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| When you go to Miami Beach, this is the last thing you want to see. |
Nothing let the air out of this balloon like rain. It wasn't raining when we arrived. We took an Uber from the airport to our hotel to check in. It started getting cool and super, duper windy that night. Upon check in at Riviere South Beach Hotel, things started off well. My Darling Husband had sent a Valentine's treat from the other side of the country.
We were still exhausted from our final late night on the cruise and fully intending to take a nap. However, our room was not great. After being treated to the pristine cleanliness of our Celebrity Cruise ship, the hotel room was noisy (ground floor), dingy and filthy. I lifted up the sheets and checked the mattress (I'm one of those people) and the sheets and bedding were visibly stained. I grabbed a dirty pillow from a bed and took it to the Front Desk.
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| The Miami Beach Boardwalk is beautiful and busy, even when the weather is cold and windy. |
Miami Beach is beautiful. It stretches as far as the eye can see with creamy white sand. It was busy with families from all over the world trying to catch some rays in mid-February. We walked up and down Collins and Ocean Drive enjoying the pink and turquoise colors of the art deco buildings. Miami Beach is a destination to see luxury cars. Everyone has them and they drive crazy, dodging pedestrians, so you're warned.
The next day was windy and spitting rain. No one was on the beach. Here is a quick list of things we did in Miami Beach when the weather was terrible.
Find Your Favorite Restaurant
We actually had dinner and brunch at our favorite spot, the Front Porch Cafe. Service was quick, we didn't need a reservation and the food was delicious. It was very American, nothing too distinct, but the service was impeccable. Bunny and I split a huge plate of nachos and when her dinner order didn't turn out the way she hoped, the waiter offered to swap it and didn't charge her for the meal. We had brunch on the porch overlooking Ocean Drive and it was just delightful for people (and luxury car) watching.
Go to a Movie
Movies are pretty expensive these days and Darling Husband and I don't see many. Bunny had the great idea to see a movie out last night of the trip and it was so fun. We saw a comedy and spent the evening laughing out loud among strangers.
Find a Fun Place to Play Cards
Neither of us very interested in shopping, which Miami Beach did have a ton of, we took a deck of cards and found a seat and a coffee at Starbucks to play cards. We ended up sitting under an umbrella outside and it was too windy to keep the cards on the table, but the people watching was PRICELESS. Europeans in couture, Miami residents with very small dogs and a gentleman wearing only tighty whities who lost a bet or was also having issues that the sun wasn't out.
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| When the weather sucks, make the best of it! |
When it was windy and not raining, Bunny and I rented Citi Bikes from one of the multiple stations on Ocean Drive and biked along the Miami Beach Boardwalk.Take care because some walkers are four people wide and won't move and other bikers can make some risky moves, but use your bell to stay safe. We rode bikes for about an hour and it was a great way to see the beach and peek into the luxurious resorts and their empty pools.
Verdict: Even though the weather was terrible, I don't regret spending the extra time in Miami Beach. The architecture was exciting and unique, the people are loud and vibrant, there is no shortage of beautiful restaurants to eat at and Bunny and I did get some sun on the beach for one hour before our airport shuttle picked us up to leave. It is challenging to find fun activities when it's not sunny, but a good friend and some flexibility will still mean a good vacation.
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| A good friend makes all the difference! |
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