Miami hotel with teenagers, help please!

[SpeckyLou]

Hi all, I'm looking for advice/recommendations.

Me and my OH and 2 teenagers (15 year old girl & 13 year old boy), will be landing at Miami airport on Thursday 7th August at about 5pm after flying transatlantic from the UK. We will be picking up a hire car, and then need 2 nights accommodation in Miami. In the past we stayed 1 night only near the airport before heading off to WDW, but this time, we want to have a day to look around the sights of Miami (I know 1 day is not very long).

Any suggestions about area or accommodation gratefully received. 1 room fine, prefer 2 beds plus sofa bed so teenagers don't need to share, but they can share for 2 nights if absolutely necessary. Lots of night life not necessary (will not have adapted to the new time zone), but easy to get about would be really good.

Want to have a look at Miami, not just drive away to start the magic. Thanks in advance folks.....

 

[JimMIA]

You are going to arrive at 5 PM (IF your flight is on schedule)... spend 2 hours getting luggage , renting the car and out...so you'll be on the road at 7 PM -- best case scenario. You get something to eat (think comfort food -- no time to sample Miami's MANY cuisines), and you are IN your hotel room 9-9:30 PM.

You'll be exhausted...sleep well.

So the question is...what part of Miami do you want to see? Beaches? Little Havana? Little Haiti? Golf courses? South Beach? Everglades? Florida Keys?

You have only so much time, and Miami is a vast place with interesting venues and activities scattered all over the place. A hint: with one day, you don't have time for the Keys, so forget that.

What you want to see and do will greatly impact where you should stay and where you should go. If you can give us an idea of what you AND the kids are interested in seeing in your very limited stay, we can better advise you.

 

[Lynzer4]

If you are looking for a hotel in Miami beach I would suggest a hotel on Collins starting around 15th street until about 20th. This puts you right on the beach with your hotel having beach access. This also puts you only a short cab ride or about a mile or less walk to Lincoln mall shopping area and ocean ave (shopping and restaurants and nightlife). Its crazy and niosy if you stay on Ocean between 5 and 15th. That is where the nightlife is so to speak and at night is loud and crazy as the clubs are located there.

I stayed at the Palms in October. It was very nice and the staff (besides the check in staff) was wonderful. Ive also stayed down the beach at the Grand Beach hotel. Its about a 10 mins cab to the happening places/Lincoln mall area but much quiter and more family friend. The hotel offers great size rooms. Ours had 2 beds then a little sitting area with a sofa bed. I would suggest using Kayak to find a place.

Before my cruise, we stayed at the Marriott Biscanye Bay. It's really nice and there is a free trolly that takes you around Miami that you can jump on right at the hotel. We got on the trolly and went to the biscayne marketplace. The intercontinental Miami is also right there and I stayed there 2 years ago. It super nice but rooms are usually more $$$.

Hope that helps! I've been to Miami the last three years in October for a cruise.