Tell me about Miami

[Anonymous]

If you're looking for a relaxing, low key vacation, stay in Key Biscayne. It's family friendly and the water is more calm than Miami Beach. You'll need a car and can visit: Coral Gables, Brickell area, Wynwood, Frost Museum, Vizcaya, Coconut Grove.

Miami Beach is also nice but not quiet, low key.

Expect a lot of traffic everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid South Beach and you can have a fantastic family vacation there.

If you can afford it, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is amazing and very welcoming of families.

Love the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne! Good choice for a family.

[Anonymous]

If your kids like to dig in the sand you should check out Sanibel and Captiva on the west coast. The beaches are beautiful there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avoid South Beach and you can have a fantastic family vacation there.

If you can afford it, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is amazing and very welcoming of families.

Love the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne! Good choice for a family.

Also known as one of the worst properties in the whole chain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avoid South Beach and you can have a fantastic family vacation there.

If you can afford it, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is amazing and very welcoming of families.

I totally disagree with this. I've taken my teens to South Beach and we had a blast. Miami is like NYC on a beach. My teens loved it.

NYC with palm trees is how I’ve always thought of Miami.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avoid South Beach and you can have a fantastic family vacation there.

If you can afford it, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is amazing and very welcoming of families.

I totally disagree with this. I've taken my teens to South Beach and we had a blast. Miami is like NYC on a beach. My teens loved it.

NYC with palm trees is how I’ve always thought of Miami.

Can either of you elaborate on what you mean is like NYC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid South Beach and you can have a fantastic family vacation there.

If you can afford it, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is amazing and very welcoming of families.

Agree, South Beach is bad on many levels.

[Anonymous]

We have gone to Miami with elementary school kids, stayed in south beach (down by 15th near flamingo park; easy walk to the beach) - even during spring break! - and have had a fantastic time. We rent a car.

We spend time visiting friends when we are there, but our kids love the beach. Lots of cool shells, and clear water. Less likely to be affected by the red tide (unlike gulf beaches). Outdoor movies at sound scape park, boat trips, Everglades, ZWF Miami, Venetian pool, science museum - tons of things to do! Also, guava pastries and Cuban food.

We live in Manhattan, and I would not characterize miami as NYC on the beach. It feels like a small town to us. I think that people mean that it’s a beach, but in a distinctive urban environment. Not a quaint beach town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
If I am flying to Miami, what resort or beach hotel is a good choice or a short drive from there?

I picture Miami being full of big, loud parties. Is it appropriate for kids? Can we have a nice beach vacation there?

A lot of family-friendly resorts on the beach in the Hollywood area, like 20-30 minutes north of the Miami airport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Hollywood, FL? They have this cool board walk they call the “Broadwalk” and there are some fun beach resorts there.

But I agree the better beaches are north of Miami.

I love Hollywood -- we've been there a couple of times and got an AirBnB. The beach is great, there are restaurants along the strip, you can rent bikes; it's a very sweet spot. You can take a trolley to downtown Hollywood, and there's a Friday night kids' event in the main downtown park with movies and face painting. There's also a nearby nature center that's pretty cool, and you can take a boat trip along the intracoastal waterway.

While there are several small sweet B'n'B type hotels, I think there's really only one resort hotel on that strip. If you prefer a resort hotel, then I might recommend Ft Lauderdale. The flights are generally a bit cheaper (although I can't speak to this recently).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would go down to the Key Largo area, there's lots of family friendly hotels. Last time we stayed in an upscale hotel in Miami a few months ago, it was overrun with partiers. We were kidless for that vacation, but if they were with us, I wouldn't want them there.

But don’t expect nice beaches in the keys

+1

Except "Key Biscayne" Ritz is really more like part of Miami. But it's not on South Beach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avoid South Beach and you can have a fantastic family vacation there.

If you can afford it, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is amazing and very welcoming of families.

I totally disagree with this. I've taken my teens to South Beach and we had a blast. Miami is like NYC on a beach. My teens loved it.

NYC with palm trees is how I’ve always thought of Miami.

Can either of you elaborate on what you mean is like NYC?

It's for those who live there. A lot of residents are originally from NYC or Long Island

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avoid South Beach and you can have a fantastic family vacation there.

If you can afford it, the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is amazing and very welcoming of families.

Love the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne! Good choice for a family.

Been 15 years, but was very nice when I visited.

[Anonymous]

I'd consider St Regis or Ritz Bal Harbour too. Probably much quieter than South Beach, but short ride down Collins Ave. Unless it's right next to collapsed tower. Not sure how proximate that was and what status is. Key Biscayne is kind of a hike to places.

[Anonymous]

What? Of course you can enjoy it with kids. You weren’t planning to bring them to nightclubs but it’s a huge city. If you’re looking for a quiet beach vacation though, not sure why you’d choose Miami.