Will I need a car in South Beach (Miami)
 

I've never been to Miami and my husband and i will be spending two days in early May, from a Saturday afternoon to Monday afternoon in South Beach - after a week in Naples. Will we need a car to get around or would you suggest turning the car back in at the airport when we come back from Naples? What's it like for parking/driving through South Beach?

parking is impossible and extremely expensive in South Beach...the hotels charge $30-50 a night and you can easily walk almost everywhere, or take mini-cab rides if necessary... turn the car in... there are some car rental locations in the South Beach area so check with your car company if one is available, it could save you some $$$...

NO absolutely you will not need or want a car in South Beach.

I agree with previous posters, you can simply turn the car in South Beach upon arrival there are some rental car offices, check with yours, also because it is a week end find out when they are open, that would be the better way. You can even drive to your hotel, check in leave luggage and then drive to retun car nearby and either walk or take taxi back.
Ok if neither of these options work check out the car at Miami Airport and you can take a taxi or shuttle to your hotel in South Beach.
Another option is to leave car at Fort Lauderdale Airport which is most convenient if you are coming from Naples. ( check the Map, if you take the Alligator Alley theFort L Airpornt is almost on the way )and you will avoid the nightmare of driving into Miami yourself. The cost of the shuttle is more or less the same, from Fort Lauderdale is only $21 each, from Miami I think it is $20, which means they charge more in Miami and also sales tax is higher in Miami.
From Fort Lauderdale you can use www.Go-AirportShuttle.com, phone 954 561 8888 from Miami Int Airport the shuttle to take is Super Shuttle.
Once is South Beach, the right thing is walk everywhere, or depending a short taxi drive.
If you have a car not only you have to pay the hotel for overnight parking $30-50but each time you go for dinner you would have to pay the valet, tip the valet and then WAIT and WAIT for your car.
Everything is available in South Beach, shops, restaurants, the beach, night clubs, etc should you need to go to a Mall, Aventura Mall can be reach with bus 120 Max and the S. are restrained. The 120 Max is preferably bby far.

Have fun.

I've been to Miami Beach twice in the last two months, helping my daughter move there. Parking is a nightmare.... Luckily she has parking with her new home, but the hotel charged $25 per night until her condominium was ready, and apparently that was not considered expensive! If you are staying in the hotel district on Collins above 41st St. It is a short and relatively cheap cab ride to Lincoln Road and Washington Ave where all the fun is. You don't need a car at all in that area.

If you are flying out of Miami international airport the flat rate for a cab is $32, cheaper than the shuttle. And if you are driving from Naples it would be much easier to drop the car in Ft. lauderdale as Graziella suggests. I just would not do it around rush hour. Enjoy yourself, the weather is dreamy and the beach is beautiful.