Summer in South Beach

With its rich culture and endless activities, how could I not love Miami. So far I think it is one of my favorite places to visit. My husband came here to study Spanish for 5 weeks, and my 9-month-old son and I came with him. He went to class in the morning every day, and my son and I stayed around our place and went to the beach and walked around the area. We actually stayed in South Beach so we were very close to the ocean and had plenty to keep us busy every day. We were with in walking distance to several local shops and dining, the famous Lincoln Road Mall, the Art Deco District and of course the beach. The weather was great, most of the time, there was an occasional shower and then a hurricane threat on our way out. The ocean was great, the water was very warm and the sand was soft and felt good beneath my feet. The atmosphere around Miami Beach was very enjoyable, there are so many things to see and do and a ton of places to eat, we were never looking for things to keep us busy. It was a safe place for my family to stay and walk around during the day with the little one.

Miami Beach never left us looking for something to do or something to eat. In fact with 5 weeks we hardly had enough time to do everything we wanted and yet we did something pretty much every day. The atmosphere in South Beach is very laid-back and relaxing. I don't know how anyone could work in a place like this. South Beach is so pretty and the people are truly very nice.

Quick Tips:

Parking:
Park your car and walk. Even the people who live there are not guaranteed a parking spot. So as a traveler you are fighting with the locals for parking. South Beach is not very big and walking is great exercise. If you do park have lots of quarters, they are serious out there about that stuff and don't park in the residence areas they will tow you.

Weather:
Expect HEAVY rainstorms. At least in the June, July, and August months. This is the rainy season and when it rains it rains. The streets flood and it is a mess. The good thing though is that it only seems to rain in spurts and maybe once or twice a day and then the sun would be right out and everything goes back to normal.

General:
Be prepared to always have something to do. There are tons of shops, restaurants, a mall, museums, movie theater, the beach, lots of hotels to look at, and then in Miami you have the zoo, baseball games, road trips, and other fun things as well.

Buy a map of the area when you get there and learn how to understand it. The streets all have numbers but it seems like there are two of every number, one for north and one for south, so make sure you know what direction you need and make sure you are going that way. There are lots of toll bridges (some that you can avoid) so find out which ones you have to pay for and which ones you don't, sometimes it may take you a little out of the way but if you do not want to have to keep up with change it might be worth it.

Food and Activities:
There are so many places to eat and do activities just in the Miami area alone. We bought an entertainment book that had a ton of coupons in it. This saved us a ton of money since it had BO/GO coupons in it for things like Hard Rock, the Zoo, and other museums and restaurants.

Best Way To Get Around:

Best way to get around is by foot, you can go anywhere and into anything that way. Another popular means of transportation out there is a scooter or taxi. You can rent or buy scooters and get around pretty good that way. If you would rather not pay for parking and just have some one transport you I would recommend taxis, there is never a lack in South Beach and they are reasonably priced as well.

South Beach is pretty small but there are some areas and activities where you might want a car. Getting off the island/peninsula is a little hard by foot and a little further away.

The Barcelona Studios and Guesthouse was a pleasure to stay at. We were in Miami for 5 weeks and basically needed a home. This place felt like a home. We still miss it and feel like we need to go back at times because it was such a home.

The staff there was very friendly. The owner accommodated us very well (having a 9-month-old). He found a high chair for us and made sure that if we needed anything else, to let him know. The housekeeper was friendly to me and my son, and she did a great job cleaning our studio. Housekeeping came every day to refresh the linens and towels, and every other day they cleaned the bathroom, kitchen, room, and took out the trash. I was very surprised by this since we were not at a hotel, but believe me, it was a joy and very helpful.

The location was great. We were 3 blocks from the ocean and about 5 blocks from the famous Lincoln Mall. There were so many things within walking distance for my son and I to do while my husband was at school. The area was safe and very laid-back. The people in South Beach are very friendly.

The only complaint that I would have is that at night it was a little loud due to the closeness, but I am sure other people thought the same thing with a baby right next to them. However, the people in the building were very nice and we never had a complaint. The owner of the studio was very helpful to us with arranging to get a lease so we could get a parking pass for the time we were there. He also helped in accommodating us with the time frame we were there for (a little over a month). He was also very helpful with directions, advice, and suggestions about the area and things to do. This building is gated and on the corner of a main road.

South Beach is known for its Art Deco District. These several strips of road are filled with hotels, restaurants, businesses, shopping, and much more. This area is known for all types of art, modeling, fashion, painting, etc. Every hotel on Deco Drive is unique and designed in a way to display the Art Deco district. This stretch of road is filled with entertainment, you will be amazed by what you see from just walking up and down, and looking at all the beautiful shops and hotels, there is also a ton of places to stop and eat or grab a cold beverage of any kind, many shops and stores, some high end and name-brand and others very gift shop-like Filles with post cards and shirts, there are also a few museums and land marks with history and other stuff to browse through. My son and I took a 2 hour walk one morning just looking at all the hotels and shops. Wow, what an experience, I have never seen anything like it. I am from a small town in Texas, and to come here and experience what I did was fascinating. There is so much culture. The Art Deco District is also know for its partying and clubs. The street is lined with bars both inside and out and some that are easy to walk up to and others you have to go through the hotel to get to. This is one of the hot spots you could see celebs and other famous people. If you look closely you may see a paparazzi or even a photo shoot taking place. South Beach is such a laid back area and is very relaxing, in fact, I don't even think most places are open until 11 or 12 around there. With so much to do, and see, you could never get bored.

Lincoln Road Mall is a well known hot spot in South Beach. With several blocks of shopping, eating, sitting, and a theater, there is always something to do. Lincoln Road Mall has tons of restaurants with many ethnic foods to choose from. The restaurants are set up where you walk down the street and can view a menu, once you have decided where to eat, you just sit right there and are waited on. You can go in if you want, but most choose to sit right outside, where all the action is. There are also many ice-cream, coffee, and other specialty shops. In the midst of all the food are specialty clothing shops and your typical retail shops like GAP, Victoria Secret, etc. Lincoln Road also has a movie theater and several musical and theaters production . You can also find a church, a CVS, and a water fountain. Lincoln Road is another spot that you can find all kinds of action and entertainment. It is not really the party spot but it is great for a little more low key relaxing night out with dinner and maybe a movie or some music.

You might even find a lurking paparazzi, and strange kinds of people walking around or standing with a boa all dressed in white. Miami is a very liberal place so you should not be shocked at all about the things you might see here, just be prepared.

Lincoln Road is a place where night or day you can spend hours walking and shopping and still not hit every place, I think I would have to live there for several years to get to see everything, since there is so much to see. And from many places within walking distance, in fact I would recommend walking, anything else just seems useless.

Lummus Beach park is located from Ocean Drive (approximately 14th street) to Deco Drive, and starts a line of beautiful hotels that sit right on the beach. This beach is very nice and relaxing. The water is crystal clear and has that gorgeous blue-green color. The water is usually pretty clear. It seems like the seaweed was more abundant when a storm was coming in, other than that it was pretty clear. The sand is a little course, but still soft and abundant. This beach provides tons of room for throwing a Frisbee, a football, running, walking, as well as laying out.

The beach is so big you can do these activities without running into someone or getting in their sun. This beach is known for celebrity spotting, and models doing photo shoots. In fact, I think in the time we were there we saw about three photo shoots. This area is also known for being a topless beach, so families with children beware. I was not informed of that and it came as a big shock to my husband and me, who come from a fairly conservative and small city in Texas (there are beaches that are more family oriented). As far as Lummus park goes, there is also a huge grassy area, volleyball courts, and pull up bars. On the corner, where Ocean Drive ends, is a Starbucks and a TCBY (both favorites in our family), which makes going to or coming off the beach a little more refreshing. From the beach the view is just amazing, some of the prettiest, most luxurious hotels sit on the beach; hotels such as the Ritz Carlton, Delano, Lowes, and Royal Palm. This is a great place to rest, relax, and get a great Florida tan. So have fun and enjoy.

Espanola Way is a cute little road that reflects a little bit of Spain, rich in Spanish cuisine and filled with the feel of a little Spanish street in Spain, Espanola Way offers hostels, a hotel, and a few dinning options and several little specialty shops. This street is open everyday with shopping and dining always available but on the weekends the road is turned into a little market. Several little tables are set up and people have stuff like jewelry, clothes, bags, sunglasses, etc., for sale. Every weekend, the road is shut down and used for this little market. The other shops and restaurants are also still open, as this is a big tourist trap for them. Espanola Way is so full of culture and entertainment. There were people in three or four-story balconies, sitting and looking out, and there are lights that are strung from one side of the street to the other. This road intersected the road our apartment was on, so I walked down this road everyday, and felt like for a moment I had left Miami and entered a little Spanish village. It is truly a neat place and a fun one as well.