Miami Beach Via  Segway

by Tab Hauser

 

(update: The company we dealt years ago is out of business that rented the Segway's but I updated this with new companies below)

 

We were in South Florida for the Thanks Giving Holiday and decided to break up the routine by driving an hour to South Beach to do a Segway tour.  Segway’s are those 2 personal transport vehicles that have the wheels side by side and is kept balanced by a computer  and  gyros.  Segway’s are probably the newest and most unusual thing on wheels to be invented in last 50 years.  To me stepping onto a Segway is one of those unnatural small leaps of faith that work out quite well and are easy to use after about 10 minutes of practice.  

 

 After 5 minutes in the store we got  to practice in the little alley next door using small traffic cones to maneuver around.  If you do not want to wear a bicycle helmet you can take a khaki pit helmet that they say offers the same head protection as the bike helmet but keeps the sun off your face if opt for a day time ride.    My son took to this strange vehicle like a fish to water.  Maureen & I played with Segway’s for 45 minutes on the island of Corsica when we were on the Sea Dream 2 summers ago but only in a large parking lot so we did not spend much time in the store practicing.   Anyway, Maureen  seemed more comfortable on this contraption than I do. I believe I look into it a little too much and can’t grasp that moving in a Segway is no more than moving your own body. I am too used to gas peddles and brakes which there are none.  All you have is a handle bar to hold onto and a steering control on the left side that turns. Your body leaning front wards or back wards is what makes you go.  Simply stand still and the Segway stays put just like you would when you stand still.

SoBe (South Beach) at night

 

There are no set  tour hours given at Electric Rentals.  If you show up between 9AM to about 9PM they will take you out pending the availability of the Segway’s.  If they do not have any when you get there, go have lunch, dinner or a walk because the tours only last an hour so you are never far off from getting your hands and feet on it.   Our tour guide was a college freshman transplanted from Seattle who took us out first to the walk way that runs parallel to art deco hotels on Ocean Ave.  After buzzing up and down this area she changed our maximum speed from 6mph to 8 ½ mph in case we wanted to go faster.  From here we were back on the side walks going south  to where Miami Beach ends.  We ended at  channel where  the  cruise boats come and go.  It was pretty funny when we went through part of the outdoor dining area of Smith and Wollensky’s Steak House that is located in this area.   In the back of this upscale steak house they put tables on either side of a side walk that takes you to the pier.  Here we formed a single line and slowed to a crawl while the diners were staring at us as we past by. From here we went on a pier where you get a  view of South Beach in the distance.  We also passed the smells of spicy Spanish sausage being grilled by a few families having a picnic in the dark.

Daniel on a Segway

 

After the boardwalk we headed back passing shops and restaurants  while were people asking us what we were doing and what is that 2 wheel thing called. People were also asking how it worked.  Segway’s are legal on the sidewalks and streets in Miami with less than a 25mph speed limit.  With the ease of maneuvering we had no problems getting around the people and tables on the sidewalks.  Mind you we slowed to probably 1 to mph in the tight spots but with the way the Segway is made, balance and tight turning is not an issue.    It was in front of a cream colored Bentley Convertible at Joe’s Stone Crab’s where my son gave  a 360 degree turn to show how it worked.

 

After 1 hour and 20 minutes we were back on 11th street. Our guide asked us we wanted to go another 45 minutes to the Lincoln Mall as well as to a museum where you could take it inside to see the exhibits.  We politely declined saving this part of the trip for another day.

 

I should mention we opted to do our tour at night. This was a good time  as it did not take up our beach or pool time during the day and kept the sun off us.


After giving back the Segway’s we walked do to 7th street where we can highly recommend a “local” no frills Cuban place to eat called Puerto Sagua.  This is place that serves good cheap Cuban style food.  There are no table cloths or fancy ambience. You get good and flavorful food that you can wash down with fresh fruit shakes or inexpensive beer. This was a second time eating here in 6 months and we were  not been disappointed. It is also a welcome change to anyone that has been eating at the more expensive restaurants on Ocean Avenue.  

 

The most recent I have seen is http://www.bikeandroll.com/miami/decosegway.html and http://www.segwayofmiamibeach.com/