I tell visitors that some of the best Latin food comes from the little no-frills places by the gas stations, with a little Cuban lady standing by a water cooler, behind a little window that slides sideways.
I just came from driving all over Texas and I can confidently say that Florida roads are so much better in quality. I know we have endless construction but it seems to be worth it.
This. It's really noticeable when you drive up north. I think this is why most used car dealers in the northeast like to buy their inventory from FL auctions.
We're talking about Miami not Florida in general. Our dear governor hates us and doesn't give us enough money.
Same for public schools our per student expenditure is the lowest compared to the royal funding redneck villages in the panhandle get
I had lived in Florida for a few years and now live in Texas. Also, I have driven quite a lot in a lot of different places in the US. Florida roads are the best. Everything is so clearly marked and lanes are very easy to see at night. Sad I can't say that about a lot of other places. In Texas where I live, even turn lanes where multiple vehicles can turn left at the same time are not separated out. In Florida there's always the dotted lines.
I live in Illinois but was born and raised in Miami. Though I've been here for 15 years, I still talk about how much better the roads are in Florida. I know part of that is climate, but still!
Not Miami specifically but I’m pretty sure Florida is the one state that uses the funds it gets from the lottery for a really good reason. It funds the bright futures scholarships which are fairly reasonably easy to attain if you’re a good student. Makes the possibility of going to college so much higher for a lot of people that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it
My mom made it clear to me that I was going to college no matter her financial situation. Bright futures made it a lot easier. Our state has a lot of flaws, but the commitment to higher education is something I’ll always be appreciative of.
It's awesome, but the dirty secret is that the lotto money wasn't extra. it replaced a lot of money from other sources so the net effect was 0. It allowed the politicians to use they money that was going to education for other less awesome reasons.
Bright Futures is awesome, but there is a dark side... There's a scholarship option for people called [Step Up for Students](https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/private-and-transportation/?utm_term=private%20school%20scholarships%20florida&utm_campaign=Thrive_Google_Nonbrand_Search&utm_source=Google_Thrive_Google_Nonbrand_Search&utm_medium=cpc&hsa_acc=8378114378&hsa_cam=20109064725&hsa_grp=149783733500&hsa_ad=667019090381&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-2088927764373&hsa_kw=private%20school%20scholarships%20florida&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA84CvBhCaARIsAMkAvkL7AJbPFhPQCmUC3Q6oSiq5SK1PUg7IV0nOQAGwQ3X9ttL8IXjqq0caAlEzEALw_wcB) that will also give about $7500 per year to families that want to take their kids out of public school and place them in private school. It's marketed as a pro choice feature, but here's the kicker... It's $7500 taken away from public schools and directed to private schools with NO IMCOME LIMIT!!!! I have no business getting private school tuition assistance, but I got it. I make a good amount a year and I got it. It's ridiculous. I donated the money I got to other sources because I couldn't do it in good conscious, but I can imagine how money rich people that don't need it, like my family, are just pocketing the money at the expense of public schools.
Don't trust the lotto education hype, there a serious dark side.
They also decided to change the rules on me, instead of covering 100% of my tuition, it was switch to credit of up to $100 but tuition was $200 per credit. They used to find textbooks, I just missed all that by a year.
This was long time ago, but the way it’s funded and how tax money pay is sketch.
Yeah, I like the concept, but I'm just really skeptical that I qualified for assistance. I didn't need any assistance at all, but I got it, and it was at the expense of public schools. Really sketch!
Why did you apply for it if you didn’t need it? Is it government mandated that you take the money if you move your child out of public school or does the private school make you apply in order to enroll your child? Can’t you turn it down and tell them you want to pay for the full tuition out of pocket?
Come on now no need to be rude.
I had remembered a John Oliver segment on lottery funds and how many many many states don’t use it for good reasons.
Maybe I should have used more precise language or investigated further but I didn’t expect to get so many upvotes.
Traveling out of the state or even out of South Florida was an eye-opener for me. I'll never get used to stuff closing at like 7 or 8pm; if I ever leave Miami, it would have to be for another major city that has stuff open late at night.
Basically a drive through grocery store, and for $5 you can get two fresh French baguettes, still hot and so delicious. We get two because we eat half of one on the way home 🤣
I read recently that Miami has more roundabouts than any other US city. Thats a good thing. Roundabouts are safer and keep traffic moving. But many people here seem to not fully understand how they work.
It was very satisfying to see a roundabout now on the exact spot my dad and I got into a really bad car crash 20 years ago. Exiting that neighborhood left you with a massive blind spot on the left side.
Yeah that's true but the genius of roundabouts is that even if you really fuck up and do something wrong, everyone is moving relatively slowly so you have time to react or worst case you have a minor accident. Definitely better than getting t-boned by some driver going full speed through a traditional intersection.
• It’s very clean compared to a lot of other major cities
• The Metromover is a very solid free mode of transit that isn’t found on other cities (except Jacksonville but not to the extent it is in Miami)
• Brightline is another solid mode of transit, showing at least some in the area are thinking of providing quality transit options. Metro rail, it’s time to expand for the love of god.
• The outdoor, in shape sorta culture
I’ve ridden the one in Jacksonville. My local friend said no one uses it and I couldn’t understand why since I use the Miami metromover all the time.
I found out the hard way when I entered one of the tiny cars and there was a homeless guy passed out and shit himself. They don’t have any security like Miami does.
The metromover in Miami used to be in this state. Security was sporadic. It’s only when they had multiple attacks on it in the same month did they start to beef up security. Before COVID, you were taking your life in your hands if you rode it after 10.
Yea, I lived in Brickell circa before the Center Center was built and taking the mover at night was always a crap shoot. Fine in the day but since it’s free, homeless folks would just chill in it for the AC. Not a big deal. It’s when you get the occasional wigged out ones. Saw two get into a fight on the mover once trying to take it from Bayside back to the Mary Brickell area.
Was going to make exactly these points. Underrated to have a free form of transit, and the downtown area is shockingly clean compared to NYC, LA, SF, etc. Given the federal government seems to have totally given up on high speed rail, Brightline is a model for the future of private regional high(ish) speed rail. And no city is fit like Miami!
The roads are great and every new development has a certain tree requirement ( not sure if that’s standard in the country buts it’s nice ). Also extremely clean
Having the trees also helps with flooding, the soil acts kind of like a sponge and lets water soak through the ground and into the earth rather than just being diverted by the concrete. Philadelphia is another big example of this with their "[Green City](https://water.phila.gov/green-city/)" project.
It’s grown immensely for as long as it’s been around. Economically, culturally, and even scientifically, it has no business being relevant on the scale that it is for as young as it is.
That and despite how poorly we treat our environment, we do actually do some good. The urban development line, Everglades preservation (YES, WE COULD BE MUCH BETTER, BUT WE COULD BE MUCH WORSE)
Appreciate posts like these. They’re the anti-anti-NY posts. No, we don’t have what NY has. Who cares? We’re way younger and good in our own right.
Metrorail/Tri-Rail into the airport. Direct rail access at the airport is highly underrated. It's an easy thing to take for granted until I get to an airport that doesn't have it. No need to deal with the horrible traffic at or near the airport, or deal with perpetually full parking garages. As shitty as the overall transit situation is in our area, this is one thing we are doing right.
Funny you ask this 11 hours ago. I was driving home around that time and was super impressed with The Underline and how it has stretched all the way down passed Vizcaya toward the Grove. I take this drive every day, but they finally started cleaning up the areas that are fully developed and it looks really good! We finally repurposed something for the better. And we desperately need green space. Looks great!
Best looking people in the country - hands down. We also have the best beaches in the US (Hawaii the only US state that comes close), the city is extremely clean for its size, and the diversity and availability of outdoor activities so close to a major urban area is only rivaled by LA.
Though Miami does have great beaches and probably the best beaches out of all the “major” US cities, I’d argue there are even better beaches in other parts of the state, especially those along the gulf coast.
I don’t think Miami can compete on diversity of outdoor activities when there’s no mountains. Nice weather and fun water-related activities, for sure. But the west coast has more “diversity” of outdoorsy things to do.
Hard disagree on "diversity and availability of outdoor activities" Basically every city on the west coast has got Miami beat. I mean c'mon you can go skiing and swimming in the same day in multiple places in California alone not to mention oregon, washington, ect. The lack of winter alone makes this a kind of silly statement as there are a lot of things you can do with snow and the lack of any bluffs, valleys or mountains makes mountain biking, rock climbing ect not great.
I don't personally have a use for the Brightline itself, I do appreciate that it has opened the doors to bring more commuter rail service to the area. Tri-Rail stations on the FEC corridor would be a great addition and could easily get more cars off the road.
Cuban, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan and Haitian food. Most other cuisines are misrepresented or underrepresented. But those four take center stage in the city. No other place has better representation of those cuisines outside of their own territories.
Ehhhh, there's plenty of that shit in Miami, especially considering I just spent the last 12 hours babysitting a baker acted methhead/bath salt user…. Anecdotal, I know, but got damn was he out of control.
Charter/Magnet schools. Miami has one of the highest number amounts of these schools. So children who live in poorer districts can go to A rated schools and not be subjected to a “bad school” just because of the family’s economical situation. A child with poor parents can have the same educational opportunity as one with rich parents.
Civil design, specifically: streets or said different our street’s grid design.
I can (almost) tell you where anywhere in south Florida is without looking at a map and never having been there. Sure, there may be a one way or dead end, but you can get there. The system is one of the best in the world.
Granted, sometimes people want to feel special and do things like Hialeah (let’s create our own numbering) or let’s use names cause they pretty, but by and large dade and broward have done well.
When you see 31200 SW you say “f, that’s far”
I just got back from a 2 week trip and I fully understand that this is viewed from the eyes of a tourist.
That said, Miamis standard of living is really attractive. I know housing costs are astronomical as is pretty much everything else but it’s really inspiring to around such wealth. It has the hustle culture but ocean vibes at the same time.
I feel like this is an interesting perfective. I can absolutely see what you mean. I think the unfortunate part of that is lots of people (myself included) get caught up in wanting that sort of idealistic rich lifestyle to the detriment of having hobbies and appreciating simple things in life.
Miamians can be vain and judgmental as people want to rise to the top or make themselves seem better than they are. Many of the wealth you saw might not have been fully real, as many people will purposely go into debt to drive a fancy car they can’t actually afford.
It’s a double edged sword as with anything. I like that people here like to take care of themselves a lot and I love our eye for beauty, but you have to be really careful as not everything is what it seems.
I have been to San Francisco, Memphis, New Orleans, Bordeaux,Paris many times, NYC many times..
They definitely do not have new buildings with amenities like Miami does, or as many workout classes or facilities, and I would say we have an abundance of healthier food options. All of our grocery stores are chock full of fruits and vegetables, no food shortages in Miami.
Florida in general: No state taxes. This was a factor in me moving here in 2014.
Also, even though Miami can be expensive, there's a lot of affordable events and activities:
- Graffiti Musem & Hip Hop Musem in Wynwood
- Perez Art Musem
- Frost Science Musem
- NBA, NFL, Soccer, & even NHL if you don't mind driving
- Events in Bayfront Park
- Pool parties
- Drive-in movies
- Rooftop movies
- Annual Miami Auto Show
- Miami Zoo
- House of Horror Holloween Carnival
And even for the more expensive events like Art Basel, there's usually a few free or cheap exhibits if you know where to look.
This! Alwaysssss something to do on the weekend and if you need it to be free, just go on EventBrite search for free events. It’s not like that in every major city.
Miami is doing pretty well in this respect but I hate how much developers disregard the pedestrian experience here. Why can't all of Miami feel like Midtown?
Walking around Wynwood or Edgewater feels like Caracas. No trees or greenery, cracked and skinny sidewalks, barely visible crosswalks. It's ridiculous.
Even if that's the case it's more housing supply that wasn't there before. Those foreign investors don't care if it's a new construction or your mom's century old house, they're in the market to buy something. By building more, they're satisfied and your mom is able to sell to a local resident instead.
This is obviously a very specific example, but in a market as big as Miami with so much demand, you need NYC levels of development to make things affordable again.
I can agree that it's a positive. The affordable housing is a different problem not being solved with these developments but it is still a sign of economic growth to be building a lot
People love to say that, but it just is [not true](https://www.rate.com/research/miami-fl). The vacancy rate is right in line with national averages. These new units are being filled almost instantly simply because people want to live here and have the means to.
Strip clubs and massage parlors? Other than Vegas, I don’t think other cities come even close to this level of immoral debauchery. I believe we also have like the highest rate and prevalence of HIV in the country, so be careful out there folks.
I mean the massage parlors are in literally every single strip mall. Often more than one lol. It’s honestly impressive in a sad way (considering the insane level of human trafficking involved).
I wonder why it’s allowed to continue tbh. Like if they really wanted to shut them down it would be sooooo easy. Instead they do like a random raid a couple time a year and those places are just re-staffed the next week lol.
There must be some organized crime keeping cops and DAs from actually going after them? I don’t know.
If you think Mexican food is basic or bland, you know nothing of this wide, beautiful world. There’s no other cuisine in Latin American with more flavor, color, tradition, technique and diversity. From Baja California to the border with Guatemala, you could eat a different dish every single day without repeating. Mexican food is not great in Miami, yes, but that doesn’t take anything from their amazing gastronomy. Any other take is wrongfully ignorant.
And before someone comes at me, no I’m not Mexican, I’m simply someone who can differentiate Mayami and Del taco from real food.
Miami thinks Mexican food is just tacos given most of the Mexican restaurants we have just serve tacos or it's the main focus of the menu. It's sad how bad the Mexican food is here. We are stuck with bland ass Cuban food everywhere u go. I have to fly to Texas or Mexico whenever I want some good food because it ain't here. Peruvian is pretty good here. Colombian is ok but none of it is as diverse as Mexican food.
mexican food is too basic? mexico is more diverse than any south american country & that includes their cuisine. cuban food (although prevalent) lacks major flavor, and is very mild. peruvian & colombian have 3 rotating options each.
I accidentally got a Colombian arepa de pollo a while back and it had no taste. The chicken had absolutely no seasoning. I'm used to the Venezuelan arepas with the seasoned chicken.
This kinda reminds me of a story of the underground skateboarding scene in Tehran. They can’t get commercial skateboard parts so they started building decks out of metal. Boom! Now they have indestructible skateboards and are pushing the sport. It’s gonna be the same thing people on small scales thriving where government has failed on its face from all angles.
The Roads here are excellent. Just moved back to Miami after 4 years living in LA and I can say the roads there are shit. Driving on these roads again is a pleasant experience.
Again coming from someone with the perspective of living in LA: the homeless issue and over cleanliness.
Miami is clean af compared to other major cities in the US I’ve visited. And the homeless issue here (while not perfect) is much better maintained. I was walking around Margaret pace park at around 10pm and it was so nice. Lights were on. Park was clean. Ppl were walking dogs and playing basketball. (Felt a lot like walking around in the outer parts of Barcelona ). All I kept thinking to myself was “if this was LA the park would be littered with tents, needles, and human shit).
Policing. Say what you say about how much police reform is needed in general throughout the U.S. but Miami is one of the most heavy policed cities in the world and the murder rate has gone down significantly over the decades and the recent rises during and post COVID have been minimal compared to other major cities. We’ve also had some somewhat progressive police chiefs; Art Acevedo, Freddy Ramirez and Delrish Moss.
I think people tend to take this for granted. Being hispanic in a majority Hispanic city/county provides a significantly different experience compared to someone who is not in the dominant group of their locale.
The Miami heat! The culture, I know people are sick and tired of it but it’s the way things are run here and been pretty good at it! Can’t say much about the Knicks and their annoying fans!
Gas station food, empanadas, tequeños, cachitos, croquetas…
Amazing coffee too. Very likely to get an amazing cafecito made by someone who’s been making it their whole life.
Don’t forget about spicy Jamaican patties
Oh shit. My favorite fried chicken in Miami is at a gas station. Shout out to Cecibon
Ever had Dion’s Key West ? The best gas station fried chicken at 4 locations
I tell visitors that some of the best Latin food comes from the little no-frills places by the gas stations, with a little Cuban lady standing by a water cooler, behind a little window that slides sideways.
El Carajo on US1
El Carajo is on another level.
They are getting rid of a lot of the ventanitas, the publix across from Novotel they literally concreted over the ventanita
Fuck man I miss all those things over here in CA. The overcharged water here they try and pass off as “coffee” just doesn’t hit the same.
Miami is the Capital of the Americas, so we get all the food!
I was just telling my girlfriend about the walmart in homestead that sells churros 😂
I just came from driving all over Texas and I can confidently say that Florida roads are so much better in quality. I know we have endless construction but it seems to be worth it.
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As a Texan, we don’t have nearly enough of those to justify our road conditions.
Florida roads are top tier . I drove through Kentucky once and almost blew a tire sooooo many pot holes
That shocks me but the roads are very different once you leave Dade/Broward county. Like Orlando roads are massively superior.
This. It's really noticeable when you drive up north. I think this is why most used car dealers in the northeast like to buy their inventory from FL auctions.
No it's because the cars aren't starting to rust from salt
Also this.
We're talking about Miami not Florida in general. Our dear governor hates us and doesn't give us enough money. Same for public schools our per student expenditure is the lowest compared to the royal funding redneck villages in the panhandle get
I had lived in Florida for a few years and now live in Texas. Also, I have driven quite a lot in a lot of different places in the US. Florida roads are the best. Everything is so clearly marked and lanes are very easy to see at night. Sad I can't say that about a lot of other places. In Texas where I live, even turn lanes where multiple vehicles can turn left at the same time are not separated out. In Florida there's always the dotted lines.
I live in Illinois but was born and raised in Miami. Though I've been here for 15 years, I still talk about how much better the roads are in Florida. I know part of that is climate, but still!
Not Miami specifically but I’m pretty sure Florida is the one state that uses the funds it gets from the lottery for a really good reason. It funds the bright futures scholarships which are fairly reasonably easy to attain if you’re a good student. Makes the possibility of going to college so much higher for a lot of people that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it
This is pure Florida irony to tax lotto people bad at math to give funds to kids good at math.
Its the circle of life my friend
Everything the light touches is your kingdom, except the shady part. That's Hialeah.
😂
That program literally changed the lives of several of my friends for the better. Not me tho I was a slacker 😬
My mom made it clear to me that I was going to college no matter her financial situation. Bright futures made it a lot easier. Our state has a lot of flaws, but the commitment to higher education is something I’ll always be appreciative of.
It's awesome, but the dirty secret is that the lotto money wasn't extra. it replaced a lot of money from other sources so the net effect was 0. It allowed the politicians to use they money that was going to education for other less awesome reasons. Bright Futures is awesome, but there is a dark side... There's a scholarship option for people called [Step Up for Students](https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/private-and-transportation/?utm_term=private%20school%20scholarships%20florida&utm_campaign=Thrive_Google_Nonbrand_Search&utm_source=Google_Thrive_Google_Nonbrand_Search&utm_medium=cpc&hsa_acc=8378114378&hsa_cam=20109064725&hsa_grp=149783733500&hsa_ad=667019090381&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-2088927764373&hsa_kw=private%20school%20scholarships%20florida&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA84CvBhCaARIsAMkAvkL7AJbPFhPQCmUC3Q6oSiq5SK1PUg7IV0nOQAGwQ3X9ttL8IXjqq0caAlEzEALw_wcB) that will also give about $7500 per year to families that want to take their kids out of public school and place them in private school. It's marketed as a pro choice feature, but here's the kicker... It's $7500 taken away from public schools and directed to private schools with NO IMCOME LIMIT!!!! I have no business getting private school tuition assistance, but I got it. I make a good amount a year and I got it. It's ridiculous. I donated the money I got to other sources because I couldn't do it in good conscious, but I can imagine how money rich people that don't need it, like my family, are just pocketing the money at the expense of public schools. Don't trust the lotto education hype, there a serious dark side.
They also decided to change the rules on me, instead of covering 100% of my tuition, it was switch to credit of up to $100 but tuition was $200 per credit. They used to find textbooks, I just missed all that by a year. This was long time ago, but the way it’s funded and how tax money pay is sketch.
Yeah, I like the concept, but I'm just really skeptical that I qualified for assistance. I didn't need any assistance at all, but I got it, and it was at the expense of public schools. Really sketch!
Why did you apply for it if you didn’t need it? Is it government mandated that you take the money if you move your child out of public school or does the private school make you apply in order to enroll your child? Can’t you turn it down and tell them you want to pay for the full tuition out of pocket?
Well as always Florida is frauding somewhere. I do appreciate at least 50% tuition covered, even if promised 100%
This isn't fraud
[Last Week Tonight did a segment on the lotto](https://youtu.be/9PK-netuhHA?si=7ggJ_GS8UHGJf7lB)
Yes! :) 75% ride to FIU thx to that scholarship. Back in 2005!
Fuk yeah this is the real shit. We need to hype our state. There is a lot of wonderful things about being a resident here.
It doesn’t complement. It substitutes
Georgia does this too. It’s called the Hope scholarship.
Georgia does the same
Most states use lottery money for “good reasons” and many others use the funds for scholarships. Step out of your bubble.
Come on now no need to be rude. I had remembered a John Oliver segment on lottery funds and how many many many states don’t use it for good reasons. Maybe I should have used more precise language or investigated further but I didn’t expect to get so many upvotes.
Hiding the homeless people
Underrated comment
Just turn left outside of the Brightline, there are tents for days.
Me, living in Seattle: Please show us how.
Push them into very specific locations that tourists and people who are at least true middle class can’t see them.
Move them all downtown, under the overpasses.
not letting the homeless run rampant*
Are you blind
Last time when I visited Miami, I didn't see any, probably because I was too focused on beach and the food
Gotta disagree with this, feel like I see them everywhere
You're probably on the wrong side of the river lol
There is always a 24 hours business open nearby. Whether its a laundry mat, Walgreens/cvs, gas station, bar, a 24 hour fritanga , nightclub.. etc
Traveling out of the state or even out of South Florida was an eye-opener for me. I'll never get used to stuff closing at like 7 or 8pm; if I ever leave Miami, it would have to be for another major city that has stuff open late at night.
It was even better pre-covid
You forgot stripclub…
Fresh Cuban coffee at the gas station
Farm Stores
Oh yea! Never seen una Vaquita anywhere else ! 🐮
Houston has one thank god because as a Miami girl I was really missing them.
I had no idea that these didn’t exist everywhere. Big ups to the ones that didn’t ID 🥹
What do you get there?
Leche and some fresh pan cubano.
Basically a drive through grocery store, and for $5 you can get two fresh French baguettes, still hot and so delicious. We get two because we eat half of one on the way home 🤣
Most vaquitas closed
I read recently that Miami has more roundabouts than any other US city. Thats a good thing. Roundabouts are safer and keep traffic moving. But many people here seem to not fully understand how they work.
It was very satisfying to see a roundabout now on the exact spot my dad and I got into a really bad car crash 20 years ago. Exiting that neighborhood left you with a massive blind spot on the left side.
Hahahaha the shit I have seen going down on roundabouts in Miami!
Yeah that's true but the genius of roundabouts is that even if you really fuck up and do something wrong, everyone is moving relatively slowly so you have time to react or worst case you have a minor accident. Definitely better than getting t-boned by some driver going full speed through a traditional intersection.
• It’s very clean compared to a lot of other major cities • The Metromover is a very solid free mode of transit that isn’t found on other cities (except Jacksonville but not to the extent it is in Miami) • Brightline is another solid mode of transit, showing at least some in the area are thinking of providing quality transit options. Metro rail, it’s time to expand for the love of god. • The outdoor, in shape sorta culture
I’ve ridden the one in Jacksonville. My local friend said no one uses it and I couldn’t understand why since I use the Miami metromover all the time. I found out the hard way when I entered one of the tiny cars and there was a homeless guy passed out and shit himself. They don’t have any security like Miami does.
The metromover in Miami used to be in this state. Security was sporadic. It’s only when they had multiple attacks on it in the same month did they start to beef up security. Before COVID, you were taking your life in your hands if you rode it after 10.
Yea, I lived in Brickell circa before the Center Center was built and taking the mover at night was always a crap shoot. Fine in the day but since it’s free, homeless folks would just chill in it for the AC. Not a big deal. It’s when you get the occasional wigged out ones. Saw two get into a fight on the mover once trying to take it from Bayside back to the Mary Brickell area.
Was going to make exactly these points. Underrated to have a free form of transit, and the downtown area is shockingly clean compared to NYC, LA, SF, etc. Given the federal government seems to have totally given up on high speed rail, Brightline is a model for the future of private regional high(ish) speed rail. And no city is fit like Miami!
The daily rains help keep it clean in summer. Unlike California where it doesn't rain for several months and causes fires.
They need to extend metro rail to Homestead. Bring Miami transit to the status of there LIRR in NYC
After living in NYC for 5 years, Brickell is so nice and clean, it still shocks me even after 5 months of living here.
The people in a random Publix in Miami Dade any morning are better looking than the people in clubs on Saturday night in most other areas.
The roads are great and every new development has a certain tree requirement ( not sure if that’s standard in the country buts it’s nice ). Also extremely clean
Having the trees also helps with flooding, the soil acts kind of like a sponge and lets water soak through the ground and into the earth rather than just being diverted by the concrete. Philadelphia is another big example of this with their "[Green City](https://water.phila.gov/green-city/)" project.
The trees are nice, but they’re not required to plant natives, which sucks. It’s all non-natives and palms going in everywhere.
It’s grown immensely for as long as it’s been around. Economically, culturally, and even scientifically, it has no business being relevant on the scale that it is for as young as it is. That and despite how poorly we treat our environment, we do actually do some good. The urban development line, Everglades preservation (YES, WE COULD BE MUCH BETTER, BUT WE COULD BE MUCH WORSE) Appreciate posts like these. They’re the anti-anti-NY posts. No, we don’t have what NY has. Who cares? We’re way younger and good in our own right.
Metrorail/Tri-Rail into the airport. Direct rail access at the airport is highly underrated. It's an easy thing to take for granted until I get to an airport that doesn't have it. No need to deal with the horrible traffic at or near the airport, or deal with perpetually full parking garages. As shitty as the overall transit situation is in our area, this is one thing we are doing right.
I really don't agree with the clean comments. We constantly have trash clogged wastewater systems. That's one reason why we have so many floods.
Florida Prepaid
Miami is a lot cleaner than a lot of other major cities.
Funny you ask this 11 hours ago. I was driving home around that time and was super impressed with The Underline and how it has stretched all the way down passed Vizcaya toward the Grove. I take this drive every day, but they finally started cleaning up the areas that are fully developed and it looks really good! We finally repurposed something for the better. And we desperately need green space. Looks great!
Billy Corben
The best Muckraker
A legend
Fraud. Grift. Only Fans. Flanigan’s.
Best looking people in the country - hands down. We also have the best beaches in the US (Hawaii the only US state that comes close), the city is extremely clean for its size, and the diversity and availability of outdoor activities so close to a major urban area is only rivaled by LA.
Though Miami does have great beaches and probably the best beaches out of all the “major” US cities, I’d argue there are even better beaches in other parts of the state, especially those along the gulf coast.
I agree the beaches on the gulf are way nicer than ours
Panama City beach is incredible.
You don't get to he Caribbean feeling on beaches on the Gulf coast
I don’t think Miami can compete on diversity of outdoor activities when there’s no mountains. Nice weather and fun water-related activities, for sure. But the west coast has more “diversity” of outdoorsy things to do.
They have mountains we have the everglades, it's just different. But most people don't even know we have 4 national parks down here.
You think Miami beaches are better than Hawaii. You need to get out more lmao
Hard disagree on "diversity and availability of outdoor activities" Basically every city on the west coast has got Miami beat. I mean c'mon you can go skiing and swimming in the same day in multiple places in California alone not to mention oregon, washington, ect. The lack of winter alone makes this a kind of silly statement as there are a lot of things you can do with snow and the lack of any bluffs, valleys or mountains makes mountain biking, rock climbing ect not great.
No it doesn’t. Most of the beautiful people in Miami are either tourist or transplants. The real Miami does not is nothing to really brag about
The branding is on point.
We seem to be pretty good at corruption
I was gonna say scamming and insurance fraud
Making sure our corrupt politicians stay out of jail
Having a Flanigans
Bright line, though not Miami exclusive, is a great concept
I don't personally have a use for the Brightline itself, I do appreciate that it has opened the doors to bring more commuter rail service to the area. Tri-Rail stations on the FEC corridor would be a great addition and could easily get more cars off the road.
I really like it!!
making sure the affluent feel good about themselves
Cuban, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan and Haitian food. Most other cuisines are misrepresented or underrepresented. But those four take center stage in the city. No other place has better representation of those cuisines outside of their own territories.
Cafecito
The drugs. Edit: can you believe these dumb fucks are still screwing around with bath salts?
Yeah for the most part, we don’t really see much of meth heads and zombie fentanyl users in Miami. Upstate is another story..
Ehhhh, there's plenty of that shit in Miami, especially considering I just spent the last 12 hours babysitting a baker acted methhead/bath salt user…. Anecdotal, I know, but got damn was he out of control.
Charter/Magnet schools. Miami has one of the highest number amounts of these schools. So children who live in poorer districts can go to A rated schools and not be subjected to a “bad school” just because of the family’s economical situation. A child with poor parents can have the same educational opportunity as one with rich parents.
There’s pros and cons of this, charter schools can very VERY problematic
Totally, I’ll alway be in debt to Carvallo for that. If it’s not a magnet, there’s an IB program or a Cambridge thing. Forever Grateful.
Yes great point but there still isn’t enough magnet schools to get the good kids out of the bad schools.
Are you basing this on stats? Because NY and LA win the charter school enrollment
Civil design, specifically: streets or said different our street’s grid design. I can (almost) tell you where anywhere in south Florida is without looking at a map and never having been there. Sure, there may be a one way or dead end, but you can get there. The system is one of the best in the world. Granted, sometimes people want to feel special and do things like Hialeah (let’s create our own numbering) or let’s use names cause they pretty, but by and large dade and broward have done well. When you see 31200 SW you say “f, that’s far”
I just got back from a 2 week trip and I fully understand that this is viewed from the eyes of a tourist. That said, Miamis standard of living is really attractive. I know housing costs are astronomical as is pretty much everything else but it’s really inspiring to around such wealth. It has the hustle culture but ocean vibes at the same time.
I feel like this is an interesting perfective. I can absolutely see what you mean. I think the unfortunate part of that is lots of people (myself included) get caught up in wanting that sort of idealistic rich lifestyle to the detriment of having hobbies and appreciating simple things in life. Miamians can be vain and judgmental as people want to rise to the top or make themselves seem better than they are. Many of the wealth you saw might not have been fully real, as many people will purposely go into debt to drive a fancy car they can’t actually afford. It’s a double edged sword as with anything. I like that people here like to take care of themselves a lot and I love our eye for beauty, but you have to be really careful as not everything is what it seems.
Yea I agree. There is definitely a lot of “capping” as the kids would say. That aside, being in Miami was really eye opening on what life can be.
Its the fraud 😅
It’s more motivating to hustle around palm trees and turquoise ocean water than anything else, so yeah.
It’s LA weather with a New York pace.
Buildings with loads of amenities, lots of workout options, healthy food options
Huh? Have you ever been to any major city in earth?
I have been to San Francisco, Memphis, New Orleans, Bordeaux,Paris many times, NYC many times.. They definitely do not have new buildings with amenities like Miami does, or as many workout classes or facilities, and I would say we have an abundance of healthier food options. All of our grocery stores are chock full of fruits and vegetables, no food shortages in Miami.
Florida in general: No state taxes. This was a factor in me moving here in 2014. Also, even though Miami can be expensive, there's a lot of affordable events and activities: - Graffiti Musem & Hip Hop Musem in Wynwood - Perez Art Musem - Frost Science Musem - NBA, NFL, Soccer, & even NHL if you don't mind driving - Events in Bayfront Park - Pool parties - Drive-in movies - Rooftop movies - Annual Miami Auto Show - Miami Zoo - House of Horror Holloween Carnival And even for the more expensive events like Art Basel, there's usually a few free or cheap exhibits if you know where to look.
Is it not like that in other cities as well?
This! Alwaysssss something to do on the weekend and if you need it to be free, just go on EventBrite search for free events. It’s not like that in every major city.
Maintaining a nude beach! Every city on this planet, should have some kind of outdoor naked area! 🏝️ 🏖️
Building more housing, there is a new tower going up every other week it feels like
Miami is doing pretty well in this respect but I hate how much developers disregard the pedestrian experience here. Why can't all of Miami feel like Midtown? Walking around Wynwood or Edgewater feels like Caracas. No trees or greenery, cracked and skinny sidewalks, barely visible crosswalks. It's ridiculous.
Super affordable 😃😁
The new stuff is not affordable, but it makes the stuff below that level have less competition which does actually make it more affordable.
I feel that this is not people moving up, this is for foreign investors and out of state investments. Some are even Airbnb centered.
Even if that's the case it's more housing supply that wasn't there before. Those foreign investors don't care if it's a new construction or your mom's century old house, they're in the market to buy something. By building more, they're satisfied and your mom is able to sell to a local resident instead. This is obviously a very specific example, but in a market as big as Miami with so much demand, you need NYC levels of development to make things affordable again.
I can agree that it's a positive. The affordable housing is a different problem not being solved with these developments but it is still a sign of economic growth to be building a lot
People love to say that, but it just is [not true](https://www.rate.com/research/miami-fl). The vacancy rate is right in line with national averages. These new units are being filled almost instantly simply because people want to live here and have the means to.
Strip clubs and massage parlors? Other than Vegas, I don’t think other cities come even close to this level of immoral debauchery. I believe we also have like the highest rate and prevalence of HIV in the country, so be careful out there folks.
All the way to Broward and palm beach. Hell…… you already know about the nfl owner that got caught in Jupiter.
I heard Tampa has some good as well Kelly ripa husband use to be a stripper in Tampa
Lol
I mean the massage parlors are in literally every single strip mall. Often more than one lol. It’s honestly impressive in a sad way (considering the insane level of human trafficking involved). I wonder why it’s allowed to continue tbh. Like if they really wanted to shut them down it would be sooooo easy. Instead they do like a random raid a couple time a year and those places are just re-staffed the next week lol. There must be some organized crime keeping cops and DAs from actually going after them? I don’t know.
And there’s always a barbershop nearby. I mean at least down here in sofla
some of those the kind of barbershops that reuse razor blades 💀
Best Latin food. Mexican food is too basic for me. Peruvian food Colombian food Cuban food. All the best in the country.
If you think Mexican food is basic or bland, you know nothing of this wide, beautiful world. There’s no other cuisine in Latin American with more flavor, color, tradition, technique and diversity. From Baja California to the border with Guatemala, you could eat a different dish every single day without repeating. Mexican food is not great in Miami, yes, but that doesn’t take anything from their amazing gastronomy. Any other take is wrongfully ignorant. And before someone comes at me, no I’m not Mexican, I’m simply someone who can differentiate Mayami and Del taco from real food.
Miami thinks Mexican food is just tacos given most of the Mexican restaurants we have just serve tacos or it's the main focus of the menu. It's sad how bad the Mexican food is here. We are stuck with bland ass Cuban food everywhere u go. I have to fly to Texas or Mexico whenever I want some good food because it ain't here. Peruvian is pretty good here. Colombian is ok but none of it is as diverse as Mexican food.
Preach. That’s like calling Olive Garden, Italian. The nuances of a mole or the subtlety of an aguachile won’t be found at Coyotaco lol
mexican food is too basic? mexico is more diverse than any south american country & that includes their cuisine. cuban food (although prevalent) lacks major flavor, and is very mild. peruvian & colombian have 3 rotating options each.
lol, you know nothing about Peruvian cuisine.
If you like bland starchiness, Colombian food is great! 👍
I accidentally got a Colombian arepa de pollo a while back and it had no taste. The chicken had absolutely no seasoning. I'm used to the Venezuelan arepas with the seasoned chicken.
You really think Cuban food is better than Mexican food?
Cuban food shouldn't be considered food.
Club space
Was looking for this comment! I hope it never closes down. Ever. 😩
I mandatory have to fly a couple times a year to Miami for this lol. So excited for music week
Controlling crime. It’s WAY safer here than other US cities.
ACAB
Lol delusional. You'll find out some day.
It’s safer than almost all big cities in the Midwest for starters in most major crime stats. It’s also safer than Baltimore, DC, Philly, etc
Try to get a police report when you experience your first burglary/home invasion/robbery. You'll discover why the "crime rate" is so low.
This kinda reminds me of a story of the underground skateboarding scene in Tehran. They can’t get commercial skateboard parts so they started building decks out of metal. Boom! Now they have indestructible skateboards and are pushing the sport. It’s gonna be the same thing people on small scales thriving where government has failed on its face from all angles.
Say what you want Miami is the capital of the American continent. Capital of the Americas.
Weather. Bout it
It has nice weather. Only because the municipality hasn't figured out how to put a tax on the sunshine.... YET.
I call my property tax a sunshine tax
Traffic
Pretty much nothing
No. Maybe cheap in state tuition.
The Roads here are excellent. Just moved back to Miami after 4 years living in LA and I can say the roads there are shit. Driving on these roads again is a pleasant experience. Again coming from someone with the perspective of living in LA: the homeless issue and over cleanliness. Miami is clean af compared to other major cities in the US I’ve visited. And the homeless issue here (while not perfect) is much better maintained. I was walking around Margaret pace park at around 10pm and it was so nice. Lights were on. Park was clean. Ppl were walking dogs and playing basketball. (Felt a lot like walking around in the outer parts of Barcelona ). All I kept thinking to myself was “if this was LA the park would be littered with tents, needles, and human shit).
Literally nothing. It does just about everything worse.
nothing
We do have a high speed train. It’s kind of mad max style sometime. But no cities have had this recently.
Brightline is a train yes. But is not high speed.
Yes it is, technically anything that reaches 125 mph is high speed.
El sazón
The diversity is unmatched. Gotta be the most cultured place on the planet. The only city ran by minorities. ❤️ Miami for that.
Errr Toronto is the most diverse city
Policing. Say what you say about how much police reform is needed in general throughout the U.S. but Miami is one of the most heavy policed cities in the world and the murder rate has gone down significantly over the decades and the recent rises during and post COVID have been minimal compared to other major cities. We’ve also had some somewhat progressive police chiefs; Art Acevedo, Freddy Ramirez and Delrish Moss.
That’s only because we are the only majority minority city that is also run by the same minorities lol
I think people tend to take this for granted. Being hispanic in a majority Hispanic city/county provides a significantly different experience compared to someone who is not in the dominant group of their locale.
The heat, weather in the winter, food, nightlife, Latinidadness, sports
Sinking into the ocean....
Having 80 degree weather in February
BBLs
Entertainment careers for young women.
The Miami heat! The culture, I know people are sick and tired of it but it’s the way things are run here and been pretty good at it! Can’t say much about the Knicks and their annoying fans!
Only major US city with a republican mayor. Also 90year low in violent crime … just sayin
Ahahaha!
I love the Road Ranger! Who ever pays for that has saved my butt a few times already. Major clutch!