Many people who can’t get away from their jobs for too long are stuck taking weekend trips. I’ve been down to Miami many times to visit family and friends. So I decided to create this quick outline or guide of things you can do in Miami if you decided to head there for the weekend.

Miami is a great place to visit for a weekend. The sunny weather, beautiful beaches, and Latin lifestyle really makes it one of the top tourist destinations in the U.S. I would normally suggest spending more than a weekend there, but I’m happy to suggest the primary places to visit and things to see. I’m going to design a plan where you arrive on Friday evening and leave on Sunday evening.

Pre-Planning

Before you fly in on Friday, I suggest renting a car ahead of time. You save money by pre-booking the car and there are plenty of discounts out there. Personally, I think www.priceline.com has some of the best deals on cars. I would also suggest using AAA and BJ’s wholesale club memberships to attain discounts as well. Make sure you bring a nice pair of sunglasses, waterproof sun block, and enough clothing. As far as clothes go, you’ll need to pack a nice bathing suit, day clothes and club clothes for the evenings.

Friday – South Beach

When you get in on Friday, whether by car or plane, head straight to your hotel to freshen up. This should be a light evening of dinner, some drinks, and exploring ocean drive. There are plenty of great restaurants on Ocean Drive, I suggest starting your journey on 5th St, then walking up Ocean until you find a restaurant serving your preferred cuisine. After dinner, you can drop by the many bars and lounges on that strip. Or if you want to walk off your dinner, head north on the concrete pathway that runs alongside the beach. I’m not sure of the actual length, but I believe it’s at least 2 to 3 miles long.

Saturday – Key West (Option 1)

Try to wake up early on Saturday morning and take a drive down to Key West. The drive there is about 3 to 3.5 hours long, but it will be the most beautiful road trips you’ve ever taken. I only suggest this option if the weather is beautiful, otherwise you’ll miss a lot of the scenic drive. On your way down, I suggest stopping off at Anne’s Beach in Islamorada. Many locals come here for windsurfing and their picnic areas. At some parts, this beach allows you to walk 50 to 100 feet from shore without exceeding a 5 foot water level.

When you finally get to Key West, check into your hotel and freshen up. If there’s still light left, I suggest you explore the beaches or check to see if there are any community events going on. I was there back in March of 2011 and I stumbled upon a huge food festival in the Bay View Park. At night, you’re heading to Duval St. for some dinner and nightlife. That’s where all the action takes place in Key West. If you’re able, you can try something called the “Duval Crawl.” Basically, you start at the 200 block on Duval St and head south trying to have at least one drink on every bar on the street.

Saturday – North Miami (Option 2)

This option should be taken if the weather isn’t too good or if you prefer not to drive for over 3 hours. In the morning, you should wake up and head over to one of the many spas in the Miami area. The nicer high-end spas are usually located in hotels like the Ritz Carlton and Delano South Beach. After your relaxing spa treatment, you want to head north to an area called Bal Harbour. They have a beautiful shopping center called the Bal Harbour Shops, which plays host to retailers like Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Jimmy Choo. From Bal Harbour, you can head 30 minutes north to the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel & Casino to do a little gambling.

Once you’re tired with the flashing lights and ringing slot machines, you’ll want to head back towards South Beach. If the weather is better, you’re going to want to take a stroll at the Lincoln Road Mall. For dinner I suggest heading over to El Rancho Grande for some great Mexican, at Pennsylvania Ave and Lincoln Rd. After dinner, go get changed into your club clothes and head over to Bed, Liv or Mansion to experience the Miami nightlife. Be prepared to spend a decent amount of money on drinks and possibly cover charges to get into the some of these clubs.

Sunday – Española Way

If you’re not hung over and if weather permits, head back to the Lincoln Road Mall for some brunch at one of their sidewalk cafes. It’s a great place to sit and watch people while you enjoy some food. After your meal, take walk down Española Way to get a feel of the Latin culture in South Beach. If you’re a coffee drinker, be sure to try a colada (Cuban espresso) at one of the cafes there. From there, you can turn right onto Washington Ave and head south to visit the tattoo popular best known for its TV show Miami Ink. If you have some time left before you leave, cross over to Ocean Drive and take it south until the very end to check out the Art Deco district.

Enjoy your weekend in Miami!

Search Tags: Espanola Way, Florida, Hard Rock Seminole, Holiday, Miami, South Beach, Tourist Destination, Vacation

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 at 4:31 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.