The Miami sun has shallow pockets

South Beach is more than welcoming to students

By James McDonald

To launch our summer travel section, I thought it best to go south. We all know that summer doesn't begin here until July, and even then temperatures can be relatively lacklustre.

With all-inclusive vacations to resorts in Cuba and the Dominican overpromoted and underwhelming—more like a sunny concentration camp than a getaway—students are more willing to try to plan their own vacations, and Miami is a great place to break in your adventurous side, without burying yourself in foreign language and culture.

Miami welcomes nearly 10 million tourists every year. Though the city has many attractions—the Miami Metro Zoo, the Holocaust Memorial, the Miami Museum of Science, and the Seaquarium, to name a few—the paramount attraction is the city itself.

With temperatures in the 20s every day, the beach is always an option. South Beach (SoBe), the tourist hotspot of Miami Beach, has stretching sands outlining its eastern edge, a beach long enough to allow for every person to have his/her towel space. Seemingly endless coastlines are laden with palm trees watching over turquoise waters, perfect for morning jogs or evening strolls.

SoBe is primarily comprised of architecture from the Art Deco period, with all the buildings in their original pastel colours. SoBe immerses tourists in its flamboyant, energetic culture, with salsa or dance music pulsing from every store, restaurant, and cafe.

SoBe and Miami central both have ample amounts of shopping so you can feel like one of the Golden Girls bopping along the strip. Along Ocean Drive, there are plenty of postcards and knickknacks to be purchased, and a scenic walk away, Lincoln Road outdoor mall has hundreds of designer stores, some of which manage to remain at reasonable prices.

Hostels in SoBe not only welcome students, they cater to them. As long as you're ready to sleep in a room with half-a-dozen other people your age, Miami hostels are a riot, to say the least. Many have group outings each night to well-known clubs, such as Cameo and Mansion, with discounts on drinks and cover.

While on the topic of nightlife, be prepared to pre-drink in the hostel. Drinks at many clubs cost upwards of $20. While the music digresses from the St. John's typicality of top 40 throughout George Street, be aware that glamourous nights out can be costly.

The key to enjoying Miami, though, is to relax and not take every day too seriously. A trip to Miami is a vacation to be, not to sight-see. The sand, the beautiful people (all with tans!), the flashy night scene—the city has so much to offer just in the everyday.

My flights and hostel stay cost just under $1,000, but included three meals a day with 20-somethings from across the globe. If you can avoid the stores and the Spanish and Cuban cuisine, the trip is doable on a small budget.

Lastly, try to find some adventure while you're there. If I can make it into the VIP section at Mansion, I bet you can too.

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