A Weekend in Miami
The Wynwood art district captures the visitor as the must-see neighborhood to get your fill of eclectic art, shopping and modern Latin gastronomy.
I took a quick trip to Miami on a cheap ticket that jumped into my lap and I could not pass this opportunity. I mean who says no to a $100 ticket from DC to Miami? Needless to say, in 3 clicks, I was on the books for a 2-day getaway. Lucky me!
I am going to preface this by mentioning that my only points of reference for Miami were, randomly, Miami Vice - which I used to watch as a kid, Pitbull videos - one day, I'll be in one of them #Goals, and finally Gloria Estefan - believe in the conga beat! So pretty much showbiz related stuff. What I was not expecting was a beautiful splash of color and creativity that would make the best Instagrammer faint of happiness.
2 days of farniente, roaming the harbor, little Haiti and of course Wynwood, literal "selfie background" city in Miami! While I had no clear game plan regarding what to see, I focused on getting as much color, eclecticism and history as I could.
DAY 1
The first day was spent doing the most millennial thing : collecting murals selfies like Pokemons!
I started the day by grabbing a delicious a nitro coffee at Panther Coffee on 2nd ave right in the heart of Wynwood and decided to walk around. What can I say, that neighborhood did not disappoint! Quite the happening place with its multitude of restaurants and bars offering each a unique decor and definitely delivering that laid back and hip vibe that invites any visitor to join in on the local mood.
I ended the day having dinner at KYU, and feasted on the super delicious (and very filling) Thai fried rice with the pork sausage. I ate at the bar where I was kept entertained by one of the bartenders. Pretty lucky since I was a walk-in on a Saturday night and it was packed!
DAY 2
I then went for a boat tour of Miami with Island Queen Cruises; I opted for the Millionaires' Row Cruise and enjoyed 90 mins of guided seafaring, checking out Miami's skyline, Fisher and Star Islands and the harbor. It was quite nice to sit back, relax and take in the views. Our guide was pretty good at sharing historical fun facts and gossip about each island. I may have screamed "Ricky" from the boat when she pointed to Ricky Martin's house #noshame. I did well to choose a tour later in the afternoon and was able to capture a "bittle" of the fiery Miami sunset.
I wrapped up the day by hitting one of the well known Miami spot for ceviches. Don't take my word for it, it is in the name of the place CVI.CHE 105 right off of Biscayne Boulevard. I quite liked the interiors with the white and glass furniture. I kept it simple and ordered the mixed ceviche and it was ginormous! Definitely a 2-persons type of job, unless you have not had seafood in years. Imagine a literal festival of shrimp, lobster, white fish and mussels, all in their delicious bath of lime, cream and corn! 10/10 in my book.
All in all, Miami was a great get away for an unplanned trip! I definitely enjoyed both the cosmopolitan and island vibes there and would love to come back during the summer to experience more of what the city has to offer. For the spontaneous kids out there, check out The Flight Deal where I get all my travel tips and steals. Cheers!
