Your best bet is
Versailles (link). It's very close to the airport and is exactly what you seem to be looking for. Authentic to the core yet also suitable for tourists. It's often referred to as the capital of Little Havana. Poke around at the rest of that link for a lot of useful Miami food/drink/entertainment information.
If you're in a little more of a hurry (other than traffic, things can move rather slowly down here) you can check out any
La Carreta (link) which are owned by the same folks who own Versailles. Any Latin American Restaurant (can't find a website--either due to the ridiculously generic name or the distinct possibility that they simply have no web presence) will also do, but they're a little more like a diner than a traditional sit-down restaurant.
Being a student on a student's budget, I haven't yet gone on a cigar factory tour through the area since I know I'd feel compelled to spend an awful lot of money, so while there's obviously no shortage of exciting destinations, I'm afraid I can't really be of much help in that regard.
When it comes to driving, don't stop for yellow lights (at least not without checking your rearview to make sure there's no chance of getting rear-ended by someone flooring it behind you) and always look both ways before proceeding on green if you're the first car in line at a stoplight. Be on your guard and never assume that the drivers around you will follow the law or refrain from risky and/or selfishly rude driving. The hackneyed old chestnut is that everyone drives according to the rules of their home country, and some of the home countries have no rules. Lame attempt at humor, but not altogether off base.
I'm buried up to my eyeballs in schoolwork right now and our finances are on life support as well so I can't commit to anything at this point, but if a little herf gets organized, there's certainly the possibility of a game-time decision on my end.
Enjoy!
