DELRAY TO MIAMI ON TRI-RAIL
DELRAY TO MIAMI ON TRI-RAIL
I had to be at Miami International Airport for a 9 a.m. flight. Instead of getting up very early, I went down the afternoon before. I took Tri-Rail. It costs just $5 (be sure to buy a ticket from the vending machine before getting on, or you'll pay a fine – tickets can’t be purchased on board), is fast and environmentally friendly. The train runs almost every hour. Mine was packed with a rush hour crowd. There were a few tourists, but mostly blue-collar workers commuting to or from work. The conductor/security guard packs a gun, but he was very friendly. Travel time between Delray and Miami was just 1 hour and 30minutes. The furthest north the train goes is Mangonia Park (just north of Palm Beach); the furthest south is Miami.
USING HOTWIRE
Fortunately I was the first person off the train. I boogied to the taxi stand, where just one cab was waiting. There’s a free 5-minute shuttle to the airport, but I took a $20 taxi ride to Coconut Grove. I had booked a 3.5-star hotel there a few days earlier on Hotwire.com (link), for $105. It’s a little nerve-racking using an opaque website like Hotwire or Priceline, because you never really know what you’ll get. However, there are websites like BetterBidding.com and BiddingForTravel.com that have message boards showing what other users have paid, the dates they traveled, and most importantly the hotels they received.
WYNDHAM GRAND BAY HOTEL – COCONUT GROVE
I ended up getting the Wyndham Grand Bay Hotel-Coconut Grove. Parts of the 12-story hotel were really nice. I liked the exterior design, the fact that it was within walking distance to shops and restaurants, the swanky Bice restaurant located in the hotel, and that my large room had Aveda toiletries, Starbucks coffee, two balconies and a great view. What I did not like was that the bed and bathroom needed serious fixing up. I should also note that I am a Wyndham ByRequest member (free to join), which entitles members to perks like free internet -- but because I booked through a third party website I could not get either free internet or miles. I thought that was totally bogus -- but at least they only charge $9.95 a day for high-speed. The Wyndham Grand Bay Hotel-Coconut Grove, 2669 South Bayshore Dr., Miami, Florida; tel.: 305-858-9600.
LOCAL COCONUT GROVE RESTAURANT
I met some friends who live nearby for dinner. We went to Scotty's Landing (tel.: 305-854-2626), just a short walk away through a lonely marina. The open-air restaurant filled with locals was on the water, dark, and inexpensive ($6.95 for a cheeseburger).
VIDEO
Here’s a 2-minute Johnny Jet Video of my trip to Delray Beach. It's also on YouTube, so it takes only a few seconds to load (though the quality is not as crisp). We also have all the JohnnyJet Videos ever made on their servers.
I had to be at Miami International Airport for a 9 a.m. flight. Instead of getting up very early, I went down the afternoon before. I took Tri-Rail. It costs just $5 (be sure to buy a ticket from the vending machine before getting on, or you'll pay a fine – tickets can’t be purchased on board), is fast and environmentally friendly. The train runs almost every hour. Mine was packed with a rush hour crowd. There were a few tourists, but mostly blue-collar workers commuting to or from work. The conductor/security guard packs a gun, but he was very friendly. Travel time between Delray and Miami was just 1 hour and 30minutes. The furthest north the train goes is Mangonia Park (just north of Palm Beach); the furthest south is Miami.
USING HOTWIRE
Fortunately I was the first person off the train. I boogied to the taxi stand, where just one cab was waiting. There’s a free 5-minute shuttle to the airport, but I took a $20 taxi ride to Coconut Grove. I had booked a 3.5-star hotel there a few days earlier on Hotwire.com (link), for $105. It’s a little nerve-racking using an opaque website like Hotwire or Priceline, because you never really know what you’ll get. However, there are websites like BetterBidding.com and BiddingForTravel.com that have message boards showing what other users have paid, the dates they traveled, and most importantly the hotels they received.
WYNDHAM GRAND BAY HOTEL – COCONUT GROVE
I ended up getting the Wyndham Grand Bay Hotel-Coconut Grove. Parts of the 12-story hotel were really nice. I liked the exterior design, the fact that it was within walking distance to shops and restaurants, the swanky Bice restaurant located in the hotel, and that my large room had Aveda toiletries, Starbucks coffee, two balconies and a great view. What I did not like was that the bed and bathroom needed serious fixing up. I should also note that I am a Wyndham ByRequest member (free to join), which entitles members to perks like free internet -- but because I booked through a third party website I could not get either free internet or miles. I thought that was totally bogus -- but at least they only charge $9.95 a day for high-speed. The Wyndham Grand Bay Hotel-Coconut Grove, 2669 South Bayshore Dr., Miami, Florida; tel.: 305-858-9600.
LOCAL COCONUT GROVE RESTAURANT
I met some friends who live nearby for dinner. We went to Scotty's Landing (tel.: 305-854-2626), just a short walk away through a lonely marina. The open-air restaurant filled with locals was on the water, dark, and inexpensive ($6.95 for a cheeseburger).
VIDEO
Here’s a 2-minute Johnny Jet Video of my trip to Delray Beach. It's also on YouTube, so it takes only a few seconds to load (though the quality is not as crisp). We also have all the JohnnyJet Videos ever made on their servers.
posted by Johnny Jet @ 10:22 AM
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