Miami

Out of all the trips I have been on, going to Miami was completely chaotic. I was so looking forward to spending a week soaking up the sun, shopping, and eating out. What was originally supposed to be a relaxing week by the beach morphed into a bit of a logistical nightmare. Although there was a handful of inconveniences, I managed to roll with the punches and still make the most of my time.

Day 1 - Flying to Miami

I originally had first-class, one way tickets from Seattle to Miami, a relatively short flight. The goal was to land in Miami mid afternoon with some time to spare for exploring the first part of town I was staying in - Coconut Grove. As soon as I had ordered my Uber for the airport, I got a notification from the airline letting me know the flight was completely cancelled. I headed to the airport anyways to sort out the cancellation and after several hours rebooked a seat to Miami with a layover in Phoenix. Just before I boarded my flight I realized I didn't have my bag - I had left it at the security checkpoint. I had no choice but to board the plane and leave my bag which had all of my clothes, shoes, swimsuits, toiletries, etc. The flight I rebooked was so delayed that I ended up missing my layover in Phoenix and had to book another layover to Miami that stopped in Denver.

Day 2 - Coconut Grove

It was a very long 24 hours of traveling, sitting in various airports for hours at a time, waiting in long lines, catching bits of sleep. I eventually arrived in Miami at 6 a.m. on Sunday vs the original arrival time of Saturday at noon. I checked into my Airbnb and caught up on sleep.

The view from the first Airbnb was beautiful, I loved sitting out on the balcony enjoying the warm air and watching the ships in the harbor. If you would potentially like to stay here, click this link.

The view from the first Airbnb was beautiful, I loved sitting out on the balcony enjoying the warm air and watching the ships in the harbor. If you would potentially like to stay here, click this link.

In the afternoon I explored the Coconut Grove area - stopping in various stores to replace the clothing that was in my lost bag.

I really loved spending time in this area, it was chalk full of historic buildings, art galleries, restaurants, fashion boutiques, live music, coffee shops and bookstores.

Before going out to dinner I headed over to Versailles Restaurant, a famous Cuban restaurant in Miami. I picked up some Cuban pastries and espresso before heading to dinner at Jaguar.

Jaguar was the perfect spot for dinner, I loved the atmosphere and the menu offered my favorite types of food - fresh seafood, fun cocktails, delicious appetizers and savory dishes. The ceviche was one of the best I've ever had.

After dinner I stopped at a nearby ice cream shop, Salt & Straw, which is a local chain in Seattle as well. I started to feel pretty exhausted not long after and headed back to the Airbnb.

Day 3 - Miami Beach

The next morning I woke up in time to check out of the Airbnb and headed over to the next hotel in Miami Beach. I woke up with chills and a sore throat, feeling exhausted and generally pretty horrible. I was incredibly frustrated that not only had I missed the first whole day in Miami from flight issues but now I was coming down with something. However, before I started feeling truly awful I tried to maximize my day.

I spent the afternoon at the Faena Hotel - Miami Beach. I was not staying in the hotel but it is open for visitors to dine and pay a fee to use the pool.

Lunch was delicious and it was so relaxing to enjoy the warm air, palm trees, and cold pool with some drinks for the afternoon.

Later on I walked along the water at sunset, admiring the palm trees and painted sky. I noticed that people were very friendly here, smiling and greeting each other as everyone walked along the beach and trails enjoying the colors of the sunset and warm breezes.

Day 4 - Swapping hotels

The hotel that I originally booked for the last half of the trip turned out to be a nightmare. The room I was given was not the room listed on the site, it was in a very loud part of Miami, it was not properly cleaned, etc. I decided to move to a hotel a bit further up north in Miami Beach - Casa Faena Miami Beach. I was also feeling more sick and really wanted to get into a more comfortable and quieter location to rest up.

This was a much better fit for me and I absolutely adored the style and atmosphere of the hotel. The boutique hotel is described as "an elegant and charming throwback to 1900s Spanish art and design. This historic beachside hotel, just steps from the ocean, blends modern Art Deco style with colonial Mediterranean influences and tropical nightlife fun."

View from my hotel room window

Modern art in the hallway

The colorful lobby

After checking in I spent the day in bed just sleeping and resting, trying to kick my illness.

Day 5 - Exploring Miami Beach

I woke up this day feeling much better, still a bit tired but ready to get out of the hotel room and explore the area. I grabbed lunch at a cafe near the hotel - Crema. They had amazing coffee, sandwiches, and breakfast foods.

Afterwards I spent time shopping at some local boutique and luxury stores. I loved perusing the expensive dresses and styles, especially seeing all the popular styles in Miami compared to Seattle. I was tempted to treat myself to more than one ridiculously priced bikini.

Before dinner I walked along the ocean again, soaking up the beautiful colors.

For dinner I ate at the restaurant in my hotel - Gitano Miami. This spot had amazing cocktails, appetizers and a perfect selection of delicious Mexican dishes.

Day 6 - Beach day

For my last day in Miami I wanted to spend time tanning and relaxing at the beach. My hotel had chairs and umbrellas to rent and I set up on the beach which was just across the street.

I spent the day napping, swimming, reading, and enjoying the hot, sunny weather. I was feeling much better and although I was not back to my usual physical health, soaking up the sun and relaxing was the perfect treatment.

The next day I packed up and headed home. I was honestly very ready to get home, recover my bag from the airport and just rest. I was glad I visited Miami and got to experience the atmosphere and area but I am looking forward to the next time I can visit without dealing with sickness, lost luggage, and cancelled flights!

Published 1.24.23