Independent notes for Miami and South Florida trips
Miami · Miami Beach · the Everglades · the Keys
Which side of the bay to sleep on, how to get from MIA to the beach without a car, what to do about your phone, and when the heat and the storms set the plan. Written for first-time and returning visitors.
Each section of the site hangs its own sign.
How Miami's seasons shape a trip: the dry winter and spring, summer heat and storms, and the June 1 to November 30 hurricane season, with official sources to follow.
Plan Your Trip
A calm order of things after landing at MIA: entry and customs, bags, getting your phone online, cards and cash, the ride out, the heat and a simple first evening.
Phones and Data
Signal gaps on the bridges, offline maps and mile markers, 911, phone heat and charging, and your data options for a Florida Keys drive.
Phones and Data
Roaming, a US prepaid SIM, a travel eSIM or Wi-Fi: how each works for Miami visitors, how to check your phone first, and how to keep bank texts coming.
Day Trips
How the Overseas Highway (US 1) works from Florida City to Key West: mile markers, the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys, traffic, Key deer and storms.
Day Trips
Plan a day trip to Everglades National Park from Miami. This guide covers park entrances like Shark Valley and Homestead, seasons, and practical tips.
Neighborhoods
Planning a first day in Wynwood and the Design District: murals and galleries, architecture and public art, timing around the heat, and getting between them.
Neighborhoods
Explore Miami's Cuban heritage on foot. This practical guide covers a walking route along Calle Ocho, including Domino Park and local cultural sites.
Getting Around
From MIA to Miami Beach without a car: the MIA Mover, county buses and Metrorail, flat-rate taxis, ride-hailing pickup zones, luggage and late arrivals.
Where to Stay
Choosing between South Beach, Mid-Beach and North Beach, or the mainland: noise, walkability, beach time and getting around, area by area.
