Possibly relocating to Miami (job in Medley, FL) - questions! (Miami Beach: oceanfront, mover)

[imonki]

Hi!

I may be relocating for a job in Medley, FL in June. It is for a professional position (8-5 job) with a salary above 80k.

I am a white late-twenties single guy. I like practicing sports and having a healthy/active lifestyle. I also look forward to become fluent in spanish eventually (currently beginner level). I would like to meet new people as I would be new to the area.

I was trying to figure out where I could live that would be interesting and still have an "acceptable" commute. I have no idea of what are the traffic patterns of the greater Miami area.

I looked at these areas so far:

Brickell (25-35 minutes commute at 7AM according to google maps).

South Beach (30-40 minutes "").

Aventura (35-60 minutes "").

Coral Gables (30-45 minutes "").

Do you guys have any suggestions? Would commute time be typically longer than what is calculated by Google Maps?

Thank you!

[Fl1150]

I think Brickell would be a good option with all the amenities and the social scene is really good and of course South Beach would be nice but I think the commute is a little longer so no need to add to that. Looking the other communities Coral Gables as well as Aventura are very upscale areas that are really expensive but if can afford them than I wouldn't hesitate to move to them.

[pierrekid]

I second brickell. For your age and lifestyle brickell is by far the best option. Coral gables is more residential and family orientated ( lived there while attending college). Aventura is alright too but the age gap might not suit you. South beach is a bit pretentious and dealing with i95 + the MacArthur/112/ Venetian would more headache then necessary ( I work along the beach)

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by Fl1150

I think Brickell would be a good option with all the amenities and the social scene is really good and of course South Beach would be nice but I think the commute is a little longer so no need to add to that. Looking the other communities Coral Gables as well as Aventura are very upscale areas that are really expensive but if can afford them than I wouldn't hesitate to move to them.

Coral Gables and Aventura are no more expensive than Brickell is nowadays. Brickell is definitely NOT cheap. But any of the above should be in your price range.

Brickell does have a lot going for it, but the main thing I'd be worried about is dealing with garage traffic and getting between your place and I-95. The access ramps are not very convenient. The Dolphin Expressway is notoriously unreliable, especially merging to/from I-95. Living in "Lower Brickell" (below 15th) and using the 25th Road ramps would be somewhat easier. Also closer to the Rickenbacker Causeway for biking and running. But a bit of a hike to the nightlife scene and no metromover, only trolley busses and Uber and cabs.

Coral Gables would be a much, much easier commute since you don't even have to rely on the expressway, but then again you'd probably be driving in to Brickell a lot in the evening and weekends since it's more of a 30's crowd.

As for South Beach, constantly driving everywhere would be a PITA, but you have good access to the water for water sports. Quite a few people I know live on the ocean front and kite surf and paddleboard during their free time. Lots of people out running and a nice tennis center too.

Aventura is just too far away with how bad traffic has become--more like an hour during typical rush hour. It's also an older crowd.

[hurricaneMan1992]

BTW Midtown would be another good option. Good amenities, pretty up and coming with a young, social crowd and walkable and your commute would just be on the 195/112 without having to merge with I-95. Close to Wynwood art scene too.

[imonki]

I think that I would be leaning towards Brickell based on your feedback. While Miami Beach means oceanfront, paddleboard, running, etc., I believe it would be a PITA to be constantly driving everywhere.

I also noticed that I would be driving on toll roads mostly. Any idea of what would be the daily toll? Are we looking at around 5$/day (roundtrip)?

[oronzous]

Originally Posted by hurricaneMan1992

BTW Midtown would be another good option. Good amenities, pretty up and coming with a young, social crowd and walkable and your commute would just be on the 195/112 without having to merge with I-95. Close to Wynwood art scene too.

I second this.
My young colleagues that live and work in Brickell do actually go more often to Midtown and Wynwood to have fun than in the Brickell area.

From Midtown use SR112 (a.k.a. Airport Expressway) then take Okeechobee road all the way up to Medley.
Tools are just .70 each way.

Even if you decide for Brickell or Downtown, i would recommend the above route. I avoid the SR 836 (a.k.a. Dolphin Expressway) like the plague.

[FlyMIA]

Go with Brickell or Downtown. The commute will not be bad on most days, unless there is some type of accident/road work. You will be doing an opposite commute, everyone is going into downtown/brickell in the morning and leaving in the evening. You will do the opposite so besides for some busy intersections and off ramps your commute will be mostly traffic free.

[hurricaneMan1992]

If you like being able to just step outside of your building and go for a run, Brickell may not be the best option. I was just running around there this evening, and I found it was VERY chaotic south of the River and much of the walkway is either narrow and/or slanted (can't be good for your ankles), the bridge crossing is narrow and crowded, but once you get north of the river along the bayfront it's much more sane and the views are better and you can enjoy them instead of watching for cars constantly pulling out of driveways and side streets and blocking crosswalks.

So if it were me, it would be a toss up between downtown or Midtown, the former because of the greenspace and outdoor recreation without having to drive, the latter because it is the shortest, simplest commute possible and no event traffic or drawbridges (you many want to read the Herald's articles this week on traffic congestion). But in the end, probably downtown, since let's face it, even the reverse commute will be hectic especially in the evening, and the last thing I'd want to do is get home then have to go out and drive again to go run or bike or to meet friends. But I'd probably also be that crazy guy who takes his paddleboard to Bayside and jumps right in (LOL Is paddleboarding up the Miami River to Medley an option?)

Whatever you do, definitely avoid commuting on the Dolphin and Palmetto!

[Lowkarafa]

My nephew is moving to Meledy also in a stew months, and is looking too. I think is great information to pass on to him! We will keep looking