Lesser Known Goodies In Miami

A trip to Miami is not complete without a visit to these places: 1. Biga Bakery - located at Coral Way and SW 27th Avenue - famous for its incredible breads and deserts. 2. Mama Mendoza's - located at 11th & Alton in Miami Beach - Mexican food the way it was meant to be. 3. Norman's - 21 Almeria Avenue in Coral Gables - the best restaurant in Miami--and well worth the hefty check! 4. Taco Tico - off of LeJeune on US 1 - They have the best burritos you'll ever taste! 5. And finally, check out Perricone's at 15 SE 10th Street (Downtown Miami)...their gnochi can't be beat!

Quick Tips:

Get to know the locals. Go to Little Havana. Check out the burgeoning scene Downtown. And then go to South Beach,etc. Miami has so much to offer if you love to eat.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rent a car. Go from South Beach across William Lehman Causeway to Downtown, The Gables, The Grove, and Little Havana.

For $12.00/night, accomodations were clean, pleasant, and close to the beach---a real bonus. Party all night at The Delano, The National Hotel, and China Grill and then enjoy meeting hostelers from Germany, Britain, Australia, and Sweden.

I loved this place! The bartender(at the Tiki Bar outside) was hilarious. They have incredible seafood here. Absolutely delicious. Go here to dine with locals and tourists alike. You can't leave without trying the stone crabs.

This is the perfect place to go for cappucinos at sunrise. Set on Ocean Drive, across from the beach, News Cafe provides the perfect setting for a meditative cup of cappucino in the morning or a late night bite to eat. The staff is warm and friendly and the atomosphere is tremendously inviting. The secret to getting good service is to go when the crowds are low(early morning,may - august--when it's so hot and most of the tourists are gone.)

As you make your way on to The Everglades Bike/Walking Path, you will notice that you are surrounded by water on both sides...and not just any water--swamp water. After riding for about ten minutes, I noticed an Alligator--10 feet from me. Actually, it was just his head. If you are looking for a bike trail that will motivate you to pedal quickly, this is it! I would recommend that you start early in the day (the trail is 15 miles long). We started at 4:30 pm and ended up cycling well into the evening (we finished at 9:30 pm!) If you like alligators, this is the activity for you.