7 tips for visiting Miami

Welcome to this blog post from Jack Fawsitt Productions, and today I am going to be giving you some tips for visiting Miami.

Many people are now planning their summer holidays, especially if you happen to be from the UK (where I’m from). And whilst many people will be going all over the world for their holidays, a few would want to visit Miami. You might be thinking to yourself that you too would want to visit this American city. But before you go and book yourself a flight to the Magic City, I thought I would share some tips about visiting Miami from someone who has lived there since June 2017. So here are 7 tips for visiting Miami.

1 Check the weather forecast:

If you visit Miami in the summer, be mindful of the local climate of the area during this time. The region is notorious for thunderstorms during the Summer months, but most of these storms occur in the afternoon. Ironically enough, the “Sunshine State” also gets the most thunderstorms per capita in the United States. So if you are going to do activities here, I recommend going out in the morning, so you can miss the thunderstorms. 

2 Learn the local lingo

English may be the most spoken language in the rest of the USA, but here in Miami, you are more partial to be speaking a little bit of Español. Spanish is the primary language of choice for most Miamians, due to mass immigration from Spanish speaking regions, and the fact that Latin American tourists are Miami’s number one demographic of visitors. Speaking about Latin America...

3 Experience the unique culture

When visiting Miami, it is hard to consider whether you are still in the United States, and whether your plane has not landed in another country. Trust me, you are still in the United States, it’s just the culture feels very Latin. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. From the energetic beats of reggaetón music, to the delectable food options such as the famed croqueta, Miami surely has a cultural atmosphere that will appeal to almost everyone.

4 Watch your wallet

In this part, I’m not talking about literally watching your wallet (although crime is a bit of a concern here), but I’m talking about the contents of your wallet. What do I mean by this? Well Miami is one of the most expensive cities in the United States, and possibly the world. Try going shopping here, and see how quickly your bank balance goes down the drain. Of course, there are ways that you can visit Miami on a budget, but if you want to experience the city like a true tourist, then get ready to splash the cash!

5 Personal space doesn’t exist

If you coming from Latin America or Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece, etc.), this won’t be a major problem, but if you are visiting from Northern Europe (Scandinavian countries, Germany, UK, etc.) this will shock you the most. Due to Miami’s huge Latin American community, personal space is not respected the same way as in other countries. If you met the locals, expect them to come really close to yourself, often uncomfortably close. Don’t get offended though, it’s part of their culture. In the same vain, if someone you never met before gives hugs and kisses on the street, this is also not unusual.

6 Don’t expect to be in a hurry

Though the drivers in Miami might make you think twice about this point, don’t expect things to just happen in Miami. It’s often joked about that Miami is in its own time zone, and quite frankly, this is kind of true. Public transportation in Miami is reputable to be unreliable, and when meeting people in Miami, expect to be late for the occasion. If they say to meet at 6:00, don’t arrive at 6, because they won’t. They’ll most likely arrive after 7:00.

7 Final Remarks

Visiting a new city can be daunting, but if you learn a little bit about it first, your experience there can be eased a little. For visiting Miami, you need to research the entry requirements for visiting the US, and obtain either a Visa, or an ESTA, depending on the country where you’re from. Also take note that whilst Miami does have a high crime rate compared to the US as a whole, the city is a lot safer than the news suggests. If you take appropriate precautions, then Miami is a safe city to visit, and most visits to the city are trouble-free. Also to note is that there are a lot of attractions outside Miami that are worth visiting, such as Fort Lauderdale and the Florida Keys, but that’s a story for another time.

That was 7 tips for visiting Miami from Jack Fawsitt Productions. Thank you for reading this post.