Here are some family tips to make your stay in Miami Beach a little more fun, with favorite restaurants and shops.

You may benefit from what we, a multi-generational family that loves to get together, learned and enjoyed during a recent stay in Miami, Florida. Here are some useful tips with lasting value, from happy grandparents who love entertaining our kids and grandkids.

Climate

Sunblock, sunblock. Even in winter, the tropical climate insures plenty of sun through the sultry humidity. Expect refreshing downpours on occasion.

Dining, Nightlife & Childcare to Enjoy Them!

The famous SoBe strip along Ocean Avenue boasts family-friendly hotspots like NewsCafé (for great drinks, salads, burgers, etc.).

Washington Avenue has many other ethnic choices, including the inexpensive and fun Tokyo Bowl, with its all-you-can-eat sushi menu.

The Da Leo Trattoria restaurant, followed by a stop at the Parmalat Gelateria, combine for a great Lincoln Road evening.

Our family favorites on Calle Ocho, the once-Cuban, now-Latin section of town, are Versailles and La Carreta, for terrific inexpensive food and Latin style. New to the area are the innovative Teté with live music nightly, and Cultural Fridays, free Latin arts and antiques exhibits held the last Friday of each month.

With ages 4+ consider a trip to the Broward Center for the Arts ( 954/462-0222) in Ft. Lauderdale, which has an extensive children's theatre and performing arts program year-round.

If you're going out on the town, book ahead with one of the recommended local childcare agencies. Call Personal Touch (305/949-9214) for current rates and advance reservations.

Getting Around Easily

Fritz's Skate & Bike Shop (305/532-1954 at 1620 Washington Avenue near the end of Lincoln Road) is open 10am-10pm daily for skate, bike and scooter rentals; helmets and pads included in hourly, half-day or day rates. South Beach Scooters ( 305/604-1414 at 28th Street and Collins) is open daily for mopeds, electric scooters and golf carts, by the hour or day.

Languages

Expect most locals to speak English, but you'll find Spanish is the lingua franca of Miami, arguably the largest Latin community outside South America.

Phoning Home

Visitors should note that Miami Beach has gone to 10-digit phone numbers, requiring use of the area code even for local calls. (You'll need to add '1' beforehand if you call outside the city limits, to Ft. Lauderdale for example.)

Shopping

Washington Avenue in South Beach is for your skateboarding tweeners, pierced and tatooed teens, and their indulgent grandparents who will delight in the safe and friendly display of leopard thongs, vinyl platform shoes, navel rings, henna tatoos, surfer wear and other inexpensive fad-of-the-moment gear.

Española Way hosts weekend crafts fairs along its pedestrian-only Spanish colonial lane.

The city-sponsored Caribbean Marketplace in Little Haiti is another outing for unusual gifts and island items.

On this most recent multi-generational outing, we enjoyed Books & Books, the eccentric collection of new and vintage at the Fly Boutique, and the many small galleries lining the Lincoln Road Mall.

There's superb shopping for Euro chic at the Bal Harbour Shops and Aventura Mall, and many seasonal sales.

Coral Gables boasts the upscale, designer-oriented Miracle Mile shopping area, while Coconut Grove's odd shops and hip boutiques will delight teens.

Sights

Go for the Deco. This architecturally distinctive style can be seen in its original form with terrific, kid-friendly walking tours given by the Miami Design Preservation League, and in kitsch form over a piña colada at such icons as the Eden Roc Hotel.

Tipping & All Gratuities

Don't be fooled by Miami's cleverly functional 'service added' dining bills. With tourist traffic emanating from servis compris Europe and never-tip Asia, Miami's top restaurants have kept their surprisingly good wait staffs happy by adding a 12%-15% gratuity to every check, with the caption: "Please feel free to adjust the gratuity to reflect the quality of service you have received." Caveat emptor!