Short getaways in Miami – Art Deco architecture, Cuban coffee and designer shopping
Miami short getaway day one, morning
Start off a short getaway in Miami with brunch in a classic Ocean Drive spot like the News Cafe. Watch the world go by over coffee and syrupy pancakes then burn off the calories on an Art Deco walking tour. Collins Avenue, parallel to Ocean Drive, is flanked with Art Deco gems, characterized by their portholes and rounded walls. Don’t miss the Miami Beach Post Office and Commodore Hotel.
Start: News Cafe, 800 Ocean Drive, South Beach.
Nearest bus stop: South Beach Local - Lummus Park
Afternoon
Alton Road’s Epicure Market is the place to stock up on cheese, hams and olives for a beach picnic. Stroll along Miami Beach Boardwalk, pick a sunbathing spot or snap photos of the colorful lifeguard stations. Loop back towards Lincoln Road Mall for an early evening shop. Families might prefer Jungle Island on the MacArthur Causeway (just off South Beach) for wildlife adventures.
Start: Epicure Market, Alton Road, South Beach.
Nearest bus stop: South Beach Local - Regal Movie Theatre
Evening
Sip cocktails at the Setai Hotel’s 90-foot poolside bar then journey into the artists’ hub and Spanish village of Española Way. Choose the trendy but family-friendly Italian-style cafe-bar Segafredo or opt for Tapas y Tinto’s Spanish bites. Night owls head north to Miami Beach’s Normandy Isle, home to bar-club Favela Chic.
Start: Setai hotel.
Nearest bus stop: South Beach Local – Collins Avenue
Miami short getaway day two, morning
The driverless Metromover train is an easy way of seeing Downtown Miami’s sights like the ornate Freedom Tower and vast American Airlines Arena. At 8th Street Station in Little Havana you can wander among Calle Ocho’s cafes and cigar shops. Lunch on Cuban beef stew at Versailles bar-restaurant.
Start: Bayfront Park, Biscayne Boulevard.
Nearest Metromover stop: Bayfront Park Station
Afternoon
Take a taxi south of Downtown to the Coral Gables neighborhood – around Alhambra Circle is the Country Club district with its Mediterranean-inspired houses. If the sun’s out, a dip among the palm trees and waterfalls of the 1920s Venetian Pool is a must. Later, choose from afternoon coffee at the opulent Biltmore Hotel or take the free trolley bus past the exclusive shops of Miracle Mile
Start: Alhambra Circle.
Nearest Metrorail stop: Douglas Road
Evening
Visit the neighboring bayside suburb of Coconut Grove. Chain stores, designer clothes and quirky boutiques pack the open-air Cocowalk and Streets of Mayfair malls while the open-air Green Street Cafe in restaurant-packed Commodore Plaza is a neighborhood favorite.
Start: Cocowalk, Coconut Grove.
Nearest Metrorail stop: Coconut Grove (1km from Cocowalk)
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