It’s day 2 since hubby and I returned from 5 wonderful days in South Beach Miami Florida (a much needed escape from the cold and day to day) and I already miss it. With clear blue waters, fun nightlife, outdoor dining, beautiful surroundings, and friendly people – Miami is a fantastic getaway destination. Since this was our first visit I thought I would share our favorite experiences from along the way with recommendations for those who may be interested in booking a vacation south for the winter.

Weather and What to Wear
The temperatures during our visit were closer to what locals typically experience in February (70’s during the day & mid 50’s/low 60’s at night), but this was still a dramatic improvement from what we’ve been experiencing here in VA. The first day was a bit cool – we weren’t able to lay out on the beach and I needed a cardigan during the day but the remainder of our trip it felt warm in the sun. Temperatures fell with the daylight, prompting the need for long sleeves at night. I was still able to wear shorts or dresses at night and feel comfortable.

Hotel
We stayed at the Bentley and I would whole heartedly recommend this hotel to anyone. It’s a cute boutique hotel with lovely decor, welcoming staff and multiple amenities. Our room was spacious and included an mini kitchenette (which was perfect for eating leftovers we brought home). Breakfast was provided every morning and sparking wine was offered to guests on Friday and Saturday night. They have a rooftop pool with a sunbathing deck that includes a spectacular view of the ocean (see photo above). The nice thing about the sun deck is it is not limited to daylight. Head up there at night for your own semi-private little rooftop and a night view of all the boats on the water. There is a resort fee but this includes a towel, chair, umbrella, bottle of water and glass of prosecco at the Bentley Beach Club on the beach. The chairs have cushions on top which are covered with soft cloth making it easy to spend a lot of time maxing and relaxing on the beach.

Favorite Restaurants
Ocean Drive (the road closest to the beach) is lined with restaurants that offer outdoor dining along the sidewalk and on mini-patios. I love this because if its one thing I love – its dining al fresco. Since temperatures drop in the evening, all restaurants are equipped with heat lamps so you can still dine outdoors when there is a nip in the air.

There were two restaurants we dined at that I considered my favorite (one on Ocean Drive, the other off the main strip). The first was CJ’s Crab Shack. If you like seafood – you have to check out this place. We happened to be served by the owner himself who said that the restaurant had been in his family for 90+ years. The food was so delicious we went back a second time for a mid-day snack and frozen cocktail.

The other restaurant we really enjoyed was called Oh, Mexico at the corner of Washington Avenue and Espanola Way. The atmosphere is 50% of the experience. Situated on a small street, blocked off from traffic, twinkly lights everywhere and good music playing in the background.

Activities
Activities are abound in South Beach. From water activities to fancy clubs to boat tours of Millionaire mansions, there is no shortage of fun in Miami. The first night we came across a tour called World Crawl which started with some smaller watering holes before ending at a night club called Mansion. It was a great experience because it gave us the opportunity to meet people to hang out with (since it was just the hubs and I). There were people from all over (DC, San Francisco, Lebanon, Germany, Canada) on the tour. Instantly we made friends who we actually met up with to hang out the next day and are already planning our reunion!

Originally when we booked this trip we had planned to go to on an excursion to the Keys but with the 3 hour bus ride to Key West, we just couldn’t commit to 6 hours of round-trip travel time for only a few hours there. So we instead went on a airboat tour through the Everglades which was a very unique and worthwhile experience.

Surroundings
It’s no surprise that Miami is visually appealing. Palm trees, retro looking hotels with old cars strategically placed in front and colorful lifeguard stands are just a small part of what I loved about South Beach.

I would definitely recommend South Beach for anyone’s next winter getaway.

Happy Friday!! Hope you all have a great weekend!
xo, Erica