Region

Greater Miami

Sleep in Miami or Miami Beach; use Brightline or Tri-Rail for Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach instead of renting a car.

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Key facts · United States

Best months: Mar–Apr, Nov
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: US dollar (USD, $)
Language: English
Plugs: A · B · 120 V
Time zone: Six zones: UTC−5 to UTC−10

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 9Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…

North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
Florida ↗Most Florida toll roads are cashless: rent a transponder or you pay the rental company's admin fee per day.
Florida ↗Hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November; peak August–October. Flexible bookings beat cheap non-refundable ones in those months.

Greater Miami is a 110 mi (180 km) strip of Atlantic coast between Palm Beach and Miami-Dade, never more than 20 mi (32 km) wide. It is three counties in one line: Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade. Miami Beach has been a beach resort for nearly a century and Miami keeps rebuilding itself, so the coast is dense and the interior is swamp. Pick one base and ride the train between the three downtowns; a car only pays if you are heading west to the Everglades or south to the Keys.

Sleep

Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it

Where to sleep

4 places in this region

Sleep base

MiamiCity guide
Downtown, Brickell, Little Havana, Wynwood; Metrorail and Brightline hub.
Best Dec–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Miami →
Miami BeachCity guide
Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road; walkable, pricier, busier on weekends.
Best Apr, Nov–Feb
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Miami Beach →
Fort LauderdalePlanned
Cheaper beds, FLL airport, Las Olas and the beach.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.

Day trip

West Palm BeachCity guide
Northern end of the strip; PBI airport and Palm Beach across the bridge.
Best Nov–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Open West Palm Beach →

Night sequences

3 nights: Miami Beach 3, Everglades or the Keys as a day trip
5 nights: Miami 3 + Fort Lauderdale 2, one day in West Palm Beach by Brightline

Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + the Everglades in two days is four half-days in traffic.
Do not swim at dawn or dusk near canals and inland water; alligators live in fresh water across the region.
Summer heat and afternoon thunderstorms hit hardest 14:00–17:00; plan indoor stops then.Summer heat and afternoon thunderstorms hit hardest 2:00 PM–5:00 PM; plan indoor stops then.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Fort Lauderdale	Miami	45 min	check	Brightline ~30 min between the two downtowns; Tri-Rail is slower but stops nearer FLL.
West Palm Beach	Miami	90 min	check	Brightline about 1 h 15 end to end; check the last train before a late dinner.
Everglades (Shark Valley or Homestead entrance)	Miami	60 min	unknown	Car needed; go at first light for wildlife and heat.
Key Largo	Miami	75 min	unknown	US-1 south; traffic back north peaks Sunday afternoon.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding culture here; hotels hold bags on check-out day, and Brightline stations have no left-luggage beyond staffed counters — check.

When and how

Months, arrival and passes

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Miami	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	×	×	ok	go
Miami Beach	go	go	ok	go	ok	×	×	×	×	ok	go	go
West Palm Beach	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	×	×	go	go
Florida (country-wide)	ok	ok	go	go	go	–	–	×	×	ok	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Atlantic coast (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach)the whole 110 mi strip	ok	ok	best	best	ok	wet	wet	wet	storm	wet	best	ok

best: dry, mildok: workablewet: daily rainstorm: typhoon or flood risk

Atlantic coast (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach): Warm and humid year-round; the dry, comfortable window is roughly November to April. June to November is the wet season and hurricane season — 30 °C+ days with afternoon storms, and the odd named storm that closes airports.Warm and humid year-round; the dry, comfortable window is roughly November to April. June to November is the wet season and hurricane season — 86 °F+ days with afternoon storms, and the odd named storm that closes airports.

Best months are also the peak: December to April brings northern snowbirds and higher room rates, especially around Art Basel in early December and spring break in March.

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
MIA (Miami International)	Downtown Miami / Miami Beach	Metrorail + Metromover, or taxi/rideshare	~30 min to downtown, ~40–50 min to South Beach	Main long-haul gateway; direct flights from Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
FLL (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International)	Fort Lauderdale / Miami	Tri-Rail shuttle + train, or Brightline from downtown	~20 min to Las Olas, ~50 min to Miami	Often cheaper than MIA for domestic and Caribbean flights; check which airport your fare uses.
PBI (Palm Beach International)	West Palm Beach	Taxi or rideshare	~10 min to downtown	Small, quick airport; good if your trip is the northern end of the strip.
Orlando	Miami / Fort Lauderdale / West Palm Beach	Brightline	~3 h 30 to Miami	Reserve seats; the line runs inland, not along the coast.
New York	Miami	Flight ~3 h; Amtrak Silver Meteor/Silver Star ~28 h	3 h flight	The train is often delayed; fly unless the journey is the point.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Brightline

buy

Fastest way between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach; book ahead for the cheapest fares.

Tri-Rail

check

Cheaper and stops nearer FLL and smaller towns, but slower; a weekend day pass can pay off.

Miami-Dade Metrorail / Metromover

buy

Metromover in downtown is free; Metrorail needs a reloadable card or contactless — check current fares.

Rental car

skip

Skip it if you stay on the coast; parking in Miami Beach and downtown is expensive and slow.

Eat and move on

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Cuban sandwich and croquetas	Miami: Little Havana, Calle Ocho	Lunch counters are cheapest; many close mid-afternoon.
Stone crab claws	Miami Beach and Miami	Season runs roughly October to May; priced by size, so ask before ordering.
Arepas and Venezuelan street food	Doral and west Miami-Dade	Cheap, filling, open late; cash is often easier.
Key lime pie	Across the region	Look for a pale yellow filling, not green.
Haitian griot and Caribbean plates	Little Haiti and North Miami	Lunch portions are large; sharing is normal.

Go next

Florida Keys

planned

US-1 south, ~1 h to Key Largo, ~3 h 30 to Key West

One road in and out; book accommodation ahead in winter.

Palm Beach County

Brightline ~1 h 15 from Miami

The northern end of the Gold Coast strip.

Broward County

planned

Brightline ~30 min from Miami

Fort Lauderdale beaches and the Intracoastal.

Miami-Dade County

planned

Metrorail and Metrobus within the county

Everglades, Homestead and the southern farm towns.

Treasure Coast

I-95 or Tri-Rail north, ~1 h 30 from West Palm Beach

Quieter beaches north of the strip.

Greater Orlando

Brightline ~3 h 30 from Miami

Theme parks; a separate trip, not a day trip.

Open Florida Up to Florida

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Sources

officialGreater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
officialMiami-Dade Transit
officialBrightline
officialTri-Rail
officialNational Hurricane Center
secondaryWikivoyage: Greater Miami, revision 5310413 (CC BY-SA 4.0)