The Adventures of Debbie Dimples - The USA - Florida - Miami and Key West in the Florida Keys

Miami

Miami! The name even sounds glamourous! Miami is a a great holiday destination with a lot to offer. There is plenty of glitz, nightlife and living life to full, however, it isn't just a city for partying. Miami also has some beautiful beaches, world class hotels and many accessible neighbourhoods and attractions to visit. I visited Miami in March of 2017 with a very good friend for 4 days. I extended my stay as a solo traveller for a further 5 days.

https://www.cntraveler.com/destinations/miami

The W Hotel - South Beach

The first part of my trip was 2 nights at the W Hotel. The W Hotel is a glamourous, beachfront oasis that encompasses true Miami style.

E11EVEN MIAMI Night Club

E11EVEN MIAMI is an entertainment venue like no other. Located in Downtown Miami, the venue has a rooftop dancefloor with outdoor roof terrace. We visited the club during Miami Music Week.

The St Regis Bal Harbour Hotel

The next location for ourselves was the beautiful St Regis Bal Harbour Hotel for 2 nights. The hotel perfectly epitomised the luxury, expensive lifestyle of the area. Being a cake lover, my favourite part of this hotel was the Patisserie in the Lobby.

Ocean Blue Hostel

I extended my stay for a further 3 nights at the Ocean Blue Hostel on Ocean Drive. The hostel wasn't the most luxurious, however, it was a budget friendly option whilst I took some all day tours.

Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive is one of the most colourful, famous streets in the world, known for its Art Deco Architecture, white sand beaches and turquoise waters. The street runs along the coast of Miami Beach and is part of the South Beach area of Miami. Along Ocean Drive, there are a few points of interest which include Larios on the Beach - the restaurant owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, the building from the chainsaw scene in the legendary ganster movie Scarface, and finally the Versace Mansion.

Mango's Tropical Cafe

Mango's Tropical Cafe on Ocean Drive is a bustling nightclub and restaurant, famous for it's exotic, tropical atmosphere and lively dance shows. This was a good spot for evening food and drinks.

Miami Beach

Miami Beach is the perfect blend of white sand, turquoise water with an over-the-top cultural scene. Miami's colourful lifeguard towers draw inspiration from the Art Deco style that rendered the design history in Miami Beach.

Wynwood Walls

Wynwood Walls in Wynwood is a unique outdoor destination featuring huge, colorful street murals by artists from around the globe.

Little Havana

Little Havana is located just west of Downtown Miami. Also known as the Latin Quarter, it received its name by being a Cuban neighborhood from the 1970s until the 1990s. Little Havana is well know for it's Cigar Shops and Domino Park. The Domino Park is a central area where locals go to play dominoes, a game which is very popular with Cubans.

Biscayne Bay Cruise

The Biscayne Bay Cruise is perfect for enjoying the lavish lifestyle Miami has to offer. Along with the great views of the Miami skyline, there are many luxury yachts and extravagent waterfront mansions of rich celebrities to be seen.

Everglades Airboat Tour

I went on an Everglades Airboat Tour to see American alligators roaming around in their natural habitat.

Mondrian Hotel

The final stop on my Miami adventure was a 2 day stay at the Mondrian Hotel. The Mondrian Hotel is part of Morgans Hotel Group. The hotel has a wonderful pool area overlooking the Miami skyline. It is the perfect spot for watching the Miami sunset.

American Snacks

No trip to America would be complete without Lays Potato Chips, Hershey's Chocolate and Mountain Dew!

Key West

The Florida Keys are a string of tropical islands stretching about 120 miles off the southern tip of the U.S. state of Florida, between the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. They’re a little stretch of paradise, famous for their white sandy beaches. Key West is the southernmost point of the US and the westernmost island of the Florida Keys. I took a full day tour to Key West during my stay in Miami. Key West is well known for it's Key Lime Pie, the famous Statues which are dotted around the Old Town, and the pastel Conche-Style Architecture.

What I missed out on.....

As with every trip, a few days is never enough to stay at every hotel you like the look of and do everything you want to do. If I ever manage to take another trip to Miami and the surrounding area, I would like to stay at the Delano Hotel in Miami.

Delano 

Located on posh, upper Collins Avenue, the Delano Hotel is a South Beach navigational icon. I really wanted to stay at the Delano during my trip to Miami in 2017.

Until next time!