Things to do close to the Intercontinental Hotel

My 18 year old daughter and I will be flying into MIA the day before out cruise on NCL and dtaying at the Intercontinental Hotel near the POM. Does anyone have any suggestions of thing we can do for the day. We arrive at 11:30am.

Bayside it right close

HOHO bus tour

Take the free trolley for a trip around the area

boat ride from Bayside

take a taxi to South beach

We also stayed at the Intercontinental a few years back (loved it!). Bayside is really nice.......shops, restaurants, a lovely waterside setting. Best time is evening, when it's cooler. We ate supper at a little place that had Cuban specialties, outdoors. Then we walked, shopped, and there was some live entertainment (rock-n-roll band) playing around 8 o'clock. Less than 10minute walk from the hotel. We also did the free trolley in the afternoon. Not very scenic, but something to do.

If you haven't been to the area before, for sure take the hop on hop off bus tour. It's really a nice trip and you get a good overview. Check where and when you can get back on a bus after visiting South Beach area. You and your daughter will love strolling the SOBE streets and people watching.

Another option is catching a water tour from Bayside.

I wouldn't spend the whole day at Bayside Mall. You can go there for breakfast before boarding. There are two or three restaurants here that open befoe the 10:00 mall time. And you eat overlooking the water. Get to Miami Beach/South Beach whether with the ho ho or a cab. It'd be a shame not to see that atmosphere. Downtown Miami is pretty much like any big big city...except the water views.

have a great time!

Thank you GinDon and Eandj. I think we will definetly go to South Beach and Bayside.

When I was in Miami last summer with the kids, we did the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour. It was perfect for getting around town and over to South Beach! No need to to look for a taxi when we were ready to leave the stops we did get off at. Only caveat....make sure you bring plenty of sun screen, a hat and fluids! All kids want to ride up top.....and it got really toasty and they don't sell bottled water on the bus.....which is silly because they'd make a mint doing so!! :cool:

We will be arriving there on Christmas Day. Anyone know what the area is like on that day?

Thank you NayRN. What is the cost for the hop on/ hop off tour bus?

Thank you NayRN. What is the cost for the hop on/ hop off tour bus?

It was about $45 for adults and $30 for kids. Greyline and the Big Bus were two of the companies that offered the tours. We got a 24 hour pass and used it all day to get from the IC to South Beach, Little Havana, etc. Better than a taxi!! If you google Hop On Hop Off Miami, you will see a number of sites....also look for discount codes!

Another thing we did was a Duck Tour (Google this as well...for Miami)!! It starts in South Beach and you get a land tour....as well as a water tour! Lots of fun!!

We will be arriving there on Christmas Day. Anyone know what the area is like on that day?

pretty empty!

pretty empty!

Any restaurants usually open around there? Not looking for anything fancy, will just want something to eat after travelling.

Head on over to Bayside Marketplace (walk along the waterfront from the Intercontinental Hotel to Bayside) where there are lots of restaurants, open every day. Upstairs is the food court where you can have any nationality dish you want, downstairs are a couple of sit down restaurants including the Hard Rock Cafe (the round building on the waterfront). Also, one of my favorite places to eat when I worked downtown was the Biscayne Tavern in the YVE Hotel on Biscayne Blvd (across the street from Bayfront Park at 146 Biscayne Boulevard). Good food. My favorite place downtown is Sparky's Roadside BarBQue at 204 NE 1st Street (take the free Metromover in front of the Intercontinental - get on the Brickell Loop and get off at the next stop, which is 1st Street - Sparky's is right downstairs and across the street, under the Metromover track). You have GOT to try their baked beans....to die for! and the pulled pork sandwich. Yum! Premo's Deli at 1 SE 3rd Ave (across Biscayne Blvd and up SE 3rd Ave 1/2 block, on the right side) has the best reuben sandwich in Miami. I don't know if they're open on Christmas, probably not, since they are closed on weekends as well.

I could go on and on but if I had to choose, go to Bayside, sit by the water at Tradewinds Bar and Grill and enjoy the view.

Head on over to Bayside Marketplace (walk along the waterfront from the Intercontinental Hotel to Bayside) where there are lots of restaurants, open every day. Upstairs is the food court where you can have any nationality dish you want, downstairs are a couple of sit down restaurants including the Hard Rock Cafe (the round building on the waterfront). Also, one of my favorite places to eat when I worked downtown was the Biscayne Tavern in the YVE Hotel on Biscayne Blvd (across the street from Bayfront Park at 146 Biscayne Boulevard). Good food. My favorite place downtown is Sparky's Roadside BarBQue at 204 NE 1st Street (take the free Metromover in front of the Intercontinental - get on the Brickell Loop and get off at the next stop, which is 1st Street - Sparky's is right downstairs and across the street, under the Metromover track). You have GOT to try their baked beans....to die for! and the pulled pork sandwich. Yum! Premo's Deli at 1 SE 3rd Ave (across Biscayne Blvd and up SE 3rd Ave 1/2 block, on the right side) has the best reuben sandwich in Miami. I don't know if they're open on Christmas, probably not, since they are closed on weekends as well.

I could go on and on but if I had to choose, go to Bayside, sit by the water at Tradewinds Bar and Grill and enjoy the view.

Thanks for the info.