The Port of Miami has two new ultramodern cruise terminals, which feature VIP lounges, high-tech security screening systems, airline counters, airline-style baggage systems and one-stop federal facilities for processing passengers. Although the port is 5 minutes from downtown, passengers will need ground transportation to go anywhere other than Bayside Marketplace (baysidemarketplace.com) and Bayfront Park, both of which are adjacent to the port. Bayside Marketplace is a shopping mall and dining center and Bayfront Park features a memorial to the Challenger astronauts.
Taxis, which line up at the dock, are a convenient way to get around Miami, especially for a short stay. For longer stays, and for reaching points away from downtown, cruise passengers may want to rent a car. There are no rental car offices at the port, but several companies have shuttles that take passengers from the port to their nearest rental car office. One of these is Hertz (hertz.com), which has shuttle service from the port every half hour.
South Beach, with its famous Art Deco architecture, is home to a wide variety of restaurants, clubs and boutiques. Bal Harbour, at the north end of Miami Beach, has serious upscale shopping. Coconut Grove, Miami's oldest section, was established in the 1870s. Today, the area is home to boutiques and restaurants, as well as Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (miamidade.gov/vizcaya), a former private estate in the style of a 16th-century Italian villa. Coral Gables, established in the 1920s, is the site of the historic Biltmore Hotel (biltmorehotel.com) and the Venetian Pool (coralgablesvenetianpool.com).
Attractions in the greater Miami area include Everglades National Park (nps.gov/ever), where visitors can take air boat rides through one of the world's most fragile ecosystems. Biscayne Bay National Park (nps.gov/bisc) is home to the only living tropical reef within the continental United States. The Homestead-Miami Speedway (homesteadmiamispeedway.com) is a 600-acre complex that seats 65,000 spectators. Cruise passengers who have time may want to head up the Atlantic Coast to Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and Palm Beach, all of which feature white sand beaches, upscale shopping and fine restaurants.
