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In February, Reed and I and our best friend Amanda escaped to the Magic City for four days of sunshine and relaxation. Here are 10 things that made our Miami getaway a perfect trip.
1. Pack light
This is my No. 1 step for any trip. I hate feeling weighed-down by bags, and I hate that feeling of waking up on a fresh vacation morning not knowing what to wear. My solution is to plan out all my outfits in advance and pack the bare minimum of what I need. One duffle is plenty of room to pack for a 4-day trip – I made everything fit despite going overboard with handbags (three of them) and shoes (four) because of a couple photoshoots I had scheduled.
2. Get an awesome AirBnB
Once upon a time I was super frugal when it came to accommodations – I would book the cheapest hostel room as a crash-pad so I could spend more on food and activities. But I’ve come to truly appreciate the value of a nice place to stay. This one-bedroom AirBnB with a full kitchen and pull-out couch was artfully furnished and located in the heart of Miami Beach. While it didn’t come with the pool and bar amenities of a hotel room, it was much less expensive and it did surprise us with this beautiful courtyard. It was a pleasure to come back to every day.
3. Drive to Key Largo
We made our weekend away truly feel like a getaway by kicking it off with a mini road trip down to Key Largo. The weather was perfect, our zippy little red Mazda CX-5 drove smooth as butter, and we sang along to pop hits of the early 2000s all the way down the highway.
4. Put the rum in the coconut
A quick google search directed us to Snook’s Bayside in Key Largo – a gem of a beach-side restaurant with delicious conch chowder that was delightfully empty at 11:00 am on a Friday morning. An early lunch (and some fresh coconut accented with a healthy dash of rum) was just what we needed to seal day one as a success.
5. Visit Wynwood
This neighborhood in Miami city is quite literally art-filled – it feels like every single outdoor wall has been repurposed as a canvas. We started the day off with brunch at Miam Café, and then spent the afternoon walking around, popping into little shops and cafes, and enjoying the art. It’s a definite must for any Miami getaway!
We took a Lyft into town from Miami beach, but there was tons of street parking so I recommend driving if you have a car.
6. Buy a cool hat
I usually avoid buying souvenirs, but I couldn’t resist this cute little woven topper that I found at an outdoor crafts market in Wynwood.
7. Go to a brewery
As a consolation prize for missing the Wynwood Beer Festival, we let Reed pick a brewery for the afternoon, and I have to say it was one of the highlights of our trip. We spent two solid hours at Concrete Beach playing games and sipping suds. There’s nothing like good friends, good beer, and games to make an afternoon perfect.
8. Get rooftop drinks
Popular downtown bar and restaurant Sugar was a great spot to end day two. We spent a lazy hour watching the sun set from the 40th floor, enjoying craft cocktails and delicious sushi. But the garden tables are reservation only – and even the bar started filling up at 5:00 pm – so plan ahead!
Back in Miami Beach the next night, we popped into a few swanky hotels on the main strip for drinks. Even though we weren’t staying at any of them, they were more than happy to let us take our drinks from the bar up to the rooftop. Win! (And cue goofy selfies).
9. Spend a day at the beach
Did I even need to mention this one?
10. Watch the sunrise
The last but most important from our Miami getaway checklist: for our last day of vacation, Amanda and I woke up at 6:00 am to pick up coffee and pastries, sit on the beach, and watch the sunrise. Taking a few vacation hours to to relax and soak everything in – without the hustle and bustle – was the perfect cherry on top of the trip.
We had so much fun in Miami that we want to make it an annual trip! So what did we miss? If you have suggestions, I’d love to hear them – let me know your Miami getaway must-dos in the comments!
Looking for more travel tips? Check out my Thailand series – I lived there for six years and I share my recommendations in these four posts:
