Happy three-day weekend! Hopefully you have today off…and if not, fingers-crossed you have uninterrupted blog-reading time to make the day pass quickly! If you follow me on Instagram, then you know Mr. SP and I slipped away for the Valentine weekend. #lastminutefaresaremybae We are, quite literally, freezing our patooties off…but still having the best time. That man makes the DMV fun though.
It’s pretty much the exact opposite weather from our last trip, which reminded me I never recapped it here! You may recall I was lucky enough to go cruising with the Property Brothers last year…a trip Mr. SP decided wasn’t for him, so I went with friends. But we’re never ones to let travel opportunities pass, so when the ship returned to port in Miami on Friday, Mr. SP was waiting, and we had the perfect weekend getaway in Miami Beach!
You likely already know this (I didn’t before I planned this trip though!)…but Miami Beach is actually it’s own city, and part of the barrier island that runs parallel to Florida’s mainland, and the city of Miami. South Beach is a 2 mile neighborhood on the southern tip of Miami Beach, full of original Art Deco buildings, nightclubs, and small hotels.
The rest of Miami Beach is lined with top-notch resorts and boutique hotels, with nothing separating them from the white sand beaches and turquoise waters, except a lovely pedestrian/bike path, which runs the length of the island. We went in November and the weather was extraordinary…warm sun and crisp breezes, with short bouts of rain showers.
Miami Beach is a lively city and anything goes style-wise. I took that as an opportunity to get a little sassier than usual, and brought this bold cobalt number for a night out. (Dress is on sale now!)
The rest of the time I was in swimsuits and my go-to travel dress…worn as both a sundress with sandals, and a coverup with flip-flops.
We fell into an easy routine…mornings at the beach, afternoons exploring parts of Miami, and evenings riding bikes up and down the island. With lots of Cuban food in between! When storms hit, we ducked under awnings or trees until they passed, then continued on. Hence why I’m always wearing a hat!
The neighborhood of South Beach is colorful in both design and personalities, and there’s always a party going somewhere. The boutique hotels are smaller, and set further back from the beach than the main resorts of Miami Beach, so not my first choice to stay, but definitely worth exploring.
Room Tip: Go for the beachfront if you can, you’ll get a small balcony and this view!
& mojitos & guacamole on the beach #mylovelanguage, but I wouldn’t
seek it out if I weren’t staying at the hotel.
// Lincoln Road ~ Miami Beach //
This pleasant outdoor pedestrian mall is lined with restaurants,
shops, & street performers, along with some charming book stores & jazz clubs.
// Wynwood Art District ~ Miami //
Besides the beaches, Wynwood Walls are probably the most Instagrammed
areas of Miami. It’s a small neighborhood of art galleries, with bold, graphic murals
covering the outside of most every building.
// Biking ~ Miami Beach //
A beautiful paved, palm tree-lined path runs the length of the island, with the beach on one side,
and resorts on the other. There are bike rental stands every few blocks and available 24-hours a day.
// South Pointe Park ~ Miami Beach //
At the tip of Miami Beach, this lovely spot is a great place to watch the massive
cruise ships head out towards the Caribbean directly alongside the park. There’s also
a walking pier & rows of yachts to gape over.
Travel Tip: For just a long weekend, a rental car isn’t necessary (and would be expensive to park!). We walked and rode bikes all over Miami Beach, and took Uber when we went to the city of Miami, and to and from the airport.
Miami Beach can be whatever you want it to be…laid back or energetic, active or relaxing, gay or straight, rowdy or quiet, family or singles, American or Latino…but that’s what makes it such an effortless weekend getaway. We found it the perfect mix of everything, and utterly captivating.
I think instead of one big trip this year (see them all here), Mr. SP and I are going to take a series of long weekend getaways that are a bit closer to home. What are your favorite long-weekend getaway spots within North America and the Caribbean?
It wouldn’t be an American holiday without sales, so here are a few worth checking out today!
Nordstrom // Winter Clearance starts now with 40% off
Anthropologie // Extra 40% off sale with code EXTRA40
J.Crew Factory // Up to 60% off everything
GAP // Up to 40% off with code PRESDAY
Old Navy // 15% off everything, no code needed
J.Crew // Extra 40% off sale with code SHOPSALE
Pottery Barn // Friends & Family event, 20% off everything with code FRIENDS
Loft // 40% off Wear Now styles, & extra 50% off sale
Looks like a great little getaway! And you are one hot mama in that blue dress!
I agree with Sheaffer – you look amazing in that blue dress! A favorite getaway for my husband and me is Charleston, SC. Stay at Charleston Place so you can walk to almost everything. Christmas time is especially nice as the decorations are wonderful. The summers are too hot and humid for me though. We like to walk by the water and pick out our future condo from all the gorgeous ones we pass 🙂
What are the temps typically like there around Christmas?
Looks so awesome!! That sun shining makes it even more lovely. In June, my husband has a work trip to Naples, FL…staying at the Ritz Carlton. Ooh la la! That's wayyyy out of our league, but all we have to cover is my airfare. We don't get away…ever…as we don't have anyone to watch all our kids. However, because it's an essentially free trip, and our 15 th wedding anniversary is that same month, I think we'll hire someone! That way we can keep the dog home too! But, my point in telling you this is that I plan to dress the part while I'm there! I will be referring back to your posts! With working full time, and being at the softball fields a good part of spring and summer, I don't often wear maxi dresses, etc. I will be that week!! Thanks for your help with my wardrobe;)
Aww… the beach never sounded better, than right this minute! 🙂
Looks like an amazing trip. Your style is always flawless!
Hi. This isn't about today's post, but I went to buy the flamingo sheets today at Macy's. They are so so cute. The lady at Macy's told me they are stiff and not comfortable. What is your opinion. Thx so much.
Melissa, I live in Naples and we love it here. June is a great time to come because it won't be busy here. Our season is winter. You will enjoy your time here. Enjoy. Believe me, not everyone who lives here has lots of $$$. Enjoy!!!
Thank you, Anita!! I am so looking forward to the relaxation!
Looks like an amazing trip!! My husband and I love taking a long weekend to Asheville, North Carolina. A day at the Spa at the Grove Park Inn is a must, along with a trip to the Biltmore and visiting downtown Asheville- it's a very eclectic artsy town with tons of boutique stores to browse.
Good for you to sneak off and get a little R & R. I love that blue dress. It has a little something special and you look amazing in it. We are going to St. Thomas for spring break and I'm so looking forward to shaking this winter weather and getting in some sunshine.
Jenn
What a fun trip! Miami Beach is on my bucket list, so I love all of your recommendations. We just took a long weekend trip to Charleston, and I wrote a post about it–would definitely highly recommend!
XO,
Michele @ The Joyful Home
http://www.thejoyfulhomeblog.com
I'm getting ready to go on a beach vacation and I'd love to hear how you pack your hat without it getting smashed! It always looks so cute!
Thank you! Most of the time, I just carry it on the plane…that's the best and easiest. If I do pack it, I fill it with soft clothes like t-shirts and place it brim-side down at the bottom of my bag, and pack clothes around it. Hope that helps! xo
I got a Panama hat like that at Target for $15!
I love Miami, Its really a great for vacation, And i love your pictures too.
Kim | http://www.condorny.com
ahhh so fun! my brother-in-law moved to miami a couple of months ago, we need to go visit! xo jillian – cornflake dreams
CooL report, cool outfits!