Help us keep busy in Miami!

March 1, 2009 4:08 PM

Going to Miami and Palm Beach from March 13th to 19th. Help us keep busy!

We are two mid-20s gay guys spending the weekend in South Beach and then several days in Palm Beach. Can you recommend stuff that we shouldn't miss? We're probably gonna rent a car, so we can drive to stuff out of the city. I'm open to any suggestions, but I'd also be particularly interested in knowing more about:

1) the everglades- is it worth doing a tour, or should we give it a pass?
2) the gay scene
3) food. we are foodies.

posted by tumbleweedjack to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

In Palm Beach, Worth Avenue is full of jewelers, art galleries and expensive high-end designer ware, right near the beaches. It's a lot of fun for the "ooh, ahh" factor. The Breakers Resort is worth a visit for the spectacular ocean views alone. The Gardens Mall, off of PGA Blvd, has some great upscale shops, including Godiva Chocolates for the foodies.

Best place for fancy, waterside food is the River House, hands down. Cheap eats with a scenic water view are Waterway Cafe and Panama Hatties, both of which are barely a stone's throw away from the River House.

Lots of nice houses in Palm Beach once you head over to A1A.

Personally, I'd completely skip the Everglades tour, but I'm a native Floridian and my reaction to the Everglades is a bored, "Huh. A big swamp and gators. Woohoo." The mosquitoes are oppressive around Alligator Alley, so be sure to wear bug spray if you head down there, and if you really do want a tour, I hear the airboats are fun.
posted by misha at 5:19 PM on March 1

Not really what you had in mind, so just FYI: pay attention to the news for the first couple days, because the space shuttle is scheduled to launch on the 12th. If it gets delayed from the 12th (common) you'll be able to see it while you're there, from either Palm Beach or Miami, simply by going outside and looking north at the appropriate time (going out to the beach would be fine). You won't hear anything though. This is a night launch. Launch times are here*. Obviously don't be late.

It's probably too far for you to drive all the way up to KSC, but if you do for some reason, this site has the best launch viewing advice.

* doesn't show 12th-14th times but will soon; 8pm-9pm-ish
posted by intermod at 9:46 PM on March 1

Depends on your tastes, you might enjoy visiting Vizcaya - link here. Heart of Miami.

Unfortunately, the greatest and long standing jewish delicatessans of Miami have faded into history. Having said that, if you're still curious, Epicure market sample menu here might do something for you. I reccomend this less enthusastically then Vizcaya.

Everglades -- where are you guys from. It's been pretty cold this winter so it won't be as extreme a mosquito fest as it might usually be, but having said that unless you've never see a marsh/swampy greenland before you might give it a pass. On the other hand, flying down the marsh in a huge airboat (picture youself on a boat with a huge ass fan behind you, guess what's propelling you forward?), there is something to be said for that... buy insect repellent! buy sunscreen!

You'll be by south beach already so I'd assume you could pass by the recently renovated Fontainbleu Resort site here. I haven't been by since they renovated and lord knows they have spared no expense (if you're driving, you'll find nearly every I-95 billboard from WPB down to MIA will have their campaign on it), but if they had any sense of class they could have retained what was one of the "original" Miami Beach hospitality experiences.

You'll be in South Beach, so I assume you'll be all over Lincoln Road. If you weren't planning to, well at least now you may be. ;)

If you still find yourself with too much time in Miami, give the New Times best of a look here. You said just the weekend though, so I doubt you'll run out of options ... ;)
posted by cavalier at 9:11 AM on March 2

Meetup! (I live in Hollywood, I would totally have dinner with you guys at South Beach.)

Bonus points because I plan to be camping in the Everglades March 12-17 with a quick jaunt down to Key Largo to visit a friend on the 17th before coming home.

So...Dinner on the 18th up in Palm Beach?
posted by bilabial at 5:31 PM on March 3

I realize that wasn't as clear as it could have been.

I could venture out of the woods for a casual dinner in South Beach in the earlier part of the weekend, or I could drive up to Palm Beach to meet you guys for dinner there on the 18th.

Or the two of you could come visit the Everglades. I'll be in Flaming, which is way out at the end, but Long Pine Key is nice too. But as others have said, the swamp has it's own special charm that is not seen by everyone. If I didn't love it as much as I do, I wouldn't go out of my way on a 4 day vacation to see it. But I do love it enough to make it my vacation.
posted by bilabial at 5:34 PM on March 3