Friday, 30 October 2009

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Gail Porter: Meet a dolphin in Miami

With her daughter Honey, Gail had an adventure in Florida's sunshine city

TV presenter Gail Porter and her six-year-old daughter Honey went on a credit crunch trip to Miami. It's an amazing city where you can splash your cash or still have fun on a budget.

‘We had a great time, it’s like being on a adventure, we would definitely go back,' says Gail. 'Honey is already planning our next trip.’

Think Baywatch with a 30s backdrop, sizzling sunshine, neon nightlife, funky boutiques and a 24/7 party vibe.

A perennial favourite with Hollywood’s glitterati, Florida’s foremost beach city is a glitzy metropolis adored by the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Cameron Diaz – in fact, just about every star who’s ever walked the red carpet.

Soak up the sun
Dip your manicured toes into the turquoise water at South Beach on the southern tip of Miami Beach. SoBe, as it’s nicknamed, is party central – you’ll share sand space with silicone-filled, Dior-clad fashion types, hunky volleyball players and well-oiled lifeguards.

Then head to Ocean Drive, in particular the 10-block stretch from 5th to 15th streets where the beach is vast and dazzlingly white.

What else can I do?
Worship at the Disneyesque shrines in the Art Deco District – a fantasy world of pastel-coloured, curvy-cornered buildings from the 20s and 30s.

Hire in-line skates and whizz around Lummus Park, visit the Museum of Contemporary Art and stop by Casa Casuarina, aka the Versace house – the site of Gianni Versace’s tragic death.

Where can I stay?
Gail and her daughter Honey booked into the Sonesta Bayfront Hotel.

'We had a lovely heated pool on the 8th floor with great views of the Biscayne Bay area,' says Gail. 'We couldn't wait to try it out so Honey and I were in there first thing. The pool was always a great and cash free way to spend our time.'

Where can I shop?
For all you shopaholics who love designer labels, check out the likes of Tiffany & Co, Prada and Gucci at Bal Harbour Shops (9700 Collins Avenue) and continue to the Aventura Mall on Biscayne Boulevard for Bloomingdales, Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch.

For those who love to hunt out a bargain like Gail, head to outdoor mall CocoWalk in the heart of Coconut Grove.

‘It had plenty of restaurants and coffee shops and it also turned out to be a great source of information,’ says Gail.

‘We discovered that every 4th Sunday is 'children's day' at CocoWalk. Honey loved it, it was free of charge and the weather was great. There were farm animals, a bouncy castle and face painting.’

For bargains, also visit Sawgrass Mills Mall, a discount paradise 30 miles from Miami International Airport where you can find cut-price Burberry, Miss Sixty and Calvin Klein.

Where’s best to eat?
Hip dining options include Madonna’s fave Nobu and Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, where Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer have been spotted.

For a cheaper bet, try the Eggs Florentine at the News Café on Ocean Drive – where Versace drank his last coffee.

If you prefer something a little stronger and a real treat, sashay through the pure white lobby at the Delano Hotel and sip mojitos at the bar – regulars include Leonardo DiCaprio.

Or join celeb cocktail-drinkers Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss at Skybar at the Shore Club; sample the mind-blowing drinks at Barton G – Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are fans; or hobnob with Paris Hilton and Beyoncé at Nikki Coconut Grove.

Gail's favourite eatery was the Market Place with its 'red leather sofas, a great menu and very friendly staff'.

'As Honey and I have been to the US before, we always try to remember to order either a starter each or a main meal between both of us as the portions are so huge,' says the trim young mum.

She also enjoyed Monty’s, a lively restaurant that offers outdoor dining with some great live music. There's plenty of space for the kids to run around. 

‘I love seafood and there was plenty of this on the menu. I would recommend it for a stress free and fun kids' meal.’

What about clubs?
Club Space in downtown Miami and dek23 in South Beach won’t disappoint. Privé in Miami Beach attracts a star-studded crowd, such as Jessica Simpson and Janet Jackson, while Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears have been pictured falling out of Mansion in the early hours.

Best time to go?
Expect year-round temperatures of 20-30°C (68-86°F). December, January and February are the driest months. Flight time Around 10 hours.

MUST SEE MUST DO

Head for the beach
Enjoy the golden sands and surf of Miami Beach Central. Rollerblade down the sidewalk to lively Collins Avenue for the cafes and shops. For absolute peace and quite head to Virginia Key beach.

Meet a dolphin
Don't miss Miami Seaquarium where you can bond with your very own Flipper.  Gail stretched her budget a wee bit payingt $99* (£66.32) for Honey to bond with a friendly marine mammel, but recommends splashing out.

‘It was half an hour in the pool playing ball and feeding Jupiter, a two-year-old dolphin. It was an amazing experience for Honey - and for me!

'The $99 also included a full day at the park which was home to killer whales, manatees and crocodiles.

'It was a great fun day out and when you look at what we did, it was great value for money!’

Hit the water
A Miami Duck Tour is a great way to explore,' says Gail.  'The bus turns into a boat and we were really pleased with ourselves at bagging a bargain.'

Priced at $32 (£21.44) for an adult, local magazine coupons often offer a 15% discount.

Visit the zoo
Miami Metrozoo offers a great family day out and won’t break the bank at just $13.95 (£9.35) for adults and $3.95 (£3) for children between 3 and 12. You can climb up and feed giraffes eye-to-eye for just $2. (£1.34)

Gail’s Top Tips
1.   'There are many things to do that won’t break the bank including visiting local art galleries, which are free of charge, experiencing the golden sands of Miami beach or visit the many shops at CocoWalk’s outside shopping mall.'

2.    'Walk, don't ride. The most expensive thing I found in Miami was the taxi fares, we tried to stay local as much as possible which really made the difference.  If you do want to explore, you can walk to most places or catch a local bus. And if you’re there for a long time and want to do some more exploring, you can always hire a car.'

3.    'Do your research. Ask the hotel concierge if there are any special offers that the hotel have coupons for and check local listings magazines.'

Gail Porter travelled to Miami to promote the Ebookers £5k challenge. Seven groups of volunteers travelled more than 11 thousand miles within a combined budget of £5,000, visiting a variety of popular holiday destinations from Dubrovnik to Dubai.

May 2009 ebookers launches Smartbookers, an online hub where people can get insider travel knowledge and travel tips.

*prices correct January 2009

See Gail Porter's Miami holiday snaps>>

 

By Vicki Heath and Michelle Braham