Miami Travel Tips for the Super Bowl

The 2010 Super Bowl – Super Bowl XLIV (or Super Bowl 44, for those of you who can’t read Latin numbers) – will be in Miami on February 7, 2010. Miami has hosted the event nine times in the past, and it’s not hard to understand why. If your big event were held each year in one of the notoriously dreariest months, wouldn’t you want to make sure it happened in a sunny climate?

Yeah, me too.

So, even if you’re not the world’s biggest football fan, or your favorite team isn’t even in the playoffs, there are still some decent reasons for making the trip to Miami for the Super Bowl. If, for instance, your significant other loves the game, why not tag along and get a Florida holiday out of it?

No matter what the reasoning behind it, if you’re going to Miami for the Super Bowl you’ll need some travel advice. Which is what we’re here to deliver.

Finding Cheap Airfare to Miami

First things first, you need to get to Miami – and you want to do it without spending a ton of money. After all, those Super Bowl tickets aren’t cheap, are they? If the tickets themselves are your big splurge for the trip (and they probably are), then you’ll be looking for every possible method of saving money on everything else – starting with your flight.

We’ve talked about several of the ways you can save money on a flight to Miami for the Super Bowl. Some of them are going to help you save on any trip you take to any destination, but it becomes even more important to pay attention to these tips when you’re visiting a place during a particulary busy season when prices rise. So have a read through this article before you go looking for airfare.

>> Read more about how to find cheap airfare to Miami for the Super Bowl

Getting Cheap Hotels in Miami

After airfare, accommodation expenses usually take the biggest bite out of your travel budget – and this is never more true than when you travel for an event like the Super Bowl. Hotels jack up prices because they know people are going to be flooding into town. So how can you avoid the high hotel room rates?

For one thing, the sooner you book your room, the better off you’ll be price-wise. Yes, this means you’ll probably have to book before you even know who’s in the game, but if you’re more interested in the spectacle or the vacation than who’s playing that won’t be a problem. And you’re likely to be able to cancel a hotel reservation without penalty with enough notice, too.

No matter when you book, remember that any hotel within a reasonable distance from the actual stadium is going to charge you through the nose for a room, period. They will because they can. You’ll have better luck finding deals further away from the stadium. If you’re in last-minute mode, you can check the hotels near the stadium to see if they’ve got empty rooms they want to fill at a discount, but don’t count on it.

>> Read more about cheap hotels in Miami

Other Airports to Use for a Miami Trip

The obvious choice for a trip to Miami – whether it’s for the Super Bowl or not – is to fly into Miami International Airport, right? Yes, that is the obvious choice. And travel bargain hunters often have to look beyond the obvious to find deals.

There are a couple other airports in the area that are worth checking out for cheap flights, but the best one to look at is in Fort Lauderdale. It’s only 20 miles or so from Miami, and it’s a popular airport with many of the budget airlines in the U.S., which means it sometimes has better deals on airfare than Miami’s own airport does.

Palm Beach’s airport is another option to check out, and it’s also popular with budget airlines – but it’s 1.5 hours from Miami so it’s decidedly less convenient for a trip that’s mainly focused on Miami.

>> Read more about alternate airports to Miami

Things to Do in Miami

Miami is one of the vacation hotspots in the U.S., with good reason. It’s almost equally famous for its beaches and its nightlife, which makes it an ideal holiday city – and in fact, it’s one of the more popular spots for college Spring Break vacationers. But the Super Bowl isn’t in the Spring. So what is there to do in Miami in February – besides the big game?

Thankfully, because the weather is mild even in February, you’ll still be able to enjoy Miami’s famous beaches (when you’re not tailgating, that is). And at night you can release your inner party person in South Beach’s great selection of restaurants and night clubs. By day, assuming you’ve got money left over after buying those tickets to the Super Bowl, South Beach is a great place to go shopping, too.

Other things to do in Miami include trips to the city’s zoo and the Jungle Island theme park. These are especially good if you’ve got your kids in tow, but adults enjoy them as well. For those who are traveling as a family, check out these family activities in Miami.

And budget travelers, no matter what else you’re doing in Miami, be sure to read about the Miami Go Pass to see if it’ll save you money on your trip.

photo by [le]doo