I had the best girl’s weekend to Miami with two of my best friends from college this past weekend- we took two days off work for a long weekend and had an amazing little trip to paradise!
I’m the first to admit that we didn’t plan the weekend at all– we actually spent the first hour of our trip at our hotel on Google and even Tik Tok finding fun spots to visit! But, it all worked out in the end (to the point that we ended up in a yacht three times!).
If you go, I recommend booking literally everything except late-night bars in advance- we skipped a lot because we didn’t realize that we needed reservations for everything from brunch on a Monday to a casual beach club! However, it worked out because we ended up spending Saturday on a yacht and a lot of time at the resort. Also, be prepared to wait in lines for clubs if you don’t get a promoter to go to the bars (we found one on Instagram and also got in places through our friends).
I also recommend saving a lot for your trip- I had no concept of how expensive Miami is! Drinks are about $20+ everywhere and entrees are $30+. Guys at bars were big on buying us drinks but I still spent hundreds on just going out to eat and happy hours!
Here are all the details from our trip, and I also included some extra spots that were recommended to us by three fun local ladies we met at a happy hour!
Stay
We stayed at the Palms Hotel and Spa in South Beach and it was amazing. We booked through Booking.com (none of this is sponsored, I’m just a big fan) to get free cancellation just in case things got messed up with covid, and got a great deal because it was a fancy hotel!
It’s a four star hotel that looks and feels like an all-inclusive in the Caribbean- from everything to a tiki bar to parrots by the pool! I could’ve spent a week at the resort and never left, it was that nice.
We had mixed feelings about the hotel due to location- it was amazing to be on the beach, but to be honest we didn’t go on the beach that much because South Beach is a little rough with the water with seaweed everywhere. I’m the first to admit that I can be a brat with beaches because Ry and I go to Siesta Key all the time, but we honestly just liked the pool a lot better! So, it’s worth noting that we might’ve also had an awesome stay downtown with a pool which would’ve been nice because it was a 30 minute, $40 uber ride to and from the hotel from everything. However, the hotel was really nice…so it definitely depends on your preference!
Sip
Miami has so many bars…we didn’t make it to all of them, but we had an amazing time trying a few!
The Wharf: This was a great college-vibes spot for drinks along the water and it was where we made friends with some guys with a yacht (boats pull up on the dock at the bar!). Drinks were relatively cheaper than most bars in Miami and they also have food trucks!
Serena Rooftop: Serena was a super chic rooftop bar on the roof of the Moxy Hotel right in South Beach- it was so cute and we also got chips and guac which were so yummy! You can also eat dinner there.
Astra Miami (rooftop): Astra was a super trendy rooftop bar that we visited after Serena Rooftop for another round of drinks! It was a little pricier and edgier (think ceviche on the menu and a DJ) and is located in Wynwood, where a lot of fun bars are located! You could start your night here and literally walk down the street to other more low-key bars, like Myami and Tulum.
Other bar and club recommendations:
- Space: fun for a crazy night out
- Bodega: a fun speakeasy behind a taco restaurant
- Liv: fun for a vegas-vibe
- Racket: fun after 9 PM for a hip-hop vibe
- Eleven: a fun night (note that this a strip club)
- Miami Mojito club: a hidden gem for mojitos
- Jazid Social club: a super fun swanky bar all over Tik Tok
Eat
We mostly ate at the resort, but there were a few fun restaurants we wanted to try that I’ve listed below!
Escotio: This restaurant was amazing- we met the owner and had a great time and service! They had delicious seafood (I got seafood fried rice served in a fresh pineapple) and tiki drinks that were served with dry ice!
Other restaurant recommendations:
- Casa Florida: This is a brunch spot that is pink themed and totally girly! It even has an RV on its patio.
- Jaya Restaurant at the Setai Hotel: An amazing dinner spot that is a total experience
- Bistro Cafe: The cutest, freshest brunch in Miami
- Salvage: Midtown rooftop spot for a dinner with cute drinks
- Komodo: Miami’s version of Nobu (AKA sushi)
Andddd that’s our girl’s trip to Miami! We had a great time and I can’t wait to go back!
