Guys, I love Miami. I didn’t used to love Miami. I visited a few times in college and found it to be humid, over-priced and a bit cheesy. Weirdly, since having kids and coming back with them I’ve realized how much more this tropical city has to offer!
One thing I love about Miami is it can be whatever you want it to be. Romantic getaway? Absolutely. Girls weekend? Look no further. Family getaway? Yep, that too. Seriously, Miami has so much to offer.
For this trip, we stayed at the Washington Park Hotel. We really enjoyed staying here so much I wrote a blog post about it (coming up next!) It was located right in the heart of South Beach so no cab rides necessary – the best!
This stop in Miami was all about good quick bites and as little plans as possible. We were only there for 2 nights right before leaving on our cruise. One of our favorite stops was to Dreamers Cafe. This instagram worthy spot offers some amazing coffee/espresso options and breakfast bites. We went with the overnight oats and a turkey avocado toast. Was it overpriced? Yes, but so is everywhere else in Miami so it didn’t bother me. Plus, the adorable boho flamingo vibes really make up for it! Stop in for the decor and the coffee – the food was just so so.
We decided to walk off our breakfast by exploring South Beach. Our first stop was to a nearby park to let Davis blow off some steam while Jude napped in the stroller. Marjorey Stoneman Douglas Park is amazing! It’s right next to the ocean, clean bathrooms, shaded umbrellas and the park is completely fenced in! I wish more parks were totally fenced in as it gives me a little more peace of mind that Davis isn’t going to run into the street (yes, he wild.)
As we continued our walk, Gabe and I loved looking at the art-deco style architecture. Strolling through Miami you can really feel what the city was like 50 years ago – at least I am guessing this is what it may have been like 50 years ago 🙂 I love how even some of the newer buildings in this area are built to look old! When I visited Miami in college I went out a few times on South Beach, but this trip the most we did was walk past all the crazy bars, restaurants and night clubs! We grabbed dinner at Bolivar Restaurant Bar on Washington Ave. near our hotel. It was one of the best meals all trip! Really yummy South American food – I obviously ordered Lomo Saltado which was delicious.
The next morning we woke up bright and early and headed to breakfast. Across the street from our hotel was the famous 11th Street Diner. This dining car was built in 1948 as a Paramount Pictures dining car in New Jersey! It was eventually dismantled and re-constructed in the Art-Deco district of Miami in the 90s. Normally the exterior is silver but we happened to be in Miami during Art Basel and Bottega Veneta (a very expensive fashion brand in case you didn’t know, I certainly didn’t lol) took over the cafe! They literally wrapped the entire diner in GOLD! It was so cool! What a fun time to be in Miami. The food and service were both very good and we’d definitely go back to the 11th Street Diner, even if it wasn’t wrapped in gold.
After a delicious meal we checked out of the Washington Park Hotel and hopped in an uber to the Frost Science Center. We brought our luggage with us since the Science Center is near the cruise port and they had a wonderful complimentary luggage check. This museum is incredible. I cannot recommend visiting enough – especially if you are traveling with kids.
It’s a bit pricey at $25 per adult and $16 for children over 3 but it’s worth every penny. I wasn’t expecting to like it so much. If you’re from Chicago it’s like if the Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry had a baby, that would be the Frost Science Center. The museum design is really unique with indoor/outdoor elements. It has some really interactive outer space displays, a roof top bird exhibit with stunning views of the port, amazing aquariums of all different shapes and sizes – perhaps the coolest of all being the absolutely gigantic circular glass ceiling full of fish. Every room of this museum unveiled a new hidden gem. While there we read that our famous Chicago Sue the T-Rex was going to be on loan to the Frost Science Center later this year. If you are from Miami or are planning on visiting – check it out!
We had the BEST time in Miami! Gabe and I both said those 2 days spent in Miami may have been the highlight of our cruise trip (more to come on that later) If you’re planning a visit to Miami I’ve written some other posts which you can find here, here and here.
Until we can travel again, reminiscing on these adventures will have to do. Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Britt Heller 