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If someone had told me l would like another place in America as much as l like Los Angeles, l would have laughed. “Not possible” would have been my answer. I would have had to eat my words though as we both really, really liked Miami.
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We had never been, so it seemed like a good idea to spend some time there after our cruise to the Dominican Republic. Federico had a photo shoot scheduled during the week, so we figured we might as well discover more of this breezy city. Here are six impressive Miami Florida highlights and a bonus!
Miami Highlights:
- South Beach
- Little Havana
- Lincoln Road
- Wynwood District
- Latin Food in Miami
- Art Deco district
- Bonus highlight: Cheap Uber rides
I hadn’t bothered to do much research in preparation for the trip. Sometimes, just winging it is good for the soul. We arrived in Miami in plenty of time to catch the cruise .
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Where to stay in Miami:
AirBnB Miami:
We spent our first two nights at an AirBnB rental in the downtown area. It was a perfect spot. I highly recommend it to anyone staying in the Miami area. The room was spotless, the guys who owned the place provided everything you needed for comfort in the en-suite.
We had lots of privacy as the owners were busy young men who were hardly home. We would definitely stay there again. It is very convenient to other areas with Uber, I don’t think we spent more than $5 to get anywhere and they arrived within three minutes most of the time.
Miami Hotel to stay as an alternative:
We wanted a bit of hotel experience after our cruise and opted for a brand new boutique hotel that l found online after extensive research. Truthfully, we wouldn’t have minded returning to the AirBnB but we had already booked “The New Hotel”.
The hotel turned out to be excellent too, and it was just located just two blocks to the beach. It’s a great place to stay also as it was cheaper than the hotels along the beach and morphed into a happening chill bar in the evenings.
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Miami Travel:
Our week in Miami was mostly spent eating, walking and enjoying the beach. The vibe of the city is infectious, a very cosmopolitan place. We found it to be very clean. I especially loved the greenery , the wide open spaces and the fresh air.
There is definitely a lot of wealth in the city. A lot!!!! Exotic cars were plentiful, more than in L.A even, and that’s saying a lot! I was only disappointed that l didn’t get to see pink flamingos like in the “Miami Vice” intro 🙂 .
Here are what we consider very impressive highlights of Miami in no particular order. They should be on your Miami must do list.
Miami Highlights that we consider must do and see:
South Beach & Art Deco District:
For me personally, this is the most impressive South Beach highlight. Reading up on the history of this part of Miami Beach, l discovered that it had started out as farmland, coconuts specifically. In the 1980’s, this area was run down and crime ridden.
It was by then a retirement community filled with old people on fixed pensions. The cocaine cowboys as they were known (think Scarface) quickly took over the area.
A lot of the places in South Beach were used on episodes of Miami Vice as they were already in shambles. Most of the 1930’s Art Deco buildings were demolished, and the rest were saved from developers by activists.
In a stunning reversal, South Beach, or SoBe is now considered one of the wealthiest areas in the city and it shows. Trivia: The Jackie Gleason Show was taped from South Beach in the 60’s bringing it more fame.
Click here for best hotel prices in Miami Beach.
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The Beaches: (Highlights of Miami)
Why do people visit Miami? Most would say for the sea. They are some of the best beaches in the world. I can’t imagine something cooler than being on a jet ski enjoying the day or one of these fast boats.
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No way could you mistake any of them for Venice Beach for sure 🙂 . The coastline was clean and offered plenty of space to sun bathe, swim or just chill. The water is so clear and reminds me of Malta. I totally enjoyed floating and even trying to swim. The fact that we were staying so close to Miami Beach was great and we spent a great deal of time in the water.
Travel essentials to bring to Miami: Make sure to bring your needed toiletries with you so you don’t end up paying high prices once on ground.
Lincoln Road Mall: (Things to do in Miami)
Lincoln Road is a mile long pedestrian only road in the downtown Miami area. It has an incredible number of shops, restaurants and galleries. It is basically the Miami version of the 3rd street Promenade in Santa Monica, just a lot bigger.
If you’re a shopper, you will definitely enjoy doing so.. For me, it was more about the people watching and drinking sangria :-).
Wynwood Art District: Miami Activities:
As lovers of street art, we found the Wynwood Walls and the whole district one of the best places to visit in Miami. There is a lot of talent to be found out there.
There are works from over 50 artists from sixteen countries scattered all around the Wynwood Walls area. The artwork has extended outside the walls itself, and entire buildings have become works of art. make sure you allow yourself several hours to see as much as possible.
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Related Reading: Wynwood Art District
We had an amazing afternoon walking around the district checking out the absolutely awesome graffiti masterpieces..yeah..masterpieces. Some of the murals were just jaw dropping. The district is home to over seventy galleries and twelve art studios. You’re bound to find something to like.
Little Havana:
The heart of Miami. Here you will find plenty of Latin American art galleries. The Cuban influence is very evident here and should be no surprise considering how close it is to the nation of Cuba.
Looking for awesome cigars? You will find them here in Little Havana, along with a slice of Cuban life involving old men playing dominoes and arguing about politics. Cafes where you can get the very best cups of strong Cuban coffee (a must have in Miami). This brings us to another highlight, namely food!.
Food in Miami: (What to eat in Miami)
As foodies, no trip for us would be complete without food 🙂 . Miami is home to a large population hailing from Cuba and other Latin countries such as Colombia and Peru.
We love all food and the week was spent getting our fill of plantain, my favourite food in the world and is a staple in many of the countries, pork and breaded milanesa.
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We of course had to visit the ultimate Cuban Restaurant, namely Versailles on the world famous Calle Ocho (8th street) in Little Havana area of Miami. We loved eating at the namesake ones in L.A. The food was just as good as we remembered it.
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Being in Miami felt like we were in a different country all together as Spanish was the dominant language. A lot of places that we ate at, the staff only spoke Spanish. Funny thing is, l understood that kind of Spanish. Totally unlike here in Spain where l am still at a loss ;-). My struggle continues.
Highlights Miami: Wrap up
Our conclusion of the visit? We were duly impressed. We both felt that we could live in Miami. If we ever moved back to the States, we would definitely consider it. It is very laid back, vibrant and there lots of things to do.
It might take me a bit to get over women walking around in bikinis and the skimpiest outfits all over the place though. Perhaps not in Miami Beach where we stayed as it is just really expensive there. Breakfast for two cost $25 on the average.
Dining out in Miami tip: Check your receipt:
One annoying thing that took us a couple of days to figure out was that tips were usually already included in the bill. We would unknowingly leave another on top of that ;-( . We kept wondering how people with regular jobs were able to afford living there. We are totally spoiled by the prices in Spain 🙂 .
Bonus Miami Highlight:
Uber Car Service:
One more very impressive thing about Miami was Uber. It was really cheap to get around. Most of our rides were $4.00 or less, cheaper than a beer. The drivers were cautious, polite, friendly and gave us great recommendations, so make sure to strike up a conversation.
Most of the Uber drivers were from Cuba so l got to practice my Spanish too. We kept wondering how they turned a profit. This was way more convenient than renting a car. The drivers were usually there to collect you within two minutes to boot! Amazing!
We recommend Big Bus tours to get the most out of your Miami vacation!
Highlight Reel Video:
Pinnable:
Have you ever been to Miami? If so did you like it and would you live there? What do you think of our list of impressive Miami Florida highlights? Did we miss anything that you consider even better? If you’ve never been, would you care to visit?
always love your pics. I’ve been sort of through Miami but I never got to see much of the city. I love the art deco architecture! Glad you got to spend some time there.
Thanks Tonya. I’m a big fan of art deco too. Thank god they were able to save a bit of them. Gives the place personality 🙂
These photos are AMAZING! Miami is one of my hubby and I’s favorite getaways–a quick flight from NYC and it feels like another world, always filled with sunshine! I feel like we are pretty lazy every time we go–it’s mostly the beach by day and large dinners out by night–but can’t wait to check out the street art district next time we’re there!
I still found it amazing that all my years in the States, l never made it there. I really liked it, and it did feel like another world. You will love that whole Wynwood area, really cool stuff and how lucky that you can get there quickly. I would go just for the food 🙂
I don’t know. I don’t know. Sometimes my husband tries to get me to consider this over the Caribbean. I always say no. Just can’t see me there. BUT I’m glad you liked it, and perhaps someday I’ll get over my mindset and give it a try, as is often wise to do. Your food looked delicious, and I do love plantains. The art deco was neat. The graffiti neat. But Miami. Just so big. So much. So.—Terri
I think l know what you mean by the bigness. It doesn’t feel so bad however because they are all pretty much separated so you don’t feel too overwhelmed. You should consider it. I loved the fact that the beach just goes on forever and so it felt unclamped. Nothing l hate worse than going to the beach and having to fight for space, especially for a non swimmer like me. It just felt really chill, so much so that Fede didn’t have to talk me into going. The food…the food..so delicious 🙂 . It felt like you were in Cuba or something for the most part 🙂 .
I know we would love the food, for sure!
Oh..you definitely would 🙂
I love Miami – I’ve been several times, but I haven’t been back since 2009 (en route to the DR) so I’m long overdue for a return trip. But as much as I love Miami, I don’t think I could live there at this stage of my life (i.e., the stage where we want to start a family) because it’s just way too congested and as you said, it’s quite expensive. And those are the top reasons we want to escape from L.A.! But visiting Miami is like visiting another country almost – I love it. Plus, I love me some Cuban food (it’s my absolute favorite), so God knows I’d do some damage there…lol! Great pictures! You’re making me think about prioritizing a return visit…
Haha! You definitely don’t want to head there if you’re trying to save money and raise a family. Insane! It definitely is like another country, we had expected it to a point, but it was way more than l thought 🙂 . We also noticed a lot of richer people from Spanish speaking countries vacationed there too. Loved it! Yeah, there is nothing quite like Cuban food, it is so, so good. Do you ever check out Portos in Burbank and Glendale? Awesome Cuban sandwiches and pastries and dessert :-). I miss that. I’m just surprised it took this long for me to visit.
It’s interesting seeing Miami through the eyes of a first timer! I lived in South Florida for years and my family immigrated from Jamaica to the Fort Lauderdale area. Miami is a great place to visit for all the reasons you mentioned but it’s very different living there. For one the costs so most “regular” folks can’t afford the Miami Beach lifestyle. I will be heading back there next month and it will be my first time since going to Cuba! I actually like the Miami mojitos better lol. Next time head down to Coral Gables. Another beautiful area.
The costs were outrageous! Even ordinary water at Walgreens was overpriced. Water..for god’s sake. We spent more in a week there than we do in a whole month here. I can understand why regular people wouldn’t be able to afford it there. I hope the costs are more reasonable away from Miami Beach. After all, one can’t live on good weather :-). I didn’t try a Mojito believe it or not as that is readily available here, l was so preoccupied with getting my fill of margaritas which l have missed desperately. We almost stayed in Coral Gables, can’t remember why we ended up choosing Miami Beach but l hear it’s very nice too. I liked Coconut Grove as well. We had thought about visiting the mansion there, but it was closed for renovation. Just as well, $18 per person admission is rather steep. Enjoy your visit there.
Beautiful! Indeed, sometimes all you need to do is just get there and you’ll find a lot of nice things to do. Loved the AirBnb place and its price seems really good (at least compared to the prices I thought a room in Miami or anywhere in the US would be). The food looks, as always, mouth watering and I can only hope that the photo shoot went flawlessly. Oh, and I can’t wait to evolve as well and no longer wish those houses or any house similar to those… 🙂
I have to say C. I think the part that surprised and impressed me the most was that l really didn’t feel the urge to own any of those houses. It’s like my mindset is in another world..haha! I also did think the real estate prices would be way higher, or at least as high as L.A, but nope..cheaper (you know l had to be nosy.. 🙂 ). The photo shoot went great, he was really happy with the actress and the shots he got. Yeah, that room was fantastic. The guys have unbelievable taste and everything was thought of, right down to a combination lock on the front door so in case they weren’t home, you could still get in. I was shocked at how much l liked the place..but boy..the prices are insanely high.. 😉
I have been to Florida, but not Miami, although it has been on our list for ages. I love art deco and would love to visit the Art Deco District. Sunshine and blue skies is also very apealing, I think I could easily live there for few months????
Funny you mentioned living there for a bit. We wouldn’t mind it as well and we actually said if we ever got a chance to do that, it would be a go. I love Art Deco too so l really liked the buildings. I can’t believe it took us so long to get out there, it was just on the list.. It reminded me of L.A, but more..
I loved Miami when I went and would definitely live there. We stayed off Lincoln Road in a small hotel but made our way over to South Beach and chilled on the beach and chilled out. I am vegan so food was a challenge at times but I was able to make some things work.
I love your pics, especially the street art, it is definitely one of my favorite things when I travel
I’m with you. I could definitely live there. I can imagine it must have been hard being a vegan as you see meat everywhere 🙂 . Thanks for the compliment. I love street art too and it is always a pleasant surprise to find it 🙂
Oh I LOVE MIAMI! It’s also one of my all-time favorite cities to visit. I usually stay at the Winterhaven on the South Beach ($100 -$150 a night) but I’ll definitely look into the Airbnb next time. I always suggest to people visiting for the first time, to take in a Miami Heat game if it’s NBA season. That’s a fab part of the experience ( I think).
I didn’t think l would like it as much as L.A, but l think l do :-). The AirBnB room was really good. The week after the cruise, we stayed at a boutique hotel called thenewhotel Miami in Miami Beach, and that was really nice too for $79 per night. They had only 10 rooms all big, and had a gastro pub poolside that is wicked popular with locals. Amazingly, we couldn’t hear any noise in the room. It’s true, an NBA game would definitely add to the experience. I used to love going to the Staples center to cheer on the Lakers :-), good point.
Great photos! Miami is such a vibrant colorful place. My mouth is watering looking at your food pictures.
Haha! Thanks. While editing, Federico and l kept saying the same thing 🙂 . We love food. Add in Miami, and we were in heaven.
Great recap of your visit to Miami. It’s one of my favorite places to visit if I want to get away quickly, but still want the tropical feel. I love having breakfast at Big Pink.
Thank you. Now, you know l have to look up Big Pink. It sounds like l would definitely enjoy it. You’re lucky to have it close enough for a quick getaway. Imagine all those years living in Boston, l could have been visiting there..haha, but l probably would be jaded by now. 🙂
I always wanted to go to Miami for the beaches, but the art alo looks beautiful!! Glad you enjoyed what Miami has to offer!
The beaches are pretty awesome. Worth going just for that. The art is icing on the cake 🙂
I’ve heard so much about the Miami and the art scene. And I must try some of the foods you mentioned.
Oh you must..you must :-). Such good food and it was fun trying the various beers from each country with the meals.
Miami is one of my favorite places to go. There and New York are the perfect extreme for me. I love the feel of the city, the warmth in the air and the beach. I’ve still not made it to the Wynwood Art District:
You describe it exactly right. It feels good 🙂 . Growing up in Boston, New York was my go to for a getaway, but never, ever wished to live there. It was okay for a few days though :-). I think you would enjoy the Wynwood district too.
I like the black and white graffiti. It`s very minimalist yet fun and and creative!
Yeah..that is one of my favorites. The building is gigantic 🙂
Coming from a tropical country, I might skip the beaches if I have a limited time in Florida. Will immediately tour around the Wynwood Art District and do an Ultimate Food trip! Yay!
Definitely a good plan. If l had access to great beaches already, l would definitely skip that and head right for the food 🙂 .
The artwork, the scenery, and the food! Your pics are amazing as usual. Great post!
Awwhh! Thanks so much for the compliment. It all came together quite well 🙂 .
Miami is a fantastic city to visit. It’s absolutely lively from the food, entertainment and people.
I totally agree. It was nice to see what l had been missing for so long, especially food wise 🙂
I agree, winging it can be a lot of fun and Miami has a wonderful art scene I never realize. The food is meant to be so good out there very fresh apparently.
The food really is amazing. So many Latin countries, so many wonderful dishes. Yeah..sometimes it’s just good to not expect too much and wing it like you said. Thanks for the comment.
Great photo! I absolutely love Miami!
Thanks 🙂
My sister moved to Miami years ago and I still can’t believe I haven’t made it there! This post is making my urge to go even worse especially with all those stunning photos! Have to go – soon!!
I guess you take it for granted like l did. All those years and l never made it there 🙂 ..Haha! You have no excuse, especially with your sister there. Get thee to Miami and enjoy all the delicious food and yummy goodness :-). Thanks for the compliment.
Beach! Miami seems to have blended urban development and nature preservation, the sea is still clean despite the development. The food is similar to Philippine dishes too–Different variant of rice, bananas and meat!
Yeah.. I think that’s one of the reasons l love the food. It is similar to Nigerian food too. You know l love Filipino food too 🙂 . Yeah, Miami is a nice blend of all you mentioned. Pretty cool! 🙂
I have been to Miami once for a conference but I didn’t have the time to explore much. I definitely plan to go back just to be “touristy”.
Sometimes, nothing can take the place of being touristy. It has a chill vibe and l think you would enjoy it. 🙂
I’m sitting in the airport in Munich trying to catch up on a few things – and jetlagged and hungry – and you’re killing me with those food pics. I hate you right now. And what exactly is Federico shooting, looks like porn to me 🙂 I wouldn’t mind a gig like that.
I’m with you on Uber, we used it in South Africa and it was great. I’m also in agreement in North American prices, two years away from Canada and I can’t take those prices whenever I have to go back. I don’t know if I could ever get used to it again.
I’ve never been to Miami but have always wanted to go. Spanky went many years ago and didn’t come away a big fan – just too hot and humid for her.
Enjoyed the photos, very Miami Vice!
Frank (bbqboy)
Haha! Poor Frank.. I can totally see you. There’s nothing more horrible than being at an airport, hungry and jet-lagged. Sorry (not sorry) to add to the misery.. 🙂 . Haha! He has a tough job, but someone has to do it l guess ;-). He so misses the fashion, editorial work he did for years. I just don’t know how these Uber drivers can make any good money since the rides are so cheap. Yeah..one thing we both agree on, the prices are insane. For sure l can never get used to those prices again. A regular person must have a wicked long commute to work since they can’t afford to live in the big cities. Things will only get worse l think :-(. We had great weather while there, but l think summers would be like Boston and Houston, hot and humid so l can see why she wouldn’t be a big fan of that. Where are you headed to now?
you have some amazing photographs in your post. Espcially the first skyline and the beach shoreline photos are my fav.
Thank you so much 🙂 . I love the skyline one very much too. Thanks for the comment.
Very nice indeed. Miami looks both exotic, cool and trendy!
I’ve never been to that part of the USA, but all I can remember is Will Smith’s “Welcome to Miami” song in the 90’s I think? I would love to visit Miami with it’s Latin American – Cuban culture but sadly, I don’t think I could live there. Give me San Francisco any time lol!
Yummy food and great photographs as usual. ‘Love it!
Yeah..it’s definitely one of those nice visits and l wouldn’t mind living there, but can’t afford to live there :-). Way too dear, but the food is heavenly. I love San Fran too, but that’s another really expensive place. Lived there for like 6 months, but it was for work so everything was paid :-).