"Welcome to Miami, Bienvenidos a Miami", we can probably all dream the lyrics to Will Smith's Miami... The place where the sun works overtime and people flock to forget the cold winter. Miami is the place to be!
Last 1.5 weeks, I went on an adventure in Miami. Not only did I visit Miami (Beach), I also went to Everglades National Park as well as Key West. Want to know how to get the most out of your holiday in Sunny Florida? Then read on!
Miami Beach + Miami Downtown
The first week of my trip, I stayed in cosy Miami Beach. Miami Beach is the separate part of Miami, with lots of beaches, boulevards and sights. If you mainly want to relax, eat good food & visit THE hotspots, then I definitely recommend staying in Miami Beach. Miami Downtown is mostly known for its tall buildings (with lots of businesses) and shopping malls. Nice to visit once, but the real Miami you will really discover in Miami Beach.
Miami Beach is divided into three parts: South Beach, Mid Beach and North Beach. South Beach is best known for the famous Ocean Drive (and the many films shot here). I myself stayed between South Beach and Mid Beach. I found this ideal, as it was quiet around our Airbnb, but you could easily seek out the hustle and bustle of South Beach.
Miami Beach & Miami Downtown tips:
Miami's Trolley: throughout Miami Beach, you can travel along the entire coastline on a free little train (trolley). This is (besides being very cheap) ideal for seeing a lot of Miami Beach. You can get on and off every few metres whenever you want. In total, there are four different routes to choose from, so look carefully at which one you take.
Ocean Drive: not to be missed during your trip to Miami Beach! Sports fans are working out at the beach and in the evening you can go to any bar for a mega cocktail; wrong, but secretly very fun to see. The buildings along the 1.5-kilometre-long street are built in Art Deco style. You can also admire the famous Versace Mansion on Ocean Drive.
Life Guard Stations: on every stretch of beach on Miami Beach, you will come across the brightly coloured Life Guard houses. These house the lifeguards who keep an eye on things. Your visit is not complete without a photo at (at least) one of these stations!
Boat trip: one of the most fun things I found was taking a boat trip. Miami from the water is a whole different kind of Miami. Among other things, we went past 'Star Island' (a neighbourhood on an artificial island where a lot of famous people live) and were able to admire the Miami Downtown skyline.
Wynwood: this is by far the coolest neighbourhood in Miami! It used to be better not to visit this neighbourhood, but it has since become a favourite among tourists for years. You can find it in Miami Downtown. The neighbourhood is an open-air museum where all kinds of artists display their colourful murals. You can also find great restaurants and trendy bars.
Shopping Malls: Stock up on a new wardrobe on the cheap? Definitely do so in Florida! Our favourite malls were Dolphin Mall & Aventura Mall.
A bite to eat in Miami? Besides all the well-known fast-food chains, there are plenty of nice restaurants. Be sure to visit Española Way. Here you will find all kinds of different restaurants. We ourselves ate at Oh! Mexico!
Everglades National Park
A 1.5-hour drive from Miami Beach is the famous Everglades National Park. The nature reserve in south-west Florida is known for the great diversity of flora and fauna. Animals you can spot in this park include the alligator, dolphins, panthers and turtles.
We chose to enter through the official entrance at Homestead. Our first stop was the Visitors Centre. The ranger explained the park to us on the spot and shared his favourite (hike) routes. After taking the map, we hopped back into the car and drove to the entrance. For $30 per car, you can enter the park and are free to go wherever you want. Our stops were:
Long Pine Key: a short hike through nature. Here we saw 2 alligators, turtles and several bird species. TIP: look carefully and intently in the water, alligators know how to hide well ????
Pa-Hay-Okee Overlook: at this stop you have a beautiful view of the elongated natural landscape
Mahogany Hammock: via the boardwalk, you walk between the impressive trees and the swamp. Very cool!
Flamingo Visitors Centre: the end of the route through Everglades. Here you can get something to drink & eat, as well as take a (animal-friendly!) boat or canoe trip. Here, too, we saw another alligator!
TIP: We ourselves chose not to take an airboat tour. After some research, we found out mainly that these boat trips are not very animal-friendly due to the huge noise the boat makes. The boat rides are also no longer allowed in the park itself, only around the National Park.
TIP: Want to experience a relaxing day in Everglades? Then opt for an overnight stay nearby. We ourselves stayed in a basic motel in Homestead.
Florida Keys
Welcome to paradise! After the Everglades, we decided to spend a few days relaxing on Key West. Key West is the southernmost island of 'The Florida Keys' (Florida's archipelago). From Miami Beach, you drive to the bottom island (Key West) in about 3 hours. We thought it would be fun not to drive straight to Key West, but to explore more Key's. That's why we also stopped at Key Marathon and Islamorada.
Our tip: just go and explore on your own! Forget all the tips and turn right or left yourself. This will take you to the nicest spots and private beaches.
Key West tips:
Accommodation: when we were looking for nice accommodation, we soon found out that all hotels and Airbnb's on Key West are very pricey. So don't be shocked by this! In the end, we opted for Hotel Havana Cabana. This hotel has the biggest pool in Key West and fantastic service. On arrival, you get a complimentary cocktail... Let the holiday begin!
Miami is a popular destination for families, and many visitors are looking for kid-friendly accommodations. To cater to this need, there are several excellent family resorts in Miami Beach. These resorts offer amenities such as children's pools, kids' clubs, and family-friendly activities. Some of the best Miami Beach family resorts include the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club, the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, and the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Families can choose from a variety of room types, from standard rooms to suites and villas, depending on their needs and preferences.
Food: we had our best dinner of the whole trip on Key West. The restaurant where we ate so well is Nine One Five on bustling Duval Street.
Nightlife: do you like dancing and a good drink? Then Key West is the place to be! Duval Street has super many bars, with live music almost everywhere.
Southernmost Point: Key West is home to the southernmost point of the United States. Very special! Besides, if the weather is good, you can even see Cuba from this point ????