Celebration, but if you do, stay overnight... you could return on day3 and stop in the Everglades, but your schedule is tight depending on departure...

Jaya

Will you be staying in the City of Miami or Miami Beach (aka South Beach)? There's a big difference and if you will be in Miami Beach there is plenty to fill a weekend.

Key West is about a 6 hour drive. Orlando is in north Florida and also a lot of driving to get there. You can do an Everglades air boat tour (they usually run about one hour). The Everglade parks start showing up about an hour's drive from the Miami area, but if it's really hot it might be too much because the boats are not covered from the sun.

If you haven't booked your hotel, book it for Miami Beach where you can walk around. Don't plan to drive around South Beach because parking is very limited. There are a lot of restaurants, small but very nice museums, shopping, and just taking in the sights.

Go to Lincoln Road - it's several blocks of pedestrian retail and eating places.
A 10 minute drive north on Collins Ave. will bring you to the upscale Bal Harbour area and their famous Bal Harbour Shops. Make sure you eat at least once at Carpaccio there.

Reply with more info about where you're staying and other questions you have.

ranger83

Thanks for your replies, really appreciate it. I will definitely book a hotel around Miami Beach...since it seems like its nearest to all the attractions. Again, any more suggestions/advice are more than welcome!

Dayenu

Maybe you want a bus tour or a boat cruise - they pick up from S. Beach (maybe only southern part?) and you can do either one, or a combo bus/boat.

For good food and wine I can recommend “La Parilla Liberty” at 609 Washington an Argentinean steakhouse – but they have all kinds of foods, not just steaks. Be aware, they add tips to receipts in Miami, so don’t double-tip.

ranger83

Any opinions on the Miami tour company? Atleast online it seems like a legit company with day tours to everglades and key west.

mabella101

hello! Orlando in 1 day from Miami is to much. The keys is doable in a day trip, but it would be nicer to stay somewhere along the way. I seldom make it all the way to key west, before we decide to turn back. If your mom & sis are into outlet malls, you could check out SAWGRASS MILLS,

mabella101

oops, accidently hit submit. Anyway Sawgrass Mills is a very large outlet mall with every type of store imaginable. You'll spend a good portion of the day there. Another nice thing to do is Las Olas Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale. Nice little stores, restaurants & you could catch a water Taxi and see all the fancy houses. Bayside Marketplace is the local waterfront shopping mecca. And Coconut Grove is a funky little area that has a good vibe. Hope this helps. All this week we've been having afternoon showers, so plan accordingly and enjoy!!