Hi TJs! I live in South Beach and definitly think it needs to be a stop on your visit to Miami. I've checked some other replies about it and most I agree with. For some good, inexpensive food check out Tiramisu on Lincoln RoadThey have a beat the clock special from 5:30 to 7:30 sharp. The price you pay depends on the time you order, for example order at 6:15, pay $6.15 for dinner. You can choose from 3 types of pasta dishes and they are all great! Most people in south beach eat dinner late, but Lincoln Road is always busy and great place to people watch. Also on Lincoln Road you can get a really cheap beer at Zeek's (between Euclid and Pennsylvania on Lincoln). They have loads of different types of beer and all are about 2 or 3 dollars. That is really cheap for south beach. Ocean Drive is great to walk down, but beware of overpriced food and drinks. If you want to sample food from some of the many cultures that make up south florida, check out LibertyArgentinian restaurant on Liberty street in South beach. For $14.00 you get the grill for 2 people. Argentinians are famous for their barbeque or asado, for this price you get Argentinian sausage, steak, short ribs, and more. Las Olas Cafe on 6th street is a place the locals go for cheap Cuban food. It is cafeteria style and they serve hot food, sandwiches, and empanadas. For about $7.00 you can get a full meal. There is also a hostel on 9th street between Collins and Washington, could be less expensive than the one on Espanola Way. For the nightlife, most clubs have cover charges any where from 10-30 dollars. If you want to hang out with some locals, play pool and have inexpensive drinks, check out Lost Weekend on Espanola between Collins and Washington.

If you have any questions let me know! Enjoy your travels!

While in Orlando, you have to go to Universal Orlando. The night life is something serious. Right outside of Universal Studios you will find a wide range of places to eat, bars to go to and clubs to dance at - with many different types of music. Don't miss it.

I've been to Miami and Orlado twice, in recent years. When in Miami, South Beach is indeed a MUST! I didn't make it to "Little Havana", but I know that would be a great experience. Also great shopping,(real or window); is the Bayside Mall. A lot of "upscale" shops there. As well as the Hard Rock Cafe. It has the second largest guitar outside, the first being in Las Vegas! Also there is a Discovery Channel Store there. Yes, in Orlando if you can, DisneyWorld is an ABSOLUTE MUST! Even if it's only one day. I stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. You can go inside the "hotel" and look around. It's amazing! Downtown Disney is also great for nightlife. After a certain time, it doesn't cost anything to enter. Also if shopping is something of interest to you, "The Florida Mall", is Florida's largest shopping center. An amazing experience is a tour of NASA in Cape Canaveral, Fl. It's unbelievable that man has left there and flown to the moon and back!

I gave you a few of my ideas about DC. Well, I've been to Florida many times, too. Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World are all awesome but very commercial and expensive and usually have big crowds and long lines. Everglades National Park is awesome and not so expensive and commercial. South Beach is a must, Little Havana is a must. The keys and Key West are wonderful if you can rent a car or something and go down there for 2-3 days. Should be very warm and pleasant. Key West is the southern-most city in the continental US and a real laid back party town with lots of history and character.

goin' to miami definitely need to check out the sizzlin hot south beach and its nightlife mecca. for TJ's who love dance scene you're in the right city. Don't be surprise if you find world's top DJ's happen to spin while you there. Check out SPACE (nov 4), CROBAR or many others.

One other thing, how bout one of the TJ's or perhaps all of you get a tattoo to remind on 5takes from the famous 'miami ink' tatto parlor. It will be interesting to see two reality TV cross each other not to mention we (viewers) want to see the TJ's dealing with the sense of taboo for having a tattoo.

My family's pretty poor so I know EXACTLY where to go when you have such a small budget! (though for us $50 A DAY is pretty amazing)

MAKE SURE YOU BRING AN UMBRELLA AND SUMMER CLOTHES. It's always humid, rainy, and hot.
but MAYBE we'll be lucky and you'll have that cheap "cold" wind we get at random.

In Miami:

Downtown
Bayside
Coconut Grove (The Grove)
Vizcaya
Miami Beach, you HAVE to go to the beach cos that's what Miami is all about!!
Parrot Jungle Island
Miami Metro Zoo
Gator Park Airboat Tours (Airboat Ride deep into the Everglades National Park, what Miami used to be like before the city stuff ruined most of it.)
There's a really cool and not so high priced mall called Dolphin Mall, really great mall.
Also there's this HUUUUGE mall called Sawgrass.


In Orlando:
Everything GREAT and exciting is in International Drive...which includes

Walt Disney World. (can't go to Orlando and not visit Disney!!)
Downtown Disney - MAKE SURE TO BUY SOMETHING DISNEY RELATED!! (especially Donald Duck!!)
Islands of Adventure
SeaWorld
Kennedy Space Center
WonderWorks
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium
Swim with dolphins in the morning at Discovery Cove
Pirate's Dinner Adventure
A really cool place to see is Old Town, lots of shops with really cool things! (Especially the Black Market!) Eat at Checker's when you're there cos that's what my family does, hahahahha!

I hope you all have a ton of fun!! You guys are all so adorable! (especially Bevis and Jaime!)

bye!!

quote:

Originally posted by caitlinc:
Also go to the Kennedy Space Center. Awesome place to go.

Unfortunately you will just miss a move, The Shuttle Discovery is being moved from the orbiter facility to the assembly building on November 1, it is being prepped for the launch of STS 116 on December 7.

Disney would be pretty cool, but Universal Studio is also great. And if you get a 2 day pass, the third day is free. Lots of great rides and roller coasters. Speaking of coasters, you should go to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio for the Best Coasters in the USA!

quote:

In Orlando:
Everything GREAT and exciting is in International Drive...which includes

Walt Disney World. (can't go to Orlando and not visit Disney!!)
Downtown Disney - MAKE SURE TO BUY SOMETHING DISNEY RELATED!! (especially Donald Duck!!)
Islands of Adventure
SeaWorld
Kennedy Space Center
WonderWorks
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium
Swim with dolphins in the morning at Discovery Cove
Pirate's Dinner Adventure
A really cool place to see is Old Town, lots of shops with really cool things! (Especially the Black Market!) Eat at Checker's when you're there cos that's what my family does, hahahahha!

Jenni, I hate to burst your bubble, but Disney, Downtown Disney, Islands of adventure, Seaworld, Old Town and Kennedy Space center are not on International drive. Islands of Aventure and Seaworld are off Universal Blvd and Center Florida Parkway which is near I-drive. Old Town is in Kissimee is on 1-92, Disney isn't even near that part of Orlando and Kennedy Space Center is on the coast.

Also, everything on I-drive is super expensive. Well, perhaps not super expensive, but higher in price than it would be anywhere else. It's what we natives call a "tourist trap". Yeah, I would avoid it unless you want to go shopping.

If you go to the Kennedy Space center(must See) make sure you take the drive down State Road 50. It will take you through a town called Christmas Florida where it's a Christmas all year long. If you go to the Post Office they'll stamp you letters/postcard with a cool Christmas stamp for free(not including postage). Also they have The Largest Gator Ever Built: Swampy the Giant it's an attraction at Jungle Adventures (WWW.JungleAdventures.com) it's pretty cool and if you go on their website they have a coupon for your admission. It gives you a look at Old Florida BEFORE Disney was it's main attraction. You will pass it on the way to the Kennedy Space Center. On the way you'll drive past the St John's River. It is one of the few rivers in the United States that flows north. You can pull over and see take photo's of this beautiful undeveloped part of Central Florida for FREE. Before you go to KSC go visit Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge FREE. Where you can get up and personal with Florida natural wildlife in an area that will alway be undisturbed. Once you've see all this you'll arrive at KSC. My first suggestion is see @KSC is the 3D IMAX movies and then do the bus tour this is where you want to spend most of the time!! After you finished your day @ KSC take a drive over to Dixie Crossroad Resturant and have a plate of Rock Shrimp about 10.00 for the dozen and it comes with soup or salad, your choice of potatoe and all you can eat hush puppies a south type of bread made of cornmeal and fresh corn kernels. Now you have eaten take a drive down to A1A to Cocoa Beach and check out Ron Jon's Surf Shop a tourist trap but one not to miss it just a cool shopping place and looks really cool at night. I have lived here half my life and I always know where to go to take a vistor on a budget and make their money last. My biggest suggestion if you can rent a car do it you can see more, November is pretty much off peak( not alot of visitors) and you can find cheap car rental's in the airport, gas is inexpensive in Orlando (not near the airport)and you can split the cost Five ways. Check in advance if possible or walk up to every counter @ the airport and ask what's the cheapest I do! Also many times you can just change your drop off at the other city's airport EG... From Orlando airport to Miami/Ft Lauderdale airport or the reverse. If you start in Orlando drop the car of at the airport in South Florida there is a Bus that takes you to the Tri-Rail Train (double decker train) which goes up and down I-95 in South Florida and you can take it to the different city's. All three counties (Palm Beach, Broward and Dade) have bus transportation at what ever stop you get off @. In Miami it's called Miami-Dade Transit in Palm Beach it called Palm Tran and in Ft Lauderdale it's called BCT. All three have bus routes and scheduals online and they are inexpensive. But be careful they can be a little slow. Well whatever you decide to do you will have a great time. ENJOY !!!!!

Hi TJs.I found a hostel that might interest you. It's right out side the Everglades.

http://www.hostels.com/en/availability.php/HostelNumber.5184

Also like everyone vist Disney World. While your there eat a churro (there delicious). Good luck TJs and have fun.

Hey TJs--I just saw Las Vegas and it looks like you are having a blast. I am so jealous

My annual family vacation each year since I was 8 (I'm now 26) is going to Disney World. The staff there make you feel like the most important person in the world. But the park tix are really expensive so...I completely agree with meanjanine.

The cheapest way to experience the "Disney magic" is by hotel hopping--it's free! You can go to the Boardwalk which has a turn-of-the-century Atlantic City (NJ) boardwalk complete with carnival entertainment, then head to the Wilderness Lodge which has a geyser and makes you feel like you are in the Pacific Northwest (the lobby is breathtaking) then the Animal Kingdom Lodge where you can actually see giraffes, elephants, etc. from the back of the lobby. A few of my other favorites are the Beach and Yatch Club (situated across the lake from the Boardwalk) which has an amazing hotel pool and the Grand Floridian where you can have tea in the afternoon or watch the housekeeping staff parade first thing in the morning. Also, you can view the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach of the Polynesian resort (just find out the time and get there about an hour early to stake out a view of the castle). All of this is completely free. You can take the monorail to hop from three of the resorts (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary) and then at the others just wait for the Disney buses, go to any park, and switch buses to the next resort you want to visit. Have a great time!

Hello,
MIAMI HAS A HOT ART SCENE which is now competing with NY and LA. You have to check out a few of these galleries and museums while you are there!
Here are a few links so you can see what interests you for yourself.

http://detroitarts.blogspot.com/2006/05/art-center-south-beach.html

http://detroitarts.blogspot.com/2006/05/moca-miami-muy-caliente.html

http://detroitarts.blogspot.com/2006/05/rubell-family-collection.html

Also I am not sure the dates you will be there but the largest art fair is in MIAMI in the first week of december.
This person also has an art blog in miami for any other useful info.
http://thenextfewhours.com/blog/

Good luck!
ann

I vote that the TJ's should definitely take a trip to Atlanta. There's nothing more comforting than good Southern hospitality (We also know how to serve grits the CORRECT way). If they take the trip to atlanta, they should definitely head south to Macon, GA. It's not that big a town, but it's got a LOT of heart to it. It's full of good people, good fun, just plain good all around. The South is most definitely the best region of the entire USA, with some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Y'all come visit us, you hear?