Miami: A Guide to South Beach

So it’s been a minute since I was in Miami. Okay so maybe it’s been three and a half months (remember this post on my day in Little Havana?). My recent trip to Jamaica has inspired me to finally share some of my travel posts with you that I have been putting off. Besides getting a good deal on a dress and paying half price for a cocktail, traveling is my passion. Ideally I find a good deal on a dress and drink a half price cocktail while traveling but that’s besides the point.

Today’s travel post features my (not so) recent trip to South Beach. This vibrant neighborhood in Miami is full of energy 24/7. From the colorful and unique boutique hotels to the pulsating nightlife, South Beach is a place you can’t miss when you’re in Miami. Here are some snapshots from the trip and tips on where to go and what to do!

Stay at a Boutique Hotel You can’t not stay in an Art Deco boutique hotel in South Beach. That is part of the experience. My husband and I used the Hotel Tonight app to find a place the day of and saved over 50%! We stayed in a suite (yes, a suite because the prices were that good!) at the Hotel Riviera South Beach Hotel and loved every inch of it. The staff was incredible and were constantly offering you a fresh cup of Cuban coffee. The hotel had a pool on the roof with black and white striped and polka dot loungers with pops of yellow while the pool on the first floor looked like a tropical oasis with cabanas and palms everywhere. We were only a short two block walk from the beach.

I fell in love with the little alley of a restaurant at the hotel called Moreno’s. It is outdoors, lined with ivy and has an intricate Moroccan tile floor. While staying at the hotel the restaurant offers a happy hour from 7-8pm everyday offering FREE DRINKS. Yes, FREE! To top it off, we got to listen to a local artist, Edan Archer, sing beautifully and play her guitar while enjoying our drinks. If we didn’t have plans that evening I probably could have sat there and listened to her all night!

We grabbed breakfast there the morning after where I had an incredible ham and swiss breakfast sandwich on Cuban bread with cafe con leche. I wish we would have gotten up a little earlier since they sold out of their guava and cream cheese stuffed french toast before we got there!

Walk to the Beach Miami has beautiful beaches so grab your towel and a ticket from your hotel’s concierge for free chairs before you head to the beach. Instead of paying for drinks at the beach my husband and I picked up a bottle of Rose at the convenience store on the way! If you need a break from the beach but aren’t ready to go back to your hotel, I recommend taking a walk and checking out hotel pools that open up to the beach. My husband and I found one with a happy hour offering $5 burgers and mojitos!

Visit Versace’s Mansion If you are a fashion or history lover, visit the Versace mansion on Ocean Drive. What was once the home of Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace (who was also murdered at his mansion) is now the property for a hotel and restaurant.

Dine Al Fresco When walking down Ocean Drive there are restaurants one on top of the other offering al fresco dining, live music and buy one get one free drinks. Sounds appealing but those drinks aren’t cheap. You are more so dining for the experience than the food so I recommend choosing the spot playing the best music. When you’re done with dinner head over to Mango’s Nightclub for an entertaining show!

Lincoln Road Mall– a long stretch of stores, cafes and restaurants that are blocked off from traffic and lined with palm trees. Most of the stores are chains that you can find anywhere but grabbing a macaron from Laduree or a frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity makes it all worth while (and shopping is just better when there are palm trees, right?). While on our way out my husband made the mistake of running to the bathroom. Did I wait outside patiently? No. I walked into Zara and an hour later left with several new pieces from the huge sale they were having. He said if he knew that trip to the bathroom would have cost him so much he would have held it. 😉

Cecconis– While this is technically not South Beach, it is down the street located in the courtyard of Soho Beach House. Cecconi’s is a modern-day classic Italian restaurant that has one of the most beautifully comfortable and chic courtyards I have ever dined in. This spot was on my list because of their incredible happy hour (food and drinks from $4 to $7 Tuesday through Saturday from 4pm-7pm!). Their happy hour menu must have 15 menu items to choose from along with wine and delicious cocktails. We unfortunately were unable to make it to happy hour but did go for brunch. How good does this all look?!

So are you ready to book your trip to South Beach? Leave me a comment and let me know your favorite spot to visit while there!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for some exciting collaborations I’ve been working on that are coming soon to The Fashion Hour!

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