Miami for the Rest of Us
June 10th, 2009
For everyone who has ever thought of Miami as exclusive and prohibitively expensive, these Miami hotels and attractions provide the South Beach experience without the cost or pretense. Stay in boutique hotels, observe the SoBe club scene, and sample Cuban food on a middling budget.
Stay in the Beach’s Cheapest Boutique Hotels
See Wikipedia to ready yourself for the Miami experience; the people’s encyclopedia characterizes boutique hotels as, “intimate, usually luxurious or quirky.” Thanks, wiki. These hotels promise the boutique experience at a fraction of its usual cost.
The Albion Hotel
One of Miami’s most exceptional deco offerings, the Albion is a centrally-located bargain. All of its rooms have been professionally designed to suit the boutique clientele and its beach- and Ocean Drive- adjacent location provides unbeatable access to nightlife, area galleries, and SoBe’s unique shopping. Plus, a cycle of America’s Next Top Model filmed there, and we all know that Tyra knows best.
The Circa 39
This updated hotel is mere steps from the beach, and within walking distance of SoBe’s major offerings. In true boutique spirit, Circa’s decor is both quirky and inviting; while the lobby features some more esoteric furnishings, the rooms are white and plush. Guests will want to make time to enjoy the hotel’s outdoor pool, sundeck, and fully stocked bar and lounge.
The Hotel Nash
Though the Hotel Nash opened in 1999, it manages to conjure the sort of Art Deco nostalgia that made South Beach famous. The hotel is small and personalized, with a lobby-level restaurant that rivals SoBe’s best. For rates that usually fall under the $200 mark, you can enjoy the beachside Deco scene, a garden atmosphere, and, perhaps most enticingly, access to Nash’s three awesome spa pools.
South Beach Cafés: Fast, Cheap, and Good
By virtue of geography, Miami hosts the country’s richest hub of Cuban culture. Its Cuban eateries are consistently authentic and moderately priced. Try a Cuban sandwich or get a midnight burger at these South Beach spots.
News Café
The News Café is located at a prestigious Ocean Drive address, but it still manages to lower the bottom line on delicious beachside fare. What’s more, it’s open 24 hours and is a trusted post-bar stop for discerning South Beachers. As its name suggests, the café offers its patrons a variety of international newspapers to peruse over morning coffee or late-night eggs. Entrée prices hover around $10, and you can get an innovative coffee cocktail for $8.
David’s Café
With Collins Avenue and Lincoln Road locations, Davi’s provides easy access to a full Cuban menu. Its $8 Cuban sandwich garners rave reviews, and its most expensive menu item is a $19 Churrasco. Like the News Café, it’s open 24 hours to sate the club crowd. Curiosities like papaya and mamey shakes cost around $5, and for the less adventurous it’s got a good burger and sandwich selection. For a wholly Cuban experience, try David’s breakfast dishes and fresh juices.
Non-Beach Attractions on the Cheap
It’s easy and cost-effective to spend your days on the white sand, but it might get boring. Mix it up with a bang-for-your-buck sightseeing cruise and a trip to one of the country’s finest zoological establishments.
The Island Queen Cruise
This $22, 90 minute cruise is the surest way to view the most exclusive parts of Miami Beach, most notably the famed “Millionaires’ Row” island homes. Narrated in both English and Spanish, the Island Queen tours the Biscayne Bay at a leisurely pace and provides its guests with plenty of picture-taking vistas. It’s certainly a basic tourist attraction, but it will show you more of Miami than you could ever hope to see on your own. Plus, the Island Queen undertakes several sojourns a day, so you can always fit it into your schedule.
Miami Metrozoo
Miami’s extensive zoo houses a multitude of exotic mammals; that guy is an Okapi, a giraffe relative long thought to be extinct. Because it’s the U.S.’s only subtropical zoo, it’s got more hosting capabilities than its counterparts in colder climates. For under $15 per adult, you can check out gibbons, koalas, and pygmy hippopotamuses. Save $2 off your admission with an online coupon, and then promptly spend it feeding greens to giraffes.
Beer Bars and Dives: Miami’s Cheapest Nightlife
Meet some locals, drink for pennies, and avoid the club crowds. Miami’s dives are all-around winners. These are conveniently located on the beach’s main drags.
Zeke’s Roadhouse
Take it from a Miami native reviewer on Yelp: “Zeke’s should not exist. It’s too perfect.” It’s perfect, that is, if you’re a beer drinker and a fan of dive establishments. Zeke’s Lincoln Road location places it in Miami’s nightlife epicenter, but it somehow manages to thrive without serving $15 fruity cocktails. Expect to pay $3 for a microbrew and enjoy a huge selection of both bottles and drafts. Just don’t try to pay with plastic.
Free Spirits Sports Café
Miami’s premier British Pub is more of a neighborhood bar than a SoBe club, in spite of its Collins Park-adjacent location. Its low-key atmosphere has inspired a devoted following, many of whom hit the bar every night. Free Spirits is equally appealing for music and sports enthusiasts; it hosts Rockabilly nights, has a great punk rock jukebox, and also televises plenty of sporting events. For a quieter night, head to the game room for darts, billiards, or a board game.
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Categories: Travel on the Cheap
