<p>Hello. I've been accepted into UMiami and offered the University Scholarship (whoo!). I have yet to visit the school but am going to the accepted students orientation. Can anyone give me an idea of what it's like around campus. I live in Chapel Hill so I have UNC and Franklin Street and all that good stuff for comparison. </p>
<p>Is it safe? Is there an area where students go and hang out that would be similar to Franklin Street (a bunch of student oriented shops, local cheap restaurants, some clubs, little movie theater). How far can you go off campus before you enter shady Miami?</p>
<p>Well there is Sunset Mall which is one train stop/shuttle bus ride/a couple blocks walking distance from campus. It has a theater, some good shops and cheap food. Clubs are a little further away, and most of the parties are in Coconut Grove, about 15-20 minutes away. The biggest problem with Miami is our terrible public transportation system, but you can find ways around that. Make friends with an upperclassman who has a car, or just splurge on a cab. Buses will take you there, it just might take a while.
There isn’t really a distance, persey, where Miami suddenly turns “shady.” Sure, there are some areas that aren’t great (and some that are really bad) but the “safe,” for lack of a better word, areas are scattered throughout. South Beach is always a good bet, the area around UM is fantastic, and Coconut Grove and Coral Gables (which has Miracle Mile, close by and good for hanging out, often some good music) are super safe too.
Hope you like it when you come down! Feel free to PM me with any questions. I’ve lived here my whole life, so I know it pretty well :)</p>
<p>Coconut Grove is mainly where students go out, where all the bars are, and it’s like 5-10 minutes away, definitely not 15-20. We don’t really have anywhere cheap though (it’s Miami, not a college town) nor do we have anywhere that’s exclusively college students. One of the negatives about going to Miami, but also a positive, in my opinion. This month, since people everywhere are on spring break, you go out to the bars and there are tons of people from all over that are down for their break, so it’s fun to go out and not have everyone be from your school, but sometimes it would be nice to just go to a crappy, cheap college bar too.</p>
<p>Miami definitely isn’t cheap, but there is the Grove which is the “bar scene” with plenty of restaurants. Sunset is a 10 minute walk from the freshman dorms and has every shop, moive theater, restaurants, etc</p>
<p>NOTHING like Franklin street around Miami. The surrounding streets are safe…I walk around them at 2am with no big deal. However, once you get into the “city” it does get sketchy</p>
<p>There is a sketchy area on the way to Coconut Grove so I wouldn’t walk around there - always get a ride or take a taxi. But the area immediately surrounding the school is very nice (Coral Gables). Lots of nice homes and quiet streets. Sunset Place Mall is close as mentioned before. South Beach is a 20-30 minute drive away. Lots of nice places to go, but none are strickly college spots and all are relatively pricey.</p>
<p>Miami has shuttles that run to Coconut Grove and other places. Students can post info on that. Sunset Mall is walkable. Dadeland Mall is a train ride down the Dixie Hwy.
/restaurants!!) and my poor son at college in upstate NY does not get a visit (though we will likely plan one next year.) (Don’t feel too badly, son in NY does not really care if we visit!)</p>
<p>Ok, I have lived in Miami all my life so I know the area a tad.
UM is in Coral Gables, it is not by any means a College town, its a big city. There are plenty of local shops and restaurants and malls and etc…its miami.</p>
<p>Coral Gables is a safe city for the most part. I’m from Sweetwater and…lets just say that isn’t the best of all neighborhoods. UM is completely safe for a good 5 mile radius, and even after that its pretty safe, just not as up kept neighborhoods as the expensive Coral Gables. The areas of danger would probably be parts of Hialeah, Liberty City, and Carol City.</p>
<p>All of Dade county has attractions where students can go and the Hurry Cane should take you most places.</p>
<p>In short, if youre worried about safety, don’t. It’s pretty safe around UM and in most attraction spots</p>