Miami, who doesn't know this city anyway? You will often have seen the environment in films, series, video clips and games. A great holiday destination for many people from the United States and beyond, because it's sunny and the people are beautiful! But before you pack your bags and head to this sunny destination, it is important to prepare yourself well. Luckily you're here Wereldreizigers.nl you've come to the right place, because in this article you will find everything you need to know before you go to Miami.
Are you thinking of following our footsteps and renting a camper(van) with friends, your partner or with your whole family? Then ask free of charge and without obligation submit a quote to Travelhome from ANWB. They have both campervans and full-fledged family campers on offer.
- Large selection, low prices
- Independent or Customized
- Expert advice from specialists
- Full quote with no hidden costs
About Miami
Miami is located in southeastern Florida, on the river of the same name. The city, together with the neighboring small towns (such as Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach), has about 5,5 million inhabitants! The majority of residents are Hispanic or Latino, mainly from countries such as Cuba and Mexico.
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Why Miami?
- The tropical climate Florida isn't nicknamed for nothing “The Sunshine State”. Miami, located at the tip of this state, is a sun-drenched city that you can enjoy in different ways.
- Colorful – With influences from Central and South America and the abundant sun, you will be surrounded by color in Miami.
- The endless possibilities – As you will read below, there are countless sights and activities. There is something to do for every type of traveler.
Why avoid Miami?
- the crowds – As a big city, Miami is obviously busy, and you are certainly not alone on the road.
- Costs – It is a challenge to stay within your budget as everything is quite pricey and you can quickly incur unforeseen costs. This is partly caused by the significant inflation of the past two years.
Transportation in Miami
A renting a car in Miami is pretty much essential, especially if you plan to do a lot of exploring outside of your stay. Alternatively, you can occasionally take an Uber or Lyft for specific rides you want to make. Although there is a network of public transport, it is often not very efficient and can take you a long time to get from point A to point B.
Car rental – It usually costs about $55 USD per day to rent a car for several days. The city, like most cities in the US, is designed for cars, and there is plenty of parking available wherever you go. However, keep in mind that you often have to pay parking fees.
Sunnycars is based in the Netherlands and our favorite choice for car rental while traveling. At Sunnycars you can rent a car worry-free without having to worry about conditions and insurance. Sunnycars offers exclusively all inclusive car rental. This means that all prices you see include all other costs, coverage and insurance.
- All inclusive car rental
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Free Trolley – In Miami Beach you can travel for free on the Miami Beach Trolley. These blue trolleys run daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. There are four routes available: the South Beach Loop, Middle Beach Loop, North Beach Loop and Collins Express.
Bike – Miami is very bicycle-friendly because of its flat terrain, and cycle paths are often marked along the roads. Despite these cycle paths, it is important to pay close attention to your safety, given the busy traffic.
Taxis – Miami, like New York, has yellow taxis. Starting fares for a ride start at $2.95 and increase from there via the meter. You can call a taxi or hail one on the street.
Ride sharing – Uber, Lyft and Via are basically cheaper than taxis and are a good option for getting around the city if you don't want to take a bus or pay for a taxi. Sometimes Lyft, Uber and Via offer 'ride-sharing' as an option, where you share a ride with other passengers. This can save money, but can also take a little longer. Via is generally the cheapest option.
Metro – There is an above-ground subway in Miami, but the network is not very extensive. To get from A to B, you often have to use additional transport. A one-way subway ride costs $5.
Bus – You can take a ride on the bus for $2,25. There are many buses in and around Miami, and for short distances this is a great option. However, for longer distances it can take a lot of time.
The best time to travel to Miami
Miami has a tropical climate, so it rarely drops below 15 degrees Celsius. For Dutch people this means that it is always warm and even hot in the summer months! The average temperature is around 26 degrees Celsius in May, June and October, while in July, August and September it averages 28 degrees Celsius, with an even higher feeling of temperature. This makes the summer months not the most pleasant time to stay in Miami. Local residents advise to leave in or after the month of May because of the heat.
Miami has a rainy season from May to October, with tropical storms and hurricanes being most common during the months of August to October.
Conclusion the best time to travel to Miami is from November to April!
Security in Miami
First things first: If something doesn't feel right or unsafe, leave. Trust your instincts.
Miami is a safe place to travel. As a tourist you will probably only encounter petty crime. Pickpockets are active on the South Beach boardwalk, so watch your belongings. There are some areas where gang violence is more common, such as Liberty City, Overtown (south of Wynwood), and Opa-Locka. Avoid these areas if you can, especially in the evening and at night.
If you are not a confident driver, avoid driving in Miami. The roads are busy and the highways are complicated. If you rent a car, don't leave valuables in it overnight. Burglaries are rare, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Where to stay in Miami
Hotels
Choosing a hotel largely depends on your preferences and wishes, as there are countless options in Miami! It may be cheaper to look at combinations of flight and hotel with a travel provider. These are offered, for example, by Prijsvrij (click here). Sometimes they offer such competitive prices that booking yourself is much more expensive!
airbnb
Houses and apartments are offered via Airbnb in almost all locations in and around Miami. Because there were seven of us, a house was a good option for us. We found suitable accommodation in a residential area in North Lauderdale, with enough sleeping places for all of us and a swimming pool. The fact that we were among locals was seen as a plus. Shops were just minutes away and the nearest beach was half an hour's drive.
Camping
There are only a few campgrounds in the Miami metropolitan area and they generally have mediocre reviews. Additionally, early reservations are required, with prices starting at at least $50 USD per night.
Wild camping with a van or camper in the city area is actually only allowed at Walmart, where this is tolerated. However, it is important to first check with yourself whether you feel comfortable with this. Although there is a lot of activity around Walmart and there are security cameras, the feeling of security can affect your sleep.
Do you decide to spend the night there? Then make sure you explore the area during the day. It is best to choose a Walmart located in one of Miami's more affluent neighborhoods. If this is not possible, for example due to the presence of homeless people in the area, it is wise to spend the night elsewhere.
Outside the urban area, in the east, there are plenty of opportunities for wild camping. However, this does mean that you will have some travel time if you want to explore Miami.
Read up Wereldreizigers.nl more about Miami and its surroundings!
- Miami | 19x the most beautiful places + things to do
- Miami | everything about costs, budget and saving tips
- Street Art in Wynwood, Miami | Roadtrip USA (14)
- The Florida Keys | dolphin watching and island hopping
- Kennedy Space Center + rocket launch | Our experience
- Everglades | Airboats, alligators and other wildlife
Our experience in Miami
This is not the first time that we, Chris and Malou – owners of Wereldreizigers.nl, ended up in Miami. A few years ago we spent a week in Miami, with an awesome muscle car rental car Sunnycars.
The last time we spent more than two weeks in and around the city. Family came to visit us this time our journey through America, and together with them we stayed for two weeks in a house in Fort Lauderdale. One day we enjoyed the pool and beach, while the next day we explored. In these two weeks we tried to discover every corner of Miami and its surroundings, and we have a lot to tell you about it.
Are you thinking of following our footsteps and renting a camper(van) with friends, your partner or with your whole family? Then ask free of charge and without obligation submit a quote to Travelhome from ANWB. They have both campervans and full-fledged family campers on offer.
- Large selection, low prices
- Independent or Customized
- Expert advice from specialists
- Full quote with no hidden costs
Plan your vacation to America here
- Camper rental You can book this in combination with a tour Travelhome.
- Tours and Fly & drives compare to TUI, Americaplus, sawadee en Djoser.
- Flight tickets for America you book with TUI, KLM en Skyscanner.
- Rental cars : Sunnycars, Alamo en rental cars.
- Tours and Activities in America you book via GetYourGuide.
- Campsites in National Parks you book on RECREATION.gov.
- Travel insurance for America you will find at Allianz.
- Hotels & Resorts in America you can book with a discount Booking.com.
- SIM cards : USAsim en International sim.
- Parking at the airport you can arrange via Parkos, park care of iParking.
- travel items (suitcases, bags, world plugs, etc. can be ordered at Bol.com.
