Miami

Currency

Use a card. Note that many South Beach restaurants automatically add an 18-20% service charge — check the bill before tipping again on top.

ATMs & cards

Bank of America and Chase machines are common. Avoid the standalone ATMs in South Beach bars and clubs, which charge $5-10. Decline conversion.

Nightlife machines routinely charge $5-10 per withdrawal.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Tourist areas are generally fine but Miami has significant car break-in and scam activity. Watch for inflated bills on Ocean Drive. Hurricane season runs June to November, peaking September — travel insurance matters. Rip currents are common; heed beach flags.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Routine vaccinations up to date

Getting treated

The care is excellent and the bill is the risk. There is no universal system, an ambulance ride alone can run into four figures, and an uninsured hospital stay can be genuinely ruinous. Comprehensive travel insurance with a high medical limit is essential — this is the one destination where skipping it can cost more than the trip by an order of magnitude.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Little Havana for Cuban food — a cortadito and a medianoche sandwich for a few dollars. Ocean Drive restaurants are tourist traps with mandatory service charges; walk two blocks inland instead.

Getting around

• Rental car — useful for the Everglades and Keys, though parking in South Beach is expensive
• Metromover — free automated loop around Downtown and Brickell
• Uber and Lyft — the practical default for most visitors
• Bike and scooter share — works well along the beach and Miami Beach boardwalk
• Airport: Metrorail Orange Line to Downtown (20 min, $2.25)

Must-see

Things to do

• Walk the Art Deco district at golden hour
• See the murals at Wynwood Walls
• Eat and hear music in Little Havana
• Airboat through the Everglades
• Tour Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
• Day trip down to Key Largo

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

American English — local usage

• HelloHey / How are you doing?
• The bill, pleaseCan we get the check?
• To go, not eaten inTo go
• Fizzy drinkSoda
• The undergroundThe subway
• QueueLine
• Ground floorFirst floor
• Thank you very muchThanks so much

Religion

Christian majority, no state religion

Constitutionally separated from the state, and enormously varied by region — the south is far more observant than the coasts.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Tip 18-20% at restaurants and bars — servers are paid below minimum wage and depend on it
• Expect sales tax to be added at the till, not shown on the shelf price
• Make small talk with strangers; friendliness is genuine and not a prelude to anything
• Carry ID if you look under about 35 and intend to drink

Don't

• Do not skip the tip to make a point — take it up with the manager instead
• Do not discuss politics, guns or healthcare with strangers unless invited
• Do not stand too close; personal space is larger than in Europe or Latin America
• Do not joke about security at airports or borders