Miami downtown skyline across Biscayne Bay
FL, USA • City guide

Miami / Fort Lauderdale

Airports: MIA, FLL

Sun, beaches and nightlife wrapped around four pro venues, from downtown Kaseya Center to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and the Panthers up in Sunrise.

Stay areas

Miami downtown skyline across Biscayne Bay
Best overall for a Miami sports weekend

Brickell

Miami's sleek high-rise downtown, walkable to Kaseya Center with the best concentration of hotels, rooftop bars and dining in the city.

Pros
  • • Walk/short ride to Kaseya Center
  • • Rooftop bars and dining
  • • Metromover connections
Cons
  • • Drive needed for Hard Rock and Sunrise
Nightlife 9/10 Upper Miami (MIA) ~8 mi.
Hotelstrips take

The best all-round Miami base — walk to the Heat and ride out to the others.

Miami downtown skyline across Biscayne Bay
Best for nightlife and the beach

South Beach

The iconic beach-and-nightlife strip across the bay — sun by day, world-famous clubs by night, with rideshare access to the venues.

Pros
  • • Beach on the doorstep
  • • World-class nightlife
  • • Great for a longer weekend
Cons
  • • Furthest from the arenas
  • • Traffic to the mainland
Nightlife 10/10 Upper Miami (MIA) ~12 mi; Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ~25 mi.
Hotelstrips take

Stay on the beach if the trip is as much about Miami as the game.

Miami downtown skyline across Biscayne Bay
Best for a Panthers game

Sunrise / Fort Lauderdale

The best base for a Panthers game — Fort Lauderdale hotels and the Sawgrass area put you close to Amerant Bank Arena with easy parking.

Pros
  • • Closest hotels to Amerant Bank Arena
  • • Easy driving and parking
  • • Fort Lauderdale beach nearby
Cons
  • • Car essential
  • • Far from downtown Miami
Nightlife 6/10 Mid Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ~15 mi.
Hotelstrips take

The comfortable base for a Panthers game without the Miami drive.

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