Travel Diary: Miami, Florida

In my opinion, the best Spring Break destination is Miami Beach! As a two-time Miami Beach Spring Breaker, I have earned the right to make the best recommendations.

Food

The food in Miami is delicious and there are lots of places to explore. As college students my friends and I stuck with more affordable restaurants, but I would love to go back in a few years and try out some fancier spots.

Under the Mango Tree

For breakfast, my roommates and I found the cutest coffee and smoothie place to get acai bowls. Under the Mango Tree had delicious and refreshing acai bowls that became the perfect way to start the day! They served avocado toast on freshly baked bread that became a favorite side. All the ingredients are organic and the shop was focused around sustainability. The inside had such a cute vibe we went back multiple times throughout the week.

Aroma

This is the best quick and affordable breakfast/ lunch spot! Aroma has locations in a few states around the U.S. but none in Massachusetts so I had never been before Miami. It is kind of similar to Panera Bread. I got eggs on toast with a side salad and it was quick and yummy! They have great coffee drinks too.

La Cerveceria de Barrio

Lincoln Road Mall has so many restaurants up and down the street it’s hard to choose which one to stop at. We asked a local worker which place had the best tacos and she made this great recommendation! La Cerveceria de Barrio had amazing tacos that really hit the spot. I got the veggie tacos with a side of rice and beans. The outdoor seating was so cute and in a prime people watching spot. Eating during happy hour scored us great deals on the margaritas!

Old’s Havana Cuban Bar and Cocina

My boyfriend and I took an Uber over to Little Havana to eat at this cool Cuban restaurant. Old Havana’s was packed when we arrived so we knew it was going to be good. They had tasty hot pressed sandwiches and authentic Cuban cuisine. The food was served on top of cute vintage Spanish newspaper pages. Old’s Havana also had great mojitos.

Photo from Yelp

Activities

There is so much to do in Miami! I could sit on the beach all day, but whenever we weren’t in the ocean we enjoyed the art, shopping, and sightseeing.

Wynwood Walls

The art in Miami has a very unique style. Wynwood is one of the art hubs of Florida. Wynwood Walls is an outdoor art exhibit with huge murals lining the streets. The graffiti and street art covered walls were created as a way to transform the warehouse district of Wynwood. It was full of large buildings with no windows- perfect for art! This was such a fun area to walk around, take pictures, and stop for coffee or some food.

Lincoln Road Mall

This outdoor shopping mall is a 10-block walking area full of popular shops. Lincoln Road Mall is a great people watching spot and a relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

Day at a Resort

Spending a day at a resort was one of the best things my friends and I did! Lots of hotels and resorts sell day passes to their pools for very affordable prices. My friends and I researched the best options and purchased our passes on ResortPass.com. We spent the day at The Confidante for $40 and lounged by the pool enjoying the food and drinks available. This was the perfect way to break up a beach trip. We were able to sit in the shade under umbrellas and cool off in the pool instead of the ocean for a day.

Bike Rides

My boyfriend and I loved using the Citi Bikes to bike down to South Pointe. There are stations all over Miami Beach and they are super easy to use. The rental was $4.50 for 30 minutes and $6.50 for an hour. They have a little basket in the front that is perfect for holding your bag or water.

Nightlife

Of course Miami is famous for its nightlife! There are so many different places to go, but I listed some of my favorites.

Mango’s Tropical Cafe

Mango’s is right on Ocean Drive and is one of my favorites! There is a live band and talented salsa dancers in extravagant costumes dancing on the bar. In addition to the live performances there are separate dance floors with DJs.

Nikki Beach

My friends and I loved Nikki Beach! We normally would not have gone here (too expensive) but we found a great deal through a club promoter. We paid $40 to get a nice table with our friends outside and then were able to go upstairs to a dance floor later in the night.

Clevelander

This is a famous bar in Miami and it did not disappoint! The entire bar is outside and it was a lot of fun to enjoy the nice Miami weather at night. There is a dance floor and lots of areas to hangout.

LIV

LIV is a classic club. Bella Thorne was performing the night we went here and Pauly D came the following week! We bought tickets online and got to enter through a shorter line. Very fun dance floor and lots of space upstairs to hangout while overlooking the DJ. Although LIV was packed in never felt too crowded.

Both my trips to Miami were so much fun! It is the perfect getaway from the cold Boston weather and I can’t wait to go back someday.