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Palm Trees & 95 Degrees Has Me Chasing Miami Vices...
- Stephanie Blanc
- Jul 27
- 14 min read
Updated: Sep 20
So, for me, this year has been all about prioritizing the need for more travel & leisure. And recently, ever since I got back from New Orleans, your girl's been EAGER to hop on another flight to a destination where I can not only RELAX, but enjoy some fun times as well.
So I thought, what better time to go ahead & book a trip to one of my fave places on earth, which is Miami. After-all, Miami is tropical paradise for me!
Yes y'all, I LOVEEE me some Miami! I love the people, I love the food, I love the beach, I love the art, I love the culture, and just the pure overall vibes! If you want a well-rounded trip that's versatile enough to incorporate some much needed R&R, mixed with some excitement then Miami is YOUR go-to place!!
And, as you already know, I'm always going to look out & book an extra energetic ticket to have you come along with me...So that, at the very least, I'll have you living vicariously via my adventures & taste palette (Yes, I created a blog mini-series, titled Miami Vices, which showcases fun & delicious Miami-inspired cocktail & dished recipes (Sweet Plantains w/Pikliz & Cuban Mojo Sauce; Passion Fruit Conga Colada; Watermelon Mojito Cocktail; & Haitian Sandwich). So, LET'S GO, as I take you on an exciting journey to Miami thru my eyes.
And, if you're interested in creating a detailed itinerary, then grab my Ultimate Digital Planner, so that you're jet-set to go from flights to daily fits-My Ultimate Planner has it all for the traveler who wants to have fun & look good while doing it!
My Quick Guide To Miami
Photo Credit: Christine Michelle Photography
Love these Miami-inspired looks? Tap here to see all my outfit deets!
I prefer to go where the locals go to eat, in effort to avoid the "tourist" traps.
Therefore, a lot of times, I tend to lean towards the hole in the wall restaurants that don't necessarily make it to the "best" lists that are, often times, more of a popularity contest more than anything, as opposed to honing on the real deal, which is who makes the best ropa vieja!
HOW TO GET THERE
I know modes of transportation are pretty self-explanatory, but there is more than one way to get to Miami that you may not thought of. I'm from New York, so driving isn't an ideal method, unless I'm doing a road trip and even then, it's too much driving for your gyal. So that leaves me with air travel, which, honestly, I'm never going to be a fan of (meh :-/), BUT I suck it up and do it, because it is the quickest & most practical way to travel. And, ya girl likes to travel, so just gotta make it work!
Now, you probably just assumed I flew into Miami International Airport (MIA), but I actually flew into Orlando, because I have family there that I always take the time to visit while in Florida. Just so ya know...Miami is a good 4-hours away from Orlando, so during my first visit to Miami, I rented a vehicle and drove there during late night hours. I left at approximately 10:45 pm and arrived to our hotel at 2:56 am. It was smooth sailing because there were hardly any cars on the road. I could have probably gotten there faster if it wasn't for the rain storms along the way, but I'm just grateful we made it there safely.
For my 2nd visit to Miami, I took the Brightline, which is a fairly new established train station that services the more metro areas of Florida. They have a station based in Orlando, and so I opted to take it to Miami this time. The train ride was about 3.5 hours. It would have been shorter, but of course, it makes stops along the way, which prolongs the overall ride. It was a very smooth ride, and the ticket fee was approximately $65.00. Ticket fare ranges from $54.00 and up, and its contingent upon time of day and if you prefer standard ticket versus the premium upgrades, which comes with a few extra perks like VIP lounge waiting area at the station, etc. There is indeed an additional fee for luggage that is over the standard carry-on size dimensions. I believe it was approximately $20.00. Ultimately, the train travel was an easy process, clean, & up-to-date. I was even impressed by the restroom, which was clean and rather spacious. Now, onto where we stayed...
WHERE I STAYED
Truthfully-speaking, I'm extremely picky when selecting hotels because I am a natural homebody, and so I GOT to be comfy & cozy because it's essentially MY home-away-from-home, when I'm not out & about doing doing my shenanigans. So therefore, it's got to be extremely comfortable and up to certain standards I have (i.e clean sheets, no bed bugs...Ya know the usual, plus a few upgrades, like a balcony...haha!!). Having said that, I booked the Cadillac Hotel during my first stay in Miami and loved it so much that I gave it a 4 out of 5. Now, although, I wanted to explore new hotel-territory for my most recent stay...I got tired of searching for hotels that weren't fitting my exact "vacay-vision" (which, I'm still not convinced I even knew what that was. All I knew, is that I would recognize it once I saw it), and opted to stay again at the Cadillac, because well at least I knew what I was getting for the most part, or at least I thought so...
"Just so ya know, even despite my recent less than stellar review, one of the better perks about booking a hotel, like the Cadillac, is that it has an on-site restaurant, so you can not only order room service to your room, but also to your beach chair."
If I'm being honest, my 2nd stay at the Cadillac left A LOT to be desired. The property, albeit nice, was definitely looking a little dirty, dingy, & outdated throughout parts of the resort during my recent stay. Keep in mind that the trips were 2 years apart, so it shouldn't have looked THAT neglected so soon after. Oh yes, and just FYI be prepared for a $50.00 daily resort fee on top of what you're already paying, which was a dub cause it rained everyday and most of outside resort activities (i.e. beach) was closed, so you couldn't enjoy the "resort" really. If you rent a car, I believe parking was $35.00 or $50.00 daily, which is why I took the train and Uber'd everywhere this time. What I will say, is that the hotel rooms are very nice & comfortable. The hotel pool is also very nice. Most importantly, the hotel is literally on South Beach. However, their upkeep should be more up to par for what their guests are paying daily (this hotel isn't cheap by any means!!!). Next Miami trip, I will be staying somewhere else for sure though. Perhaps, a hotel, that does less nickel & diming...
My overall rating: 3.95/5
WHAT TO DO
Whenever I travel to Miami, I station my derriere right on South Beach because that is where a lot of the action is. AND, it is literally on the beach, which I like to spend a good portion of my vacations on. So, aside from beach-bumming...I like to walk the boardwalk or rent a bike to get a little fun-fitness in (BTW, you can totally rent a bicycle from Cadillac Hotel; I feel like it may be a $35.00 rental fee if I'm not mistaken....Are you shocked? After several surprise charges, I wasn't anymore Haha!!). As wonderful as it is to beach & boardwalk, ya girl lovessss to book some tour activities, and Miami is always a vibe! So read-on for all the activities that I booked below...
If you know me well, then it's pretty obvious that I'm always going to book some vacay tours with a mixture of everything from educational, to art, to excitingly, fun activities. I've also always had an affinity to the country of Cuba & it's culture & food, and was so intrigued on why Miami would have a neighborhood called Little Havana, aside from the obvious. And so, it was a no-brainer for me to check out Little Havana via a walking tour offered by WOW Miami Tours. We got Orlando as our tour guide, and he was great in explaining the intricacies of the neighborhood, along with going into depth, regarding its history, people, food, drink, & art. I learned a lot more about the neighborhood referred to as Little Havana and Miami's strong ties to Cuba. As the tour wraps up, you get an overall better understanding of the affiliation between Cuba and Miami, and how it's culture heavily impact the city's food, music, art & more!
Listen, one thing I'm always going to do is book an art tour. I've actually gone on two Miami art tours to date. Both in the Wynwood neighborhood, which is known for you guessed it...ART!! What's great about Wynwood, and most art areas/galleries/exhibits, in general, is that they are usually ever-changing. Therefore, you may visit one art piece today and it is gone and replaced by another piece tomorrow. That is just how the world of artistry works, and it definitely keeps things refreshing & exciting. I booked my Wynwood art tour via Tripadvisor. Both times, I booked during summer months, so it was extremely hot, but riding around in the buggy largely helped navigate the tour. Make sure to bring a bottle of water (FYI: I believe you can purchase one at the meeting spot & purchase an electric fan from Amazon haha!!)
I must admit, I definitely went out of my comfort zone A LOT with this one. But it was such a fun experience of which I have no regrets! Albeit, it was pretty pricey...It was one of those once in a lifetime experiences that just felt right at the time. Would I ride again with no doors...?? Probably not, because I was shaking like a leaf throughout the entire ride haha!! But it was really cool getting a different viewpoint of the city of Miami. Our helicopter pilot & guide, Mike, was awesome. He made us feel very comfortable with the entire process, and was just a cool, laidback guy! If you've got a little dare-devil in ya, and you're interested in booking the same tour then click here and get ready to takeoff!
Not gonna lie....At first I thought this ride would be extremely cheesy, but I thought ehh why not & carpe diem! And, I'm so glad that I did, because it turned out being so much fun! I felt like a little kid again, and any activity that can throw you right back to that kind-of nostalgia is definitely worth it in my book! By the way, they don't call it a speedboat for nothing. This thing goes FAST!! So, be careful if you're planning on wearing favorite designer shades or your favorite hat because they are liable to fly off, if not properly secured on your person, or if you're not holding onto them, tightly. Oh yes, and make sure to bring cash to tip! Although they probably have QR codes by now...Anyway, this ride was so nice I did it twice (on 2 different occasions that is). Like many other activities, I booked it via Tripadvisor, and this is the one I went on.
WHAT TO EAT
Ahhh...Food!!! One of my favorite topics to discuss!! One thing about me, is that while on vacation, my diet pretty much goes out the window haha!! Within reason, of course...I prefer to go where the locals go to eat, in effort to avoid the "tourist" traps. Therefore, a lot of times, I tend to lean towards the hole in the wall restaurants that don't necessarily make it to the "best" lists that are, often times, more of a popularity contest more than anything, as opposed to honing on the real deal, which is who makes the best ropa vieja! The question isn't so much what I ate, but what didn't I eat?! Haha!! I ate & drank a little bit of everything, from maduros, to the Miami Vice cocktail, to mojitos, to pina colada, and much more! And, I listed it all below.
"Remember, I said that a good portion of my vacays require me being a beach bum."
Bungalow By The Sea Beachfront Bar & Restaurant
So, this restaurant is on-site at the Cadillac. Don't come for me guys! Haha!! Remember, I said that a good portion of my vacays require me being a beach bum, and so I start my bumming early in the day, and it is inevitable that I'm going to grow hungry over the course of laying in the sun for hours. Therefore, it only makes sense that I'm ordering food while I'm on the beach. So, not going to lie, I did order a ceasar salad with grilled shrimp a couple of times while on said beach, and I must say that I did like it a lot!
Just so ya know, even despite my recent less than stellar review, one of the better perks about booking a hotel, like the Cadillac, is that it has an on-site restaurant, so you can not only order room service to your room, but also to your beach chair. Now, the day I landed, they had already closed the beach earlier in the day because it was raining (even though it was all sunshine when I got there, which was about approximately 3:30 pm; Total thumbs down for that), which I was really bummed about. FYI: they close the beach at 5pm daily. Anyway, we ordered some appetizers that day and let's just say that it definitely wasn't anything to write home about, but I didn't expect it to be since it was more of a grab & go situation. My food rating: Caesar Salad w/Grilled Shrimp 4/5; Shrimp Ceviche w/Plantain Chips 2/5.
This restaurant called Doce Provisions is in the neighborhood of Little Havana, and we stumbled upon it just walking & exploring after the Little Havana Tour. It literally gave hole-in-the-wall vibes (in a very good way!!!) and in the way it was, neatly, tucked in a corridor in it's own little oasis. One thing, I distinctly remember, was the strong drinks haha!! They don't skimp on the spiking. The food taste pretty good as well. We selected outside dining and ordered a slew of food & drinks - Vaca Frita Tostones; Abuelas Ropa Vieja; Masa de Puerco Chino; Passionfruit Mojito; Cuban Mojito. My overall food rating: 4/5.
I'll let you in on a little secret, fun fact about me. Actually, come to think of it, it's not so fun, but I'm lactose intolerant. So you might wonder...What on earth am I doing going to an ice cream parlor?? Well, this place was highly recommended from our Little Havana tour guide, Orlandoo. And, if there is one thing that is quite off, yet comical, about those who suffer from being lactose intolerant, its that their constantly testing their limits with dairy, as if to break the vicious cycle of hypersensitivity on their own. One thing I will say, is that the line always seems to be long, but I guess it really just depends on the time of day you get there. They have A LOT of flavors. Oh (!!!), and most importantly, I had NO adverse reactions whatsoever. So yeah, I feel as though it was because this was natural, organic ingredients. I had the Cuatros Leches & Guava flavors. My overall food rating: 5/5.
We ended up here after the speedboat ride, because we were looking for some good Cuban restaurants that weren't too far from where we were. You probably noticed a theme here. Told you I love me some Cuban food haha!! I believe it was 20-30 minutes from the speedboat meeting point, but that could also be due to traffic. Just so you know, the location with the speedboats has plenty of restaurants including the Hard Rock Cafe, as it is located in this big outdoor plaza called Bayside Marketplace. But again, I tend to stray away from the super popular places. Anyway, this restaurant is located in a mall. I'll say that they mall itself was very nice, but I was there to get my grub on! This restaurant didn't disappoint in the slightest.
Everything we ordered was so freakin good, with my favorite being the short ribs & yucca fries. Truffle Yucca Fries; Ropa Vieja Empanadas; Cuban Fried Rice; Short Ribs Al Carbon; Blueberry Mojito. My overall food rating: 5/5
One of my friends recently moved to Miami, and so I linked up with her a couple of times for dinner to catch up on life & girl talk. I selected one restaurant and she selected the other. This restaurant came up in one of my Google searches as one of the best Cuban restaurants, and it was pretty good, not mind-blowing, but still pretty good. It does give moody speakeasy vibes in addition to a live band every night, which is always a win for me. I still gave it a pretty good rating because my standard for Miami food are higher than other places, and it still was pretty good. They also did have this guy dressed in a red suit dancing the night away for pure entertainment. My friend and I still can't confirm if he was a part of the restaurant or just someone living his best life, but he was quite comical and likes chatting up the ladies haha!! What we ordered: Empanadas Cubana; Tostones Rellenos; Calamares Fritos; Ropa Vieja;
My overall food rating: 4/5
Ok, so now, it was time for my friend to select the restaurant, and she highly recommended Kyu. My, oh my, this place didn't disappoint. This restaurant's cuisine was geared more toward Asian fusion (my friend is Japanese & Jamaican), so essentially, her taste palette's got the best of both worlds haha.
I still think about the ribs I ordered, and my mouth starts to salivate haha!! Krunchy Kale (Surprisingly, pretty good, for this non-believer turned believer haha); Beef Short Rib (Hella pricey, so it shouldn't be anything short of excellent!!!; See above image; It was "fall-off-the- bone AHHMAZING!!); Grilled Broccoli (Rating: Meh; I give it 3/5); My overall food rating: 4/5
This was the place we went to eat on our last day prior to our flight. Previously, I mentioned the Bayside Marketplace being the place with numerous stores, restaurants, & boat attractions (as that is where we dock for the speedboat tour). Basically, Bayside Marketplace is a tourist's dream if you're into purchasing souvenirs and other knick knacks from your trip. As I've gotten older, I made it a tradition to always get a magnet when I visit a new place. Personally, I always thought it was a cute, fun, & CHEAP (haha!!) way to display memories from my trip. La Cañita was pretty good in the sense that I would go again.
I really enjoyed their wings. And for my main entrée, I ordered a Ceasar Salad w/Grilled Shrimp. For some reason, I was obsessed with Ceasar Salads w/Grilled Shrimp on this trip. Then again, it is one of my favorite salads too though. Ultimately, La Cañita did what we needed it to do which was give us satisfying food, with a beautiful view. Don't expect it to be mind-blowing food. I just need it to be good at the very least haha!! My overall food rating: 4/5.
WHAT TO AVOID
As with traveling anywhere, you'll want to just stay vigilant and make smart decisions. Avoid falling for tourist traps, and the obvious like admitting to anyone that you're traveling alone, whether it is true or not.
Personally, I would avoid strictly sticking to South Beach, Miami. There is plenty to do in other areas, such as Little Havana, Wynwood, & Little Haiti. I, for one, love to go off the beaten path. It has more unexplored potential, which makes things more exciting, fun, & more importantly, insightful.
HOW TO PLAN
So, confession...I already told you that I am low-key a nerd, but the actual truth, is that I am a FULL-BLOWN nerd, who always plans out her vacays to the T! I am an Event Planner after-all :-). I always create a travel itinerary for every single trip...No matter how short or long the getaway is. No, it's NOT to suck the fun out of everything haha, but rather to provide some structure, so that I'm not wandering aimlessly or missing out on opportunities to carpe diem! And, honestly we have a BLAST every.single.time! With an itinerary, you maximize your time. Especially, since it all flies by so quick when you're having a fun time! So, you have full permission to steal mine from my most recent Miami trip below and make any necessary adjustments haha!! Even better, grab my fully hyperlinked & Google synced Ultimate Planner that include an entire Travel Section to plan your trips with style. Don't say I never looked out for ya! ;-)!
Well, there you have it guys! My recent Miami trip with all the goods! I hope this post helped or inspired you to look into going and booking your trip! If you're planning on going to Miami, then grab my Ultimate Planner that has an entire travel planning section to make your trip & life a whole lot easier!
And, keep an eye out for the latest blog posts & IG series, which will feature some delicious recipes that I learned during my stay!
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