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American Airlines Flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Miami (MIA)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on American Airlines, which operates 7 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Miami (MIA), departing between 6:00am and 11:15pm. Generally, a movie is offered on this route, as well as audio programming. The average travel time from Los Angeles, CA to Miami, FL is 4 hours and 45 minutes.
During your Miami vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Sea Grass Adventures
Even better than the Seaquarium is Sea Grass Adventures, in which a naturalist from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center will introduce ($10 per person) kids and adults to an amazing variety of creatures that live in the sea grass beds of the Bear Cut Nature Preserve near Crandon Beach on Key Biscayne. Not just a walking tour, you will be able to wade in the water with your guide and catch an assortment of sea life in nets provided by the guides. At the end of the program, participants gather on the beach while the guide explains what everyone's just caught, passing the creatures around in miniature viewing tanks. Call for available dates, times, and reservations.
ArtCenter/South Florida
Not exactly a museum in the classic sense of the word, ArtCenter/South Florida is a multichambered space where local artists display their works in all mediums -- from photography and sculpture to video and just about anything else that might exemplify their artistic nature. Admission is free and it's quite fun to mosey through the space viewing the various artists at work in their studios. Of course, all the art is for sale, but there's no pressure to buy. If you call ahead, you can schedule a guided tour of all the studios, which will give you extra insight into the exhibits. Otherwise, just wander and enjoy.
The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Sometimes referred to as the "Hearst Castle of the East," this magnificent villa is more Gatsby-esque than anything else you'll find in Miami. It was built in 1916 as a winter retreat for James Deering, co-founder and former vice president of International Harvester. The industrialist was fascinated by 16th-century art and architecture and his ornate mansion, which took 1,000 artisans 5 years to build, became a celebration of that period. If you love antiques, this place is a dream come true, packed with European relics and works of art from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Most of the original furnishings, including dishes and paintings, are still intact. You will see very early versions of a telephone switchboard, central vacuum cleaning system, elevators, and fire sprinklers. A free guided tour of the 34 furnished rooms on the first floor takes about 45 minutes. The second floor, which consists mostly of bedrooms, is open to tour on your own. The spectacularly opulent villa wraps itself around a central courtyard. Outside, lush formal gardens, accented with statuary, balustrades, and decorative urns, front an enormous swath of Biscayne Bay. Definitely take the tour of the rooms, but immediately thereafter, you will want to wander and get lost in the resplendent gardens.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Miami area, including:
Hotel Victor
This hotel is a victory for Ocean Drive, a street which hasn't seen a fabulous new hotel since The Tides. A sexy hotel with actual substance, Hotel Victor is a hyper luxe, 91-room boutique hotel designed by Parisian Jacques Garcia -- this is his first hotel foray in the United States. Best known for his design work at Paris's tragically hip Hotel Costes and the discriminating Sultan of Brunei, Garcia has lent his exquisite taste to this hotel located on the notoriously tacky Ocean Drive. Located directly across from the ocean and next to the legendary Versace mansion (now a private club), Hotel Victor stands apart from the rest of the cookie cutter minimalist Miami hotels, breaking from bare minimalism and daring to go bold with color and rich fabrics. The opulent lobby is inviting and sceney, with lounges on two levels and an Asian motif, with a large jellyfish tank and hanging lamps resembling the stinging creatures. What also stings is the price tag here, but you're paying for the privilege of staying in a hotel that greets guests with personalized, wireless check in, among other things. Deluxe rooms are just that, all with ocean views and with rich colored satin headboards and curtain trim, white marble, ebony lacquered furniture, a full -- not mini -- bar, flatscreen plasma TVs and massive white marbled bathrooms with infinity edge bathtubs and rain head shower heads. If you can afford it, choose a Pool Bungalow room, with private outdoor shower and terraces leading to the pool area. Ocean Suites feature infinity edge tubs and panoramic views of the ocean. And if you think the inside is sexy, wait until you see the outdoor area, where the gorgeous, second level, oceanview pool is surrounded by oversized daybeds and cabana tents, which, at night turn into a lush VIP lounge for those who rate. The hotel's upscale bistro is also a magnet for the fabulati, but the Turkish Spa is the hottest spot, with its large, unisex steam room, Turkish bath, and heated marble slabs.
The Lily Leon Hotel
A great hotel with little attitude, which recently merged with the neighboring Lily Guesthouse, the Lily Leon Hotel (formerly known as the Hotel Leon) is like a reasonably priced high-fashion garment found hidden on a rack full of overpriced threads. This charismatic sliver of a property has won the loyalty of fashion industrialists and romantics alike. Built in 1929 and restored in 1996, the hotel still retains many original details such as facades, woodwork, and even fireplaces (every room has one, not that you'll need to use it). The very central location (1 block from the ocean) is a plus, especially since the Leon lacks a pool. Most of the spacious and stylish rooms are immaculate and reminiscent of a loft apartment; spacious bathrooms with large, deep tubs are especially enticing.Wood floors and simple, pale furnishings are appreciated in a neighborhood where many others overdo the Art Deco motif. However, some rooms are dark and have not seen such upgrades (we have gotten complaints) and are to be avoided; do not hesitate to ask to change rooms. Service is warm, friendly, and accommodating. We've also gotten complaints about the music coming from the hotel next door, but you have to realize that if you're staying on Collins or Washington avenues, you're going to hear noise: South Beach isn't known for its quiet, peaceful demeanor! The lobby has an informal bar and restaurant, not to mention a large communal table at which guests -- production crews, fashion photographers, Europeans, and young hipsters -- tend to mix and mingle. Because its entrance is not directly on pedestrian-heavy Collins Avenue, the Hotel Leon remains one of South Beach's most understated, yet coolest, stays.
Indian Creek Hotel
Located off the beaten path, the Indian Creek Hotel is a meticulously restored 1936 building featuring one of the beach's first operating elevators. It's also the most charming hotel in the area. Besides that, the service is impeccable. Because of its location facing the Indian Creek waterway and its lush landscaping, this place feels more like an old-fashioned Key West bed-and-breakfast than your typical Miami Beach Art Deco hotel. The rooms are outfitted in Art Deco furnishings, such as an antique writing desk, pretty tropical prints, and small but spotless bathrooms. All the rooms have been completely renovated. Just 1 short block from a good stretch of sand, the hotel is also within walking distance of shops and restaurants and has a landscaped pool area that is a great place to lounge in the sun. If you're looking for charm, friendly service, and peace and quiet, stay away from the South Beach hype and come here instead.
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