If you are traveling to the South Florida area, South Beach is definitely a place to consider visiting. My friends and visited Miami recently and stayed within walking distance from South Beach spots. If you are on a budget and only staying for a short time here are just a few places I would recommend from our stay.
Hotel
We stayed at Riu Plaza Miami Hotel. This place was a gem. It offered a surprisingly nice gym, outdoor bar area, pool, and easy beach access. From our room to water was 10 minutes. Speaking of room, almost every room boasted an awesome view. Sunrises and sunsets are some of my favorite things in the world. Waking up and walking out and seeing the sunrise on the horizon was breathtaking. The mini cafe and restaurant attached to the hotel is a nice4 convenience for those that don’t want to venture out too much. Even with a few spots of rain, we set out to see the sights around us.
Brunch
Jules Kitchen at Circa 39 Hotel. It was a couple block away from our hotel in the uniquely decorated Circa 39 hotel. They offered indoor and outdoor seating. The service was so nice! The waitress was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Of course, the food was awesome. The menu offered the usual brunch items all day, as well as some unique items like Caribbean Shrimp Mofongo and Calypso Sliders
Happy Hour
Havana 1957 in the heart of South Beach’s busy Ocean Drive provided an intimate setting for us to sit at the bar and relax. They offered happy hour drinks (recommend the mojitos) and tasty Cuban dishes. The food isn’t the best Cuban I have had, but the bartender was very friendly and welcoming. The decor gave old-school Cuban vibes with vibrant colors and decorations. At night they have live music and dancing so you can keep the happy hour fun going throughout the night. I also liked that they didn’t have someone solicit you to ” COME IN, COME IN” on the sidewalk. It is an unassuming charmer
Casual Drink/Dancing
If you are looking for a chill atmosphere and enjoy lush greenery and stringed lights than the Freehand Hotel is the place to stop by in the evening
. Located in mid-beach, just a few blocks from our hotel they offer two restaurant/bars with a unique feel.
- 27 Restaurant & Bar gave me DC rooftop bar vibes. The top floor of the restaurant has a decent bar with a small dance floor and nice music. There were desks and balconies for people to chat on and look out to the pool and scenery.
- Broken Shaker had the coolest aesthetic. If you took a mansion and added tons of stringed lights and shabby chic seating and a big pool with tons of greenery you had an idea of the Broken Shaker.
NightLife
Basement Miami is rightfully named as it is located on the bottom floor of the Edition Hotel. After drinks and dinner, this was a perfect place to end the night. It was a block away from our hotel and had tons of options for entertainment and no cover. If you want a chill nightcap, one room provides a bowling alley and bar with a DJ playing current and old school hits. Adjacent to that room is a super cool ice skating rink. Bowling and skating come with a fee, but definitely a unique way to end your night. The other side of the floor had what would be a traditional club/lounge feel. Long bar, VIP seating, bottle service, club dancers and all. There is even a lounge area outside both rooms to relax your tired feet in between dancing. We liked it so much we went twice.
Nothing in this post is sponsored, these are my genuine favorites and I hope you enjoyed them! Check out part one of my Miami weekend vlog.