Miami — land of the sun, home of the Heat, and launching pad for the nation’s cruisers. I had 4 days in Miami a few years ago where me, Kynie and a few friends rented a unit in Miami Beach, ready for some serious beach time.
This is how we entertained ourselves for the time there.
Day 1
An early start in Austin had us trade the cowboy hats and giant pickups of Texas for the thong bikinis and sports cars of Miami Beach. After meeting our friends at the airport without drama, we dumped our stuff at our Airbnb and hit the first restaurant we found on Ocean drive, aptly called On Ocean for a late lunch and cocktails then proceeded to the beach.
The day happened to be Saturday and wow, Miami beach on a Saturday evening is actually overwhelming — in the best way possible. People watching is the name of the game and this was very different from any beach experience I’ve ever had. You’ve got boobs and bikini thongs left and right. Most people surround a sandy cooler and are drinking (probably pre-drinking). Each different group are playing their own preferred style of rap music, so it’s hard to decide which one to listen to at any given time.
There was hardly a spare spot of sand to be found and everyone was having a good time with some wholesome fun on the beach.
This played out for a couple of hours and even though I could have continued people watching for longer, we were ready to move on. We headed north up the beach to a bar called the Broken Shaker. The Broker Shaker had a very tropical vibe: palms were everywhere with tables adjacent to a central pool. People were playing board games and we opted for the table tennis tables. We ordered some drinks and appetisers over a game of cards then played some table tennis before walking back to our place on 7th.
We decided not to rent a car in Miami this time, but if you were planning on doing much driving outside of Miami or doing some day trips, it’s probably a good idea.
Day 2
Our second day was spent mostly back at South Beach. We had a slow morning and by the time we had enjoyed a sleep in and lazy breakfast, we didn’t get there until 11. We stayed for about 4 and a half hours and I actually can’t remember the last time I spent so long in the sun. Amazingly I didn’t burn and the sun was hot! This is a very different experience to the sun in Australia.
The wind kept us on our toes, the beautiful temperature of the water kept us refreshed, the Frisbee (despite the wind) kept us entertained, and the beers were a Godsend. Local beach-goers added to the entertainment, that’s a given.
Like the streets of any downtown city, the vibe on the beach was very different today, especially in the morning. We figured that most people that were there last night were probably still asleep.
We headed back north towards the Lincoln Road Mall and accidentally went into an H&M. Now, you have to remember that at this time in history, Australia didn’t have H&M so the cheapness on offer was a nice novelty. Kynie and spent a little too long and a little too much in there while our American friends patiently waited. Thankfully, our good friend Coors Light kept them company.
We had dinner on Lincoln Road Mall at Pizza Rustica. The pizza was good, but the beers afterwards at Abbey Brewing Co were even better.
After some post-dinner aperitifs, we made our way back down towards our place and we noticed a most intriguing of establishments was open across the street. It was called the Lounge Barber and Bar. We put the girls to bed and Evan and I went over to investigate. House music pulsated while Evan was clipped and I sipped. Then we traded and I got the haircut I didn’t need because I’d had one a week earlier. Quality experience though. In the back of the barber was a full-blown, yet empty bar, complete with a fatty on the stripper pole.
Yep — time to go.
Day 3
In the 1950s, immigration was opened up to Cubans, most of whom seem to have settled in and around 8th street (Calle Ocho) Downtown, otherwise known as Little Havana. We visited a few cigar places and at each, Evan and I bought a crapload of cigars and watched a dude roll them.
Lunch was eaten at a random Cuban place to add some authenticity. I’m pretty sure I had some kind of burger that looked and tasted like it used potato scallops for buns. What an idea! We know it was authentic because communication with our server was difficult and the English on the menu questionable. We got a Cuban beer in a plastic cup from a souvenir store and flagged a taxi to take us back over the bridge to Miami Beach.
This was probably the only time I actually thought it would have been handy to have a rental car in Miami. We didn’t find the public transport all that great in Miami and cab fares always rack up quickly.
One of the best ways to see Miami Beach is actually by bike. We hired bikes near our Airbnb and pretty well stuck to the beach path. That is, except for a couple of times where the path ended and we were forced to ride along the sand. That frustrated us a little, but on the whole, it was such a great way to explore. It was a lot of fun: warm day, blue sky above, nowhere to be, just riding along the beach. It actually turned out to be one of the best things we did there.
An hour or so on the beach was essential before having aperitifs at Miami’s most Miami-y bar: the Clevelander. They had house music blaring at 7pm and we were sitting around half a pool (the other half being covered by a dance floor). And no Miami Beach bar would be complete without an enormous 45oz cocktail as big as my head. It was a very cool place, but as karaoke was starting soon we tapped out in favour of something more tranquil: a taste of Italy along Ocean Drive.
We smoked our cigars after dinner and had a nightcap at the Clandestine Pub where we enjoyed some very good craft beers.
Day 4
As our last full day, an easy morning frolicking at the beach before was in store. We got a cab up to shake shack near Lincoln Road Mall. After a wander down the mall admiring the beautiful art deco architecture, Kynie and I went our separate ways for the evening. Kynie departed to the shops, and I went downtown to see Miami Heat play the Brooklyn Nets.
But first I had to dodge some seriously torrential rain that began right when I got off the bus. I sought shelter in a restaurant with a bar and felt obliged to have a drink while I waited for it to slow. When it did I walked the two blocks to the Biscayne Tavern, because of their good beer range. I smashed and IPA so I could get a cream ale before happy hour ended in about 15 minutes. I complemented this with a large prawn cocktail. The night was looking up.
After happy hour, I walked up to American Airlines Arena and slowly made my way inside, like a Miami tradition I was creating, people watching continued to be fascinating. Plenty of people were getting there half an hour early and the merch shop was absolutely packed; two things you never see back home.
The food and beverage selection at the stadium is also way better than home, there was pizza options, burgers, nachos, I even had a grilled chicken sandwich/burger. And that was just from Papa Johns. The beers were reasonably varied as well. Not great beers but more than one to choose from and you weren’t restricted to mid-strength. As expensive as home though.
So the game itself is actually a massive event. To start with, the entire crowd and teams are incredibly passionate about the national anthem. This goes without saying (We don’t even sing the national anthem at our regular season sports games). They had an ex afghan vet be presented with something which was actually pretty cool. We should give more respect to our armed forces people like the Americans do.
For those have never been to a game, though they actually play music the entire way through, which you don’t really pick up from watching it on TV. It gets the crowd really pumped, but I do wonder how the players feel about it.
Afterwards, I went to a bar around the corner called Will Call, again, because of its proximity and beer selection. Though I wasted it on a Goose Honkers Ale.
The next day we said farewell to Miami Beach. It had been an awesome few days sunning ourselves, drinking beers, eating good food, and watching the people of Miami go about their lives. And now it was time to continue all of this on a Disney Cruise.
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Looks like a fun time. Were there any experiences you would suggest skipping?