TRIP - Miami

I have been itching to go somewhere before Ella turns 2 (i.e. she has to pay for flight), then there was a price error, where Toronto-Miami is only $260 round-trip (vs. regular $350+) so off we go. I'm glad we did it as it was relaxing and fun, and I hope Ella remembers it when she gets older

Miami 2013.02 - Google Maps << in  chronological order

Day 1 Sunday

• Hotel Shuttl to YYZ to take YYZ-IAD-MIA flights
• Picked up car (KIA Soul) at Miami car rental center ($8/day) and drove to South Pointe Park to walk around and take in the ocean
• Dinner at Joe's Stone Crab - it was overrated
• Drove up the Ocean Dr, filled with Super Bowl TV and Beyonce
• Walked around at Lincoln Road Mall (pedestrian walk)
• Visited Target before checked in at hotel (Staybridge Doral)

Day 2 Monday

• Drove to Vizcaya Museum to see the beautiful house and garden. Too bad there's no photos allowed inside
• Drove to Key Biscayne's Crandon Park for the beach!! The ocean water was very cold though
• Stopped by Hobie Island around sunset to take photos of Miami skyline
• Dinner at Maido Japanese
• Visited Dolphin Mall where Ella had FUN time in the children playing area

Day 3 Tuesday

• Drove into Downtown Miami to walk Bayside Marketplace, Bayfront Park
• Got gas ($20) before returning rental car to fly MIA-EWR, only to be delayed an hour (aircraft maintenance, change of wheels) to miss the "last" EWR-YYZ connection flight so we had to stay overnight at EWR. United gave us $80 hotel voucher and $40 food voucher.

Day 4 Wednesday(unexpected)

• Hotel shuttle to Newark for EWR-YYZ flight and our luggages safely arrived also
• I email United for the delay and to my surprise they understood and kindly accepted my $250/adult voucher request. I'm very impressed and will fly United more, but still hoping for no delay if possible.

Expenses

• Flights - $260/person ~$550 total (*almost free after the two $250 vouchers)
• Hotel - Free, courtesy of Priority Club points
• Car Rental - $35; Gas - $20 << be careful about the Electronic Toll in Miami (like 407) where rental company can charge $3/day to $25 PER toll. I avoided all tolls this time, using GPS
• Dining - $105 (Joe's), $45 (Maido), $21 (Vizcaya), $9 (airport)
• Attractions - $25 (Vizcaya Museum) 
• Unexpected - free night at Ramada Plaza EWR ($80) and $40 food voucher, from United