After living there 27 years, she boasts: “I know everything you would want to know about Miami.”

So let’s get some tour advice from Scott and Bruce Frazey, another KU alum living in South Florida. They say Floridian Jayhawks will welcome you with open – and probably well-tanned – arms as you prepare to head to the Orange Bowl early next month.

The game

You probably know this, but to recap: Kansas University plays Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. The game is at 8 p.m. Eastern, or 7 p.m. Central, on Jan. 3.

The game is played at Dolphin Stadium, which is actually right between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Either city is an option for hotels.

There are several Orange Bowl-affiliated events you might want to check out while you’re there. They include:

¢ The Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, with college games at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

¢ Fan Fest, 1 p.m.- 7 p.m. Jan. 2 in downtown Miami, with music and other activities.

¢ Tailgate Party, starting at 11:30 a.m. at Dolphin Stadium.

In addition, the KU Alumni Association is planning yet-to-be-scheduled events surrounding the game.

By the way, ZZ Top is the halftime entertainment.

Beaches

While the beaches of Clinton Lake are long deserted for the winter, things are different in Miami.

The average high temperature there during January is in the mid-70s, compared with the upper-30s in Lawrence. And the water temperature doesn’t cool off much.

Scott, a 1980 KU graduate who sells advertising, says to pack a swimsuit.

“We complain about it,” she says of the cooler water temperatures. “But the reality is, everybody else thinks it’s like the bathtub.”

There are several reefs in the area that are good for snorkeling and other water sports.

Attractions

The Miami Metrozoo, though nowhere near Dolphin Stadium, offers a family-friendly entertainment option, says Frazey, a real estate developer and consultant who earned three degrees from KU in the 1970s and has lived in Miami since 1987.

“I think it is every bit as good as San Diego,” Frazey says.

Another animal-related attraction is Jungle Island, which includes exotic animals and shows. And the Miami Seaquarium offers a look at whales, dolphins, sea lions, manatees and other sea life.

If you’re into more natural locales, the Everglades National Park has 1.5 million acres of natural ecosystems – and thousands of alligators. Tours, hiking and boating are available.

For those who prefer indoor entertainment, Miami has several art museums. The Miami Art Museum features a collection with a special emphasis on local artists. Meanwhile, the Wolfsonian at Florida International University has a more varied collection of artifacts including rare books, industrial-design objects and furniture primarily from North America and Europe.

Dining

Seafood and Cuban food rule in Miami.

“A Cuban sandwich is good most anyplace, anytime,” Frazey says.

Frazey says if you’re going to hit a popular restaurant that caters to tourists, Joe’s Stone Crab on South Beach is one to hit – even if it is expensive and crowded.

“A lot of tourist traps are mediocre – Joe’s is the best,” he says.

And he offers this insider tip about Billy’s Stone Crab, another restaurant.

“It’s Joe’s former son-in-law,” he says. “If you just want great food, Billy’s is as good as Joe’s without the ‘form.'”

If seafood or Cuban food aren’t up your alley, Scott suggests Le Bouchon du Grove, her favorite French restaurant. And if you want dinner with a view, she says the Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne offers a great view of downtown Miami and good food.

Nightlife

The South Beach area of Miami gets all the publicity, and Scott says it is, indeed, the place to be.

“If you haven’t been here,” she says, “you want to go to South Beach and check out all the fabulous people. It’s trendy. It’s hot. It’s interesting over there.”

That area also is the place to be for shoppers. The nearby Lincoln Road district offers many upscale shopping and dining options.

For those wanting a more off-the-beaten-path experience, Scott recommends the Bayside Hut, which is near the Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne.

Fort Lauderdale

Though much of the focus might be on the larger city of Miami, nearby Fort Lauderdale also offers entertainment options.

Jessica Taylor, media relations director for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, notes her area includes 69 miles of coral reef, and scuba diving will be fine this time of the year.

Speaking of swimming, Taylor’s city is home to two water-related shrines – the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Also, she notes, the Florida Panthers National Hockey League team is home Dec. 28 and 29, for those who want to arrive in the area early.

“Sports enthusiasts might be able to catch something they might be able to back home,” she says.

Fort Lauderale also offers gambling – there are four pari-mutuel racetracks that offer gaming.

Other advice

As far as travel goes, Miami does have a bus system and plenty of cabs, but Scott suggests renting a car.

“It’s just in your best interest,” she says. “Public transportation isn’t developed as much as it should be.”

And she’s already heard some trepidation from her Midwestern friends about traveling to Miami.

“People are always a little nervous coming to Miami, especially of they come from the Midwest,” she says. “Miami really gets a bad rap, and it’s really not deserved. There are good areas and bad areas.”

If nothing else, Scott says, Jayhawk fans should enjoy the fact they’re not enduring the Kansas weather for a few days when they head to Florida.

“It’s going to be perfect,” she says. “The weather that time of the year is why we’re all here. There’s misery in the summer, but why people live in South Florida is December, January and February.”