If you’re visiting the state of Florida you must spend one day in South Beach, Miami. Located on the Eastern coast of the state, this popular city is popular for good reason. Between the beautiful beach, boardwalk, delicious restaurants and killer nightlife it’s hard not to see why.
I decided to ring in 30 by spending one day in South Beach, Miami before joining my aunt in Sarasota. Unfortunately we didn’t get a full day because our flight was delayed but we made the most of the time we had!
It was also the first time in a long time that I took a vacation to warm weather in the winter. Walking out of the airport to feel the amazing warmth was one of the best feelings! It made the second half of the winter go by so much faster.
So what’s the best way to spend one day in Miami?
What to do
If you’re only going to be in Miami for one day it’s important that you look ahead and plan as best you can. Make sure that you pick out the things that you really want to do. You won’t be able to fit it all in but you can definitely hit your top spots.
Hang out on the beach
I mean really, how can you visit Miami and not visit the beach? This is especially true if you are coming from a horrible winter like we were. Because we were staying in South Beach, it was a really quick and easy walk to the ocean.
There are some hotels that have lounge chairs available for you if you want to rent them (or if you’re lucky it’s included in your room stay). If not, you can always do the classic laying down of the towel and just relax!
The beach is quite expansive so make sure you walk along to find the perfect spot.
Explore Ocean Drive
One of the most famous streets in the United States is located right in South Beach. Ocean Drive is a beautiful strip, as you might have guessed, along the ocean front. Here you’ll find a lot of cool looking buildings, restaurants and people!
Whether you choose to walk along the sidewalk of the street or on the beach side, you’ll enjoy the views either way. Along here you’ll also stumble across the Art Deco district. The district is most well known for being home to the Versace mansion.
Dine at a great restaurant
When only spending one day in South Beach, I found it really difficult to figure out where we were going to eat! There are so many amazing options it’s truly difficult to choose just one.
In the end we chose to eat at Upland. It was a little further away from the main strip but easy enough to get to. The food was absolutely incredible and the interior decor of the restaurant was absolutely stunning!
People watch from a patio
If you’re strolling along Ocean Drive during the day then I encourage you to enjoy happy hour at one of the bars along the strip. We found solace at News Cafe and had a perfect table for people watching.
The one piece of advice I would give you is not to settle for the first place the tries to reel you in. There are lots of hosts that try to heckle you to have a drink at their place but make sure to look at the menu and ask what the happy hour deals are. We actually sat at a place only to find out the host lied about the happy hour deal and were greeted by a sour looking waitress. Needless to say we didn’t last very long.
Stroll along to South Pointe Park Pier
It’s a beautiful walk along South Beach to the South Pointe Park Pier. You can stroll along the boardwalk or the beach – either one is a good option.
If I’m being honest the pier itself is a bit disappointing. There isn’t much to it, basically a long dock. However, the view from the pier is worth the visit. You can get a shot of the entire Miami skyline and the beach in front of it. It’s a beautiful spot to just stop and take in the views.
Have a bite in Espanola Way
We actually stumbled on Espanola way by accident. We were strolling through the streets of Miami and I spotted the pedestrian strip from afar and knew we had to check it out. It’s about 100m long and on either side there are various Spanish style restaurants.
We visited during the day, but I can imagine how beautiful it looks at night. There are lights strung from above and the outdoor patios are really quaint. If you like guac and chips or Spanish food, this is where you’ll want to be.
Bonus
If you’re looking for a fun and different way to spend an evening in Miami, try out the Escape Game. The company has 6 different rooms that you can choose from, depending on what type of adventure you’re looking for!
Where to stay
Let me start off by saying: Miami is not cheap. We typically like to stay in hotels that are around 4* wherever we travel to but I found it hard to find a reasonably priced hotel for our trip. Because we were only staying one day in South Beach though I was okay with spending a little more. Looking for some options? Try these:
Luxury: W South Beach – I don’t think you can get more luxurious than the W South Beach. Right in the heart of South Beach with absolutely stunning views and drool worthy interior design it’s definitely a good choice if you’ve got the dough!
Mid-range: Colony Hotel – This hotel has an unreal pool for guests to use right along the beachfront. The best part? the price per night is pretty reasonable!
Budget: South Beach Rooms and Hostel – You can’t really find a better price for a decent place to stay than the Rock Hostel. Set in a great location in South Beach, the hostel is highly reviewed as a budget hostel.
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