Travelling to Miami

Hi

We are travelling to Miami with my wife and daughter to go on a caribbean cruise. After the cruise we will stay for another week in Miami area before leaving home. I was hoping that someone local could help me with few questions:

1: (Flashligt) shoppig
Any good dealers around? I'm looking for something from Surefire, probably E2DL, and few 2C mags at least...
They don't seem to have REI stores in Florida? Are there similar outdoor stores there?

2: Transportation
How can we get from Airport to the hotel on the first night with the 2 year old child? We have booked shuttle to the cruise ship next day and rental car with the child seat for the time after the cruise, but I haven't find easy and safe way to get to the hotel yet.

Anything else I need to know?

I'm probably going to take only Nitecore D10 GDP and small SAK as my edc gear for the trip. I don't want to get in any trouble with lithium batteries and big knives etc...

Where is your hotel? Many hotels offer free shuttles from the airport. I grew up in Miami but left many years ago. I do remember where the airport and the port of Miami are located.

M.S said:

Hi

We are travelling to Miami with my wife and daughter to go on a caribbean cruise. After the cruise we will stay for another week in Miami area before leaving home. I was hoping that someone local could help me with few questions:

1: (Flashligt) shoppig
Any good dealers around? I'm looking for something from Surefire, probably E2DL, and few 2C mags at least...
They don't seem to have REI stores in Florida? Are there similar outdoor stores there?

2: Transportation
How can we get from Airport to the hotel on the first night with the 2 year old child? We have booked shuttle to the cruise ship next day and rental car with the child seat for the time after the cruise, but I haven't find easy and safe way to get to the hotel yet.

Anything else I need to know?

I'm probably going to take only Nitecore D10 GDP and small SAK as my edc gear for the trip. I don't want to get in any trouble with lithium batteries and big knives etc...

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The Hotels should have courtesy shuttle buses as well as the cruise lines. Call them and inquire.

You do have to be careful around the Northeast side of the airport if you rent a car. Its a bit of a no-go zone for tourists, but just about everywhere else its perfectly safe.

Darkpower said:

You do have to be careful around the Northeast side of the airport if you rent a car. Its a bit of a no-go zone for tourists, but just about everywhere else its perfectly safe.

Click to expand...

Are they still doing that in that area?

sunspot said:

Are they still doing that in that area?

Click to expand...

Yes, along NW 36 street, east of LeJune which catty-corners with the airport airport's most North East corner.

That quadrant North and East of the airport all the way to Biscayne BLVD is simply dangerous and many tourist have taken the wrong turn and driven five minutes only to find themselves lost in what is the worst part of Miami, and to ask the wrong person for directions or get involve in some problem the the locals.

That is also a no-go zone for me as well and I have lived in South Florida for more than 40 years, and I have never not once felt unsafe, (and I don't carry a weapon) anywhere in Miami except for that area. The reason is that there are neighborhood gangs and traffic lights. Its not uncommon for one of the gangs to bump the car in a fender-bender intentional accident while you are at the red light to get you to come out, only for half a dozen members of the gang to descend on you from nowhere, with guns pointed, take your car, money and your life. These are co-ordinated attacks with neigborhood kids helping the gang members as look outs for cops. Then when the cops show up, no one has seen anything.

LOL. I don't mean to scare people, it doesn't happen everyday but we see reports every few weeks about hapless tourist venturing into the wrong part of town.

Most maps and car rental areas warn people, and the major highways have a chamber of Commerce signs with a star burst indicating "tourist friendly routes".

But other than that area, South Beach and all over the Brickell area to the Coral Gables area is very safe and tourist friendly.

Ok, thanks... I've got the shuttles arranged.
I'll rent a car when we get back from the cruise and try to stay away from the bad parts of town...