Miami news, Miami local news

The internet is a very convenient invention but it also comes with nuisances such as fraud. A large number of fraud attempts take place on the internet and have made their way into travel news.

Vacationers, beware! It should be easy to identify and avoid fraud if you carefully abide by travel tips.

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Miami Beach vacation rentals ads are posted on free classified vacation rental websites such as craigslist, backpage or kijiji. Travel news has taught us that owners post ads on a daily basis to rent their vacation rentals or sometimes their alleged vacation rental.

The drawback to these free sites is that the ads are not checked or verified by anybody. This does not mean that renters should not browse those websites but that they should just be extra careful and follow travel tips when booking. Caution should be exercised and following are a few travel tips to help you do that.

Renters should:

• Look at the quality of the ad.
• Research and search travel news to find out whether the vacation rental is offered by an individual or a company. A company is less risky because it can easily be checked.
• Make sure that a local phone number is posted on the ad
• Call the owner or agent and ask a ton of questions. Try to assess how accurately he/she responds.
• Send emails
• Be cautious if you cannot speak with the owner because he “lost” his voice
• Make sure that you sign a real contract indicating what is it that you have reserved
• You may request proof of ownership
• Do not send cash! You may transfer money by wire transfer to a company if it can be checked out and if it has a track record of a reputable Miami Beach vacation rental agency.
• Always check with the Better Business Bureau and travel news.

The Better Business Bureau is a service that was created to help consumers get to know the companies they are doing business with.

Most American companies are part of this huge database. Consumers may file complaints against companies and the BBB compiles a report that gives the business a grade as good as A+ or below.

The better the grade, the more trust and confidence you can feel in the company. The website is very easy to use. Simply enter the name of the company and its location and a report will be run.

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One of the strongly recommended travel tips that all vacationers should do is search for relevant travel information before selecting a vacation rental company. The current economic crisis may introduce more vacation rental scammers to the market and more negligent owners hoping to rent their property for incremental revenues.

Miami Beach vacationers come to the magic city to relax and unwind in a friendly environment and take advantage of the variety of things to do in Miami. Most vacationers can do just that by making sure they following commonly stated travel tips.

The last thing vacationers are looking for is a fight with an unscrupulous manager or homeowners. Do your research and get travel information beforehand. It is better than ruining your vacation and posting a complaint afterwards.

Miami is taking steps to become a bike-friendly city.

City leaders recently approved a plan that strives to achieve that by 2012. Get ready to get those dusty bikes out of your garage or rent a bike in Miami and start practicing.

You may not forget how to ride a bike but you definitely get rusty.

Commission Chairman Joe Sanchez wants bike routes to be included in all street plans for here-on-out. A bike coordinator will join the transportation department.

Meanwhile, the city is working with Miami Parking Authority to create 24 bike parking areas.

The bike-friendly Miami action plan is made up of four points:

• Construct a set of bike paths

• Improve bike safety through education and outreach plans

• Develop a bike master plan

• Implement a practice of assessing and advancing bicycle proposals

Don’t miss the opportunity of enjoying a bike-friendly city, ask your Miami hotel front-desk where you can locate bike rentals in Miami. You can also ask to your Miami Beach vacation rental agency. In fact, some Miami Beach vacation rentals agencies provide bikes as a complementary service.

Strict observant Jewish vacationers face several constraints when traveling. Often, hotels are not a good lodging option for several reasons:

Observant Jews follow a strict kosher diet that only allows them to eat in Kosher restaurants or at home if cooking with kosher pans and kosher ingredients.

Observant Jewish vacationers often have strict clothing restrictions that forbid them to have their body exposed to other people. Vacation rental homes in Miami Beach may be the best solution to take advantage of the beautiful weather in the privacy of their villa.

Respecting the rules of Shabbat in not easy. It prohibits the use of electricity for about 24 hours from Friday night to Saturday night. During the vacation, observant Jews would be unable to open their room door if they are electrically controlled. They cannot use elevators or an electricity-operated door to enter or exit the premises of a hotel.

The hotel needs to be within walking distance of a synagogue.

For all those reasons, renting a Miami Beach vacation rental villa is often the best solution as it allows vacationers to respect all strict rules.

…see more on kosher rules.

The internet welcomes new websites everyday. Vacationers looking for travel information or a vacation rental website should make sure that they ultimately rent from a legitimate and professional agency. There is travel information you can look into for indicators of a good company. First, find out how many years the vacation rental agency has been in business. The longer, the better. Potential renters should also check travel news to see if the agency has some credentials. Serious companies are usually active in their community. They are normally members of the Chamber of Commerce of vacation rental associations and of the Better Business Bureau. http://www.seflorida.bbb.org/Home.aspx

The Miami Better Business Bureau allows you to access reports and travel information on a company that you intend to do business with. The presence of a BBB logo on a vacation rental agency website indicates that it is genuine and professional. Check Tripadvisor.com for travel news or any comments left regarding the Miami Beach vacation rental agency in question. Tripadvisor.com is one of the largest travel news and traveler review websites and it will give you a good sense of what to expect from a lodging option or vacation rental. Another way to check up on travel information on a particular company is to type the name of the Miami Beach vacation rental company and “fraud” in the browser.

For years, solitary commuters have been finding creative ways to fool the system and use the South Florida HOV lanes on I-95 without any real companion passengers. Commuters have used ploys such as blow-up sex dolls, life-size celebrity cardboard cut-outs, faceless store mannequins, wigs on passenger-seat head restraints, dolls in baby seats, kick boxing dummies, Safe-T-Man and even balloons with a face drawn on them. In reality, only 12 percent of highway commuters carpooled. Sales for these travel “companions” will likely drop due to the seven-mile carpool lane being replaced with new variable-priced toll lanes on northbound South Florida I-95. Next year, the same will be done to the South-bound lane and by 2011, the pay-to-go lanes are expected to run through to Broward County. Lone travelers can now save some money with a $4.99 investment in a South Florida SunPass Mini sticker versus a $24.95 blow-up doll.

Enjoy the Miami video of the week! We share the free videos of Miami that we feel are representative of what the city is all about. Miami Vice was instrumental in bringing Miami back as a top tourist destination; therefore, here it is a flash back…

Miami Florida was ranked the city with most beautiful people according to an online survey of “America’s Favorite Cities” by Travel + Leisure magazine. The city of Miami is considered one of the US cities with most beautiful people, so if you live in Miami Florida you can think of yourself as one of the most attractive people in the country.

This is not the first time that our fabulous city is top ranked among the cities with most beautiful people. However, many Miami residents don’t realize this until they travel around and when they come back, they just notice what they have, according with Bill Talbert, president of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Walking around Miami Beach and South Beach, you can easily realize that we are packed with beautiful people. South Beach girls are world-known for their beauty and great bodies. All this can be due to our fantastic weather and beaches, which motive most of us to keep on track with our diets and worry a little bit more about how we look. When in Miami, it is not rare to see South Beach girls and models look alike walking through our popular beach sidewalks and, of course, Lincoln Road. For those interested in discovering the best of our beautiful residents and visitors, there are many Miami hotels and South Beach vacation rentals around Lincoln Road and the most popular beaches.

Calendar of Miami Events 2008

September / October / November / December

Gertrude Silverstone Muss Gallery

This Miami exhibition and recommended event is comprised of approximately 80 works on paper by some of the 20th century’s most renowned Spanish artists, as well as artists from other countries whose careers were impacted by Spain.

This event in Miami showcases rarely seen sketches and illustrations by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Sonia Delaunay, Juan Gris, Picabia and Joaqui­n Torres-Garcia.

Where: Miami Bass Museum of Art

2100 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL - (305) 673-7843

View Larger Map

When: Aug 23rd to Nov 2nd, 2008

Boaters will find what they are looking for in Miami, Florida. In Miami and Miami Beach, tourists can charter boats and yachts of all sizes and for all budgets. Usually, prices vary depending upon the kind of boat, yet Miami boats for rent tend to be more affordable that boats in Europe and other popular boating destinations.

In our tropical paradise, it is possible to rent a boat for the day, with or without a captain.  Besides, people can charter a luxury yacht for a few days to travel around South Florida coast line and the Caribbean with a captain and small crew. In addition, whether you are planning a holiday celebration, corporate event, or even a wedding, renting a Miami party boat is always a great idea. Party boats in Miami are equipped with all your guests my need, from kitchen and indoors dining, to dance floor and DJ’s.

The chartering a boat in Miami can be easy or more challenging depending on the way it is done. There a few companies offering yacht charter services online which frequently are accessible and have easy processes; nonetheless, there are a few things you need to know in order to get the best deal:

• Select a professional and experienced boat charter in Miami that have established relationships with boat owners.
• Respected Miami Florida boat charters select quality boats and negotiate good prices.
• A broker will help you to solve any obstacles that may occur during your period of rental.
• Doing business with an established Miami Florida yacht charter is an added protection and guarantee.

Chartering a boat in Miami with a particular owner is also an option; however it has certain disadvantages when it is compare with professional South Florida Yacht Charters, some of these disadvantages are:

• Miami boat rentals’ prices are usually cheaper.
• Boats might not be as a good condition as professional charters in Miami, Florida.
• In case of trouble, there is no one responsible for it, only you!

During the year there are many boating events in South Florida such as Miami International Boat Show, South Florida Boat Show and Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. These events are ideal opportunities for all those interested into know more about the new trends of the industry or perhaps buying a boat.