Glenn Lindgren: The best way to combine a cruise with a visit to Miami is to add a few days onto the beginning or end of your trip.
Jorge Castillo: When that's not possible, you still may have time to selectively experience Miami on your layover.
Glenn Lindgren: Our experience with cruise schedules is that your 10-hour layover can dwindle down to eight hours or less -- weather delays, time needed to embark/disembark and so on. So our advice is to focus on one or two activities.
Raúl Musibay: You must ask yourself this question: Is your main goal to get a good Cuban meal? Or do you want to see a few sights?
Jorge Castillo: If you only have a short time, you may want to focus your time on South Beach/Miami Beach.
Glenn Lindgren: We recommend a stroll down Ocean Drive with its Art Deco buildings, wild people, trendy boutiques and so on. You can eat at Larios on the Beach -- good Cuban food from Gloria Estefan and Husband.
Raúl Musibay: Or one of our favorites, Chalan on the Beach for Peruvian seafood.
Raúl Musibay: The Bayside Marketplace, just across the causeway from Miami Beach has typical mall type shops but with a real Latin flavor. They have music, entertainment, food...
Jorge Castillo: All three areas: South Beach, Lincoln Road and Bayside Marketplace are easily reached by cab from the Cruise Ship docks. So if you have four hours or more before the ship leaves, getting lunch and seeing some of the beach sites is very feasible.
Glenn Lindgren: Have time after the boat arrives, but before your flight leaves? If you have a car, and you want to bring home some Cuban food, we recommend picking up a box of pastelitos – four dozen can easily fit in a carry on – to go. The Versailles bakery next to the restaurant of the same name in Little Havana, has all of the traditional favorites.
Glenn Lindgren: Always allow more time to return rental cars, check in and so on at the Miami airport.
Raúl Musibay: Let me tell you with the increased airport security, you don't want to be late.
Drinks | Appetizers | Salads | Main Dishes
Soups | Side Dishes | Desserts | Index
Cuban, Spanish, and Latin American food recipes, Miami/Little Havana Travel Guide, Miami Restaurant Guide, Hispanic Culture & Food
