honestly… I have never found a beach front hotel in Miami to even be close to reasonable in the summer time. With that being said I usually stay in the Ft Lauderdale/Pompano beach area.
Hmmm, I have found some packages on expedia beach front with decent reviews for like $1500 for 2. Includes airfare, hotel, car. I’m just having trouble choosing between them.
How much further is Lauderdale from the keys than Miami- if any at all? It doesn’t seem a crazy there. I remember being there when I was a kid.
When I lived in west palm, we used to drive down every once in a while… and honestly i never remember a really nice area. its so consumed by itself and the low-lifes around it that I would second think actually staying in south beach.
Lauderdale is about an hour away with traffic. I’d look around and try to get more people’s accoutns who’ve actually stayed around south beach.
…and if you go really far south, i remember it just smelling bad.
I was born and raised in Florida and spent 2 years in Miami. I don’t recall where the nude beaches are. Just ask when you get there, but be aware that the only people really on it are 50+ and male. Very few women. They get gawked at less on a regular beach topless.
As for hotels, they change hands and names A LOT. Two beautiful ones I like are called Hotel Victor and Essex. They are RIGHT on the strip. Another very pretty one is at the end of the strip. Lowes Miami Beach- I LOVE it there.
Where ever you stay, go to Tap Tap. Its at the south end of the strip. Fabulous Tapas and drinks. You WILL NOT regret it.
As for Key West, its about a 4-6 hour drive depending on traffic and if you sight see. All of the Key Islands are pretty nice, you might never even make it to Key West.
Either way, do me a favor and have a good Rum Runner for me.
If you make it far enough down in the Keys, stop in at the Sugarloaf Lodge and have dinner at their restaurant. Don’t stay there. Just have dinner at the restaurant.
Their specialty is simple & fresh fish dinners. Get the cracked conch appetizer, it’s great. I had the Ahi Tuna with wasabi-ginger sauce for dinner and it was simply awesome. Best meal I had in the Keys!
