Random questions about breakfast, transport etc near Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay

[Mooloo]

Please can anyone advise, I've a few last niggly questions about my first stay in Miami in a couple of weeks and was hoping for some advice / information, or better yet, your suggestions or recommendations.

 

***We will be arriving in Miami at about 6pm, which means we'll get to the hotel (Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay) at about 9pm ish - where would be a good place to grab a bite to eat? As you will imagine, we will have had a long day and are not looking for an ‘ultimate ever meal’, just a sensibly priced meal close by our hotel.

 

***Are there any places to eat a reasonably-priced breakfast that you'd recommend? We're not that fussy but would be happier with a diner type place rather than Starbucks.

 

***We will be getting something delivered to a local Wal-Mart using site to store (possibly 1425 Northeast 163Rd Street) and was wondering how easy it would be to get there in a cab or public transport from either the hotel or South Beach?

 

*** Ours is a b2b cruise & as we will be returning to Miami halfway through, we would be interested in taking an Everglades tour. How easy would it be to pitch up on the day (are they booked weeks in advance?), where would we go and how easy would it be to get there and back from the port?

 

*** How far is South Beach from downtown and is it easy by bus or the train? Would it be easy to get from there to Biscayne Blvd?

 

**** If I just wanted to walk around the art deco parts of Miami, where are they and would it be fairly easy to get to from the hotel?

 

*** How easy is it to get back from an evenign out? Could I grab a bus / train or if I needed a cab from restaurants, would they call them for me or would I need to have a number to hand?

 

Thanks in advance guys, I know they are fairly mundane questions:)

[Almost Packed]

Please can anyone advise, I've a few last niggly questions about my first stay in Miami in a couple of weeks and was hoping for some advice / information, or better yet, your suggestions or recommendations.

 

***We will be arriving in Miami at about 6pm, which means we'll get to the hotel (Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay) at about 9pm ish - where would be a good place to grab a bite to eat? As you will imagine, we will have had a long day and are not looking for an ‘ultimate ever meal’, just a sensibly priced meal close by our hotel.

 

***Are there any places to eat a reasonably-priced breakfast that you'd recommend? We're not that fussy but would be happier with a diner type place rather than Starbucks.

 

***We will be getting something delivered to a local Wal-Mart using site to store (possibly 1425 Northeast 163Rd Street) and was wondering how easy it would be to get there in a cab or public transport from either the hotel or South Beach?

 

*** Ours is a b2b cruise & as we will be returning to Miami halfway through, we would be interested in taking an Everglades tour. How easy would it be to pitch up on the day (are they booked weeks in advance?), where would we go and how easy would it be to get there and back from the port?

 

*** How far is South Beach from downtown and is it easy by bus or the train? Would it be easy to get from there to Biscayne Blvd?

 

**** If I just wanted to walk around the art deco parts of Miami, where are they and would it be fairly easy to get to from the hotel?

 

*** How easy is it to get back from an evenign out? Could I grab a bus / train or if I needed a cab from restaurants, would they call them for me or would I need to have a number to hand?

 

Thanks in advance guys, I know they are fairly mundane questions:)

 

 

great questions, sorry i can't answer much for you. I think you will be fairly disappointed in the public transit system in Miami however.

Maybe someone can answer your questions.

I usually will program the taxi numbers into my phone just in case.

 

you may consider renting a car for the day...even if it's just an economy car. It may be cheaper than trying to run all over town catching buses etc. as they are on less frequent of a schedule on the weekends (to my understanding) we usually rent a car the day we come in and return it early the next a.m. after dropping off our luggage at the pier. that way we can go whenever and wherever we want.

 

Good luck, i hope someone can give you some more answers as you asked very good questions.

[islandgirlejfan]

We are staying at the Marriott Biscayne Bay in December as we changed our reservation from the Courtyard due to construction at the hotel. We are coming in early and renting a car for a day from Hertz at the airport and returning it to their 1st street location. The cost for the day is $68 (compact car). Taxi from the airport is roughly $25 and even with the additional parking fees of $26, I feel we will come out ahead as there are several things we want to do and taxi fares along with tips would kill us!:eek:

 

From what I have been reading here in this forum, there are restaurants at Bayside Marketplace, but with coming in so late, I would be more apt to just have something at the hotel restaurant or room service. I'm from the big city and I know that there are many cautions here within the group and with good reason. (we came through Miami last year on a road trip to and from Key West) Like most large cities, you need to be aware of your surroundings.

 

I too, am interested to hear if anyone has any breakfast suggestions in Miami or South Beach that they might have had and want to share.

[Marie51]

You didn't say how many days you will be in Miami. If you want to eat a quick dinner and turn in for the night after you arrive, I would just eat at the hotel restaurant. As far as the Art Deco area, I believe that would be South Beach and you will need a cab to go there.

I'm sure the hotel concierge will have suggestions for you to get to Walmart as well as anywhere else you want to go.

 

I don't know about renting a car. If you are from Europe and want to rent a car in the US, can you do this without a US drivers license???

[islandgirlejfan]

I don't know about renting a car. If you are from Europe and want to rent a car in the US, can you do this without a US drivers license???

 

The OP should be fine. It's always best to get a International Licence for anyone that goes overseas (they are not good in the country that they are issued), but according to several of the websites I have been to, all that is needed is a full UK drivers licence.

 

Unless it's changed since I was last in Europe, it is the same for US citizens. I lived there back in the 80's and went back in 2004 and we drove.

[euro cruiser]

I wonder if the neighborhood where the Biscayne Bay Marriott is has changed in recent years? I used to stay there several times a year on business trips and at that time (I'm talking 15 years ago, so much could be different) you wouldn't go walking in the neighborhood after dark. The hotel was lovely, however.

 

Here's the link for Miami public transit information, including routes and schedules: http://www.miamidade.gov/TRANSIT/routes1.asp

[euro cruiser]

I was just playing around on the Miami transit web site and it looks the the #103 bus goes from quite near the Marriott Biscayne Bay over to South Beach. Pretty easy, one bus.

 

http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/routes/route.asp?route=103

[Mooloo]

Thanks for all your suggestions! Keep them coming :)

 

We land on a Thursday afternoon / evening & sail on Sunday. A decent meal would be a bonus.

 

My mum intends to devote Friday to shopping at an outlet mall and I picked the Dolphin Mall as it has a convinient shuttle service.

 

Saturday's when I get to do my 'thing' and so I'd be keen to see some of the city & of course pick up my item from walmart.

 

I drove in Canada last year on a GB liscense and don't suppose it should be a problem in the states, my concern is how easy is it to drive in Miami? Is the driving style aggressive and is it fairly easy to navigate your way round?

[Marie51]

I would say that the driving style in Miami is aggresive, but that's just me. From the times I have been in Miami, I feel that some of the cab drivers drive like maniacs.

[islandgirlejfan]

Thanks for all your suggestions! Keep them coming :)

 

We land on a Thursday afternoon / evening & sail on Sunday. A decent meal would be a bonus.

 

My mum intends to devote Friday to shopping at an outlet mall and I picked the Dolphin Mall as it has a convinient shuttle service.

 

Saturday's when I get to do my 'thing' and so I'd be keen to see some of the city & of course pick up my item from walmart.

 

I drove in Canada last year on a GB liscense and don't suppose it should be a problem in the states, my concern is how easy is it to drive in Miami? Is the driving style aggressive and is it fairly easy to navigate your way round?

 

 

We had no problem getting around staying on the main roads. If I were you and wanted to drive, I would get a GPS with the car. I am from Maryland where aggressive driving is a way of life not to mention lived and drove on the autobahn in Germany and to me, Miami is easy! People in Miami may disagree, but we thought it was fine!

[Mooloo]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, please keep them coming.

 

I've been looking into renting a car for a day ($30ish), but not sure how clearly signposted the city is and hmming about the driving.

 

Any more suggestions for dinner / breakfast please?:)

[megr1125]

http://www.newscafe.com/

 

IIRC that's the IN place for breakfast and people watching in SoBe....haven't been there, but i know people who have...

 

driving around isn't THAT bad...you just want to make sure you have a GPS or good directions....i actually had more trouble getting around Bayside in a car than around the city!:p (couldn't seem to get a decent parking spot...)

[lss111]

Any other places for breakfast not fancy near Marriott Biscayne?:)

[Grandma Gilly]

Moolooo - I am from the UK but have been to Miami several times. Hiring and driving there is dead easy. I would think again about Dolphin Mall. Although it is an outlet mall there isn't too much there. Sawgrass is far better - about a 40 minute drive away. However, we've always found the best places to shop are the regular malls, specially the department stores (Macys is best!) and look for the discount rails. Aventura Mall is north of Miami and an easy drive on the I-95 or try the Dadeland Mall which is just south of Miami.