From Miami? Familiar with Miami?

babydontforget

I'll be there for about 24 hours right before Christmas (Dec 22-23). I'd kind of like to do a bit of a whirlwind tour, so I'm looking for a recommendation for a very well located hotel, or for an area on which I should focus for a hotel.

I'd also appreciate advice about must-see, must-do things. I've only been to Miami once, to board a cruise ship, and I didn't get to see/do anything cool, or to get a sense of the layout of the city.

Thanks! 

Temp305315937507972

I live in Miami so I can surely help you.

Try to stay in Miami beach because you'll be very central to what's going on. If you can avoid South Beach hotels, then do so. I think the hotels up around north beach (from Collins and 30th street up) are much better and less crowded.

What do you like doing? It'd be easier for me to give you suggestions if I know what you like doing.

babydontforget

Thank you! I'm so glad I posted and you responded, because most of the hotels I was considering are in South Beach. Good to know they should be avoided.

Frankly, I like to eat. :-) So, more than anything, any and all restaurant recs would be appreciated. 

I would tell you that I like the beach, and that's true, but this 24-hour stopover will be on the way home from a week in Mexico, so I'm not sure how much beach time I'll need. I know Miami has interesting architecture, and I'm interested in that--any tours we should do or neighborhoods we should see? 

Other than that, I'm open. What would you recommend I see? 

Temp305315937507972

There's a lot of great restaurants in Miami Beach, I live in Sunny Isles Beach and there's amazing restaurants in my neighborhood but I'm about 8-10 miles north of Miami Beach and since you'll probably be riding around in a cab, there's no need to venture all the way here. If you like steak, my favorite place is Novecento, an Argentinean steakhouse. They have 2 locations, one in Lincoln Rd and 9th street off Lincoln Rd mall and the other location is in Brickell which is about 15 mins cab ride from miami beach. Brickell is a nice place for restaurants, lounges and trendy night life.

South Beach has become really ghetto, so unless you've never been there before, you're really not missing anything. If you're into architecture, you should go to Viscaya museum (between Brickell and south Miami), also you MUST visit the Adrianne Arsht center, that recently opened and is the new opera house. Awesome architecture. The art deco district in south beach has interesting things to see as well and you can stop by Versace's house. 

Lincoln Rd mall is a nice open air mall and I'm sure you'll have a good time there as well and you'll find plenty of great restaurants to eat. Bayside has boat tours that seem fun. I've never taken one but I've heard they are nice. 

babydontforget

Thanks so much. I'll start researching...