Help with pre-cruise beach day in Miami

[cbowler]

Hi - We are flying into Miami a 2 days before the cruise and want to take the kids (7,4,1) to the beach for the day so that they can have that "big beach experience". My husband and I went to Miami beach a long while ago but never with the kids. We will be staying up near the airport and will take a taxi to the beach.

 

I remember that the beach we went to way back when (I think it was south beach???) was very large and definitely had scantily clad women. I guess I would be ok with that with the kids provided it was a great beach. Hopefully they will be so enamored with the sand and waves that they don't notice. :D

 

I'm looking for a place with a very deep beach, great waves, a place to rent umbrella/chairs, and some not fancy food available since we won't have a car to shop or bring groceries or any snacks and such.

 

I have the following questions:

 

1) what beach to go to? I'm looking for a specific name/location.

Is south beach the same as miami beach? Sorry...I know, but I've read and read and can't seem to make sense of this whole area. I just need to know what to tell the taxi driver. :)

 

2) Will it be easy to find a taxi for the return or do I need to have the phone number of a company with me?

 

3) Are umbrellas and chairs readily available to rent and how much does this cost?

 

4) Will food, umbrellas, and such start in the morning? We are hoping to be there by 10am but if stuff doesn't start up until later, maybe we should modify our schedule.

 

5) Besides sit down restaurants, what sort of food/drink options are available with the recommended beach?

 

6) Lastly, should I bring my stroller for my just turned-1 year old? It's not entirely sand friendly but if taxis and food are not super close, then I don't want to be carrying 30lbs of hot baby around, if you know what I mean. :)

 

Thanks for the help. I know they probably sounds like weird questions, but with 3 small kids in tow, I don't want to show up at the wrong place and be dragging them and our beach stuff all over trying to find the right spot and stuff.

 

Thanks!

[Kmsatc25]

We are interested in the same thing so hopefully someone who has done this can help out. We will either visit the beach the afternoon prior to boarding or our day back in port since we are doing a B2B.

[spongiebob]

Just tell the driver south beach and he will know where to take u. Sbeach is a strip of beach and bars, restaurants etc which encompass area of approx ocean dr/Collins ave 1rst till 15street

http://www.visitsouthbeachonline.com/beaches-parks.htm

 

Collins ave /a1a goes from south beach all the way north thru several beaches and counties

There are other beaches in Miami like key biscayne crandin park etc but I think if you want combination of food shopping beach , south beach might be your best bet. There are plenty of cabs in south beach , even buses u can catch to downtown , Or u can dial 3054444444 for Yellow cabs

[miamiyogi]

1) Yes the beach you are looking for is South Beach

 

2) Taxis are easily found. From the beach walk one block east to Ocean Drive, a cab drives by every few minutes.

 

3) If you tell the taxi to take you to 5th and Ocean Drive, there is a vendor located near there for chairs/umbrellas and stuff. Chairs/umbrellas are like $10 each. The cabana thingy is like $25.

 

4) The chair rental people usually start setting up at sunrise...the food vendor starts about 9ish maybe 10.

 

5) The trailer there by 5th sells hotdogs, prepared food, non-alcoholic drinks and the like. On Ocean drive and the 2 blocks west there are restaurants, cafes, delis, pizza places you name it. You can always grab something and take it over to the beach (usually my option).

 

6) To stroller or not to stroller...that's a tough one. I have a jogging stroller with big knobby wheels, its still no use in sand. But if you decide to come off the beach and walk around that "hot baby" becomes a pain in the you know what. I would bring it just in case, but don't even try to use it in the sand.

 

Not weird questions at all, we're still trial and error with our baby and beach expeditions.

 

Some questions you didn't ask...you know you need a car seat for baby in the taxi. Also don't over pack! This isn't a safari: there's a Walgreens down there, you can always pick up that extra juice or that extra water bottle or milk there.

 

When all is said and done, you might be better off renting a car for the day. You can use the car as a base of operations and leave the heavy stuff in it like the stroller and baby seat.

[eandj]

I would rent a car/suv and you'll have the flexibility to come and go for the day. Tough with kids and cabs, shopping etc.:eek:

[BlueHerons]

I would rent a car/suv and you'll have the flexibility to come and go for the day. Tough with kids and cabs, shopping etc.:eek:

 

Agree. A cab will run you $70 round trip. Do you have an umbrella stroller?

[cbowler]

1) Yes the beach you are looking for is South Beach

 

2) Taxis are easily found. From the beach walk one block east to Ocean Drive, a cab drives by every few minutes.

 

3) If you tell the taxi to take you to 5th and Ocean Drive, there is a vendor located near there for chairs/umbrellas and stuff. Chairs/umbrellas are like $10 each. The cabana thingy is like $25.

 

4) The chair rental people usually start setting up at sunrise...the food vendor starts about 9ish maybe 10.

 

5) The trailer there by 5th sells hotdogs, prepared food, non-alcoholic drinks and the like. On Ocean drive and the 2 blocks west there are restaurants, cafes, delis, pizza places you name it. You can always grab something and take it over to the beach (usually my option).

 

6) To stroller or not to stroller...that's a tough one. I have a jogging stroller with big knobby wheels, its still no use in sand. But if you decide to come off the beach and walk around that "hot baby" becomes a pain in the you know what. I would bring it just in case, but don't even try to use it in the sand.

 

Not weird questions at all, we're still trial and error with our baby and beach expeditions.

 

Some questions you didn't ask...you know you need a car seat for baby in the taxi. Also don't over pack! This isn't a safari: there's a Walgreens down there, you can always pick up that extra juice or that extra water bottle or milk there.

 

When all is said and done, you might be better off renting a car for the day. You can use the car as a base of operations and leave the heavy stuff in it like the stroller and baby seat.

 

Wow! Thank you so much for the information! This is exactly the sort of stuff I was looking for. Much appreciated!!!

[miamiyogi]

Wow! Thank you so much for the information! This is exactly the sort of stuff I was looking for. Much appreciated!!!

 

Also forgot, there's a public shower/bathroom right there by 5th Street. The baby changer is always damaged, but theres a wall there, throw a towel over it and it becomes an instant changer. :cool: We rinse the baby off and change out the swim diaper for the regular one. Those swim diapers cause a pretty bad rash on baby if we dont change it out right after swimming, I think its the salt water because it doesn't happen all day in the pool.