Timeshare Information

The walking tours of Miami are as wonderful and varied as is this jewel of a city. Rent a timeshare, and learn how to explore the fun aspects of Miami in Part 4 of our 6-part series on city walking tours.

1. Miami Beach Art Deco Walking Tour. A local historian is your guide on this tour of Miami's renowned Art Deco District (see photo). Also known as South Beach, this fun area is a national historic district, and a prime example of "how Art Nouveu fused with early twentieth century industrial modernism."
   You'll see the magnificent architecture and colorful buildings inside and out, and learn about the many Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, and Miami modernist styles that make up the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District.


2. Miami Celebrity Tour. It's always fun to get to see how the rich and famous live, and they certainly know how to do it up right in Miami. This tour was developed by Kevin Doran, a long-time Miami resident, certified heritage tour guide and president of the Professional Tour Guide Association of Florida.
   
   Your guide will take you along Ocean Blvd where you'll be introduced to the cafes and shops that can find celebrities rubbing elbows with tourists, and learn about the many locations in this area that served as backdrops for TV shows, movies, music videos, photo shoots and fashion magazines.


3. Miami Culinary Tour. There's no doubt about it that Miami is a melting pot of nationalities, and this tour gives you the chance to not only taste the cuisine of different countries, but learn about each culture at the same time. You'll hear the story behind the dishes and be introduced to the people who make them.
   
   Try Cuban Mojitos and Peruvian Ceviche, American Lobster Chili and French Cognac Crepes. Your tour works its way through delightful food offerings like a progressive dinner on a grand scale.


4. GoCar GPS-Guided Tours®. Okay, this isn't technically a walking tour, but it's so fun it had to be included on the list. Touted as The Original Storytelling Car, these cute, bright yellow two-seater GoCars allow you to take a "self-guided" tour, with a guide. The on-board GPS directs you to lots of fun and exciting things to see and do, while a talking voice gives you interesting bits of information about each place. You can do this tour at your own pace, stopping and re-starting whenever you like.

Multi-national Miami dances to its own lively beat, and a Miami timeshare rental will put you in the middle of the party with walking tours to take you just about anywhere in the city you want to go.

Walking Tours – Part 1: New York City
Walking Tours – Part 2: San Francisco
Walking Tours – Part 3: San Diego
Walking Tours - Part 5: New Orleans
Walking Tours - Part 6: Hawaii

(Photo credit flickr.com)

In Part 3 of our 4-part series on where you can rent a timeshare and visit the most haunted cities in America during Halloween month, we'll head once again to a beautiful seaside destination. Who would think that the soft sands and warm waters of the Miami Beach area would also have a Haunted side? Rent a Miami Beach timeshare and check these places out!

The area's most famous haunted hotel is the elegant Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables (see photo), originally built as a luxury hotel for the rich and famous. However, during WWII its marble floors were covered with government-issue linoleum, the windows were covered over with concrete, and the hotel was turned into a hospital. After the war it was used by the University of Miami School of Medicine for cadaver studies.

Even though the building was restored to an elegant hotel in the 1980s, there are numerous ghostly sightings of the tortured dead from this period - the 13th floor seems to be particularly active. Also a woman in white is often seen running down the beach or out on the golf course, believed to be a young woman who jumped to her death from the hotel's tower. You can hear these and many other ghost stories told every Thursday evening in the Biltmore lobby.

The Villa Paula Mansion in Miami is active with several spirits. The ghost of Paula, who died there as a young woman, has been seen playing the piano, wandering through the rose garden, and slamming doors. The apparitions of a tall thin man, and of a heavy-set lady in a red dress have also been seen, as well as a maid weeping as she looks for the grave of her illegitimate baby.

The mysterious archeological site known as the Miami Circle, on a coastal spit of land near downtown Miami, is certainly a departure from normal haunted places. Thought to be remnants of an ancient Tequesta Indian village, on dark nights ghostly forms have been seen flitting about the area, along with strange music, mumblings and wailing.

And leave it to South Beach to be on the whacky side of hauntings - besides haunted hotels, here you'll also find haunted night clubs and haunted bars.
As you plan your Halloween timeshare rental vacation, keep Haunted Miami in mind as a very spooky destination.

Travel to the Most Haunted Cities in America – Part 1 New Orleans
Travel to the Most Haunted Cities in America – Part 2 San Francisco

(Photo credit biltmorehotel.com)

Spring Break season generally stretches from the middle of February to the first week in April. There are plenty of budget timeshare rentals available during this time, so start planning and reserve one now. You'll be sure to find one available at just the destination you are looking for when you are finally let out of classes for some well-deserved relaxation and fun.

It's easy to plan your Spring Break vacation by first deciding the kinds of activities you'd like to enjoy, skiing, beaches, theme parks etc... Choose a place where you can find those activities, and then match a budget timeshare rental at a resort there.

Besides sunbathing on a beach vacation, a popular Spring Break activity is snorkeling. See our previous post "Plan a Snorkeling Vacation and Get in Over Your Head" for a list of some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Or rent a Miami timeshare in Florida and enjoy great snorkeling at Coral Cove Park, Red Reef, and Biscayne National Park. And you'll find spectacular snorkeling down in the Florida Keys at the John Pennekamp State Park off shore of Key Largo.

If you want to let your hair down - and let it fly - there are numerous amusement parks from which to choose. Rent a Williamsburg timeshare in Virginia, and enjoy Busch Gardens where the Griffin coaster, with its floorless coaster trains, can brag as being the tallest dive coaster in the world. Here you can also ride the hypercoaster, Apollo's Chariot.

You can incorporate thrilling roller coaster rides with theme parks, too. Rent an Anaheim timeshare in California, for Space Mountain at Disneyland. An Orlando timeshare rental in will get you to the zero-gravity roll of the Kraken at Sea World. Also in Orlando you can experience the unique up-hill launch of the Incredible Hulk coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure.

For those of you who plan to party 'til dawn, rent a timeshare on the beach in Cancun or Puerto Rico - both destinations are famous for their nightlife. No matter where you go, relax and have fun.

(Photo shown is the Golden Shores & Crown Paradise Club)

There is absolutely no reason why you have to be bundled to the cold to enjoy your turkey! Rent a timeshare and soak up the sun on a sandy beach. For a great, and warm, family Thanksgiving vacation or a holiday getaway for you retirees - think sun at one of these beach locations!

Miami, Florida, provides several sunny beaches for autumn warmth and relaxation. Rent a Miami timeshare and explore the numerous beaches available right out your backdoor. On Thanksgiving morning be sure to attend the City of North Miami's Winternational Thanksgiving Day Parade, complete with marching bands, colorful floats and laughing clowns. For more ideas, read this article which talks about Miami sightseeing ideas.

San Diego, California, is the west coast's choice for a sun-kissed Fall beach vacation. You can rent a timeshare in San Diego right on the beach. From November 25 through November 29th is the world-renowned San Diego Thanksgiving Jazz Festival. Jazz bands come from all over the globe to what jazz affionados call "the crown jewel of jazz festivals." Enjoy a jumpin' jive turkey dinner to the beat of all kinds of jazz music from traditional jazz to Dixieland to swing styles!

Virginia Beach, Virginia - sun, sand, surf - it's all here. So are non-traditional Thanksgiving dinners such as crab cakes shaped like turkey drumsticks! Ever wonder what happens to retired balloons from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? You can see them all here at the Thanksgiving Day Beach Parade along Atlantic Avenue! Beginning November 20th you'll be able to enjoy the unique McDonald's Holiday Lights at the Beach along the beach and the boardwalk. You are invited to actually drive through the dazzling 30-block long light display out on the beach. See Virginia Beach timeshares.

South Padre Island, Texas, is a great place for a tropical Thanksgiving. Rent a South Padre Island timeshare at a luxury resort and invite the entire family to meet on the sun-splashed Gulf Coast. The timeshares' fully-equipped kitchens will allow you to cook your family's favorite traditional turkey dinner, and share it with family members around a diningroom table - or out on the patio or the lanai or the deck or the beach! For more ideas on what to do, see our previous article South Padre Island a Warm Winter Getaway.

Now that football season is in full-swing, fans can start dreaming about going to Super Bowl 44, held in Miami, FL, on February 7, 2010. There are lots of good reasons why this is the 10th time Miami has hosted the Super Bowl. What better place to travel in February than somewhere that is deliciously warm (average February temperature is mid-70's) and has 15 miles of beaches?! If you're one of the lucky ones whose team makes it to Miami, and you get tickets, plan on a real vacation there so you can enjoy not only exciting football, but the many other fun things to do in south Florida.

Sun, sand and surf are only part of enjoying the beaches of Miami. Two Key Biscayne parks offer something different. Visit Bill Bagg's Cape Florida State Park where you can climb the 109 steps up to the top of the lighthouse that was built in 1825 - the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Or enjoy the sparkling white sands of Crandon Park Beach and picnic in the Crandon Gardens where native birds, turtles and reptiles run freely.

For a break from the waves, plan on visiting the Miami Metrozoo. It has over 300 acres and features a white Bengal tiger, as well as the Caribbean Flamingo Lake, and a children's petting zoo. For a really exotic experience walk the mile of trails at Parrot Jungle Island, and get up close and personal with the many colorful parrots, macaws and cockatoos. Don't miss the Miami Seaquarium with it's marine life exhibits and daily whale and dolphin shows.

And, of course, when you're in Miami you must plan at least a day to experience the incomparable Everglades National Park, just 20 miles from the city. The 1.5 million acre wilderness reserve has been designated a World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and Wetland of International Importance. Enjoy over 150 miles of canoe, kayaking and walking trails that allow you to get close to the mangrove swamps, water channels through sawgrass prairies, and see the many animals that call this special place home.

For a comfortable and budget-friendly stay in Miami, consider renting a timeshare. If you are bringing the family, or are buddy-ing up with friends, a timeshare offers you relaxing space (multiple bedrooms, a living room, and usually a deck or balcony), plus a kitchen for savings on meals. Add to that the resort's amenities that are included, and your Super Bowl Miami vacation will be off to a rip-roaring start!
See Miami timeshares.
See all Florida timeshare rentals.

(Photo provided by nfl.com)