What to do in Miami Oct 23-25th

Hi!

I%26#39;m on my way to Central America from good ol%26#39; blighty and have a 2-day stopover in Miami.

I%26#39;m gathering from the forums that South Beach is the place to be - beers and beach but I am wondering:

a) What%26#39;s the %26#39;hood like? Will I get shot walking back to the hotel with a skinful of ale at 3 in the morning?

b) Budget hotels in Miami get pretty poor reviews - I%26#39;m fairly skint but all i need is a basic room that is clean and comfy - any reccommendations?

c) Best places to go for a nice beer? I%26#39;m not too bothered about the best DJ%26#39;s or busiest clubs etc.. cos I%26#39;m travelling on my tod but I want to be able to have plenty of beverages in a nice friendly bar or three :)

What to do in Miami Oct 23-25th

Much of what you read about in the forums are the clubs and restaurants are the high-end spots. You can walk Ocean Drive, Lincoln Mall Road, Espanola Way or Washington and find lots of smaller places that are great to drink a beer with new friends.

a) You can walk anywhere in the SoBe area at any time of night/day and be OK. In fact, some of the streets are busiest at 3:00 AM in the morning! Naturally, like anywhere, you should keep an eye open on your surroundings.

b) Some of the budget hotels get a poor rating for a reason. However, I think it is often common that people%26#39;s expectations are set too high before they walk in the place so it%26#39;s hard to meet their expecations with a hotel that is over 50 years old, small rooms, and dated/worn carpet and the like.

c) The cheapest place for beer is the CVS on Lincoln and drink it on the beach during the day :). Wet Willies and other along Ocean Drive are fun. You%26#39;ll have no problem finding lots of smaller bars to wet your whistle. Check out the Mojito, a great white rum drink brought here by our friends from Cuba.

Cheers!

What to do in Miami Oct 23-25th

I agree with all of the above, plus:

- The Playwright Irish Pub on Washington Ave. (gets pretty rowdy and fun in the after hours)

- Finnegan%26#39;s Pub on Ocean Drive (or Finnegan%26#39;s 2 on Lincoln Rd.)

- The Room on Collins and First (beer and wine bar on the more quiet end of SoBe. Mostly full of locals, but still fun)

Have fun!

Cool - thanks guys - I%26#39;ll make sure I give those a try.

Any thoughts on budget hotels that I should try - also, should I look for a hotel on south beach or in the city centre?

You definitely want to stay on South Beach, something that is south of say 22nd street. South Beach is part of Miami Beach so the actual city listed will be Miami Beach. You do NOT want to stay in the city of Miami.

We usually stay at moderately priced hotels so can%26#39;t help on budget hotels. You might check this web site in the price range you%26#39;re looking to spend and see what comments have been posted on them.

Good luck finding a hotel in SOBE that week. 14,000 police chiefs will be there for a convention at the convention center. Should be very safe that week.

Good luck finding a hotel in SOBE that week. 14,000 police chiefs will be there for a convention at the convention center. Should be very safe that week.