OT - Orange Bowl / Miami Things to do

Submitted by Nickel on

Some people had mentioned a few things in the Parking / Tailgating thread, but I thought this would be a good place to post any must-see or must-eat places in South Florida for people coming to town for the Orange Bowl aside from the obvious places that people think of like South Beach.

Nickel

December 7th, 2016 at 2:18 PM ^

I spent a few years in Miami for law school and while it's been awhile I recommend some of the following.

- Matheson Hammock Park is a palm-tree ringed sandy lagoon where I spent a lot of time studying. It's on the bay side so don't expect crystal-clear blue water, but a very quiet and relaxing place compared to South Beach.

- Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens are just past Matheson Hammock.

- Grab a bite at the Pinecrest Wayside Market while you're down towards Matheson Hammock or Fairchild.

- The other beaches I went to most often were out on Key Biscayne (Crandon Park, Bill Braggs State Park, Virginia Key). Each has a different flavor and are less crazy than South Beach.

- I'm no foodie, so I'll leave that to others, but I had a lot of great meals in little Havana along Calle Ocho (8th Street) including Versailles of course.

Everyone Murders

December 7th, 2016 at 2:54 PM ^

I used to say that when I retire I want to be the host there.  The easiest way to get a table, at least back in the day, was to slip the host at least $20 when you put your name on the list.  Otherwise, be prepared for a long wait.  The graft was open, obvious, and hilarious.

I don't know if that's changed, but that was the custom several years back.  It could be that Open Table has killed my dream job.

evenyoubrutus

December 7th, 2016 at 2:23 PM ^

Hop a flight down to Nassau, beat a wealthy war lord in poker and win his Aston Martin, sleep with his girlfriend, then follow him back to Miami, kill him, and stop a terrorist plot to blow up an airliner.

Mocha Cub

December 7th, 2016 at 3:02 PM ^

I'd rather catch a flight down to Cuba and watch Halle Berry come out of the ocean. Drink mojitos and smoke cigars, then sleep with Halle. Blow up a medical facility to prevent facial reconstruction of a North Korean warlord. Lodge diamonds in his face (because he can go to hell right along with Notre Dame and Jim Delaney). Sleep with Halle again (of course) and then hope to die another day.

ChiCityWolverine

December 7th, 2016 at 3:21 PM ^

Miami lost an icon this past offseason. Dwyane Wade is one of the two (along with Dan Marino) biggest sports figures in South Florida sports history. Don't talk about something you are ignorant about. A late-arriving lower bowl and one infamous game don't tell the story. The Heat were top 5 in local TV ratings and attendance in the first two seasons post-LeBron. I don't know if you're a Pistons fan, but those crowds have been pathetic during these 6 or 7 years of mediocrity. 

I don't live in Florida anymore and haven't been this year, but for all the crap it gets, that crowd became a pretty strong one during the Wade era. Among current arenas I've been to, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaukee, Orlando, Los Angeles, Chicago, Brooklyn, Washington, and Atlanta all have less energy than AAA did. I will say New York and Boston have better crowds for sure on a night to night basis, and I haven't been to much out to west coast as much (though it seems most of the best arenas are in the West). 

In reply to by ijohnb

jmblue

December 7th, 2016 at 4:18 PM ^

Do tourists actually do that kind of thing?  Go see a local pro sports team play?

That seems really odd to me, unless it were a really famous venue, like Wrigley Field, or if your own local team were playing.

umich1

December 7th, 2016 at 2:42 PM ^

Look up Lucali Pizzeria on the west side of Miami Beach. It is the best pizza I've ever had. All other food there was mediocre (Joes, BLT Steak, etc. - not cheap and not great)