Miami? Keys?

[T16GEM]

We have got a three week trip booked for November this year and would like to take some time to visit a few other places as well as all the usual Orlando attractions, both DH and myself have been about 8 times before so visiting Miami or the keys and having a bit of a road trip is deffo on the agenda!

Can anyone recommend some good places to visit and any good hotels - not too expensive though. and if there are any websites for them please post.

Thanks for your help.
Gems

 

[vernon]

If it's just the two of you I would recommend using http://www.hotwire.com for the rooms. The best deals are usually close to arrival times, but it's worth checking on a regular basis as every now and then you get a real bargain pops up. It is a bit of a gamble using them because you don't know the name of the hotel until you actually (finally) commit yourself to the booking, but I've used them many times and have yet to have a bad hotel. I've used them all over the US, I got a great deal in Miami last Xmas at the Richmond hotel ( great place to stay) and also in the Keys, both rooms were less than half their normal "rack rate" . For example, I just put up the end of Nov and the best deal they offered a 3 star hotel for $42 a night.

In Miami I'd suggest the South Beach area, there are loads of great bars, restaurants and shops in the area and it's a lot of fun wandering around looking at the Art Deco buildings. There are a number of art galleries and museums in the area as well.

Here's a link to an attraction in Miami I've always fancied visiting http://www.venetianpool.com/

Both the Keys and South beach do have "parking issues" so be aware that you'll probably have to pay for parking as very few of the hotels have space for cars outside the hotels. There are a number of car parks in both areas, or you could choose to "valet park " the cost is usually about $16 per day to valet ($8 per day is usual IF the hotel has "self park" available). One more "issue" is that many of the hotels on South Beach have a "facility" charge for stuff like the pool and beach access, The rate you're quoted may nopt be the final rate you pay, particularly if you have a car, the "facility" charge was about $8 per day I think for the hotel I got charged it at, not all hotels have this fee, it's a bit hit and miss I'm afraid. With Hotwire, there is the possibility that you'd get a room that only has one (queen/double) sized bed. If it's just two people that isn't going to be a problem (hopefully ) , if you want to reduce the risk of this occuring it's best to avoid the hotels that are marked as "boutique" this is denoted by an Icon of a large capital B in a box. These boutique hotels can be great fun for a couple as they are often the more unique or historical buildings. As I said, for a couple they can be a great option, but could cause problems if you're a family of 4 :O .

 

[Found Nemo]

Key Largo has various environmental type attractions like dolphin swimming and scuba diving. There isn't a huge amount going on in the area, and both here and in the rest of the Keys (except Key West) you tend to get a lot of self-contained resort type hotels with everything on site. It's within an hour or so from Miami, so if you're into your watersports or like the idea of swimming with dolphins it's a good place.

Key West is very different- quirky, interesting nightlife, the nightly sunset shows, it's all quite bohemian. There are also lots of Hemingway related attractions, and quite an independent feel from the rest of the States. It's possibly more Caribbean in ambience, but well worth a look. Key West is about 4-5 hours drive from Miami, so it's not a bad idea to break the drive up with a night or two in one of the resort hotels in the Middle Keys. Beaches in Key West tend to be small and man made. THat's not to say they're not pleasant, but don't expect long sweeping sands!

 

[yorkshiregirl]

Hi we went to Key West 2 summers ago for our second week. It was a long drive down there but well worth it. If we did it again I think we would break it by staying at one of the other Keys on the way down or Miami. We stayed at I think the Ocean Pointe, Zero Duval Street in Key West. This was a lovely hotel and the pool was right on the side of the coast where the famous nightly sunset festivals are held each night. There was no beach nearby but the hotel pool was very nice. Key West was rather quirky but not for young families I would think. Some of the shops and bars catered for tastes a bit strong for my young teens eyes in some cases but we walked quickly by. Lots of good restaurants. The Conch train was fun to ride on. Some lovely parks to visit, a drive away for beach and swimming.