Travel Question of the Day: Simon Calder on choosing a US stopover
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Your support makes all the difference.Q We have an ‘enforced’ stopover in the US en route to Latin America. We can choose between Miami or Houston. The hotel will be at our expense. As it’s just an overnight stay (from around 6pm to 9am next morning), which would you recommend?
Geraldine Chapman, Reading
A The biggest cities in Florida and Texas have much to recommend them. If there is any way to extend your stay, I urge you to do so. But assuming it is just a stop of 15 hours or so, then your requirements are likely to be “drink, dinner, sleep, back to airport.” And Miami airport, being only around seven miles from Downtown and 10 from Miami Beach, is much better placed than Houston’s George Bush International, 23 miles away from the city centre.
To maximise the benefit from a short stay, South Beach (the bottom end of the long spit that comprises Miami Beach) should be your target. For a cheap transfer, take the free MIA Mover shuttle to the Metrorail Station. From here, the Airport Flyer 150 bus runs direct to Miami Beach on the hour and half-hour, for $2.65 (£1.90). The bus is scheduled to take around 40 minutes to reach South Beach. A taxi to Miami Beach is fixed at $32 (£23); the driver will expect a tip of at least $5 (£3.50).
South Beach has dozens of hotels, but there’s a premium for beachfront locations. The Hotel Astor is a couple of blocks inland, and has good rooms and free breakfast for around $229 (£164) double (hotelastor.com). Trust me, that’s a good rate for South Beach. Wander along the waterfront, taking in the superb art deco architecture, and treat yourself to a cocktail at the rooftop bar of the Congress Hotel. Then choose a dinner spot along Lincoln Road Mall; Pizza Rustica is a good bet for a fast feast.
With the time change from the UK, you’ll wake early - which is just as well, since morning security lines at MIA can be long. So wolf down your breakfast then head for the airport.
Every day, our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles readers’ questions. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder
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