Okay, so you’re down to your last few dollars but your vacation isn’t over for two more days. What’s a free-wheeling (but broke) fun seeker to do? Not to worry. You can have an absolutely fabulous time in Miami for mere peanuts. In Miami and Miami Beach, good places to eat, fun things to do and getting from Point A to Point B don’t have to break the bank.

Let’s start with the basics: cheap eats. In Miami, this translates into two words: Cuban food. One of the great things about living here is the hearty, soul satisfying starchiness of Cuban favorites like chicken with yellow rice (arroz con pollo), fried pork chunks with rice and black beans (masas de puerco) or savory shredded beef (ropa vieja). Cuban food is available 24/7, and every Miami neighborhood has its Latin cafetería -- a small restaurant with a little window to grab a quick cup o’ joe (un cafecito in local parlance) and a pastry or two. Tip: if you plunk down more than $7 for a heaping plate of meat with rice and beans (including a side dish of plantains or delicious, garlicky yuca), you’ve spent too much. Local favorites include two chains, La Carreta and Latin American Restaurant; the venerable (and 24-hour) Versailles on Calle Ocho; and Puerto Sagua (7th Street and Collins Avenue) in Miami Beach.

Cheap eats on South Beach include Big Pink at 157 Collins Avenue, where salads, sandwiches and breakfast are served in huge portions that make doggie bags a necessity. On Washington Avenue, Dogma Grill sells delicious hot dogs with the works for just a few bucks. Pizza Rustica has several locations (including Washington Avenue and Lincoln Road) where you can get a slice for $3.

There are lots of ways to have fun for free in this town. For cheap entertainment on South Beach, do what you did in your kiddie bathtub: watch a boat float. At South Pointe Park, on South Beach’s southern tip, you can watch cruise ships sailing out to sea. This is truly a magical site, with birds flying around, the sun about to set and these giant floating hotels gliding by effortlessly. Get there around 3:30 since most of the ships sail between 4 and 5 o’clock.

Want some culture? Take a tour of Miami’s Art in Public Places. Fabulous sculptures, murals and more can be found throughout the city, including at Miami International Airport, public parks, Metrorail stations, Miami-Dade College and the Port of Miami.

Going to the beach is still free, though parking may set you back a few quarters. Visit the historic 1825 lighthouse at Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne and bring a picnic lunch. (Park admission is $5 per vehicle.) Or spread your towel on a smooth spot and check out the many different types of folks who stroll the sands of South Beach. It’s free and never boring! In Coral Gables, you can swim in a gorgeous (and historic) rock quarry with waterfalls, grottoes and caves at Venetian Pool. From November to March, adults pay $6.25 and kids (ages 3-12) cost $3.25. In North Beach, at Collins Avenue and 73rd Street, there’s a family friendly beach with shady palm trees, a public parking lot and lots of inexpensive cafes and fast food restaurants.

More cheap fun: hang out at any of the outdoor mega-malls around town. Top spots include CocoWalk in Coconut Grove, Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami and Lincoln Road on South Beach. Weekend nights are prime for people-watching.

Gallery walks are some of the best free fun to be found in this city. The Design District, Wynwood Arts & Entertainment District, North Miami, Espanola Way and Coral Gables all have gallery nights once a month. (Some even put out free wine and cheese to gnosh on.) Viernes Culturales (Cultural Fridays) offer free fun Latin style, at this gallery open-house on Calle Ocho in the heart of Little Havana. Viernes Culturales happens on the last Friday of the month. For a complete listing of Miami-area gallery walks, visit www.ArtCircuits.com.

If you’ve got the kids in tow, there are several free museum happenings worth checking out. Among them is Free Fridays at Miami Children’s Museum, where children are invited to explore and enjoy interactive exhibits and bilingual activities with no admission charge. This happens every third Friday evening of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

During Free Second Saturdays at the Miami Art Museum, MAM's gallery teachers lead fun-filled, educational, hands-on activities for families and kids of all ages on the Second Saturday of each month – with free admission all day. And the Historical Museum of Southern Florida puts a lively spin on several centuries of Florida history during Second Saturday Family Fun Days – where museum teachers offer fun-filled, hands-on activities for families and kids of all ages – with free admission.

Public transportation can be fun as well as cheap. You can visit 22 points of interest for 25 cents on the colorful South Beach Local – a handy new bus service that runs every 12 to 15 minutes and operates until 1 a.m. every day of the week. Stops include Lincoln Road Mall, Art Deco Historic District, the Holocaust Memorial and Wolfsonian-FIU -- which offers free tours of its fascinating collection of modern design and propaganda art every Friday at 6 p.m.

In Downtown Miami, life finally gives you a free ride (and a bird’s eye view of all the new condos going up) on the Metromover, which is the automated rail system that loops through downtown’s business and shopping district. Warning: Kids really love doing this, so you may find yourself circling the business district and listening to the robot voice calling out the stations until the cows come home (or buy themselves condos downtown, like everybody else is doing).

All it takes is a little know-how to work your way around this city on a budget. There are plenty of good reasons not to take out a cash advance while on vacation. You can eat well, see the sights, take a dip in the ocean and discover that some of the best things in Miami really are free!

Shop Talk

carolynk — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:43:00 GMT

It suddenly dawned on me that I’ve never blogged about shopping in Miami. How could I have overlooked one of the things that this city is truly famous for? I’ve been to other shopping meccas (New York, L.A., Paris) but often find that I can get the same thing back home if I just look hard enough. With all the restrictions on luggage, it’s just not worth the hassle to stuff my suitcase to the bursting point if I can find whatever has caught my fancy right in my own backyard.

Years ago, an extremely well-traveled friend of mine forced her husband to carry home an immense red lacquered table lamp from Morocco, only to find that she could have bought the same lamp at a Moroccan imports store in the Miami Design District – a mere six miles from her house. How’s that for Buyer’s Remorse?

This is one of the beautiful things about living in a port city. A lot of stuff comes our way, courtesy of the Seven Seas. Having a major international airport nearby is, of course, another big bonus. Imports arrive 24/7 from just about every country in the world. Like New York, Miami’s really got the goods.

Downtown Miami is known for its abundance of electronics, jewelry, fabric and luggage stores. But there are other unique finds, too, like the Chinese imports store I came across just the other day. I purchased two adorable pairs of emerald silk pajamas for a friend’s new twin daughters. They had cute little frog button closures, and were the perfect way to surprise my friend with a baby gift that was one-of-a-kind.

Several of my co-workers, myself included, are dedicated shoe fiends. We’re always trading info on where the best sales are, which outlet store carries which to-die-for brand, etc., etc. Some of our favorites include DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse); Rack Room Shoes; Neiman Marcus Last Call; and TJMaxx. There’s also one top-secret outlet store that I have sworn not to reveal. (I’d be tarred and feathered by the above mentioned co-workers if I did.)

Miami is, quite simply, chock full ‘o malls. We’ve got high end, middle end and outlet malls; open-air malls with greenery (The Falls, Bal Harbour Shops); waterfront malls (Bayside Marketplace); teeny bopper malls (Shops at Sunset Place, Dolphin Mall); pedestrian malls (Lincoln Road and Espanola Way); and strip malls along every suburban thoroughfare. With year-round sun and a body-conscious population, shopping is the ultimate Miami pastime.

A few years ago, when I had a lot more time on my hands, I was a devoted thrift store picker. I found lots of vintage Lilly Pulitzer dresses and skirts right before Lilly came back in a humongous way. I paid about $4 per dress (!) for these colorful, Jackie O era beauties. I also snapped up a mint condition Pucci shift dress for $60 that I still wear on special occasions. Miami Twice in West Miami is a popular spot for vintage clothing, jewelry and furniture – though their prices aren’t as attractive as they used to be.

When looking for vintage furniture, I pull open drawers or look underneath tables for the manufacturer’s label. I’ve spotted pieces from Henredon, Baker and other top furniture designers – often in very good condition. The warehouse district off Bird Road and 72nd Avenue in West Miami is a good place to poke around for furniture. It’s officially called the Bird Road Arts District, though at this point in time, there are more retail stores than art galleries. In addition to furniture, you’ll find Mexican, Peruvian and Moroccan import stores; assorted antique shops; designer children’s clothing; custom stationery and invitations; and costume jewelry and handbags. One of my favorite shoe stores, called Shoes To You, is located here. It’s right next door to Bijoux Designs, a nifty little bead shop where I get mesmerized by their dazzling assortment of Swarovski crystals.

If price is no object, Miami exceeds in excess. Take your Sugar Daddy (or Mama) over to Bal Harbour Shops and check out the really expensive threads, including Prada, Gucci, Versace, Dior and Armani. When it comes to haute couture, this lovely open-air mall has it all. Not to mention several of the world’s finest jewelers, including Cartier, Chopard, Bulgari, Graff and Harry Winston. Just for fun on Valentine’s Day, my mother and I tried on several gargantuan canary diamonds at Graff. The store manager was completely indulgent, and if I ever do win the lottery, you can bet that those nice folks at Graff will be one of my first stops.

Another place for merchandise-minded high rollers is the Village of Merrick Park. This Coral Gables outdoor mall, with its comfy park benches, manicured lawn and splashing fountains, is a beautiful place to stroll and just hang out. But if high-end shopping is your game (and you’ve got the plastic to back it up), you’ll find Burberry, Carolina Herrera, Diane von Furstenberg, Roberto Cavalli, Tiffany & Co., Neiman Marcus and many more icons of good taste.

Sometimes I fantasize about leaving my big city life behind and buying a small cottage on one of the Out Islands in the Bahamas. There would be time for painting, writing and fishing. I could sell beaded jewelry to passing tourists, start a blog about my new Simple Life. I’d leave my Lilly Pulitzer collection to the girls at the office, go native with sandals and a sarong. But at some point I know, deep down in my heart, that I would be plotting a secret shopping weekend in Miami.

Around Miami : malls

Miami for Free

Shop Talk

Shopping at Lincoln Road