ikaminmiami

West Avenue mostly runs between 5th Street and 17th Street in Miami Beach. It mostly consists of apartment buildings and condominiums, and it is very quiet for families and those who wish to retire by the bay. There are many eating establishments nearby, including Kim's Chinese Restaurant, Einstein's Bagels, Pollo Tropical, and a few Starbucks within walking distance. It is also close to Lincoln Road Mall, where locals and tourists love to walk around, window shop, and frequent the Farmer's Market every Sunday. West Avenue is a great shortcut to take when Alton Road traffic gets too backed up, just beware of pedestrian walkways and people roller skating in the street. There is also access to a post office, which is very convenient. If you follow West Avenue all the way South, you will eventually merge with the Causeway, providing excellent access to Miami.

Despite being near the Setai Hotel in Miami Beach, a luxurious establishment, 21st Street can be dangerous at times if you are not careful. On the plus side, it has metered parking with beach access, which belongs to the Days Inn hotel, but anyone can park there because it is a public lot. There is a fabulous little dive bar across the parking lot, as well as some more expensive clubs around the corner, so it's a good location for those who want a taste of South Beach without paying too much for admission and drinks. The Bass Museum of Art is also nearby, as well as the public library. However, once you cross Collins Avenue, the other side of 21st Street has some undesirable neighborhoods that locals usually avoid. This are has been known for its crime and not the best place to walk at night if you are unfamiliar with the area. Fortunately, this area also spans only a few blocks. Once you reach the other end of 21st Street, you reach the Convention Center on Washington Avenue and you will be once again near other great places, such as the Fillmore Theater, where you can catch a musical performance or a ballet. Overall, the area is great- lots of things to do, places to go. However, the moral of my story is just be careful when walking around the residential areas around 21st Street, so your lovely night out doesn't end up being unnecessarily unpleasant.

NW 107th Avenue is one of the busiest streets in the Doral area, as it has access to Florida International University, International Mall, Highway 836, as well as the many retail and dining establishments in the area. It also has many business parks and residential communities, so traffic can be a bit maddening during rush hour times. Busiest intersections are usually Doral Boulevard, NW 25th Street, NW 7th Street, Flagler Street, and SW 8 Street (here is where Florida International University is located). Across NW 107th Avenue from the International Mall you can also access Dolphin Mall, which is a large retail outlet containing several brand name stores, a movie theater, a bowling alley, a Dave and Buster's, and a plethora of eating establishments where one can enjoy. NW 107th Avenue is a nightmare around the holidays, as you can imagine. It is, however, loaded with things to do and places to go for the whole family, and for those who want to enjoy dinner or drinks after work on on the weekends. There is a row of restaurants between NW 25th Street and the malls, so the hungry work crowd can also have a lot of places to go during lunch.

NW 58th Street in Doral is located near several gated communities and residential homes, yet also near rapidly expanding areas of business and recreation. It is located near Doral's Golf Resort and Spa, as well as the many restaurants and retail stores that make the area thrive with shoppers during the weekends. This street is north of the busier Doral Boulevard, yet it intersects major avenues like 97th and 107th, so it is very accessible when you are in a hurry. It runs mostly by a canal, a small fire station, the Metro-Dade Police Training Center, and some gas stations, so it is not very busy. However, there are several projects in the works around 107th Avenue, so the area is being built up quick. NW 58th Street can also be accessed from the Palmetto Expressway. It is not one of its busy exits, so it is great for saving time and avoiding traffic. There are a lot of warehouses and building and textile distributors in the area, so there are also a lot of large, slow trucks, so be prepared to drive slow at times, and beware of cars suddenly backing up and onto the street with low visibility.

NW 12th Street takes you near various shopping districts, including Dolphin Mall, International Mall, and several shopping centers in between. It isn't very scenic, as it mainly runs near warehouses and business centers, but it is very useful when traveling short distances and you want to avoid the highway traffic (836). It also contains several restaurants nearby, such as Flannigan's, Chevy's, and Chili's, as well as the many eating establishments located in the nearby malls. This street is great for accessing other major streets, but it has no residential areas nearby- it's mainly just businesses, retail stores, restaurants, and car dealerships. One downfall is backed up traffic when there is a train, but then all the streets nearby will also be affected as well.

This street is quieter compared to the more often-traveled 57th Avenue and Le Jeune Road, but it is located on the outskirts of Coral Gables and provides a less hectic drive from SW 8th Street to US-1 when traffic is a bit congested elsewhere. On 67th Avenue (also known as Ludlam), there are several apartment buildings within close proximity of schools and strip malls, so it makes it convenient for single families with children looking for a central location that is not too expensive to live. 67th Avenue crosses major intersections such as Flagler Street, Calle Ocho, Coral Way, Bird Road, Miller Drive, and South Dixie Highway. This makes it a very convenient street if you need to take a detour in case of gridlocked traffic elsewhere. One caveat of this street is that it is not as wide as the other streets, and it does have some potholes from time to time, so just be aware of your speed.

Pine Tree Drive is a nice scenic diversion from Miami Beach's busy Collins Avenue, especially if you want to avoid the one-way traffic on Northbound Collins and Southbound Indian Creek north of 26th Street. Once you drive a few blocks inland from the beach you'll see Pine Tree Drive, where you can enjoy your drive, traffic-free. The caveat is a lower speed limit, so beware of speed traps. If you follow Pine Tree all the way north it ends around 64th Street, where you can head either East to access Collins and its beaches and hotel districts, or opt to head West, where you can follow the curved road which eventually becomes Alton Road. There are no commercial properties on Pine Tree Drive; it's all residential. The homes there are gorgeous, so it is also a quiet place to live, located near synagogues and churches, as well as several eating establishments not too far away on 41st Street and surrounding areas.

I used to live on SW 60th Avenue, across Fairlawn Elementary in the early 80s, when I went to school there. I remember it as a quiet place, located between Flagler and SW 8th Street, with plenty of food and retail establishments nearby. Across my street was the park where people would take their kids and pass the afternoon. The school also offers after school care and summer camp, which is great for families with small children who live nearby. SW 60th Avenue is also not too far from the Palmetto Expressway (826), which runs North-South through the greater Miami area. This street is also a short drive away from Mall of the Americas, as well as several great restaurants such as Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, and fast food places like Taco Bell, Burger King, and McDonalds. It is also near the Miami International Airport (about a 20 minute drive factoring in traffic) and near Pan American Hospital, so it is good if you value convenience and consider health care options when buying a home.

SW 66th Street in Miami is a quiet residential neighborhood located 6 blocks west of Fairlawn Elementary School. This is excellent if you have children or love sports, as the school is adjacent to a field with tennis courts, playgrounds, a baseball diamond, plenty of areas to jog, and a snack bar. SW 66 Street also links Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) to Flagler Street, 2 main streets running East-West with plenty of strip malls containing stores and food venues. Growing up in this quiet neighborhood was a pleasant experience in the 80s, and childhood friends who still live there say it hasn't changed much as far as neighborliness and peace and quiet goes. There are plenty of more retail establishments around the main streets, but SW 66th street still retains its secluded residential feel.

23rd Street, Miami Beach connects Dade Blvd to Collins Avenue. It lets you out between the Roney Plaza Hotel and the newly-built W hotel on Collins Avenue. It is close enough to South Beach nightlife that you can walk to restaurants and clubs and other venues, yet you are not in the "heart of the madness" when it comes to parking and traffic. There are quite a few great places to dine nearby, and it has many residential areas near Miami Beach High School and other community centers. 23rd Street is also where the local fire department is located, so you are at a prime location in case of an emergency (the only downfall to that, is the sound of the sirens, of course).