Weekend Guide: How to Spend 2 Days in Miami

Can’t decide between a beach trip or a city break? In Miami you can have both! Here’s how to spend 2 days in Miami.

Miami, you’ve stolen my heart!  I visited for the first time March 2018, and I can’t stop coming back at least once or twice a year! When I’m looking for some fun in the sun, Miami is my number one choice for a weekend away! For me, it’s just an hour and a half nonstop flight from New Orleans. I can easily leave on a Friday evening after work and be back Sunday night in time to make it to work on Monday morning. 

It’s a quick and easy flight from most places in the US which makes it the perfect choice for a weekend getaway.  Being a major hub, it’s also got the added benefit to being a nonstop flight to a lot of east coast cities as well! 

Read on to see how to spend 2 days in Miami! 

Getting there: 

Miami is home to an international airport and is a major hub for American Airlines. The large number of direct flights it easy to spend 2 days in Miami and have a quick getaway. In just an hour or two, you can fly to Miami from most cities in the US and a lot of Latin American and Caribbean countries as well! 

I’ve experienced Miami both with and without a car, and depending on what you want to do, I find its not entirely necessary.  If you’re looking to explore Key Biscayne for the day or visit the Florida Keys, I’d recommend having a rental.  However, if you’re primarily sticking to downtown or Miami Beach, public transportation and ride share services like Uber or Lyft are all you’ll need. 

Where to stay for 2 days in Miami: 

I love staying in downtown Miami or in Brickell! There are so many cool neighborhoods nearby to check out for food and nightlife.  Plus, I’ve found that you get a lot more bang for your buck with accommodations in downtown Miami compared to Miami Beach.  An uber or lyft ride from downtown to Miami Beach only takes about 20 minutes and usually costs around $12-20 depending on the time of day. 

One of my favorite hotels I stayed with during my last Miami trip was Lifehouse Little Havana.  The rooms transport you back in time with mid-century modern décor fitting with the retro feel of the buildings surrounding you in the Little Havana Neighborhood.  It’s the perfect jumping off point for exploring Little Havana and just a short cab ride away to Brickell, Wynwood, and Miami Beach. 

If you’re looking to have a low-key spot to come back and relax after a day at the beach or a night out, this is the perfect spot! 

Day One: 

Start your day off with a café cubano and pastelitos: 

If you’re staying in Little Havana, you’re in the perfect spot to walk down to grab some pastelitos and a café Cubano (strong brewed Cuban style coffee) from one of the many awesome little bakeries scattered all over the neighborhood—I went to Arahi Bakery which was just a short walk from my hotel. These little guava or guava and cheese-filled pastries are the most delicious thing! You seriously cannot go to Miami without stopping in to try some of these.  

Then it’s time to hit the beach! 

It’s no secret, Miami has got gorgeous beaches—and there’s a beach for everybody!  What I really love about Miami is that the beaches are all public areas.  So if you’re looking for a beach bar, you have to go back across the street, not directly on the beach.  But, this ensures that the beach itself is fully open to everyone! 

If you’re the life of the party:

Spend the day in South Beach!  South Beach is famous for the party scene.  It’s a well-known spring break hot spot, so if you’re visiting that time of year, be prepared.  The beach is understandably pretty crowded, especially on weekends, so don’t expect to see wide open spaces here.  If you’re looking for a social area with lots of people this is the spot for you.  

When you’re not on the beach, check out Lincoln Road Mall for some shopping.  There are mostly the usual big mall stores like Zara and H&M, but I found a couple cute boutique types shops as well. 

South Beach is known to be an expensive area of Miami though—so if you’re on a budget I’d suggest packing a picnic for the day as most restaurants and bars were pretty pricy (I stopped in a gelato shop for some ice cream and a small cone was $8). I packed myself some sandwiches and used this insulated wine bottle to bring my favorite bottle of rosé and keep it cool for the day. 

While you’re out here, take some time to stroll along to look at the Art Deco architecture.  I love that Miami has preserved all of the old buildings along the beach instead of constructing new ones.  It makes Miami such a cool and unique city! 

If you’re looking for a more laid-back vibe: 

Visit the Mid beach or North Miami beach!  This is my personal favorite part of Miami beach to hang out.  It’s noticeably much quieter than South Beach, but it’s still got the same beach with the iconic, super-cute colorful lifeguard stands. You can stop in a restaurant nearby for some food that won’t make you go broke, and you can find some peace and quiet.  It’s also more of a residential area than South Beach is, and I noticed a ton of different South American restaurants out here.  A day at the beach with some fresh Peruvian-style ceviche sounds like heaven to me! 

Whichever beach you chose to spend your sun filled day in, as the sunsets, it’s time to head back to your hotel and get ready for the evening ahead.  Is it just me or is that feeling when you step out the shower after a day spent soaking up the sun, not the best feeling in the world? 

An evening exploring Wynwood

Wynwood is such a funky and unique neighborhood in Miami!  It’s a very artistic area with tons of street art.  From the famous Wynwood Walls murals to nearly every wall space around the entire neighborhood, you’ll have some cool art to check out while you’re strolling along. If you’re visiting in late spring or summer time, Miami can be really hot—so this time of year, evening is the perfect time to stroll around in Wynwood without getting all sweaty. 

Boutique shopping: 

Miami is such a fun city to shop in!  Some of my favorite boutique shops were in Wynwood.  They have a variety of different budgets and if you’re looking to find something cute, but not drain your bank account, you can definitely do it here! 

There were a few of my favorite Wynwood boutique stores: 

Frangipani:

This store is just so fun!  They sell cute and quirky home goods, accessories, and some clothing and swimwear. They sell local Miami brands like Mavrans swimwear, which is made from recycled plastic bottles, as well! 

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Wynwood Tribe: 

A sustainable fashion store with lots of cute boho-chic style clothing and accessories.  I loved the jewelry here! 

Wynwood Shop: 

This store sells the cutest jewelry and accessories from local Miami brands like Shine Design.  I am in love with their colorful and fun earrings!  I get complimented on mine every time I wear them. They’re so fun! 

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Wynwood Marketplace

After you’ve got your shop on, visit Wynwood Marketplace to grab a drink, a snack, and shop some more! This was such a cool outdoor space with food trucks, a few cocktail booths, and pop-up boutiques selling clothing, jewelry, and more.  It was so fun to shop around for some cute wardrobe pieces with my drink in hand! 

Grab some dinner: 

Did you shop up an appetite yet? Miami is such a fun city to eat in!  Here are some great places to chow down before heading back to the hotel for some beauty sleep.. or venturing out to dance the night away. 

If you’re looking to stay in Wynwood… check out Le Chick

They’ve elevated your favorite smoked and bbq favorites and have a bomb cocktail menu! 

I really loved my drink—The Italian Job, I’d never had a cocktail with basil in it before and now I’m hooked! The Spanish style octopus was delish-super yummy with a smoky finish, just like the one I tried in Barcelona!

Go downtown to CeviChe105 for some delicious Peruvian food! 

I love some ceviche! There’s nothing like having fresh seafood when you’re near the ocean. Since traveling to Peru, I’ve fallen in love with Peruvian cuisine, but unfortunately there aren’t any Peruvian restaurants in my city yet.  When I can travel somewhere with Peruvian food-I always jump at the chance! Having some ceviche with a maracuya sour brought be back to my adventures in Lima! 

Or grab some pizza/pasta at Crust! 

Multiple sources told me this was the best place to get pizza in Miami—and they were right! They’ve also got super yummy pasta dishes as well, which is what I ultimately chose. I highly recommend sharing a dish with a friend. The portions here are huge!  I didn’t know this when I visited and I was eating my delicious seafood pasta all weekend long. Not that I minded, and if you’re on a budget it’s a great way to get a couple meals out of one as long as you’ve got a fridge/microwave in your room.

Day Two:

Start your day in Wynwood

Panther Coffee

I’ll admit, I am definitely a caffeine addict.  My espresso machine at home is one of my most prized possessions.  And I love trying specialty coffees when traveling.  Panther coffee isn’t just a coffee shop—they’re also a small-batch roaster so you know you’re getting some quality beans here.

The Salty Donut

After you’ve got your caffeine fix, head over to The Salty Donut for some sugary goodness! They’ve got some fancy donut creations here with a Miami twist on the flavors—I loved the guava and cheese and white chocolate tres leches flavors! 

While you’re still in Wynwood…checkout Wynwood Walls!

All those cool murals you saw last night, but it was too dark to get a good picture? Now is the perfect time.  Coming in the morning is also great because it’s a lot less crowded and it hasn’t gotten too hot out yet.  Plus, you’ll already know what you want to wear to have the perfect outfit to go with the backdrop of your favorite art. 

Visit a Museum: 

Even though Miami is well-known for nightlife and beaches, it’s got a lot of cool museums to check out too.  

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

If visiting an Italian villa is your ultimate dream destination, you can do that right here in Miami! Located in Coconut Grove, you can get to Vizcaya by car or using public transport.  If you’re downtown, hop on Miami-Dade’s Metrorail and get off at the Vizcaya station. 

This place is stunning! Built in 1916 by businessman John Deering, the home and gardens were all inspired by the Italian Renaissance style.  You can see a collection of historic artifacts and art in the house itself.  I seriously forgot that I was even in Miami while I was there.  Walking through the gardens felt like I’d been instantly transported to the Mediterranean coast! 

Pérez Art Museum

If you happen to be in Miami on the first Thursday or the second Saturday of the month, the Pérez Art Museum admission is completely free! If you love art, or are looking for something to do to get out of the heat or rain, it’s an interesting way to spend your afternoon.  The museum wasn’t super big.  It took me about an hour to go through, but I did see a lot of interesting art.  There’s also a super cool sculpture garden outside overlooking the bay—which you can access without entering the museum itself. 

Frost Museum of Science

I haven’t made it here yet, but everyone I talked to recommended it.  I’ll have to leave some time in my schedule my next Miami trip. It’s one of only a few museums in the world to have an aquarium AND a planetarium in the same facility! They’ve also got a ton of interactive exhibits on topics like the Everglades ecosystem and using the sun as a renewable energy source.  Located downtown right next to the Pérez Art Museum, if you’re stuck with a rainy day in Miami combining the two would be the perfect solution! 

Explore Little Havana

Miami has so many Latin American influences which add to the rich and unique culture of the city.  Little Havana is the center of it all.  Historically, the neighborhood was a majority Cuban-American area of the city although now there are people from all over and influences from all around Latin America.  I loved visiting the bakeries for a café cubano and guava pastelitos—pretty much everyone was speaking Spanish. I love what a vibrant and diverse city Miami is! 

Here are a few fun things to do in Little Havana: 

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Eat a Cuban sandwich or medianoche

A traditional Cuban sandwich is on pan Cubano with pulled pork, ham, swiss cheese, mustard and pickles. A medianoche sandwich, my personal favorite, is similar though on a sweeter bread.  You can find these all over Little Havana—pretty much every restaurant and bakery will have them.   I loved the one I had at Sanguich! This small restaurant felt like visiting a retro lunch counter. So much of Little Havana keeps that retro 1950s vibe which is so fun! 

Get ice cream at Azucar

I hope you saved from room for dessert, because you have to get ice cream at Azucar while you’re in Little Havana! (It’s so good that I may have visited this spot for than once in my 2 days in Miami.) They have a ton of flavors from classic flavors to ones with a Little Havana twist.  My favorite is their house specialty, Abuela Maria, which has swirls of guava and bits of Maria crackers.

Checkout the Maximo Gomez Domino Park and the Paseo de las Estrellas

While you enjoy your ice cream, take a little stroll and see the Paseo de las Estrellas.  It’s like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but for Latin American actors, musicians, and artists. You can also sit in the spectators area of Maximo Gomez park, also known as the Domino Park and watch locals’ games of dominos.  The park has a long history in the Little Havana neighborhood and has been a gathering place in the community for decades.

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Get a drink at Ball and Chain

Miami’s tropical climate can get super hot in the afternoons, so cool off with a mojito at Ball and Chain!  The bar used to be a famous music venue back in the 1950s, Billie Holiday  and Chet Baker even performed there.  In recent years, it has been revamped and now you can see live jazz and salsa musicians play.  The décor brings you back with its retro, Cuban vibes.  My favorite part was the pineapple shaped stage! Check their events calendar before you go, they have free salsa lessons on certain days throughout the week,  We came on a Sunday evening and had a blast—don’t worry if you’re solo, you don’t need a partner to participate in the free lesson. 

Eat at Versailles

If you’ve still got an appetite, make sure you get a chance to eat at Versailles.  This Cuban restaurant has been around since the 1970s and has all the classic Cuban dishes.  My favorite was ropa vieja—slow cooked stew with shredded beef. The restaurant still has all its original tables which keeps the retro vibes of Little Havana going.  It was very busy when we stopped by so there may be a wait.  Before you leave, make sure you stop by the ventanita (the little window) to grab some guava pastelitos to take with you for breakfast! 

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Have more than 2 days in Miami?

Maybe you’ve got a long weekend or you’re choosing to cash in one of those coveted vacation days for some extra vacay time? 

Enjoy some extra time exploring Miami or try one of these fun little day trips:

Go scuba diving in Key Largo:

Miami is super close to some of the best scuba diving locations in the mainland USA. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the Biscayne National Park are two amazing underwater parks you can experience either scuba diving or snorkeling. 

You can find several dive shops in Miami which will organize a dive or snorkel trip in Key Largo for you, and provide you the transportation there if you don’t have a rental car.  If you’ve got your own transportation there are several dive shops in Key Largo as well.  

I dove with South Beach Divers and had a blast!  If you’re traveling solo, no worries, the shop will pair you with a group and dive master to guide you. Our guide drove us to Key Largo with a stop for lunch on the way.  The drive was about an hour from the shop in South Beach. I had a blast!  The reef was so beautiful and colorful, much like where I’ve dove in the Caribbean before. 

If you have the extra time in your schedule, diving in Key Largo is a beautiful experience! 

Visit Key Biscayne 

If you’re looking to find a more laid-back beach experience and you’ve got some wheels, drive over to Key Biscayne.  Make a day of it at Bill Baggs State Park.  The beaches here are in pristine nature.  You can also stroll around and climb the stairs to the lighthouse while you’re there. It’s only about a 30 minute drive from Miami, but you’ll feel worlds away from the city out here! 

There are so many unique neighborhoods to explore that its impossible to see and experience it all with just 2 days in Miami. Choosing one or two to focus your time on makes visiting in only a weekend manageable.  Being only a short flight away, I know I’ll be back to explore more of what Miami has to offer many more weekends to come! 

Planning a longer Florida trip? Northern and Central Florida have some amazing natural springs and pristine beaches!

Want some more weekend getaway ideas? Check out some of my other weekend guides to maximize your travel experiences without even using up your vacation days!

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