With several up-and-coming districts, Miami is so much more than its Beach, but it still reigns most popular with tourists for good reason.
South Beach
This Art Deco paradise emits vibes of Sinatra in his heyday. South Beach is quintessential Miami: Rows of neon hotel/restaurant/bars line the West side of Ocean Drive, flanked on the East with the bustling Lummus Park and the expansive beach. Each building is its own unique shade of pastel dotted with art-deco’s signature geometric accents.
At night, South Beach sidewalks are lined with club promoters hoping to lure you into their discotecas. Hilariously, these strobe-lit night clubs are the same establishments serving breakfast and coffee on the patio the next morning. Many of these multi-talented eateries also share their space with hotels. This year we stayed at Winter Haven, an art-deco themed Autograph Marriott on Ocean Drive.
There’s never a shortage of things to do on Miami Beach. Here are some worthwhile locales on this popular island:
1. The Boardwalk
The boardwalk: Get a peek at how the fabulously rich experience Miami by walking or biking down the boardwalk to peek into the luxury gated resorts both North and South of Lummus Park.
2. The Alley
The Alley: This instagrammable cafe is located in an alley between Ocean Drive and Collins Ave. The cafe serves pizza and salads while a ventanita (coffee window) out front serves coffee and gelato. If there’s one thing Miami has nailed, it’s multi-function.
3. News Cafe
News Cafe: This classic restaurant is one of those ubiquitous Ocean Drive hotel/restaurant/bars, but this one specializes in breakfast.
4. TeQuiztlan
TeQuiztlan: Off the beaten path, this cantina is one of the top-rated Mexican restaurants in Miami. It’s not your typical Mexican; this restaurant is a bit Americanized with an industrial vibe and cute glassware.
5. Joe and the Juice
Joe and the Juice: I know, this is a chain. But we don’t have it in Des Moines so I was delighted by the industrial decor and outdoor spaces in this chic coffee shop.
6. F1rst Surf Shop
F1rst Surf Shop: Something that seems to belong more in SoCal or Hawaii, this surf shop sells one of my favorite beachy brands, Amuse Society.
7. Lincoln Road Mall
A popular but worthwhile Miami spot, Lincoln Road Mall is a large outdoor ped mall, popular during the day and at night with several patio restaurants.
8. Books & Books
Books & Books: Located behind a restaurant in Lincoln Road Mall, this adorable book shop is a reader’s dream with rows of books lining several nooks.
9. Taquiza
Another taco joint. This one is a walk-up stand serving elevated street tacos. The small patio has benches under string lights.
10. Espanola Way
An adorable cobble-stoned street with restaurants, essentially a smaller Lincoln Road Mall.
11. The Beach
This speaks for itself. Everyone loves the beach.
Greater Miami
As someone who previously had no interest in venturing off the beach, I feel the responsibility to declare this PSA: The non-beach portion of Miami is soooo cool.
There’s so many delightfully unique districts with each its own set of gems. There’s countless locations I haven’t yet explored, but here’s some of my favorites so far:
1. Downtown
Downtown Miami: You can’t go to Miami and not see a Miami Heat game! (Kidding. You can and I have. Once. Before I met my husband.) American Airlines arena is located in downtown Miami, and the surrounding area is super cool.
2. Brickell
Brickell: We spent one night in Brickell during our last trip to Miami and we fell in love with the cute restaurants and walkable streets. Brickell is the “higher-end” district South of downtown Miami.
3. Wynwood
Wynwood: I’m declaring Wynwood the Most Instagrammable District. It’s located North of downtown Miami. This place stole my heart on our most recent trip to Miami, so much that it deserves a blog post of its own. Look for it soon.
Thanks for reading!
Jordie
