I've just started looking at Miami as a multi destination with NYC and came across this as some good local info maybe worth reading and checking out ~ there's a couple of links to get some quotes.

http://www.southbeach-usa.com/

Thanks very much for that link Karen

We've just returned from a holiday which included 3 nights in Miami. Definitely the place to look is South Beach. We were booked (not our choice) into the Dorchester Hotel on Collins Avenue and as the reviews were reasonable we decided to stick with it. The location is fantastic with, at the most, a 10 minutes walk to the Lincoln Road Mall from where just about everything happens. It's also only a block from the beach. As for the hotel itself, it wasn't too bad, it was clean, has a swimming pool, a cafe (which we didn't use - went to Lincoln Road for breakfast) and free wifi (important to us as we like to keep in touch with home).

If you want any more info, let me know and I'll try to help, but with only 3 days in Miami we didn't even scratch the surface.

Thanks Babs, for that info I've only got 3 days in Miami too, so loads of questions!!!

First off, how long would you say it took to walk "the other way", down to the other end of Ocean Drive? Were you near the HOHO Miami bus stops, and did the hotel offer any tours? Did you feel it was a safe area to wander around on your own?

I'm sure I have loads more questions

Right, I'll try and help as much as I can.

We did not walk from Lincoln Road to Ocean Drive, but someone told us it took them about 20-30 minutes in which time you will obviously see the art deco hotels. I'm not sure where you would get the hoho bus. The hotel does have a small tour office, but it never seemed open; however, just about every other shop along Lincoln Road contained a tour desk so booking trips shouldn't be a problem. We were wandering around at one in the morning and didn't feel worried.

Down one of the side streets off Lincoln Road was a tour office and we booked a 90 minutes duck tour which trundled round the art deco area and also went into the water of Biscayne Bay where you see some amazing properties.

For something different, and in the office next to the duck tour office we saw this:

http://www.gocartours.com/miami.html

which looked fun. You can also hire bikes (lots of these around) or segways (again, lots of these)

Just thought. someone said there was a free bus that served the area and possibly the malls, but I didn't see these.

Great info Babs, thank you!!

I have seen those gocars in Barcelona, they look fun.....but...I am travelling on my own, and don't quite trust myself driving one of those