The first time I traveled to Miami, I had a feeling right away that the city got me. The sun was always shining. I could dress like a boho sex bomb and fit right in. Fresh seafood, top notch steak and healthy smoothies are on every corner. Staying up until the sun rises is the norm. Because of this, I have found my way back to the city a few times. Last year, it was during a Florida road tip with Spirit Airlines. I flew Spirit again this time.
A little tip if you’re flying from Richmond: fly into Fort Lauderdale and catch a ride to Miami from the airpirt via train, shuttle or Lyft. It’s way cheaper and less stressful.
Instead of a full blown travel guide, I thought I’d pull out and highlight the top three experiences I learned about this time. They are ones I feel strongly you should add to your agenda when you visit Miami. It’s good to be a little loose in a city like this. Don’t overbook yourself. Instead, punctuate your days with one or two must-see things and then let everything else fall into place. Let the literal breeze take you where you should go. Trust it.
Spend the Day at the Spa
But not like any spa, a spa with a rooftop pool and award winning thermal treatment experience. Carillon Wellness Resort wound up on my Instagram feed when I started doing research for this trip to Miami. I’ve been writing so much about wellness, beauty and fitness lately. I realized I don’t do much of those things when I travel. My roommate and I both needed more than an emotional vacation. We’ve both been working through some stressful professional and personal situations. We deserved to feel at our physical best during this trip and when we returned home. So, we got a day pass to the wellness resort. We also scheduled pedicures at the spa.
The pedicure was easily the best I’ve ever had–this is from a gal who’s gotten a lot of pedicures. After our pedicures, we spent a couple hours navigating through the Thermal Experience. This babe cave houses one of the country’s most expansive hydrotherapy circuits including traditional saunas, an herbal sauna, a foot bath an aromatic igloo, and jacuzzi that worked wonders on my back. The spa also leads to a private rooftop pool and jacuzzi. We finished off the day with wine at the restaurant. We were ready for the night after that.
Sunset at Sugar
If you’re looking for a sexy way to kick off the night, head to Sugar Rooftop in Brickell. It boasts one of the best sunset views in the area. I am honestly ashamed that I don’t have better photos. That is a good sign, though. I was enjoying my food, enjoying top-notch cocktails and meeting new people. The vibe is fresh and sophisticated, but not pretentious. You can get away with casual wear. There’s no entry fee. Trust me on this one.
Pool Party at SLS
We found ourselves here not once, but twice during our most recent trip to Miami. The first time, it was at night. SLS is located in South Beach near tons of other great spots. When we first arrived, we had to walk through the GORGEOUS hotel, through its restaurant, and past an empty pool. We then stayed the course to the back where there was another pool, a DJ, bar and tons of beautiful people hiding away having a killer party in South Beach. Much like Sugar, it was sophisticated, but casual. The next day, SLS hosted a pool party that started at 1 p.m. Let’s just say, by the time we arrived at 4 p.m., it was packed, everyone was dancing, everyone was beautiful, and the energy level was high.
If you get hungry during the party, walk across the street to Taco Taco.
