Whenever you are moving to a new city, one of the first things you should do is try to visit the city. Of course, this is not always possible. Sometimes, you will live across the country, or in another country altogether. Sometimes, you will be rushing to pack, deal with the paperwork and trying to find long distance movers Florida, so you will have no time to actually visit the city before the move. Whatever the reasons, you should at least inform yourself well about the city. Simply, the more you know about where you are going, the better you will fit in after the move. This will also reduce the adjustment period for you and your family. In this article, find out how to avoid Miami tourist traps, and experience the city like a local.
What is a tourist trap?
The first thing you need to understand about Miami is that it’s quite a popular destination. People from all over the United States will come to Miami over the holidays, whether it’s in the summer or winter. They enjoy the beaches, the weather, and the nightlife. This is why a lot of the places in Miami are considered tourist traps.
If you don’t know what can be a tourist trap, here’s a definition we are using. A tourist trap is something built in order to gain a lot of money from people who do not live in Miami. Whether it’s the bars and restaurants that offer expensive meals or parks and museums that charge extra for the tickets.
If you are moving from New York to Florida, for example, you are aware of this phenomenon. Over time, there are just some places that you learn to avoid in the big cities if you are a local. You learn to get around them and to find even better, smaller establishments that will not cost you as much. When you are new to Miami, you might not be aware of these from the start. This is why reading up on the topic will help. So, how do you avoid Miami tourist traps?
Choose and pick beaches to avoid Miami tourist traps
One of the most famous things to do in Miami is hit the beach, of course. Admit it – this has to have been on your lists of reasons for moving to Miami. And who can blame you – beaches here are fabulous and breathtaking! However, you are not the only person in Miami with the same idea. So, in order to get the beach experience as a local, you will want to avoid the “popular” beaches.
You will, quite possibly, want to visit Miami Beach. However, this is not the same as South Beach – like many tourist guides would have you believe. South Beach is just one part of the island. And this is the part you will want to avoid. Between 1st and 23rd street, you will find the shops, restaurants, hotels as well as the famous Lummus Park. Along with these, you will find hundreds of tourists strolling around or going for a swim.
To avoid them, head just a little bit north. Between 67th Street and 87th Terrace, you will find North Beach. This is a quiet and old community with mostly Argentinean and Uruguayan people and the unrepeatable 50s and 60s charm. And this is where Miami locals will go. Here, there will always be a parking spot for you, as well as great restaurants and beaches – as well as our great storage Miami.
Visit “Calle Ocho” to live like a local
One of the staples of living in Miami like a local (and learning to avoid Miami tourist traps) is the Eight Street – or Calle Ocho. This may not be where you want to go for day-drinking or a crazy night, but is something you need to experience when moving here. This is the place for the Cuban culture – which is so predominant in Miami. So stroll down the street and get yourself a cafe con leche – Cuban coffee with steamed milk, or a cortadito – the sweet, sweet shot of Cuban coffee.
If you get hungry, you can always have some great Japanese or Thai food, and then get great ice-cream. Professional Miami Movers recommend you try mantecado – the Cuban vanilla, or some of the other fabulous tastes. Then, you can enjoy the live music and cocktails at one of the many lounges here. And since you are living in Miami and can plan your visit – mark the first Friday of the month for this spot. This is when the “Viernes Culturales” (Cultural Fridays) happen. These small celebrations are full of great music, dancing as well as cheap but tasty food.
Talk to your people to avoid Miami tourist traps
Informing yourself about Miami is not the only way you can avoid the many tourist traps of the city. There are a couple more things you can do to achieve this. First, look at the people around you. Try to figure out which one is the local, and who is the tourist (trust us, sometimes, this can be quite an obvious thing to see). After that, take note of the places you visit and the people you see – this is the easiest way to find tourist traps.
Then, you can visit websites such as Tripadvisor. These are amazing for planning your trip somewhere – however, they are designed for tourists. The places they will show you are, more likely than not, a tourist trap just waiting to spring on you.
Finally, when you hire Miami movers on a budget, you can talk to them about life in Miami. Most of these experts have lived in the area for a long time and will be able to give you amazing tips on how to avoid Miami tourist traps. This way, you will save money on the move – and you will also save your money by running away from crowd-pleasers.
