Miami was on my bucket list for years but I could never justify the costs of going there. The hotels were always sooooo expensive and I could almost pay for a trip to Mexico just for the price of the hotels alone. So that is what I did!
Then one day, I had an invitation to join a friend on a business trip and I knew that my time had finally come. I managed to find the cheapest possible flight there, packed my bags and was on my way.
Luckily, most of the top attractions that I wanted to see in Miami were free including the Wynwood district with its colorful street art and funky cafes and the iconic art-deco architecture of South Beach.. There is free access to the beach and with the mixture of international tourists and local population, it is great for people watching!
Welcome to Miami: Whenever I fly into an American city, I always get a little panicky about how I am going to get from the airport to the center of the city. With almost zero public transport and prohibitively expensive taxis, it is usually pretty rough on a budget travelers wallet. However, Miami surprised me with a decent bus system that took me from the airport to Miami Beach for the bargain price of $2.25. The bus from the airport leaves every 20 minutes and as luck would have it, I only had to wait about 10 minutes for the next bus to come.
Zooming around on the Miami Beach Trolley: My friend had booked a hotel on North Miami Beach, just blocks away from the ocean. It was also conveniently located only about a block away from the super helpful Miami Trolley. There are two trolley systems. One can take you to all of the tourist attractions on the island of Miami Beach. The second will take you throughout downtown with stops at Wynwood and the Design District. Unfortunately, the two systems don’t connect so you will need to take a bus from the island to the mainland.
Food: Food was extremely expensive in Miami; there is no way around that. However, I managed to find a great little diner at Collins Ave and 73rd St which served up generous portions and had a breakfast menu for roughly $8 including coffee. That is a filling way to start your day! On the other end of Collins Ave near South Beach, you can also get an enormous slice of pizza for $5 which will tie you over for a good few hours.
Beer: Good-quality microbrews are one thing I will always splurge on and after a hot day of wandering around Wynwood, I visited the Concrete Beach Brewery and tried their $7 lager. It was delicious and they even offer a happy hour special in the early evening which knocks a couple bucks off of the price.
Staying Fit: After too much pizza and beer, it was time to exercise a bit! Luckily, there are free yoga classes on the beach in the evenings throughout Miami. I took one at the North Beach Bandshell which kicked my ass! That certainly was money well spent.
A Place To Rest Your Head: Accommodation always takes a substantial chunk out of anyone’s travel budget, even when you are trying to do it on the cheap. Thankfully, there are many hosts available on couchsurfing and there are also many hostels located throughout the city including the tried and true Hostelling International. While they usually aren’t cheapest deal in town, they make up for it in amenities that other hostels simply don’t provide.
So there you have it. You CAN do Miami on a budget if you get creative. Pack up your swimsuit and flip-flops and enjoy your trip!
