After a year and a half of staying close to home, we decided to take a well deserved vacation to our second home, Miami. We took a 2 hr direct flight from RDU to FLL via Delta Airlines, and before you know it, we were back in the sunshine state! Since moving away in 2015 (and my last solo trip in 2018>>read about that visit here.) much had changed but luckily alot stayed the same. We visited some of our favorite places in the 48 hours we were there before driving down to Key West (I’ll share more about that in my next blog post). Here are My Top 5 Miami Beach Family Vacation Must Do’s!

1. Stay at the Residence Inn Miami Beach South Beach

Location, Location is why we choose this hotel for our family stay whenever we visit Miami Beach. Besides being right across the street from one of my favorite stores, Trader Joe’s, you can walk (or utilize their free shuttle) to get to South Beach. A one bedroom suite suits my #HeighPartyof3 well as it includes a sofa bed in their spacious living room plus a kitchen. It’s also quiet because it is more on the local side of South Beach, so our stay at the Residence Inn Miami Beach South Beach has always been pretty relaxing.

2. Explore the artsy side of Miami in Wynwood

Miami is known for many things: parties, beaches, latin food and culture. Miami in 2021 is also known for its street art scene. The Miami neighborhood of Wynwood is the center of this art scene. What started as grafitti artists tagging buildings has turned the area into a outdoor museum of murals, artist studios and unique eateries and shops. We spent a few fun hours there enjoying the scene and checked out an exhibit called the Womanish Experience, now showing thru August 29. See more about my experience here⤵️

3. Shop & Dine on Lincoln Road Mall

Living 5 blocks away, Lincoln Road was the backdrop of my daily life as a resident. It consists of almost a mile of restaurants, shops, a movie theater and more. There is even a church there in case you need a moment. We met up with a friend at Doraku, a restaurant known for it’s sushi/Asian cuisine. They have a great happy hour in a laid back stylish atmosphere. I suggest everyone spend time just strolling on Lincoln Road and see what catches your interest!

4. Get a relaxing spa treatment at exhale Spa

I learned that exhale Spa in Miami/South Beach offered Kiddie services and wanted to make an appointment for my daughter and I to have a mani/pedi date. However, because of my limited time, I decided to have a mommy break and enjoy a bit of self-care. The Power Facial was just what I needed to get my outer glow and inner glow aligned. Not only was it a relaxing treatment but the quality of the products used and service provided was stellar! See more about my lovely experience here ⤵️

5. Play in the sand and soak up the sun on South Beach

While I enjoy living in NC, I do miss the ability to walk 8 blocks to the ocean. We decided to frolick in the South Beach surf in the late afternoon. The ocean is bath water warm in August but still cooler than the air temps, so it was a relief from the heat! I did some daily yoga poses while hubby gave our 10 yr old piggyback rides in the water as the cruise ships went by. It was a beautiful day at the beach!

We enjoyed our 2 night stay in Miami Beach and being ex-locals made it easy. Seeing our friends and visiting old stomping grounds was a great start to our extended Florida stay. Next up… the Florida Keys and Key West! Stay tuned for more about our family fun in Key West coming soon on the blog, SobeSavvy.com!