Miami Nightlife For the Backpacker

Miami is certainly a fun-loving place. The two tenets of life here are the beach and the bar, which means this large city in the southern state of Florida makes for an awesome backpacking destination.

Time spent partying here can get quite expensive however, as those numerous cocktails and chasers don't come cheap. Consequently, it's important the incoming backpacker pick his or her drinking hole carefully - there are numerous excellent and affordable places to spend an evening in Miami, you just have to be prepared to look for them.

Here are a few suggestions of places where the earnest backpacker can enjoy a fulsome and relatively inexpensive night out on the town in Miami...

Jazz on South Beach Hostel

Miami hostels prove a good bet if you're looking for like minded backpackers to share an evening out with. What's more, part of the deal when you book a Miami hostel is often organized nights out, whereby staff take you to places that only the locals know about. Jazz on South Beach Hostel is one such place. A carefree and fun hostel, it's known for being the epicenter of many a memorable party in Miami.

Lost Weekend, Espanola Way

Lost Weekend is just the type of bar backpackers love: there's no dress code (so you can get in wearing your vest and cargo pants that haven't been washed for a month), pool, darts and Foosball are all available, and the drinks come happily cheap.

The Playwright Irish Pub, Washington Avenue

This atmospheric Irish Pub is extremely popular with locals and travelers alike. Not only is the drinks list extensive, the food menu hearty and cheap, and the sporting occasions raucous (in a good way), but the place is also fitted with traditional wooden decor. Which means it's not just the Playwright's drinking culture that carries that certain flavor of Ireland!

Tavern in the Grove, Main Highway

This great joint is a favorite among students, who lap up the welcoming ambiance and cheap drinks with predictable fervor. This is the type of place where you head early in the evening, and remember very little thereafter.

Tobacco Road, South Miami Avenue

One of Miami's most famous nightlife spots, this is another joint that can suck you in at any hour of the day and keep you in its thrall for a near infinitive amount of time. The drinks are affordable, the food is good, and the live music come nightfall is pumping. It's an all round excellent choice.

Happy Hours

Happy Hours in Miami bars prove a great way of enjoying the nightlife here. You can either milk a good deal on cheap booze for as much as you can get, or you can use the opportunity to get into one of those swankier cocktail joints on the beach using the justification that the drinks won't dent your wallet as much as they normally would. Ask around at your Miami hostel to find out about the best happy hour deals in Miami.

By Jonny C.