:: MIAMI CITY INFO ::

MONEY

Currency
The $US is the basic unit of currency.
Please ask the currency converter online which uses data from the Federal Reserve Bank.

Taxes
Sales Tax (8%) applied to most goods and services.
Departure tax is included in your airline ticket.

Service
Throughout America tipping is more or less compulsory. In restaurants waiters expect around 10 to 20 percent, as do taxi drivers and hairdressers, while porters and bellboys anticipate around one US dollar or two US dollars per piece of luggage. You are not expected to tip in fast-food restaurants or cinemas.

GETTING AROUND

Taxi Services

• Metro Taxi
1995 NE 142nd St,
North Miami, FL 33187
Phone: 305-888-8888

• Coral Gables Taxi
811 Ponce de Leon,
Coral Gables, FL 33040
Phone: 305-899-9999

Limousine Services

• ABC Limousines Inc
110 Grand Palms Drive,
Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 •
Phone: 954-217-8885

• Admiral Limousine Service
13255 W Dixie Hwy,
North Miami, FL 33161 •
Phone: 305-899-9320

• Brickell Key Tours & Transportation
62 SW 31 Ave,
Miami, FL 33129 •
Phone: 305-858-5466

• Carey Limousines
4030 NW 29th St,
Miami, FL 33142 •
Phone: 305-893-9850

• City Limousine Service, Inc.
P.O. Box 801012,
Aventura, FL 33280 •
Phone: 305-944-5466

• Protective Limousine Service
14876 SW 132nd St,
Miami, FL 33186 •
Phone: 305-255-3636

• Signature Limousine & Bodyguard Services
8979 Bird Rd,
Miami, FL 33165 •
Phone: 305-717-5470

CAR RENTALS

• Alamo
3355 NW 22nd St,
Miami, FL 33142 •
Phone: 305-633-4132

• Avis Rent a Car
2330 NW 37th Ave, Miami International Airport,
Miami, FL 33142 •
Phone: 305-341-0936

• Avis Rent a Car
903 S America Way
Miami, FL 33132
Phone: (305) 377-2531

• Budget
6742 Collins Ave,
Miami Beach, FL 33141 •
Phone: 305-865-4447

• Enterprise
300 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33131
Phone: (305) 379-3003

• Freedom Car Rentals
244 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132
Phone: (305) 381-6990

• Go Auto Rental
1717 N. Bayshore Dr.
Miami, FL 33132
Phone: (305) 350-2700

• Hertz
3795 NW 21st St, Miami International Airport,
Miami, FL 33142-6894 •
Phone: 305-871-0300

• Royal Rent a Car
909 S America way
Miami, FL 33132
Phone: (305) 375-0830

• South Florida VIP Car Rental
1717 N Bayshore Dr.
Miami, FL 33132
Phone: (305) 377-3772

• Thrifty Car Rental
2875 NW 42nd Ave,
Miami, FL 33142 •
Phone: 305-871-5050

Most car rental companies require a major credit card, and that you have held a full license for at least one year, regardless of age. The minimum age for renting a car is normally 21 although it can be as high as 25. Often an additional charge is levied on drivers who are under 25 years of age. We suggest that you check the requirements of your prospective automobile rental company by contacting them directly. Check with your local travel agent before you leave.

Most travel guide-books and the materials available from href="http://www.adac.de/">ADAC provide an overview of traffic regulations, speed limit and road signs. For more in-depth information about state by state rules of the road visit the Online Study Guide for Student Drivers.

http://golocalnet.net/drive/

TIME AND DATES

Business Hours
Business hours in Miami, Florida are not fixed and vary from one industry and sector to another. As a guide, most office environments operate between 9:00am and 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Banks tend to be open between 9:00am and 3:00pm, Monday to Friday with some staying open to 5:30pm to 6:00pm one day a week. Some of the larger banks will probably also be open on Saturday mornings

Time Zones
Most U.S. states observe Daylight Saving Time (DST), except for Indiana, Arizona and Hawaii. DST in the U.S. begins each year at 2 am on the first Sunday in April and ends at 2 am on the last Sunday in October.

For more info on what Daylight Savings Time is see http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/f.html

WEATHER

The websites of the Weather Channel (http://www.weather.com ), a 24 hour cable channel, and the national newspaper USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/weather/weatherfront.aspx) are among a number of websites providing current weather reports and 5 day forecasts for U.S. cities.

TELEPHONE

The emergency phone number is 911

A local call is not just to numbers with the same area code - it can go much further than that to include surrounding area codes as well. Check with the operator to find out which area codes are Local area codes.

TRAVEL TIPS

Before the Airport
- Do not pack or bring Prohibited Items to the airport. Read the Permitted and Prohibited Items list.
- Place valuables such as jewelry, cash and laptop computers in carry-on baggage only. Tape your business card to the bottom of your laptop.
- Avoid wearing clothing, jewelry and accessories that contain metal. Metal items may set off the alarm on the metal detector.
- Avoid wearing shoes that contain metal or have thick soles or heels. Many types of footwear will require additional screening even if the metal detector does not alarm.
- Put all undeveloped film and cameras with film in your carry-on baggage. Checked baggage screening equipment will damage undeveloped film.
- Declare firearms & ammunition to your airline and place them in your checked baggage.
- If you wish to lock your baggage, use a TSA-recognized lock.
- Do not bring lighters or prohibited matches to the airport.
- Do not pack wrapped gifts and do not bring wrapped gifts to the checkpoint. Wrap on arrival or ship your gifts prior to your departure. TSA may have to unwrap packages for security reasons.

At the Airport
Each adult traveler needs to keep available his/her airline boarding pass and government-issued photo ID until exiting the security checkpoint. Due to different airport configurations, at many airports you will be required to display your boarding pass more than once.

• Place the following items IN your carry-on baggage or in a plastic bag prior to entering the screening checkpoint:
• Mobile phones
• Keys
• Loose change
• Money clips
• PDA's (personal data assistants)
• Large amounts of jewelry
• Metal hair decorations
• Large belt buckles
• Take your laptop and video cameras with cassettes OUT of their cases and place them in a bin provided at the checkpoint.
• Take OFF all outer coats, suit coats, jackets and blazers.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that all lighters will be prohibited from sterile areas of airports and onboard aircraft. The policy will be fully enforced beginning April 14, 2005.

Items prohibited for air travel are listed in this document by the TSA http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/Permitted_Prohibited_9_6_2005.pdf  (Adobe Acrobat Req.)

While on Your Trip
Outside business hours, casual clothes are acceptable in most situations with the exception of some restaurants and hotel lounges. Choose your clothing carefully, however; Miami's climate can be very hot. (Light clothing is recommended)

- Always wear sunblock and/or wear a hat if you intend to be outside for extended periods.
- Do NOT frequent isolated areas
- Stay in well-lit areas and stick with the group
- Do not carry excess cash or valuables. (Most hotels provide safes & deposit boxes)
- Don't leave drinks unattended
- If you are a smoker, exercise discretion and sensitivity when choosing to smoke in Miami. Many Americans cannot tolerate people smoking in front of them and smoking is the subject of much deliberation in the United States. The best advice is probably to only smoke in like-minded company.

NEWS & MEDIA

Radio Stations:
Big Pine Key WWUS - 104.1 FM - Greatest Hits
Boca Raton WOWL - 91.7 cc - Variety
Gainesville K-Country - 93.7 FM - Country
Gainesville WBXY - 99.5 FM - Classic
Gainesville WGGG - 1230 AM - ESPN Sports
Gainesville WIND - 92.5 FM - Classic Rock
Gainesville WKTK - 98.5 FM - Variety
Gainesville WNDT - 92.5 FM - Classic Rock
Gainesville WRUF - 103.7 FM - Rock
Gainesville WSKY - 97.3 FM - News Talk
Gainesville WUFT - 89.1 FM - Classical
Gainesville WYKS - 105.3 FM - Contemporary Hits
Jacksonville WAPE - 95.1 FM - The Big Ape
Jacksonville WJCT - 89.9 FM - Public Radio
Jacksonville WNCM FM - 88.1 FM - Religion
Jacksonville WQIK - 99.1 FM - Country
Jacksonville WROO - 107.3 FM - Country
Key Largo WCTH - 100.3 FM - Thunder Country
Key Largo WFKZ - 103.1 FM - Rock
Key West KeysRadio - Florida Keys Radio Guide
Key West WEOW - 92.7 FM - Today's Hits
Melbourne WAOA - 107.1 FM - Top 40
Miami WAMR - 107.5 FM - Spanish
Miami WAQI - 710 AM - Spanish-News/Talk
Miami WMCU - 89.7 FM - Religion
Miami WMXJ - 102.7 FM - Classic Rock
Miami WQBA - 1140 AM - Spanish-News/Talk
Miami WRTO - 98.3 FM - Spanish
Orlando WRLZ - 1270 AM - Spanish - Religion
Palm City WCNO - 89.9 FM - Christian Radio
Starke WEAG - 106.3 FM - Country
Tampa WMNF - 88.5 FM - Variety
Tampa WTAN - 1340 AM - Talk
Titusville WPIO - 89.3 FM - Christian
West Palm Beach WLVJ - 640 AM – Religion

Newspapers:
- The Community News of Miami
- El Nuevo Herald
- Entertainment News & Views
- Miami Herald
- Miami New Times
- Miami Today
- The Weekly News