Hertz
Hertz — Miami International Airport (MIA)
6.4 mi from terminal10.2 km from terminalDaily 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM
United States
Miami
Miami: Sailing from PortMiami, with South Beach and Little Havana Close By
- Port traffic
- ModerateNext 30 days
- Getting around
- Rental cars 6.4 miles10.2 kilometers away
More views of Miami
PortMiami is the world's largest cruise port by passenger volume — multiple terminals, a dozen or more ships on any given day, and a logistics operation that processes tens of thousands of people efficiently. The terminals are on Dodge Island, accessible by a short causeway from downtown. Transportation from the airport, hotels, and various Miami neighborhoods is well-established. Taxis, rideshares, and hotel shuttles to the port are abundant and reliable.
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If you're arriving early, Miami rewards the extra time considerably. The city has more distinct neighborhoods worth visiting than most American cruise departure points, and the food scene reflects the city's role as the gateway between North and Latin America.
South Beach (Miami Beach), across Biscayne Bay from the port, has the Art Deco district — the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world, concentrated on Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue. The beach itself is wide, clean, and well-maintained. Ocean Drive is extremely touristy; Lincoln Road mall, a few blocks north, is a pedestrian street with more local restaurants and shops. South Beach is about 15–20 minutes from the port by taxi or rideshare.
Wynwood, 2 miles north of downtown, is the city's arts district — an industrial neighborhood converted by the Wynwood Walls project (large-scale murals commissioned from international street artists) into a gallery and restaurant destination. The murals are free to view from the street; new works are commissioned regularly. The surrounding blocks have galleries, breweries, and consistently good restaurants.
Little Havana, 2 miles southwest of downtown, is the cultural center of Miami's Cuban community — Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) is the main thoroughfare, with Cuban coffee windows (ventanita), cigars rolled by hand, domino parks, and restaurants serving ropa vieja, vaca frita, and medianoche sandwiches. Versailles restaurant has been the neighborhood's most famous address since 1971.
Coral Gables, south of downtown, is worth knowing for the Venetian Pool (a public swimming pool carved from a coral rock quarry) and the Miracle Mile shopping district, both unusual by Florida standards.
Miami's heat peaks in summer; winters are warm and dry. Hurricane season technically runs June through November but significant storms in Miami Harbor are rare. Cruise season is year-round; December through April brings the most comfortable weather.
Good to know
The Port
Cruise ships board at lettered terminals on an island in Biscayne Bay, joined to downtown Miami by a bridge.
- Check your boarding documents for the terminal letter. MSC uses AA, Royal Caribbean A, Norwegian B, Carnival D, E and F, and Virgin Voyages V.
- Miami International Airport is about 6 miles west of downtown, and Fort Lauderdale's airport is about 21 miles north of Miami.
- If you fly in the day before, a downtown hotel puts you next to the port bridge.
Getting Around Miami
Taxis and rideshares serve every terminal, and a free trolley links the port to downtown transit.
- From Miami International Airport, take the Metrorail Orange Line to Government Center, the free Metromover to Freedom Tower station, then the free Coral Way Trolley across the bridge to the port.
- Airport taxis run on the meter, with a $2 airport fee added (2026).
- Brightline trains from Orlando, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale stop in Miami, and the port lists a Brightline transfer for cruise passengers.
- Overnight parking costs $28 a day in the county garages and $35 a day in the MSC and Norwegian garages (2025–26 rates).
What to Do in Miami
With a few hours before or after a cruise, pick one neighborhood: South Beach for Art Deco, or Little Havana for Cuban Miami.
- The Miami Beach Architectural District has about 960 historic buildings. Guided walking tours leave daily from the Art Deco Welcome Center at 1001 Ocean Drive.
- In Little Havana, Máximo Gómez Park on Calle Ocho is better known as Domino Park, where Cuban Miamians have played since the early 1970s.
- Wynwood Walls, an outdoor exhibition of street art begun in 2009, is in the Wynwood district north of downtown.
What to Eat
Cuban food is the meal to have in Miami, and Calle Ocho in Little Havana is the street for it.
- Versailles, on Calle Ocho since 1971, serves Cuban sandwiches in a 370-seat dining room and coffee from its walk-up window, the ventanita.
- Florida stone crab claws are in season from October 15 to May 1.
- Bayside Marketplace, next to the port, has restaurants if you only have an hour or two.
Beaches
South Beach is the nearest ocean beach, across the MacArthur Causeway from downtown.
- Lummus Park runs along the beach side of Ocean Drive from 5th to 15th Street.
- Miami Beach runs free trolleys from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, including a South Beach loop.
- Crandon Park on Key Biscayne has 2 miles of Atlantic beach. The Rickenbacker Causeway connects it to the mainland.
Tipping
Miami uses US dollars, and the thing to watch is a gratuity already on the bill.
- Some restaurants add an automatic gratuity or service charge. Since July 1, 2026, Florida law requires them to tell you about it before you order.
- Porters take checked bags at the terminal curb, and a small cash tip per bag is customary.
- Port parking takes cash and credit cards, not debit cards.
A Brief History
Miami is a young city, incorporated on July 28, 1896, with just over 300 residents.
- The Tequesta lived at the mouth of the Miami River for about 2,000 years before Europeans arrived.
- After the freeze of 1894–95 spared the area's crops, landowner Julia Tuttle persuaded Henry Flagler to extend his railway south.
- Barbara Capitman led the campaign to save Miami Beach's Art Deco buildings, and the district was designated historic in 1979.
- After the 1959 Cuban Revolution many Cubans settled in Miami, and the 1980 Mariel boatlift brought an estimated 125,000 more to Florida.
- The county approved a new seaport on Dodge Island in 1960, and the road tunnel linking it to Watson Island opened in 2014.
Traveling with Family
Children's attractions cluster on Watson Island and in the downtown museum park, both next to the port.
- The Frost Museum of Science, in Maurice A. Ferré Park downtown, has an aquarium and a planetarium.
- Miami Children's Museum is on Watson Island, the island at the other end of the port tunnel.
- Jungle Island, also on Watson Island, has zip lines and waterslides and is open every day.
Shopping & Local Markets
The shopping nearest the port is Bayside Marketplace, an open-air center on the downtown waterfront.
- Bayside has two pavilions of shops beside the city marina, plus an observation wheel.
- Lincoln Road in Miami Beach is a pedestrian mall of shops, restaurants and galleries between 16th and 17th Streets.
- Wynwood, north of downtown, mixes clothing stores and galleries with its murals.
Accessibility
Accessible taxis, transit and beach access all exist in Miami, but boarding assistance is arranged through your cruise line, not the port.
- Ask your cruise line for assistance before you travel, and ask your ship whether the gangway is step-free.
- Wheelchair-accessible taxis serve the port and, on request, the airport, with no surcharge for a wheelchair.
- Metrorail and Metromover stations have elevators, and the county sends backup accessible transport within 30 minutes if a Metromover elevator is out.
- Port parking is free for vehicles fitted with ramps, lifts or hand controls.
- Miami Beach offers beach wheelchairs, first come, first served with photo ID, at 1001 Ocean Drive and at South Pointe Park. Beach mats cross the sand at more than 20 street ends.
Rental cars near Miami
4 nearby
(opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) Enterprise
Enterprise — Miami International Airport (MIA)
6.4 mi from terminal10.2 km from terminalDaily 5:30 AM – 1:00 AM(opens in new tab) Avis
Avis — Miami International Airport (MIA)
6.4 mi from terminal10.2 km from terminalDaily 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM(opens in new tab) Budget
Budget — Miami International Airport (MIA)
6.4 mi from terminal10.2 km from terminalDaily 5:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Port crowds
Next 30 days
Oct 17Very busy85°F30°C / 74°F24°C
Oct 18Normal79°F26°C / 72°F22°C
Oct 19Normal83°F28°C / 78°F25°C
Oct 22Normal82°F28°C / 78°F26°C
Oct 23Normal82°F28°C / 77°F25°C
Oct 24Normal81°F27°C / 78°F26°C
Oct 25Very busy84°F29°C / 78°F26°C
Oct 26Busy82°F28°C / 80°F27°C
Oct 27Normal82°F28°C / 79°F26°C
Oct 29Quiet84°F29°C / 74°F23°C
Oct 30Quiet84°F29°C / 74°F23°C
Oct 31Very busy84°F29°C / 74°F23°C
Nov 1Very busy80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 2Normal80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 5Normal80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 6Normal80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 7Busy80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 8Very busy80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 9Busy80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 11Normal80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 12Quiet80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 13Normal80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 14Very busy80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 15Very busy80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
Nov 16Busy80°F27°C / 71°F22°C
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