Miami on a Budget

This is not really a story about what to see and do in South Florida. It is an attempt at getting you around this popular area without destroying your budget. As with most tourist meccas, Miami/Fort Lauderdale offers plenty of easy ways to pay top dollar for things that won't really enhance your experience. Get a National Geographic Destination Map of Miami and Vicinity.It's best to avoid peak tourist periods such as Christmas and spring break, when restaurant lines are long, causeways are clogged and attractions are jammed. Also be careful scheduling trips in hurricane season (August-October can be troublesome months). Even if a hurricane does not hit the area, the mere threat creates multiple logistical problems. Mid-winter and late spring are two high-value times for a visit. No matter the season, it always pays to shop for flights to South Florida.South Florida has three major airports. Use that fact to your advantage. This is one of those places where it pays to shop for airports. International airports at Miami (MIA), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and Palm Beach County (PBI) are all located within a 60-mile span along I-95. At MIA, the bus station is in Concourse E, directly across from U.S. Customs. Cab rides into downtown Miami generally run about $30.As seen on Seinfeld, there are places that serve "Early Bird Specials" for mainly elderly patrons on fixed incomes. You'll pay less but eat very early dinners. For menu shopping throughout the day, check Metromix South Florida, where you can shop by price, location and cuisine. You can also view reader reviews. For great hoagies, check out LaSpada's in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, or make a small splurge and eat at the Too Jay's locations in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Many shopping centers have bagel shops that frequently offer filling lunches at modest prices.Not that long ago, the "South Beach" area of Miami Beach was a slum. Since that time, many of the Art Deco, stucco buildings there have been restored. This now-trendy locale is a great place to find small budget hotels with reasonable prices. Some are so small they don't have a Web presence. But you can usually find the smaller hotels here and elsewhere in South Florida with a search by city. Beach-side cities along the coast have large selections of these small hotels. Be aware that they vary in quality. Look for the family-owned, well established places.If the beach and a few local attractions are your aim, you might be able to visit without renting a car. But be aware that many of the more interesting area attractions (the Everglades, for example) are quite a distance from where you're likely to stay. Car rental rates in Florida tend to be reasonable because of the volume of business. Tri-Rail provides north-south service from Miami Int'l Airport to West Palm Beach. It also connects with Metrorail and Metrobus routes. They offer monthly passes (obviously not geared for visitors) and discounts for younger riders.The aforementioned Art Deco district is well worth a walking tour. But you shouldn't stop there--go to the beach! South Florida offers a variety of beaches. Some are more secluded while others are places to see and be seen. Another place not to be missed is Little Havana, a place where restaurants, language and ambiance allow an international escape on a budget. Further away from the city, you'll find Everglades National Park, a truly unique national treasure that is well worth a visit. A $10 USD permit allows your private vehicle inside all entrances of the park for seven consecutive days.Bewildered by Florida's admission fees? Here are two places you can visit that many visitors skip so they can line up at the Theme Parks: Fairchild Tropic Botanical Garden in Coral Gables is one of the highest-rated gardens in the world. Adults $20, ages 6-17 pay $10. You'll see a tropical rain forest and guides provide tours at no extra charge. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is an Italian villa built by James Deering. You'll find architectural beauty, objects d'art and stunning grounds (Adults $12). Combine Vizcaya and Fairchild admissions and you still don't have nearly enough for one theme park ticket!

Get a GO Miami Card. This is a card you buy prior to your trip and then activate on first use. You can buy from one- to seven-day cards (cost: $60-168) good for free admission at dozens of South Florida attractions. Design your itinerary before you consider a Go Miami purchase, to determine if the investment will save you money on admissions. Many times, it will.

Key Largo and the Florida Keys are nearby and beautiful. You can reach Key Largo and Pennekamp State Park (great snorkeling and diving) in less than two hours of driving from Miami. The remaining 120 miles to Key West requires an overnight commitment. The Keys tend to be expensive. Some people like to use less expensive chain hotels in the Homestead area as a base to explore both the Everglades and Key Largo.

Spend a day with the wealthy and visit Worth Avenue in Palm Beach. It's about 60 miles north of Miami. Here, you can window shop for some of the finest luxury goods the world. Take a few hundred thousand "imaginary dollars" and decide what you would buy. If Palm Beach is too far, you can have a similar experience on Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard.

Try to Blend In. You're unlikely to run into violent crime here, but unfortunately there are criminals who "specialize" in targeting visitors. Make it difficult for them to spot you. Don't stack luggage in your car so it can be seen through the windows. Keep big bills tucked away safely in a money belt. Use common sense when walking in unfamiliar areas as you would in any urban setting.

Sunburn can ruin your trip. It might be obvious advice, but scores of people plan and save for a Florida vacation and then lose most of the value to sunburn. Buy a good sunblocker and use it. Consider it cheap travel insurance.

Offbeat attraction: The Coral Castle This place is not really worth a special trip, but if you're in the Homestead area, check it out. Giant coral rocks were carved and balanced perfectly to form a "castle" by one man who weighed only 100 lbs. This Latvian immigrant did all of this to attract the love of a woman, who later rejected him. How did he do it? It's something you'll talk about for days. Admission is less than $10 for adults.