Shopping – A Sweet Paradise

After visiting the South Beach area of Miami for a long weekend, here is what I did there with a few other people.

The first day, we arrived in the evening, at the perfect time for dinner. So, we walked to Taco Taco, where we sat out on the patio and sipped on their huge margaritas. After that, we explored a small area of the city including the shops on Lincoln Road as well as the Miami Beach Boardwalk. Then, we stopped at Icy-n-Spicy for their jumbo specialty milkshakes (shown above).

The second day, we woke up early so we could have time to relax at the beach. After doing so, we took a cab to downtown, where we explored the Bayside Marketplace and took a boat ride along Millionaire’s Row, with celebrity homes such as Jennifer Lopez and Shaquille O’Neal. After that was done, we got ready for dinner at Barton G. Though it was pricey, the dinner was a unique experience, with my lobster pop-tarts being served to me in a toaster. We also stopped by Soundscape Park to check out the outdoor movie they were playing that night.

The third day, we went back to the beach for a little bit. Traveling past downtown again to Wynwood, we then visited the Superblue museum (pictured above). This was a neat, interactive experience with 5 different exhibits. Not too far of a walk away from that was the World Famous House of Mac, which was delicious! At night time, we went to the Treehouse nightclub then rode around South Beach in the slingshot rentals. Another club that looked interesting is Mango’s Tropical Nightclub. Other high-end clubs such as LIV and E11EVEN look fun as well, although the cover charges can be high, around $60 (from what I’ve heard).

The fourth day, we were heading back home. We stopped by the Miami Beach Botanical gardens for a few minutes before though, then took a ride to the airport.

Below, I’ve listed more recommended attractions, restaurants, and hotels in Miami for you!

Wynwood/Downtown

Attractions:

Miami Design District – known for modern architecture, upscale interior design stores, art, and jewelry boutiques

Wynwood Graffiti Experience – tickets for $42

Jungle Island – tickets for $30

Dolphin Mall – Miami’s largest outlet mall with over 240 shops

Metromover – free automated train system to transport around the town

Brickell City Center – shopping center with upscale stores, coffee shops, and cocktail bars

Miami Riverwalk – pedestrian walkway extending from along the north side of the Miami River and the Biscayne Bay

The Citadel – food hall with live music, game nights, a vintage store, and a rooftop bar

Restaurants:

Maman – cafe/bakery with pastries, breakfast bowls, and sandwiches

Mr. Baguette – cafe with salads and acai bowls or the ability to build your own wrap, croissant, or sandwich

Cowy Burger – if you don’t want a burger, you can try the chicken sandwich or veggie patty with a few different options for fries

The Taco Stand – eatery with tacos, burritos, corn, and a salsa bar

CRAFT Bayside – American restaurant with cocktails, juices, omelettes, sandwiches, and pizzas

Hotels:

South Beach

Attractions:

Lummus Park Beach – combination of greenspace and beach access with volleyball courts from 5th to 15th Street

Ocean Drive – known for Art Deco buildings but also for its lively nightclubs and various dining options

Fifth and Alton – indoor shopping plaza containing Chipotle, TJ Maxx, Ross, Publix, and more

Carnaval Rooftop – label themselves as only rooftop on Ocean Drive, serving bottomless brunch on the weekends and dinner all throughout the week

South Pointe Park Pier – used by visitors and locals for fishing and magnificent views of the ocean

Rooftop Cinema Club South Beach – tickets for $15-28

Restaurants:

MILA – Mediterranean restaurant with a 2-hour multi-course buffet

Montana’s Miami Beach – Scarface-themed American restaurant with steak, seafood, burgers, and pasta

Sola Miami Beach – seafood/sushi restaurant with two patios and a rooftop lounge

Cafe Americano – serves breakfast combos, lunch, and dinner, including chicken/seafood bowls, pasta, and tacos

Macchialina – Italian cuisine featuring handmade pasta

Hotels

I hope this was informative for your upcoming Miami trip. Thanks for the read! (:

-xo, Nicole

In May of 2023, my boyfriend Jordon and I traveled from Baltimore, Maryland to Denver, Colorado. It was my first time visiting there, and we already have another tripped planned for this October-November. The weather at that time was overall nice and perfect for hiking! Here’s what our itinerary looked like:

Day 1

Our first stop after landing in Denver was Castlewood Canyon State Park. We walked a little bit over 2 miles, starting near the Lake Gulch Trail. The next stop was Colorado Springs, where we went tandem kayaking on Prospect Lake at Memorial Park. Though the lake there was a bit small to kayak in, the view of the mountain was beautiful. While down in that area, we stopped at Garden of the Gods (pictured above).

Day 2

This day, we took a scenic hour drive to Idaho Springs then Central City. While in that area, we took a walk at the Golden Gate Canyon State Park. After another 20 minute drive back, we walked along the streets of Golden, where we purchased a few souvenirs at the shops on Washington Avenue. Only 15 minutes from there is Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre (pictured above). Although we didn’t see a concert there that trip, we could still explore the trails and venue. For drinks, we headed downtown to Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row.

Day 3

Our third day had to be mostly indoor activities since it was raining. Because of that, we booked tickets for Meow Wolf Convergence Station, which was the best interactive museum that I have ever visited. It is so unique and definitely worth the money! Later, we went to a few stores on Antique Row and at Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Back in downtown, we went to Great Divide Brewing Company then Bierstadt Lagerhaus which has giant indoor yard games such as cornhole. To end the night, we danced at the Beacon RiNo nightclub, which was a bit small but still pretty fun!

Day 4

To start our fourth day off, we went to Estes Park, which was a very cute town of shops and cafes. Though we didn’t participate in them, it offers whitewater rafting, a mountain coaster, adventure park, and much more there! From there, we drove to Rocky Mountain National Park (pictured above). There are timed reservations required from May 23-mid-October, and the entry fee year-round is $15-35. It was a long drive up the mountain but also scenic! At the top are some trails. Up there, we visited Dream Lake, though partially frozen, and further down was a gorgeous view of Emerald Lake. Once done at the park, we headed back to the Ogden Theatre for a Habstrakt concert.

Day 5

Since it was the last day of the trip, we didn’t have time for much besides gushing over the adorable prairie dogs right outside our hotel. However, we did go to the Denver Pavilions (pictured above) for some last-minute shopping and lunch at Maggiano’s before our flight.

I hope that if you’re heading to Denver soon, our itinerary gave you some good ideas too!

Thanks for the read 🙂

-xo, Nicole

Tag: Shopping

A Weekend in Miami

Our 5-Day Colorado Itinerary