Travel Guide:

There are plenty of pay phones throughout Miami, and most of them function most of the time. But in this cellular society we have grown so accustomed to our mobiles that it seems almost ancient to use pay phones. So if you can’t live without a cell, but Miami is outside your coverage area, cell phone rentals are becoming an increasingly common option among travelers. On the website cellrentalusa.com they give you the phone free for a week and you pay 69 cents per minute for calls. There is a minimum consumption of $25, but you can enjoy the convenience of incoming calls and avoid keeping change in your pocket.

In South Beach and other areas frequently visited by tourists, Internet cafes are plentiful. For a couple of dollars per hour, you will get high-speed access. Most Internet cafes serve some type of food or coffee, and there is one that is also a wine bar, d’Vine Cyber Lounge on Collins Avenue and 9th Street in South Beach.

There are many traditional Laundromats in Miami, but if you want to get a little crazy and don’t really care what your clothes smell like after washing, there’s the Laundry Bar on Lincoln Lane, one block off Lincoln Road. In this mostly gay hangout, you can wash your tighty whities while having a drink or two, or three.

There are two major airports in the area, Miami International and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International. Miami is a big international airport and is the one that is closest. There may be long lines at immigration if you are flying in from another country, so be patient. If you are traveling on a domestic flight it will most likely be cheaper to fly into Fort Lauderdale and take the train or a taxi down to Miami.

If you are able to, the best way to get around Miami is to rent a car. Most of the car rental companies are located around the airport and usually offer free shuttle service. Look online before, as the rates are usually much cheaper if you book in advance. This is not one of those cities where everyone takes the bus to work. The only people that ride the buses and trains in Miami are those who can’t afford a car, and maybe the occasional stubborn environmentalist. The routes are very limited, but if they happen to coincide with where you’re going and you are not in a hurry, public transportation is a good choice. The fare is $1.50 for MetroBus and MetroRail, the MetroMover, a train that circles downtown, is free.