Anybody been to a game in Miami? Worth going?

[FLbills]

My wife I got tickets for the game and are staying near the stadium. We're driving in Thursday morning and leaving out the next day. Should we not be staying there? After reading what others are saying I feel like maybe we're making a mistake. Our plan was tobe able to walk back to the room after the game. We figured that it's only for a night. 

 

 

Edited May 20 by FLbills

[HOUSE]

Learn Spanish

[HaldimandBills]

Wife and I made a week of it in the Florida Keys and drove up for the game. Thought about staying in Miami but we were newly Weds and wanted something low key and the Florida Keys drive is a fantastic one.

 

My input is the fans were mostly harmless and the ribbing was all in good fun. Of course there was obnoxious drunk idiots but other Miami fans put them in their place when they began to get too much. Id say the stadium was 40% Bills fans. 

 

I found it funny when the Miami fans kept mocking the Bills players for needing water during breaks. I asked them if any of them would he coming to Buffalo in December so we could mock them when they're freezing their butts off. We all had a good laugh. 

 

All in all. I think Miami fans are used to Bills Mafia taking over and make the best of it with friendly banter. Stay in your lane and don't be obnoxious and you'll have a great time.

[Reks Ryan]

10 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

Learn Spanish

True.   But you can always look for the restaurants and stores with   "we speak English" signs.

 

On a serious note, it's well worth the trip.  A lot good restaurants and beach hotels between Miami & Fort Lauderdale.   And tons of bills fans at the game and around town.   I will probably miss this year for a business trip, but will only be the 2nd time in 20+ years that I won't see the Bills in Miami.   Josh generally destroys the fish, so it's been a good time for us in recent years

[Matt_In_NH]

I live in NE and went to a game with some friends....it was NE vs fish before they were the evil empire but after the first SB.  there was no covering, the game was so effing hot it was totally unbearable but we stuck it out in the upper decks, 95 degress, no wind, 100000% humidity and not a cloud for eons.   Went to the bathroom and found 60% of the fans at the game were watching on little TV's in the concourse.   It was a good time cause some fish fans were super jerks and watching their faces when the Pats won in OT was priceless.   I know I know leave me alone I actually hate both of them...........

[DCofNC]

You guys are great, thank you!  I’m going to book it all in the next couple days so we’re good to go.   
 

Flights are dirt cheap and hotels aren’t too bad right now, so once that’s locked in, it’s just the damn tickets, but it is what it is.

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

I've been to several Bills games in Miami.  There was usually a large group of us and we sat together.  The obnoxious hometown Miami fans (which there are many) left us alone.  When the fins are losing, most of their fans are gone before the end of the third quarter.  Overall, it's a pretty good game experience.

 

We usually stay in hotels away from the stadium, maybe 20 miles.  For a Sunday game, we mostly travel in on Friday night and leave on Monday morning.

[machine gun kelly]

14 hours ago, DCofNC said:

Hey all,

 

I’m thinking about making a long weekend trip and going to the Miami game, in Miami.  Is it worth the trip?  Any tips on where to stay or “must try” restaurants?  I’ve been to a lot of games at home and a handful of away games, I know nothing compares to the game day experience in Buffalo, but I’m always down for something new.

When I was younger, I used to go with some friends each year.  I live in Tampa so it’s only a few hours.  I used to stay in South Beach and was fun.  The Saturday night prior was a trip.

[plenzmd1]

16 hours ago, DCofNC said:

Hey all,

 

I’m thinking about making a long weekend trip and going to the Miami game, in Miami.  Is it worth the trip?  Any tips on where to stay or “must try” restaurants?  I’ve been to a lot of games at home and a handful of away games, I know nothing compares to the game day experience in Buffalo, but I’m always down for something new.

I am not like many, when I go to away games last thing I want is being around a bunch of drunk Bills fans eating nasty wings and swilling cheap beer like Blues.

i much much much prefer getting a feel for the local flavor of the place just like I would do when visiting not for the game. 
 So to clear, you could not pay me enough to go to the Elbo Room. 
 

Having said that, we stayed in the Brickell area of Miami last December. Element. Brickell. Cool area , tons of great restaurants , clubs if that’s your thing. Super cool outdoor covered mall with great restaurants as well. No beach though. Metro right there as well. 
 

Now, you may hate all that, but best thing we did was tailgate with this guy! Reach out to him on Twitter, boy can cook. He tailgates with Dolphins fans , which makes it even more fun. I guarantee he will have best tailgate food ya ever had. 
 

 

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

14 hours ago, FLbills said:

My wife I got tickets for the game and are staying near the stadium. We're driving in Thursday morning and leaving out the next day. Should we not be staying there? After reading what others are saying I feel like maybe we're making a mistake. Our plan was tobe able to walk back to the room after the game. We figured that it's only for a night. 

 

 

 

I'm sure you'll be fine. It's not what I would recommend, as Miami Gardens sucks. But if you are just sleeping there and want to walk, you should be ok.

[MarkyMannn]

I had 3 friends go there last year, I assumed the game. They just stayed at the Elbo Room all weekend

[BBMB Poster]

We went to the Miami game last year at the end of the season and it was awesome.  The atmosphere was great and stadium was about 50/50 Bills/ Dolphins fans.

 

There are a ton of great restaurants no matter where you stay.  You should try Caribbean or Latin American food, it does not disappoint.  Not just a Cuban sandwich, some really funky stuff.  You won't regret it.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Sweats]

I saw a game and then spent the rest of my time in the everglades.......try the alligator, that is some tasty ****.

[Einstein]

14 hours ago, HOUSE said:

Learn Spanish

 

I too was going to post this.

 

It’s not a joke when people say the primary language in Miami is Spanish. English is a close second.

[plenzmd1]

5 hours ago, MarkyMannn said:

I had 3 friends go there last year, I assumed the game. They just stayed at the Elbo Room all weekend

Man, to each their own,  it that sounds awful to me! 
 

now, back in da day (84 and 85) I spent several hours over several days  in the Elbo Room drinking $.50 beers before 3 during spring break. 

[manateefan]

Went to 2 Monday night games back in the Kelly-Marino days. Stayed in Ft. Lauderdale near port. Don't remember the name. They were package deals, hotel, car, ticket to game, and bus to and from the game, Friday to Tuesday. It was in the old stadium. A restaurant owner from Buffalo threw a Bills party at a bar/restaurant on Saturday. Had a great time. The weather was great because they were in November.

[Augie]

22 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

 

No idea what it would be like in Sept. At least it will be at night. 

 

I’ve turned down free tickets for early season day games in Tampa and Jax. I’ve done both, and that was enough to learn my lesson. The early weeks can be absolutely brutal, to the point that we were the ONLY people left in our row before finally going inside for some shade and AC so we could all watch on little monitors over the concession stands. 

19 hours ago, HOUSE said:

Learn Spanish

 

The last time I was in South Beach I stopped at several places and had to literally point at the menu because nobody spoke English. 

[corta765]

Went twice, 2014 TNF game (puke of a game) and 2016 10 min collapse in 4th quarter.

 

My answer even after losing both, ABSOLUTELY.

 

First off if you go in Oct-Nov its beautiful outside. Sept this year will be hotter but it is at night. The tailgating is kinda surreal that is surrounded by palm trees and sun vs what we have but it is really nice to be able to wear shorts. Bills fans take over 30-40% of the stadium which is really wild so it is a blast. I found Miami fans were pretty chill and decent folk regardless of rivalry. First trip we came from Fort Myers and went for just the evening but was still fun. Second in 2016 we stayed Saturday evening and went out, Miami was a great time on South Beach and we didn't even do the Bills backers stuff.

Virtually anyone whose a Bills fan that has traveled out of town has said its a blast and because our fanbase travels well (especially these days) its a very unique cool experience. Miami is prob a top 3 yearly of a visit for Bills fans of road games especially if your coming from NYS or somewhere up here.

 

As for the city I'd see what others recommend as it was 8 years ago now and places change for best spot etc.. The one thing is the stadium is actually 20-30 mins from the beach area if you stay so plan to drive or have your uber ordered.

[Ray Stonada]

I’ve had amazing food there… just awesome super fresh fried shrimp, ceviche, Cuban sandwiches, Peruvian rotisserie chicken with green sauce, lots of amazing stuff you can’t get in the Northeast. 

[MarkyMannn]

17 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Man, to each their own,  it that sounds awful to me! 

Yeah it was golf in the afternoon, bar at night