15 Passenger Van Rental Miami Florida

It might be notorious for its late-night party scene, swanky beach hotels with
steeply priced drinks and the beachgoers who wear barely-there $300 swimsuits, but
vacationing Miami-style doesn't have to cost a fortune.

From $3 beers to staying at a hostel for $14.95 a night to $7 bike

rides along the Florida Everglades, visitors looking for deals have lots of
options in the Miami area. Even now, during high season.

Lodging

If you're adventurous and on a tight budget, consider staying
in a hostel. Rooms can house three to
14 travelers,
sleeping on bunk beds, starting as low as $14.95 per person per night in an eight-bed
non-private room. Hostels in

Miami Beach include Tropics Hotel & Hostel, 1550 Collins Ave. (305-531-0361;
www.tropicshotel.com), Jazz on

South Beach Hostel, 321 Collins Ave. (305-672-2137;
www.jazzhostels.com) and South Beach Hostel,
235 Washington Ave. (305-534-6669;
www.thesouthbeachhostel.com).

For more conventional lodging, research your hotel at the one-stop shopping Web
site www.miamihotels.com.
Book a room while looking for nearby attractions, beaches and events.

Miami Beach

The Lincoln Road pedestrian mall is perfect for strolls and people-watching.
You'll find dozens of restaurants and shops, along with locals walking dogs or weaving
through the crowds on inline skates.

For a quick bite, check out Pizza Rustica (667 Lincoln Road, other
locations on Washington
Avenue), where you can get a huge slice of gourmet pizza for about $5. This is also
a great spot for club-goers looking for something to fill their stomachs after a
few drinks; it's open from 11 a.m. until 3 or 4 a.m.

At 625 Lincoln Road is a hidden gem popular with the locals. Snuggled between
two stores is the narrow, tiny bar called Zeke's Roadhouse, which boasts more than
80 bottled beers and drafts from around the world – each just $3. No hard alcohol
is sold here, and no outside food or drinks are allowed on the premises. Keep your
ID handy, because bartenders check it with each purchase. No ID, no beer.

If you prefer to spend your time on the sand, the beach is within walking distance
(and free, unless you rent the pricey beach chairs). On your stroll, check out the
art deco architecture and ritzy hotels. Or snap some pictures at the Casa Casuarina
mansion where fashion designer Gianni Versace once lived (it's now a luxury hotel)
at 1116 Ocean Drive.

A drink at a trendy hotel bar on the beach – the Delano, Setai, Shore Club, Gansevoort
– can cost up to $15, but you might just run into a celebrity. Owen Wilson was spotted
at the Delano while filming “Marley & Me” with Jennifer Aniston. She reportedly
spent time at the Mandarin Oriental.

Many restaurants in South Beach and other touristy areas automatically add a
tip (usually 15-18 percent) to the bill.

Art

The
Miami
Art Museum – 101 W. Flagler St., www.miamiartmuseum.org – has a unique collection
of different cultural traditions of South Florida. Adults pay $8, seniors $4, free
for children under 12 and students with ID; free to all on the second Saturday of
each month. Also on second Saturdays, galleries and studios in the Wynwood Art District
offer free wine (or beer) on a gallery walk, 7-10 p.m. The Wynwood galleries are
open other days as well.

A short cab ride away, in the heart of Miami about a mile from downtown, is Vizcaya
Museum & Gardens – 3251 S. Miami Ave., www.vizcayamuseum.com. Built by agricultural
industrialist James Deering in 1916, the landmark property includes a main house
filled with treasures from around the world, a walkway lined with fountains and
foliage, 10 acres of formal gardens and a hardwood hammock overlooking Biscayne
Bay. Admission is $15; $6 for ages 6-12; 5 and younger, free.

Not far, in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables, is Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
– 10901 Old Cutler Road, www.fairchildgarden.org – with an extensive collection
of rare tropical plants. Stop by its veranda restaurant or garden cafe, or spend
the afternoon drinking tea here. Adults pay $20; seniors $15; ages 6-17, $10; 5
and younger, free.

Entertainment and food

Transit
Lounge in the downtown area – 729 SW First Ave.;
www.transitlounge.us – hosts several local
bands during the week that play Latin and funk music. A drink is about $6; open
late (5 a.m.). If you get tired of dancing, sit along the walls adorned with paintings
done by area artists and play that favorite game from childhood, Connect Four.

Calle Ocho, or Eighth Street, hosts Viernes Culturales or Cultural Fridays the
last Friday of every month. The art and street festival spans four blocks lined
with more than a dozen galleries, restaurants blasting Latin music and cigar shops
– some offering free drinks and appetizers. Stages are set up for live music. Organizers
say the Latin festival attracts more than 10,000 people to the heart of Little Havana.
Dancing and cigar smoking are encouraged.

While on Calle Ocho, don't miss the Cuban food and coffee at
Little
Havana's famed Versailles Restaurant, 3555 SW Eighth St., a required stop for
vote-seeking politicians.

Nature

The best way to see South
Florida's alligator-infested waters is riding an airboat through the Everglades.

Everglades Alligator Farm (www.everglades.com)
is about 35 miles south of
Miami
in Homestead, while

Everglades Safari Park (www.evsafaripark.com)
is about 15 miles west on the Tamiami Trail. Both places offer a chance to experience
Florida's river of grass up close. You can even take a picture holding a baby alligator
or watch an alligator show. The adventure, airboat and all, costs about $23 at each
for adults, $15 or less for children. Both Web sites offer printable discount coupons.

Shark Valley Tram Tours (www.sharkvalleytramtours-
.com) in Homestead rents bikes for $7 an hour. A 15-mile nature trail through the
northern region of Everglades National Park takes two to three hours. If you'd rather
rest your feet, a two-hour guided tram ride with wildlife viewing and a stop at
the Shark Valley observation
tower for a panoramic view of the

Everglades costs $16.25; $15.25 for seniors; $10 for ages 3-12. The fee for
car entry to Everglades National Park is $10, good for seven consecutive days, or
$5 per person on foot, bike or motorcycle. Details:
www.nps.gov/ever.

Transportation

Miami lacks comprehensive public transportation, but there are
economical ways to get around. You can't miss the big blue Super

Shuttle vans from the airport to the beach and Miami hotels, about $22 plus
tip. The Tri-Rail is a convenient,
affordable way to
navigate the region, with stops including area airports, Fort Lauderdale, Delray
Beach,
Boca
Raton Luxury Car Rentals and

West Palm Beach. One-way fares are $2-$5.50, all-day $4 weekend fare. Taxis
are widely available if you prefer not to rent a car. A
ride from the airport
to the beach can cost about $30-$35.