The top week for EDM in the US is less than two months away. The lineups for all the parties are slowly being released for Winter Music Conference/Miami Music Week/Ultra Music Festival and this year the festivities last for 10 days (March 16 to March 25). It is not too late to plan a trip down to sunny Miami. Here are a few tips for first time Miami visitors.
Stay in South Beach.
Miami Beach covers a large area and Miami itself, an even larger area. My opinion is that if it’s your first time to the city, you need to stay in South Beach. This is where the famous Ocean Drive is located, where Art Deco buildings line the street, and where you will have the true Miami experience.
South Beach includes the 23 southernmost blocks of Miami Beach. When looking at hotels, it is fairly easy to tell if the hotel is in South Beach just by paying attention to their address. For example, Delano Hotel is located on 1685 Collins Avenue. The street number indicated that the hotel is located between 16th and 17th street. Anything below 23rd street is considered South Beach. Another example is Days Inn Miami Beach located at 4299 Collins Avenue. By looking at the street number you can see that this hotel is located between 42nd St. and 43rd St. I would not recommend staying here even if it is cheaper.
If you stay in South Beach you will have plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops within walking distance. During WMC and Ultra, you will hear music coming from pretty much every building, as well. The cost will be a bit higher as far as hotel rooms but you will definitely save money on cab fares. And trust me, cab fares add up quickly, so any chance you get to save money on cab fares, you’ll want to take advantage of it.
Consider staying where the action is.
Many of the hotels are hosting parties daily. Some of the hotels will even offer free entry to the parties for hotel guests. Fontainebleau, The Perry, Surfcomber, Shelborne, National, Raleigh, and W Hotel are just a few of the hotels with big events.
Too expensive on the beach? Consider downtown Miami.
If you are not finding anything in your price range on the beach, it’s worth taking a look at the hotels in downtown Miami. Prices tend to be lower and there are quite a few events on this side of the bridge, as well. Ultra Music Festival 2012 as well as infamous Space are located in downtown.
Book Early!!!
I usually book a hotel room as early as December even if I am not sure if I am going to WMC. As long as the room has free cancellation, I can make up my mind later on. This year I booked a room back in early December. In January I found a better deal so I booked a second room while canceling my first reservation.
Look for condos but be careful.
Another option is to rent a condo instead of getting a hotel room. Condos are great if you are a bigger group. There are downsides, however, that you must consider. For instance, there are not that many buildings that allow short term rentals in Miami Beach and many are strict on noise levels. Again, look early and do some research before purchasing.
Where to look for Condo rentals
- VRBO - Vacation Rentals By Owner
- VacationRentals.com
- airbnb.com
Top Deals in South Beach/Miami Beach
- The New Clinton Hotel & Spa Miami
- Catalina Hotel & Beach Club
- Dream South Beach
- Majestic Hotel South Beach
- The Savoy Hotel
Top Deals in Miami Downtown
- Hotel Urbano
- Conrad Miami
- EPIC Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel
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Airbnb.com is great for finding a place to stay!