Miami
We were in Miami for only one day. We drove to Miami from Keywest. We stayed in a hotel on Collins Avenue which is a block from Ocean Drive and the Beach ! We were in the South Beach area. I loved Miami and wish we had allocated more time there. It is definitely a place I would go back to visit for a longer stretch !
We stayed at Nassau Suite Hotel on Collins avenue. When we checked into this hotel it was about 6 pm or so. They have paid outdoor parking for the hotel.The staff was friendly and the reception was quiet. Check-in process was smooth, and the receptionist gave us an excellent recommendation for dinner. Our room was more like a one bedroom apartment. It was spacious, included a kitchen, small hall with TV and a sofa and a large bedroom with a closet and a bathroom. My first thought was , I have to come back here with more of my friends. Excellent hotel to explore Miami from and to stay for a week with a bunch of people !
We wanted to explore the Cuban area of Miami and try Cuban food. The restaurant recommended by the hotel folks was Havana 1957 on Ocean Drive. This was a five minutes walk from the hotel. We waited for about 15 minutes for a table. The restaurant was tastefully decorated ( I suppose to look like Cuba in the 50s ) , and the wait staff were Cuban and wore Cuban outfits. I had the Havana 1957 special which was roasted chicken in Cuban gravy, served with white rice, black beans, salad, and sweet plantains. As my younger cousins would say the food was blessed ! The chicken was done just right – probably the best food I had in Florida ! They have about 5 locations and I wish one of them was in Toronto !!
After dinner we walked around Ocean Drive. Very active nightlife with many clubs and restaurants and even shops open late. Wanted to walk along the beach, but there were many random people around, so probably not the best of ideas to walk by the beach at night time .
The next morning we went to the beach !! The beach was incredibly beautiful ! Just as good as or even better than some of the Caribbean beaches I have been to. I could see why it was world famous ! The sand was soft, the water blue ! It was perfect for swimming or just to sit and listen to the water !
After the beach we went shopping . I didn’t find much deals. It was good for window shopping but didn’t have great deals. I would recommend ( if you have a car and are staying in Miami ) to go to the Sawgrass Mills Mall. About an hour away from Miami and we found incredible deals there.
We also did an everglade tour from Miami. This tour was about 45 minutes from Miami and I highly recommend that experience if you are in Miami. I wrote a more detailed post about my Everglade tour.
Overall I really liked Miami and think it is a perfect place for a vacation. Great hotels, amazing food, beautiful beach, shopping near by and safe. I hope to go back to Miami in the future for a week long vacation just to relax at the beach , eat well and enjoy the vibe of the city .