Vacations in Miami
When Julie posted recently about her upcoming vacation to Miami, Florida it made me think about what kind of things could I recommend to visitors of South Beach/Ft. Lauderdale - South Florida in general - that aren't cheesy. Here are my thoughts:
Ok, so you are thinking, DUH Shawn of course you have to go to South Beach. And my answer is yes, but you don't have to go to crappy South Beach. There are a few spots that I can still appreciate and would like to share with you.
Walking on the beach before noon is a great experience - a portion of the sand from 5th Street up to about 20th street is actually sand mixed with concrete - so it is easy for a nice walk and you can see all of Ocean Drive as you walk the beach.
There are a few museums on South Beach - the Wolfsonian (1001 Washington Avenue (305) 531-1001), the Jewish Museum (301 Washington Avenue (305) 672-5044), a Holocaust Museum (19th and Meridian) the new Erotic museum (Washington and 12th), and there are many galleries throughout south beach, and especially Lincoln Road. Ok so I will admit I have never personally gone to these museums - but I heard great things about them and suggest for a day of culture you should check them out.
And speaking of Lincoln Road - some galleries, shops and restaurants line this pedestrian only street. I recommend you stop in for a bite at Cafeteria, World Resources, or Nexxt.
And speaking of food - if you find yourself below 5th Street and want some great American style moderately priced food - go to Big Pink (Collins and 2nd). They have a lot of cute items like a "TV Dinner" where you can get a tray of good food served like a TV Dinner. They have good ribs, stir fry, burgers and breakfast of all types. You can go for any meal and find something you will like.
And when you want a nice after dinner drink - I suggest a newly discovered place (thanks Danya) called the Room - on 1st between Collins and Washington. Indie Rock music is a nice change when everywhere else in South Beach you will only hear Techno, Hip Hop and some old school frat boy rock. They have a good variety of beers (each with their own glass) and it will make you think for just a few minutes that you have been transported back to New York.
Many people who visit South Beach tend to stick around the areas of Collins and Ocean between 10th and 20th street. My suggestion is that if you are looking to take a walk and see a different side of South Beach, go down to 1st and 2nd street and you can walk from the beach up to a pier - and at night find some great restaurants like Joes Stone Crabs and Nemos. They might not be cheap but the food is the talk of the town. There are also many bars and clubs - like Nicky Beach and Opium - that are definitely the South Beach scene that many are looking for.
I also heard that on 12th and Washington there is a club called Mansion that is suppose to be beautiful inside. Definitely a spot to visit while on vacation.
So lets say you dare leave South Beach and want to see other parts of Miami. A great place to visit (that is not too far from South Beach) is an old mansion that is practically a museum called Vizcaya (at the end of the 95 - 3251 S. Miami Avenue - 305-250-9133). It isn't huge but many movies have been filmed there because of the history and beauty of this waterfront villa that used to take up a huge chunk of what is now Miami. At not far away is Key Biscayne - that has a beautiful beach and park - where you can get some out door sporty activities or just lay around in the sun.
And of course a trip to Miami is not complete without some Cuban food. You can try your luck at many of the Cuban restaurants on every corner throughout Miami - or you can go to Versalles and eat some good inexpensive Cuban food. (3555 Sw 8th St - (305) 444-0240) - you will pass through Little Havana to get to this restaurant - so that alone is worth the trip. But the food is traditional, tasty, and in big portions.
If you dare exit Miami-Dade County and head up to Broward (Ft. Lauderdale) you should take a stop in Hollywood Beach and get lunch at Le Tub. Rated the Best Burger in America by GQ magazine this year, the atmosphere is fun and the burger and fries cannot be beat. (1100 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, 954-921-9425). They only accept cash, and sometimes the wait can be long - but it is on the intercoastal water and is a very relaxed environment. Oh and of course if you are in Hollywood - you MUST stop at Jaxsons for the BEST ice cream you will ever have!!! (128 S. Federal Highway- just North of Sterling - 954-923-4445).
You can also stop at Riverwalk in Ft Lauderdale - where the streets are lined with clubs and bars - and at night you can't even drive through the area because so many people are out drinking. There are a wide variety of bars and plenty of options so you won't get bored.
If you are there during the day there is a nearby Children's Museum with an Imax theater - plus a shopping area with stores and restaurants. You can drive to Ft Lauderdale beach within 15 minutes and see the strip of bars/stores/restaurants they have to offer. It may not be as crazy as South Beach - but if you are looking for something more low key, then Ft Lauderdale is the place to go.
Also - if you are coming to South Florida for some water sports - my suggestion is that you head down to the Keys (Key West being the furthest and most famous) and do some snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, or scuba diving. They keys begin about an hour away from South Beach, and you can find some snorkeling spots right at the beginning of the keys. It is a great way to spend a day outdoors and not have to go too far away from where you are staying.
Finally - the Everglades are a nice stop for spotting alligators or other wildlife. You can head west on 8th Street (you would need to take a highway) and find yourself at one of the many parks that have air boat rides around the Everglades. I happen to have gone to one called Gator Park that had a cute short boat ride where we saw huge birds and alligators. (24050 Sw 8th St. - (305) 559-2255) It is worth a trip if you have the time to head out in that direction.
Ok, so you are thinking, DUH Shawn of course you have to go to South Beach. And my answer is yes, but you don't have to go to crappy South Beach. There are a few spots that I can still appreciate and would like to share with you.
Walking on the beach before noon is a great experience - a portion of the sand from 5th Street up to about 20th street is actually sand mixed with concrete - so it is easy for a nice walk and you can see all of Ocean Drive as you walk the beach.
There are a few museums on South Beach - the Wolfsonian (1001 Washington Avenue (305) 531-1001), the Jewish Museum (301 Washington Avenue (305) 672-5044), a Holocaust Museum (19th and Meridian) the new Erotic museum (Washington and 12th), and there are many galleries throughout south beach, and especially Lincoln Road. Ok so I will admit I have never personally gone to these museums - but I heard great things about them and suggest for a day of culture you should check them out.
And speaking of Lincoln Road - some galleries, shops and restaurants line this pedestrian only street. I recommend you stop in for a bite at Cafeteria, World Resources, or Nexxt.
And speaking of food - if you find yourself below 5th Street and want some great American style moderately priced food - go to Big Pink (Collins and 2nd). They have a lot of cute items like a "TV Dinner" where you can get a tray of good food served like a TV Dinner. They have good ribs, stir fry, burgers and breakfast of all types. You can go for any meal and find something you will like.
And when you want a nice after dinner drink - I suggest a newly discovered place (thanks Danya) called the Room - on 1st between Collins and Washington. Indie Rock music is a nice change when everywhere else in South Beach you will only hear Techno, Hip Hop and some old school frat boy rock. They have a good variety of beers (each with their own glass) and it will make you think for just a few minutes that you have been transported back to New York.
Many people who visit South Beach tend to stick around the areas of Collins and Ocean between 10th and 20th street. My suggestion is that if you are looking to take a walk and see a different side of South Beach, go down to 1st and 2nd street and you can walk from the beach up to a pier - and at night find some great restaurants like Joes Stone Crabs and Nemos. They might not be cheap but the food is the talk of the town. There are also many bars and clubs - like Nicky Beach and Opium - that are definitely the South Beach scene that many are looking for.
I also heard that on 12th and Washington there is a club called Mansion that is suppose to be beautiful inside. Definitely a spot to visit while on vacation.
So lets say you dare leave South Beach and want to see other parts of Miami. A great place to visit (that is not too far from South Beach) is an old mansion that is practically a museum called Vizcaya (at the end of the 95 - 3251 S. Miami Avenue - 305-250-9133). It isn't huge but many movies have been filmed there because of the history and beauty of this waterfront villa that used to take up a huge chunk of what is now Miami. At not far away is Key Biscayne - that has a beautiful beach and park - where you can get some out door sporty activities or just lay around in the sun.
And of course a trip to Miami is not complete without some Cuban food. You can try your luck at many of the Cuban restaurants on every corner throughout Miami - or you can go to Versalles and eat some good inexpensive Cuban food. (3555 Sw 8th St - (305) 444-0240) - you will pass through Little Havana to get to this restaurant - so that alone is worth the trip. But the food is traditional, tasty, and in big portions.
If you dare exit Miami-Dade County and head up to Broward (Ft. Lauderdale) you should take a stop in Hollywood Beach and get lunch at Le Tub. Rated the Best Burger in America by GQ magazine this year, the atmosphere is fun and the burger and fries cannot be beat. (1100 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, 954-921-9425). They only accept cash, and sometimes the wait can be long - but it is on the intercoastal water and is a very relaxed environment. Oh and of course if you are in Hollywood - you MUST stop at Jaxsons for the BEST ice cream you will ever have!!! (128 S. Federal Highway- just North of Sterling - 954-923-4445).
You can also stop at Riverwalk in Ft Lauderdale - where the streets are lined with clubs and bars - and at night you can't even drive through the area because so many people are out drinking. There are a wide variety of bars and plenty of options so you won't get bored.
If you are there during the day there is a nearby Children's Museum with an Imax theater - plus a shopping area with stores and restaurants. You can drive to Ft Lauderdale beach within 15 minutes and see the strip of bars/stores/restaurants they have to offer. It may not be as crazy as South Beach - but if you are looking for something more low key, then Ft Lauderdale is the place to go.
Also - if you are coming to South Florida for some water sports - my suggestion is that you head down to the Keys (Key West being the furthest and most famous) and do some snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, or scuba diving. They keys begin about an hour away from South Beach, and you can find some snorkeling spots right at the beginning of the keys. It is a great way to spend a day outdoors and not have to go too far away from where you are staying.
Finally - the Everglades are a nice stop for spotting alligators or other wildlife. You can head west on 8th Street (you would need to take a highway) and find yourself at one of the many parks that have air boat rides around the Everglades. I happen to have gone to one called Gator Park that had a cute short boat ride where we saw huge birds and alligators. (24050 Sw 8th St. - (305) 559-2255) It is worth a trip if you have the time to head out in that direction.
Labels: Miami
posted by Shawn at 2:50 PM
2 Comments:
shawn, this is awesome! i hope i can get to do some of the things on this list when i come down in 2 weeks. more importantly, however, i'd LOVE to see you.
well of course you are going to see me!!!
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