Miami (Dec 30, 2024 - Jan 10, 2025):
Miami history in a few lines:
Origins:
The area where Miami is located today was originally inhabited by the Tequesta, an indigenous people who lived in South Florida for over two thousand years. Their society was organized around fishing, gathering, and coastal trade.
Middle Ages:
During this period, the region was not part of the European kingdoms, but it maintained its own indigenous cultural continuity. The environment remained virtually untouched until the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 16th century.
19th Century:
In the 19th century, the area began to develop following the arrival of American settlers and the construction of infrastructure. The arrival of Henry Flagler's railroad in 1896 spurred the official founding of Miami as a city, initiating rapid economic growth.
Present:
Today, Miami is one of the most dynamic cities in the United States, renowned for its cultural diversity, its Latin influence, and its role as an international financial and tourist center. It combines modernity, art, and a lifestyle linked to the tropical climate.
A tremendously expensive city with a high concentration of plastic people per square meter.
Larger city than expected and mostly Latin-speaking.
Very nice beaches.
Overall summary: It's worth a visit.
To get out of Miami airport, if you don't rent a car, you need an extra 3 days!!! It's not very intuitive, and there are several public transport options. We took the metro, which cost us approximately 1 TP4T2.50 per person (includes all bus travel for about 2 hours), and a bus that dropped us off very close to our accommodation.
The first part of the trip we stayed in Cozy Room in the Heart of Little Havana.
It was like a kind of Airbnb with shared areas: a very complete kitchen, bathroom, rest areas, terrace, etc., but with a single room, very basic but it didn't lack anything (I must say that, although we liked it a lot, the air conditioning was not very user-friendly, noisy and was automatic).
Unbeatable location next to 8th Street and with free parking.
We did the crocodile tour and the celebrity home tour by boat; both are highly recommended and reasonably priced. I've included them in the guidebook as well.
For lunch, we recommend a restaurant (well, it's more of a food truck with lots of tables and an indoor area) in Little Haiti (which is completely different, but the restaurant is worth it). It's inexpensive and the food is delicious. It's called... Creole Chef (I've included the address on Maps if you click on the name).
We rented a car to go to the Keys (it was expensive here because of the dates and because we booked it at the last minute with Expedia, It would be around 200 euros because we also opted for toll coverage for peace of mind, as there are thousands of tolls. We also added the second driver and full coverage insurance. The price agreed upon with Expedia The basic insurance wasn't included, nor was the third-party liability insurance, which is standard when renting a car. We felt cheated. Expedia).
Okay, that wasn't it, but the one we actually took wasn't bad either…
If you have time, it's nice to go to the Keys, otherwise it's not so wonderful to get to the last one (Key West) since it's about 3.5 hours each way.
The best beach we saw in the keys was Bahia Honda State Park in Cayo Bahía Honda:
Vizcaíno, which is the closest to Miami, although it's not on the Florida Keys highway, we loved it; it's worth taking a trip there and exploring those urbanizations and mansions.
We recommend 100% Islamorada, right behind the shop I put in the guide (World Wide Sportsman), there is a restaurant, terrace, jetty, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, with live music and if you arrive at sunset it is amazing.
For the second part of the trip, we stayed 2 nights in:
Hotel: Ocean Drive Steps to Sea in South Beach with Free Parking: €206 for 2 people, 2 nights. Found on Booking.
If you're only looking for location, this place has an unbeatable location, but if you're looking for more comfort, etc., this isn't the place for you. It's one of those typical hostels where the photos online are far from reality.
Important: Don't miss the Holocaust Memorial, a memorial to the Jews who died in Europe. I say it's very important because we were at the Auschwitz concentration camp, and although it's not the same, this memorial is very moving. We believe it's the best we've seen in Europe so far, and the fact that it's in the United States and so well done makes it worth traveling a bit, even if you're not in the southern part of Miami Beach. You can get there on the Miami Trolley (the old buses that run around Miami and are completely free). They come every 20-30 minutes.
Flight: €635/person Round trip direct flights from Madrid to Miami with Iberia.
The first part of the trip we stayed in Little Havana from December 30th to January 4th.
Hotel: Cozy Room in the Heart of Little Havana: €546 for 2 people, 4 nights. Booked in Booking.
Information obtained from the web https://www.exteriores.gob.es
- Passport: It must be electronic and have a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of entry into the U.S. and at least two blank pages. The passport must have been issued after 2006.
ESTA form: Spanish citizens must complete the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) form at least 72 hours before their flight. This allows stays of up to 90 days without a visa. 21$/Pers. LINK.
Return ticket: You must present a return ticket dated within 90 days to prove that you will leave the country within that time.
Travel insurance: It is recommended to have adequate travel insurance due to the high cost of medical care in the USA. In our case, we always used Iati, but lately we've been using Globalfine, which is much cheaper.
Vaccines: There are no mandatory vaccinations for entry.
Special conditions: If you have traveled to certain countries, such as Cuba, Iran, or Syria, after specific dates, you may need a visa instead of an ESTA.
International driving permit: It is requested through the DGT website.
It costs €10.51. The good thing is you can order it online and pick it up without an appointment. It took a couple of days for ours, then you go to pick it up and it's a cardboard card like the ones they had 20 years ago.
Practical tips for traveling to Miami
If you're traveling to Miami from Orlando, one of the most common options is to drive, a journey of about 3-4 hours, something often overlooked compared to flying. Furthermore, Florida allows for very comprehensive itineraries combining several cities without great distances. Miami is one of the most versatile destinations in the United States, ideal for combining beaches, leisure activities, and varied getaways in just a few days.
