Top 10 Miami and the Keys, by Jeffery Kennedy lists the best beaches in Miami and the best of everything else for a Miami vacation and a trip to Key West. The 160-page guide is small enough to easily carry and includes fold-out maps. Color photographs throughout the guide illustrate the best of the best for a Miami vacation. A statement in tiny print in the inside cover of the guide states, however, that there is no hierarchy intended in the top ten list. All ten chosen venues, attractions, beaches, etc., are equal..
Best of Everything for a Miami Vacation
Travelers to Miami and the Keys will find that the guide will help them save a lot of time trying to figure out what to do in Miami. The guide seemingly contains the top ten of just about everything to do or see in Miami. Specifically, tourists to Miami can discover the best places and events to explore in Miami including the following: South Beach, Deco District, Little Havana, Coral Gables, Key West, The Everglades, beach resorts, sports activities, arts, festivals, museums, historic sites, architecture, and off-beat places.
People who are planning a wedding or simply want to spend a romantic vacation with someone special will find the guide useful because it lists the top ten romantic spots in Miami. Additionally, the guide lists the ten best restaurants in Miami and the Keys, best snorkeling and the best malls, markets and shopping centers. Addresses and phone numbers are listed for destinations, but hours are not included in all areas of the guide.
Best Beaches in Miami
The section on Beach Resorts actually lists the top ten beaches, which is confusing Lummus Park Beach is the number one beach in Miami, according to the guide. Key West's beaches are at number ten. Lummus, in South Beach, is a place to people watch as well as soak in the sun. According to the guide, it is known as the beach where women are allowed to go topless s (5th to 11th Streets only). A portion of Haulover Beach, number two on the top ten beaches in Miami list is nude. Bahia Honda State Park number nine on the list, but the book admits that this beach has perfect sands and is usually voted as the best beach in the U.S.
Top 10 Things to Avoid in Miami
The Top 10 Miami and the Keys guide also lists the top 10 things to avoid. Number one on the list is bad neighborhoods. It's too bad that the guide merely lists the general location of only one bad neighborhood in Miami when there are several places that tourists should stay clear of. In its top ten of things to avoid in Miami, unprotected sex is listed as number ten. The guide then cites a 2002 study, stating that Miami has the highest instance of AIDS in the United States.
Summary
The Top 10 List is a convenient book with broad and specific destinations, attractions, events, restaurants, beaches or anything else that most tourists would like to experience in Miami. It definitely is worth the purchase. The handy pull-out map lists best places to shop, eat, rainy day activities and things to do on a budget. It would have been more helpful if the map was also color-coded. Useful numbers, like numbers to call taxis, or tourist information in Miami and the Keys are helpful.
Title: Top 10 Miami and the Keys
Author: Jeffrey Kennedy
Publisher: DK Eyewitness Travel
ISBN: 978-0-7566-4095-8
 |
