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93 ReviewsDowntown Miami is a wonderful and safe day trip - although most of the city shutters closed at the end of the business day. For the party crowd, the club scene is RED HOT all night long!
Print out this page if you need a quick guide for a pre- or post- cruise day trip through Downtown Miami ...
Print this map to help you find all the best places in the city:
http://tinyurl.com/2wavz8
There is a lovely Modern Art Museum (www.miamiartmuseum.org) that shares a courtyard with the South Florida Historical Museum (www.historical-museum.org). Just across the street is Cacique - a typical Cuban Restaurant, good for a quick lunch. If you're looking for something a little more upscale, 2 blocks east of the museums on Flagler Street is a favorite Italian Bistro - La Loggia - who's entrance faces the Miami Courthouse. Entrees range from salads to sandwiches to more traditional hot dishes like Chicken Parmesean and a daily seafood special. Prices range from $8 to no more than $14-$15 at the very top end of the hot lunch menu.
Pop over to 100 South Biscayne. This large office complex has a sort of tunnel running through the bottom. Inside you'll find everything from a 10 minute manicure to a 15 minute chair massage. There is a storefront sushi place, a shoe repair, a tailor and a few discount stores worth a look...
On the north side of the building you'll see a blue neon sign for the discount store ROSS on the second floor (bargain alert!) and just next to the escalator that takes you up to ROSS is a Greek cafe Stoupsy's that has a full breakfast & lunch menu cooked while you wait. Again - really reasonable and good. 350 SE 1st St, Miami, 33131 - (305) 372-3663 (they deliver too!). The place is crowded weekdays with office workers gobbling up fresh grilled chicken, gyros (meat filled pita sandwiches) and greek salads. Lines can be long but it is worth the wait. Stoupsy's Grill is a great place to stop if you have rented a car and are waiting for the free shuttle service to the Port of Miami as it adjoins the Hertz Rental Agency. Across the street, Premo's makes sub sandwiches to order. There is a liquor and wine store that delivers (305- 533-9898) and Old Time Pizza on this same street.
Just around the corner from Stoupsy's - one block due west of Biscayne Blvd on 3rd Ave is a Starbuck's Coffee shop. Next door, you'll find Iron Sushi and the adjoiing Quiznos's sub chain.
On that same street at the south corner is Offerdahl's cafe which features bakery fresh bagels and scrambled eggs etc. for breakfast and salads, sandwiches and chicken entrees at lunch. Also on 3rd Street is a wonderful Asian Bistro and a Phillipine Buffet popular with the cruise ship staff. There is a Subway shop too. If you need any last-minute personal items, CVS and Walgreen's pharmacy shops are both located on 3rd Ave. These pharmacy shops are ideal places to get SUNSCREEN, toiletries, snacks, beer, bottled water, postcards, magazines and anything you forgot to pack or could not bring aboard your flight. At the northern end of the street is Marshall's discount store which sells department store merchandise at half price. Both Marshall's and ROSS sell clothing and shoes for men, women, and kids plus inexpensive swimwear, flip flops, and towels that are perfect for cruise passengers.
For something more exotic, try a delicious Tortilla Espanola (that's a Spanish style potato and onion omelette that's more baked than pan fried) at Navarre 353 SE 2nd Street. Just adjoining this tiny cafe is a Cuban coffee window called Cafe Con Leche Express. Have just ONE or stay awake all night...You can have a fabulous array of super sweet Cuban Pastry at Don Pan 127 SE 2nd Ave. Floridita is a Cuban luncheonette facing the fabulous discount diamond and jewelry exchange Seybold Building 36 NE 1ST St (entrance faces Macy*s Dept Store on Flagler Street but Cafe is at the back end of the arcade).
Shopping Downtown is a mixed bag of discount stores (Ross & Marshall's), a small Macy's (which has a gelato ice cream parlor and a buffet lunch on the 2nd floor), and the Seybold Building - a complex of discount jewellers and watch shops favored by locals for engagement rings, major bling-bling and specialty gifts. Most of the interesting discount shops face Flagler Street, Downtown's high street. Tourists seeking the popular "look-alike" handbags already know that they are not "legal" but available nonetheless in the stores that circle the block around the corner from Macy's Department Store (SE 1 Av) and in the arcade beneath Marshall's on Flagler Street.
There are 2 shuttle busses to the Dolphin Mall from Downtown Miami and airport area hotels. The two, new, 29-passenger buses will have two routes:
Route 1: From the Hyatt Regency Miami, Sheraton Biscayne Bay Hotel, Ramada Dupont Center, Hotel Intercontinental Miami, and Best Western Marina Park Hotel to the mall.
Route 2: From the Wyndham Miami Airport Hotel, Miami International Airport Hotel, Miami Airport Courtyard South, Miami Airport Fairchild Inn South, and Miami Airport Marriott to the mall.
The Dolphin Shuttle runs seven days a week, ten hours a day.To give you an idea about timing, the last bus to the mall departs the Hyatt at 3.40pm and leaves the Mall at 8.30pm.
Here is a link to all the info and special offers at this GIANT outlet mall:
www.shopdolphinmall.com/
Need a beauty break? One block south of Macy's Flagler Street store is a great discount beauty supply shop - Metro Beauty - with a ladies salon and a separate, men's only traditional hot towel shave barber shop called Churchill's next door.
Need a post-flight massage? If you're going to be making the trek Downtown, check out Corporate Body at 100 S. Biscayne Blvd (305-371-4666) It's in an enclosed arcade just past the entrance to ROSS discount clothing store. They offer a quick pick- me-up chair massage or a full body table massage and do not usually require a reservation. Do call ahead for hours and details. The 10 minute manicure shop in that same arcade can get you "sandal-ready" for all that barefooting on the ship.
Just south of the city, over the bridge across the Miami River is Tobacco Road, the oldest bar and grill in Miami (liquor license #1) which is opened for lunch and features local bands in the evenings. Try the patio dining at Tobacco Road or the WONDERFUL seafood at the River Oyster House. The River often has BBQ ribs on the menu if you're not into seafood. 650 S Miami Ave. The River and Tobacco Road bartenders are quite able to satisfy your cocktail needs. Further west on the Miami River, try Garcia's Seafood. A grilled mahi sandwich and a beer might be nice for lunch... 398 N.River Dr.
There is a FREE monorail circling the city - Metromover - which is always fun to ride and you can sightsee out the windows. See something interesting? Hop off and explore. You can hop back on and easily navigate back to your starting point. No charge. You can not get lost because this elevated train loops in a circle all around town.
The mover passes Bayside - the touristy bayfront shops run by the same firm as Boston's Faneuil Hall. Bayside has a large food court, usually some live music, a daquiri bar and many specialty shops to buy gifts for the folks back home. It's clean and safe and a lot less REAL than the city of Miami, however both areas are worth a look if you're interested in exploring the Downtown Miami area. The best spot for dining in Bayside is Los Ranchos grill. Folks also enjoy the Hard Rock Cafe and The Knife, an all-you-can-eat Argentine Grill specializing in grilled meats from beef to lamb to sausage and back... There is also a Chili's and a Hooter's chicken wing spot overlooking Biscayne Bay.
http://www.baysidemarketplace.com/html/Sunset Cruises and tours also depart from Bayside Marina.
Here are the numbers to book a boat tour:
Bayside Tour Boat Information
Dock Master
305-579-6955
Bayside Blaster (Speed Boat)
305-379-5119
Captain Jimmy’s Fiesta (Party Cruise)
305-371-3033
Celebration Excursions Of Miami (Sightseeing /Charter)
305-373-7001
Heritage of Miami (Tall ship/Sightseeing)
305-442-9697
El Loro ( Pirate Ship)
305-860-6300
Addresses of BEST BETS FOR DINING:>
That Old Time Pizza Inc 360 SE 1st St
Union Square Cafe 200 S Biscayne Blvd # 200
Stoupsy's of Athens 350 SE 1st St
Sushi Bento 125 SE 3rd Ave (adjoins Phillipine buffet)
Offerdahls 195 SE 3rd Ave
Premios Deli 1 SE 3rd Ave
Habibi Lebanese Grill140 SE 1st Ave
Jamaica International Cafe 119 SE 1st Ave
Rigatti's Italian Cafe 100 S Miami Ave
La Loggia Italian Restaurant 68 W Flagler St
Mario the Baker Pizza 25 W Flagler St
Golden Carrot Health Food 201 NW 1st Ave
River Oyster House (& Tobacco Rd.) 650 S Miami Ave
Metromover map:
http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/move...
Parking map:
http://www.miamidade.gov/gsa/prkg_loc...
Downtown Map:
http://www.vidaamericana.com/miami_gu...
Here are all the near by RENTAL CAR places for Cruise visitors:
Hertz Rent A Car 354 SE 1st St,
Enterprise Rent-A-Car 400 SE 2nd Ave
Budget Rent A Car 495 Brickell Ave
Enterprise Rent-A-Car 1601 Biscayne Blvd
Avis Rent A Car SE 1st Ave
Hotels near the Port of Miami and Downtown central market area include:
Holiday Inn - Port of Miami Downtown340 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132
(305) 371-4400
www.holidayinn.com
Located across the street from Bayside.
Riande Continental
146 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132
(305) 358-4666
Located about 3 blocks from Bayside.
Hotel Intercontinental
100 Chopin Plaza
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 577-1000
www.intercontinental.com
Located 4 blocks from Bayside. Hotel connected to downtown MetroMover electric tram system with stop one block from Bayside.
Courtyard by Marriott
200 SE 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 374-3000
www.miamicourtyard.com
Located about 7 blocks from Bayside.
Biscayne Bay Marriott
1633 N. Bayshore Drive
Miami, FL 33132
(305) 374-3900
www.marriott.com
Located about 11 blocks from Bayside. Hotel connected to downtown MetroMover electric tram system with stop one block from Bayside.
Doubletree Grand
1717 N. Bayshore Drive
Miami, FL 33132
(305) 372-0313
www.doubletree.com
Located about 11 blocks from Bayside. Hotel connected to downtown MetroMover electric tram system with stop one block from Bayside.
Radisson Hotel Downtown Miami
1601 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132
(305) 374-0000
www.radisson-miami.com
Located about 12 blocks from Bayside. Hotel connected to downtown MetroMover electric tram system with stop one block from Bayside.
Hyatt Regency Miami
400 SE 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 358-1234
www.hyattregencymiami.com
Located about 10 blocks away from Bayside. Hotel connected to downtown MetroMover electric tram system with stop one block from Bayside.
The River Park Hotel
100 SE 4th St
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 374-5100
www.riverparkhotelandsuites.com
Located about 11 blocks from Bayside.
JW Marriott
1109 Brickell Avenue
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 329-3500
www.marriott.com
Located about 22 blocks from Bayside. Hotel connected to downtown MetroMover electric tram system with stop one block from Bayside.
Mandarin Oriental
500 Brickell Key Drive
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 913-8288
www.mandarinoriental.com
Located about 18 blocks from Bayside.
