| MIAMI | |
| CITY OVERVIEW
Stay in Miami
|
Miami is a melting pot of different races that makes it culturally very different to most other cities in the US. This is not surprising considering its closeness to the West Indies and South America. Half of Miami's population is Hispanic, and its various communities, such as Little Haiti and Little Havana, have the actual feel of being in the West Indies. This means that Miami is a tourist delight, with the variety of food and music unmatched elsewhere. The destination that most people want to stay, or at least visit, is Miami Beach. This could be quite possibly the Art-Deco capital of the world. Whereas downtown Miami is on the mainland, the city of Miami Beach is on a thin barrier island about 6km east of downtown across Biscayne Bay. The Art Deco Historic District, a collection of brightly colored yellow, pale blue or pink buildings dating back to the 1920s, is on the US National Register of Historic Places. This District is in the heart of trendy South Beach, called SoBe by the locals and one of the gayest places on earth. Back on the mainland, south of downtown Miami, is most of Miami’s other tourist attractions. The Miami Museum of Science & Space Transit Planetarium share a building at Miami's southern city limit, near the entrance to the Rickenbacker Causeway, the bridge that connects Miami with Key Biscayne. Further east, the Causeway travels along Virginia Key, home to the Miami Seaquarium and Salty the Sea Lion! Miami is also the best starting point for some not too far away Florida treasures. The Everglades is a humungous, yet delicate ecosystem made up of swamps, wetlands, and marshes that houses alligators and some of the US’s most amazing wildlife. It's the largest subtropical wilderness in the US but it is best to see it now as it is under serious threat from urban sprawl and pollution. Further south from Miami is the Florida Keys, a string of islands connected together by a 200km highway. The southernmost and most visited key is Key West – the gay retreat capital of the US and the home of Key Lime Pie. |
| GETTING THERE
Fly to Miami Within USA
|
Miami is served by two main airports: Miami International Airport, about 19km west of downtown, and the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, about 48km north of the city. The former is larger and is directly accessible to many international and national locations, whilst the latter is the home of the ever-increasing budget airlines that come to Florida from the colder north-east. Transport access to both airports from downtown can be achieved on the Tri-Rail commuter rail, with shuttle buses connecting people to the rail system. Miami’s Amtrak station is located near the Miami International Airport at 8303 NW 37th Av. There are three locations for Greyhound services: at the Airport, the Amtrak Station and in downtown Miami at 100 NW 6th Street. Miami-Dade Transit runs an extensive and effective combination of trains and buses. Metrorail is a heavy rail system with one line, running through downtown Miami and then south. It connects at various points with Tri-Rail regional train service, Metromover and Metrobus. Tri-Rail runs between three counties: Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. It connects downtown Miami with the sprawling wider metro area. The Metromover is a suspended monorail that links many of Downtown's major office buildings, hotels, and retail centres. |
| NFL
MIAMI DOLPHINS |
Founded in 1965, the NFL Miami Dolphins are famous for two things: 1. the perfect 1972 season where the Dolphins went through undefeated and then followed up for their only other Superbowl win in 1973; and 2. Dan Marino – arguably the greatest quarterback in the game never to win a Superbowl. Marino has – statistically - one of the most impressive pass-records of all time. In recent years, the Dolphins have become renowned as a premier defensive team who seem to consistently make the playoffs every year. |
| NBA
MIAMI HEAT |
Life for the NBA’s Miami Heat started in 1988. After spending its first few years in the cellar, the franchise began to make progress in the mid 90’s. Although the Heat failed to achieve a winning season during their first five campaigns, the team stayed close to the break-even point and made it into the playoffs faster than any of its expansion peers. The Heat’s rise to prominence coincided with the arrival of super coach Pat Riley - mentor of the 80’s Lakers and the 90’s New York Knicks, who could never quite get past the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. |
| NHL
FLORIDA PANTHERS |
The NHL’s Florida Panthers started life in the NHL in 1993-94. Amazingly, they made the Stanley Cup Final in their third year before losing to fellow newcomer the Colorado Avalanche. Since then, the Panthers have struggled somewhat, only making the playoffs twice since, and losing in the first round both times. |
| MLB
FLORIDA MARLINS |
The MLB’s Florida Marlins have followed a similar path to the Panthers – they began life in 1993 and have already won one World Series. Interestingly, however, every year other than their World Series win in 1997 has been a losing year until 10 years later - where they crueled the chances of the luckless Cubs to make the World Series again. |
| PRO PLAYER STADIUM |
Pro
Player Stadium -
formerly Joe Robbie Stadium - hosts the Dolphins and the Marlins and is
located 2269 NW 199 Street, Miami. Opened in 1987, the Stadium has a
capacity of 47,500 for baseball and 75,000 for football. The Dolphins used
to play at the Orange Bowl, which continues to host one of the big college
bowl finals of the year. The Marlins began playing here when they became
admitted to the League in 1993. The stadium is located on the north-western outskirts of the Miami suburban area on the border of Broward County. From downtown, catch the Metrorail north to the Dadeland North Metrorail station, and get off and catch a MDT Shuttle Bus direct to Pro Player Stadium. |
| AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA |
American Airlines Arena hosts the Heat and Sol and is located at 601 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. Opened in 1998, the Arena has a capacity of 20,000 people. One of the nicer features unusual for an indoor arena is the nighttime viewing of the downtown area from the concourse windows. It replaced the famous Miami Arena 6 blocks away, famous for being the arena where Jim Morrison was arrested for indecent exposure. As it is located in downtown, there is good public transit to the Arena. To the Arena catch a Metrorail to the Government Center (Overtown) station. Then take the People Mover, which has a 2-car express service to the Freedom Tower station. |
| OFFICE DEPOT CENTER |
Office Depot Center hosts the Panthers and is located at 2555 Panther Parkway, Sunrise, which is located near Fort Lauderdale, some 50km north of Miami. Opened in 1998, the Center has a capacity of 19,500. It became the new home of the Panthers after 5 years at the American Airlines Arena. The Center is located closer to Fort Lauderdale (5km west of the Beach) than Miami but this makes it more accessible to the sprawling Broward County region. This is quite a difficult stadium to get to by transit from Miami. From downtown Miami, you can catch the Tri-Rail to Fort Lauderdale station. The Stadium is still some distance (15km) west of the station – the best bet is to catch a taxi from here as the transit service is quite unreliable to these parts. |
| GOLF
Early
February – Champions Tour Royal
Caribbean Classic, Crandon Park Golf Club, Crandon Boulevard, Miami. Ticket information to come |
The Crandon Park Golf Course is located on Key Biscayne, which is only 10km south of downtown Miami. It is adjacent to the site of the Tennis Masters Series held in mid March. From the downtown bus terminal in Miami, catch the MDT Bus Route B to Key Biscayne, which goes straight down Crandon Boulevard. |
| GOLF
Early March - PGA Ford Championship, Doral Golf Resort and Spa (Blue Course), 4400 NW 87th Ave, Miami Ticket information to come |
The ‘Blue Monster’ is located about 15km west of downtown Miami. You can catch the Metrorail Train to Allapattah Station and then catch the MDT Bus Route 36 and get off at the intersection of 87th Av and 41st Street, which is right outside the course. |
| TENNIS
Mid March - ATP and WTA Nasdaq 100 Miami Masters Series Championship, Tennis Center at Crandon Park, 7300 Crandon Blvd, Miami.
Ticket information to come |
The
Tennis Center at Crandon Park is located at Key Biscayne, the small island just 10km south
of downtown Miami. Besides the directions indicated above to the Seniors
Golf Tournament at Crandon Park, you can also take the Metrorail Train to
Brickell Station, where a shuttle bus will take you to the tournament. |
| MOTOR
RACING
Early March – INDY Racing League Grand Prix of Miami, Homestead-Miami Speedway, 1 Speedway Blvd, Homestead. Ticket information through Indy Racing League Mid November - Nascar Winston Cup Series Ford 400 Busch Series Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mid November - Nascar Busch Series Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway. |
The Homestead-Miami Speedway is located some 60km south-west of downtown Miami, near the southern entry to the Everglades. From downtown Miami, catch the Metrorail Train to Dadeland South and then catch the fast Busway MAX or the more circuitous Route 35 to the nearby Prime Outlets at Florida City, which is next door to the Speedway (about a 700 metre walk). |
| MOTOR
RACING
Late September – CART Miami Grand Prix, Downtown Miami Road Circuit, Miami. |
The Miami downtown circuit takes in the streets around Bayfront Park, right on the water’s edge in downtown Miami. The closest Metrorail station is the Government Center Station. |
| HORSE
RACING
Calder
Race Course, 21001 NW 27th Avenue, Miami (season: Late April to Late
December) Tickets available at Course |
Calder Race Course is located some 30km north-west of downtown Miami, just north of Pro Player Station. From downtown, catch the Metrorail to Martin Luther King Jr Station and transfer to the MDT Bus Route 27 North, which goes straight by the Race Course on 27th Avenue. |
| HORSE
RACING
Gulfstream
Park, 901 South Federal Highway, Hallandale (season: Early January to Late
April) Tickets available at Course |
Gulfstream
Park Race Course is located some 25km north of downtown Miami just into
Broward County. To get there catch the MDT Bus Route 3 from the downtown
Bus Terminal. The bus goes to Diplomat Hall, Hallandale in Broward County.
Get off at Layne Boulevard, which is right next to the Course. |
| NCAA
SPORTS - DIVISION 1
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY |
The FIU Panthers are located on the University Park Campus, 11200 SW 8th Street in the suburb of Sweetwater, some 20km to the west of downtown Miami just off the Florida Turnpike. The Panthers have teams in most sports, including football and men’s and women’s basketball. The football team plays out of the newly expanded FIU Stadium, which has a capacity of 18,000 and is located on campus. The basketball teams play out of the Golden Panther Arena, which is also located on campus and has a capacity of about 4,500. To get to the campus from downtown, take the MDT Bus Route 11 MAX along Fagler Av, which terminates at the FIU campus. |
| NCAA
SPORTS - DIVISION 1
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI |
The University of Miami Hurricanes are located in the suburb of Coral Gables on Ponce De Leon Boulevard, some 10km south-west of downtown Miami. The Hurricanes have teams in most sports, including football and men’s and women’s basketball. The football teams play out of the famous Orange Bowl, which has a capacity of over 72,000 and is located at 1501 NW 3rd St just to the west of downtown. The basketball teams play out of the brand new Convocation Center, which is due to open at the end of 2002 on campus with a capacity of 7,000. To get to the campus from downtown take the Metrorail train south to University Station. To get to the Orange Bowl, take MDT Bus Route 7 westbound – the bus goes straight past the Bowl on NW 7th Street. |
