11 Hour Layover in Miami

Whatever shall I do with my time there? Here’s what I have planned so far.

My plane gets in at 7:09 am. I will first locate my departure gate, to make sure I know where that is. Then I will find some lockers to stow my carry-on for the day. After that, I’m thinking I should exchange some currency for Peru – although on second thought maybe I should wait till I’m actually in Peru. What do you think?

I had thought to visit the zoo in Miami, but emailing back and forth with their volunteer coordinator I realized that they were too far away, what with rush-hour traffic and all. Added to which they don't offer any type of shuttle bus service and a taxi would cost way too much. I'm bummed, but realistically I just can't do it.

So, instead, I contacted the local AIA group (American Institute of Architects) and discovered that they offer a guided tour of the Art Deco Historic District. It starts at 10:30, lasts 90 minutes and costs only $20.00. Here’s what their website says:

Forget the sand: take a stroll around the art deco buildings on South Beach to catch its golden era of architecture. Here you'll find a glamorous array of hotels, which grew up when a theatrical style swept the design world in the 20s. Crowded along Ocean Drive are the best of these giddy individuals. Park Central Hotel and the Imperial, designed by New Yorkers Henry Hohauser and L Murray Dixon, feature bold bands of colour and window 'eyebrows', characteristic of this flamboyant style. This is the ideal place to start off exploring the Art Deco District, which contains over 800 buildings from the 1930s and '40s.

Once that is done, I think I’ll head on over to the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. Their admissions price is $15, with a $5 fee for the self-guided audio tour and $3 for the guide book. Here’s what their website says:

The sight of the Italian Renaissance-style Vizcaya Museum & Gardens on the Biscayne Bay is straight out a fairytale book. It's bizarre to discover a European-style palace in this beach lovers' paradise, but visiting it is like entering a wonderland. Built for Chicagoan industrialist and Europhile James Deering in the 20th-century, the extravagant architecture conceals an opulent interior. Full of European antiques and decorative works from the 16th to 19th centuries, and complete with original fittings, it will whisk you away to a golden age.

I should have plenty of time to see the place and even sit down for a bite to eat at their café, and still make it back to the airport by 4:00 in time to catch my flight to Peru at 6:05.

All of this is, of course, contingent upon me NOT being a complete zombie by the time I get there. I do not sleep on an airplane – but maybe if I take some sleeping pills ahead of time…