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McAlpin South Beach

Arimaas

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Hi All,

Was wondering folks experience at the South Beach property. I see that there's no pool or parking. I was considering going next year, but with no pool, I'm not so sure that's the best plan for our (at the time) three and a half year old. Not sure how much Beach she can handle.

Also, would likely take the auto train down from Virginia and do a few days in Orlando to maybe get a Disney stay in on the way home. Do you think I'd be better off at the plantation beach club - which looks to be in Palm Beach County ? For me, I like the locationof the south beach property, but with no parking, pool and with a 3.5 year old, it might just not be that practical.

Thanks !
 

buzglyd

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South Beach is more of an adult location. Traffic is terrible and parking is expensive.

Personally, we love it there but my kid is grown.
 

Arimaas

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South Beach is more of an adult location. Traffic is terrible and parking is expensive.

Personally, we love it there but my kid is grown.

Yeah - I remember hanging there when I was a little younger. That's why I want to go. Spent many school breaks further up A1A in surfside. I guess I just want to relive my youth with my 3 year old lol.

So not recommended with a child? Better off staying in plantation Beach.
 

buzglyd

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Yeah - I remember hanging there when I was a little younger. That's why I want to go. Spent many school breaks further up A1A in surfside. I guess I just want to relive my youth with my 3 year old lol.

So not recommended with a child? Better off staying in plantation Beach.

Probably a better idea since the only pool is the Atlantic Ocean.
 

Tamaradarann

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Yeah - I remember hanging there when I was a little younger. That's why I want to go. Spent many school breaks further up A1A in surfside. I guess I just want to relive my youth with my 3 year old lol.

So not recommended with a child? Better off staying in plantation Beach.

I am not sure where up A1A that you stayed when you were younger, but Miami South Beach is different than other areas of Miami Beach. It is what I would consider one of the best party places in the world. However, that is ADULT partying. You don't need a car to have a great time. A car is actually a burden for expensive parking, traffic, and possible drinking and driving.(drinking and driving is not possible without a car). It is a place to walk around, have a few drinks, have some nice meals outside, people watch, go to the beach, go to a nightclub etc. Orlando, West Coast Areas, and Weston are areas that I have been to with timeshares that would be better with a child.
 

ljmiii

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It depends on your 3 yr old. The Atlantic Ocean is usually a bath tub in South Beach so I’m not sure the lack of pool will matter.

Our 6 and 8 yr olds loved South Beach - but they were old enough by that point to appreciate tasty food and the Wolferstein (sp?) museum.
 

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It’s been a long time since we stayed there but I remember one of the 3 buildings had a tiny little pool on the roof. That was before kids and back when our vacation destination needed to have a good nightclub for dancing :p. But yeah, I wouldn’t take my kids to South Beach.
 

Tamaradarann

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It’s been a long time since we stayed there but I remember one of the 3 buildings had a tiny little pool on the roof. That was before kids and back when our vacation destination needed to have a good nightclub for dancing :p. But yeah, I wouldn’t take my kids to South Beach.

The little tiny pool was a jacuzzi!
 

Tamaradarann

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It depends on your 3 yr old. The Atlantic Ocean is usually a bath tub in South Beach so I’m not sure the lack of pool will matter.

Our 6 and 8 yr olds loved South Beach - but they were old enough by that point to appreciate tasty food and the Wolferstein (sp?) museum.

The Ocean Part of South Beach is great for 3,6,9,12,15 or 75 year olds. The other parts of South Beach are not really for kids. Also, if the Adults want to fully experience and enjoy what makes South Beach special and all it has to offer what do you do with the 3 year old or how do you keep the 3 year old occupied and content.
 

buzglyd

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Not to mention, if you bring kids, you’ll have to explain some of the clothing or lack of clothing.
 

ljmiii

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We actually found South Beach from dawn to around 8:00 PM to be quite family friendly - lots of families with kids on the beach and the restaurants were very accommodating of children (at least for the 6:00 dinner shift).

The South Beach night life is indeed a different story...but our kids were headed to bed by that point.
 

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When we stayed in South Beach my husband and I would go to sleep at 8pm. But that was so we could get up at 11 pm to go dancing. And even that was still too early for the clubs.
 
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Thanks all. I think I would try it with my 3 year old and just use the hotel as a base of operations. Being a block from the beach is nice - and I would likely park my car on a residential street more north up (maybe surfside or northern Miami Beach) and then either run back to the hotel or take a bus. The public transportation system in Miami is decent enough to get me and my family around.

My wife has never been to Miami, and I this really is our only option, unless I want a hotel further up the strip which will likely be $200+ a night for a room with a bed and not much else.

I was really more concerned about the noise in the hotel and the neighborhood with a 3 year old. I mean we took her to New Orleans at 2, and she really enjoyed it.
 

PigsDad

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We were there during spring break one year with our daughter when she probably 8 or 9 years old and although we weren't sure what to expect, we had a great time. Similar to ljmiii's experience above, we tended to go to the beach in the morning and it was very quiet as the college kids didn't start arriving until the afternoon. But even then, we never had an issue with anyone on the beach. There were a few women who were, how shall I say -- "comfortable with their bodies". Our daughter noticed a couple of them, but was no big deal.

We also found the restaurants very accommodating for families, but we also ate around 6pm with our daughter, and were back in the condo by 8pm. During the afternoons, we would often explore different parts of SoBe and found plenty to do as a family. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Kurt
 

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Just checked out of south beach hgvc mcalpin plaza. There are only two buildings. They each have a jacuzzi on the roof. Mcalpin building has a small workout room on top. Shared laundry facilities in each building. Closest public parking for $20 a night is on 13th street so only a short 8 min walk away. Valet I believe was $40 a night but have not done that in years. Beach is literally right across the street from the timeshare. Marriott vacation club pulse south beach property is literally next door.

Construction of a new hotel was still going on behind the hgvc south beach property. They do provide ear plugs on the pillow for those units at the very back of the property. I find it strange that out of the last 4 visits in the last year I have been assigned the most rear unit 3 of those times. There aren't very many units but to get the rear units 3 times, means I should play the Powerball lottery.

I think your 3 year old will be ok but I wouldn't stay more than 5 nights there. Walls between units are a little thin as it is a historical building. No tubs in the 1br units, just walk in showers, if that matters.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

ljmiii

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Thanks all. I think I would try it with my 3 year old and just use the hotel as a base of operations. Being a block from the beach is nice - and I would likely park my car on a residential street more north up (maybe surfside or northern Miami Beach) and then either run back to the hotel or take a bus...
We actually just arrived at the MVC South Beach yesterday - I had MVC points to use and so no HGVC this time.

Miami Beach provides a free trolley service with four routes that will get you and your 3 yr old around if y'all run out of steam. It probably goes far enough north to hit cheaper parking...but I don't know if you'll do much better than frank808's suggestion on 13th st. If you are in a 1BR none of them face Ocean Dr - we had one of the ones that face the 'more than an airshaft...far less than a courtyard' between the two buildings. Quiet...but there was no construction during our visit.

Lastly, I would suggest the Bass Museum if you and yours are into that sort of thing. It is a small modern art museum - takes an hour tops - with exhibits that are very approachable to young viewers.
 

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Is the construction an addition to McAlpin or is it not related to HGVC?
 

frank808

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Is the construction an addition to McAlpin or is it not related to HGVC?
Not related to hgvc from what front desk told me.

The front desk reception and tall Paul, the doorman,have been like family to me. Ask them if you want ideas on where to eat and such. They have always made me feel welcome and part of the family.

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dayooper

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Not related to hgvc from what front desk told me.

The front desk reception and tall Paul, the doorman,have been like family to me. Ask them if you want ideas on where to eat and such. They have always made me feel welcome and part of the family.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Thanks!
 

Tamaradarann

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Thanks all. I think I would try it with my 3 year old and just use the hotel as a base of operations. Being a block from the beach is nice - and I would likely park my car on a residential street more north up (maybe surfside or northern Miami Beach) and then either run back to the hotel or take a bus. The public transportation system in Miami is decent enough to get me and my family around.

My wife has never been to Miami, and I this really is our only option, unless I want a hotel further up the strip which will likely be $200+ a night for a room with a bed and not much else.

I was really more concerned about the noise in the hotel and the neighborhood with a 3 year old. I mean we took her to New Orleans at 2, and she really enjoyed it.


You will definitely get through a few days in South Beach with a 3 year old. However, let me make a point from a different direction.

You mention your wife has never been to Miami. Being in South Beach with a 3 year old doesn't give you and YOUR WIFE any chance to go out to enjoy the nightlife. Also women usually enjoy the opportunity to dress up with heals and go out to dinner. Well there are many opportunities for that in South Beach for just YOU and YOUR WIFE. Furthermore, your wife needs to prepared with clothing to go out on the town; she probably wouldn't be since you have your 3 year old.
 

Panina

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Thanks all. I think I would try it with my 3 year old and just use the hotel as a base of operations. Being a block from the beach is nice - and I would likely park my car on a residential street more north up (maybe surfside or northern Miami Beach) and then either run back to the hotel or take a bus. The public transportation system in Miami is decent enough to get me and my family around.

My wife has never been to Miami, and I this really is our only option, unless I want a hotel further up the strip which will likely be $200+ a night for a room with a bed and not much else.

I was really more concerned about the noise in the hotel and the neighborhood with a 3 year old. I mean we took her to New Orleans at 2, and she really enjoyed it.
I am glad you chose to go. Life should continue even with a three year old. You just adjust plus the travel experiences your have with your child will be priceless.
 

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You will definitely get through a few days in South Beach with a 3 year old. However, let me make a point from a different direction.

You mention your wife has never been to Miami. Being in South Beach with a 3 year old doesn't give you and YOUR WIFE any chance to go out to enjoy the nightlife. Also women usually enjoy the opportunity to dress up with heals and go out to dinner. Well there are many opportunities for that in South Beach for just YOU and YOUR WIFE. Furthermore, your wife needs to prepared with clothing to go out on the town; she probably wouldn't be since you have your 3 year old.

Understandable. However we live in an NYC suburb. Although NYC nightlife is different than Miami, we aren't devoid of any opportunity to have a "night life" experience during the regular year. As for Miami, in my opinion, there's much more to show my wife than drinking and dancing (which really isn't our modus operandi anyhow). Coral Gables, the beach, Lincoln Road shopping, museums in downtown Miami and fort Lauderdale, etc are all stuff we would look to do. I would just be looking st using the property as a place to hang our hats so to speak and wanted to make sure that was possible with a theee year old (not too loud, kitchen not usable, not family friendly restaurants in the area, etc).

I can drink and take the train home in NYC if that was important to me.

Thnaks all for your input. .
 

Tamaradarann

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Understandable. However we live in an NYC suburb. Although NYC nightlife is different than Miami, we aren't devoid of any opportunity to have a "night life" experience during the regular year. As for Miami, in my opinion, there's much more to show my wife than drinking and dancing (which really isn't our modus operandi anyhow). Coral Gables, the beach, Lincoln Road shopping, museums in downtown Miami and fort Lauderdale, etc are all stuff we would look to do. I would just be looking st using the property as a place to hang our hats so to speak and wanted to make sure that was possible with a theee year old (not too loud, kitchen not usable, not family friendly restaurants in the area, etc).

I can drink and take the train home in NYC if that was important to me.

Thnaks all for your input. .

We are in a different generation than you, therefore, your perspective on things are certainly different than ours. We also live in a NYC suburb which is about 65 miles from Manhattan. In the late 70's we would travel to NYC by car and get there just before midnight when the $20 cover charge would start(back then $20 was a good deal of money). We would party until sun up at an after hours club, then go to breakfast before driving home. Traveling to NYC to party is too much for us at this time of our lives. However, staying is South Beach or Honolulu with the party all around you is still attractive and doable for us even though we don't party that late anymore.
 

Arimaas

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We are in a different generation than you, therefore, your perspective on things are certainly different than ours. We also live in a NYC suburb which is about 65 miles from Manhattan. In the late 70's we would travel to NYC by car and get there just before midnight when the $20 cover charge would start(back then $20 was a good deal of money). We would party until sun up at an after hours club, then go to breakfast before driving home. Traveling to NYC to party is too much for us at this time of our lives. However, staying is South Beach or Honolulu with the party all around you is still attractive and doable for us even though we don't party that late anymore.

Yeah. I'm in lower Rockland county - which we transported to after spending a good portion of my youth and young adult years in Brooklyn. I couldn't be happier.

Honestly - before we even had kids we were in bed by midnight the latest. And while my wife likes a cocktail or a glass of wine here and there, I rarely drink.

It seems like the property would be fine for us with a three year old. Hopefully by next year when I'm looking to travel the construction is done. Like I said, we loved new oeleaans with a 2 year old - and nothing can be a bigger party town than NOLA - and we surely didn't feel like we were missing out.
 
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