<p>I know that UM is fairly close to Miami, and to South Beach, but from what I understand those are both a drive away (maybe 20 minutes?). What is the area immediately surrounding the college like? Are there places to eat/shop/visit nearby?</p>
<p>Google Earth will be some great evidence for you: <a href=“Google Maps”>Google Maps;
<p>Basically, the university sits in suburbia. Route 1 borders on the East and South and is a typical divided highway with the campus on one side and many small businesses and a few plazas (strip malls) on the other. There are restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, storage facilities, etc all along the eastern side of US1 in this area.</p>
<p>On the western border of campus is Red Road (aka 57th ave), which is residential - including a lot of student housing. </p>
<p>On the norther border is Blue Road - more residential and a golf course.</p>
<p>Sharing the eastern border with US1 is Grenada Blvd - again, more residential.</p>
<p>Technically Red Road and Blue Road are not on the campus borders, but are separated by housing from campus property and another twisting set of roads: San Amaro Drive and Campo Sano Ave.</p>
<p>All in all, the feel if you drive in a “loop” around the outskirts of the U’s property you get a lot of residential feel with businesses popping up the closer you get to US1.</p>
<p>I think we will have to drive around more on our next visit. I’ve only been on the side with US 1. Sounds like my DS, who is a runner, would be running in the streets in the other directions, right?</p>
<p>Miami native here, UM is in kinda a weird location. Coral Gables has some of the most expensive real estate in South Florida and that is located to the north/west of campus. Just to the East is US1 which has plenty of stores and Sunset Place (a mall with a theatre) is very close. There are some “depressed” areas very close to campus though to the south so watch out.</p>
<p>UM is in the relatively upscale neighborhood of Coral Gables and is usually safe. Right down the road is Sunset Place (a shopping mall mostly frequented by middle schoolers to be perfectly honest) with a lot of restaurants and shops nearby. There are also a lot of businesses around UM that offer student discounts. Getting around Miami and the general area really isn’t a hassle despite Miami being a commuter city. Students have the Metro right there which can take you pretty much anywhere. </p>
<p>And just as a general comment, you do have to be careful. Don’t go anywhere you don’t trust or do anything dumb and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>@ LINYMOM You can always see students running along the sidewalks of US 1. It’s a bit dangerous though so I wouldn’t recommend it . Your DS will be able to find many other running paths around campus, especially the road right on the other side of the Metrorail.</p>
<p>Edited: Wanted to add that I’m also a Miami native and have been at UM late at night and have always felt safe.</p>
<p>I live in Miami and went to UM. Honestly, I don’t know what “depressed” areas (much less “watch out”) there are very near UM. It’s just middle class suburbs to the south and very affluent areas everywhere else. Across US1 from the school (walking distance) is a small mall (no Macy’s type anchors) with a Barnes and Noble, a movie theater, some clothing stores (Delia’s, Forever 21, Hollister) and restaurants. In the walking area of that mall are other shops, a grocery store, funky clothing stores, drug stores, cute restaurants, pampered dog-type shops. Directly across from the school is a strip mall with a Fridays and some other shops. There is also the Metrorail train line, which runs to campus. It goes down to Dadeland Mall, a large regional mall with Macy’s, Nordstrom, etc. Metrorail goes to Coconut Grove but not really the walking area (If you don’t have a car, find a friend with a car – it’s an affluent school with quite a lot of locals, so it won’t be a problem) and downtown Miami, where you can take the Metromover to other spots. The Metrorail does go to some seamier areas of Miami, but if you stick to the Dadeland, Brickell, and Government Center stops, you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>It’s not one of those campuses like Michigan or South Carolina which is in the middle of a city, but it’s not isolated either.</p>
<p>Thank you. This is great information. I know my D would like a school with something to do nearby, in walking distance. Hopefully we can come explore it further.</p>
<p>Yeah, I lived on campus one year without a car, and I walked lots of places. That said, I am a walker. THAT said, schools like UF or USF have campuses the size of UM and its whole surrounding neighborhood, so walking to the movies from UM is no worse. </p>
<p>I should say that my boyfriend’s, now husband’s family lived in Westchester, one of the presumably “depressed” suburbs to the south of UM, and his dad was a lawyer (though he will admit they should have moved). That’s why I’m so confident of the safety of that area. There are a lot of Hispanic people there,which might make out of staters nervous, but Miami Hispanics come in all economic brackets.</p>
<p>DS is a freshman and a runner. He tells me there is a 3 mile loop around campus. The running club organizes longer runs off campus. Good Luck to all of you!!!</p>