My best friend and I are headed down to Miami this coming weekend as part of an Orange Bowl tour package. Since our most exciting New Year's Eves, combined, are topped by watching a piece of plastic coal drop, we want to do something a little more entertaining while we're out of town. Would any W's have some suggestions for local attractions (read: bars/clubs that are not 'Club Paris') that would be good as New Year's Eve hangouts? We're staying on Biscayne Bay near the roadway (Venetian Way?) that goes out to Miami Beach. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated and thank you in advance!
"You rock, Rolfski. You are one hep cat." "Ya, ya, sock it to me."
2 of my last 3 New Year's was in Miami, here are my two cents.
1. Miami Beach: Got there pretty early to avoid the crowd and was in a relatively small group. We walked South Beach but all clubs had a huge cover fee, $100 and up and only one of those offered open bar. More walking lead us to the Clevelander right on the beach, they were not charging cover when we got there, had two DJs and because it was a clear night, we stayed poolside all night. Better yet, they had a house champagne for $20 bucks, which is UNHEARD of in Miami, especially on New Year's, so we gave a good tip to the bartender to start the night and the bubbly flowed freely. At the end of the night everybody was drunk and with all the bottles we drank we only spent like the cover price for 2 people anywhere else, we got lucky. It was classic South Beach, good music, good drinking, lots of hotties, lots of mingling.
2. Last year we were a much bigger group and as it usually happens we got out of Doral after 10pm, which means lots of traffic, especially that it was raining. After we called few people, we decided to head to Bongo's @ the American Airlines Arena. I thought it was an odd choice, but since it was indoors, I went along with the group. The cover was $40 bucks to get in, the restaurant/club is very spacious and it was full but not heavy, so you could dance without any problem. Given that is an Estefan joint, the crowd and music was more latino, but the space, and especially the view of the bay when the fireworks went off were spectacular.
My recommendation, I think South Beach would be a better choice since it will be two of you, dress nice, get early and start looking around all bars to see who has the best offer, no doubt you will have fun no matter what. And you gotta head to the beach at 6am to watch the cruises get into port and then head to Versalles Restaurant to eat some great Cuban food to help the hangover. Enjoy the party!