24 Hours in South Beach

Written by Jennifer Milano, September 2016

On our way home from the Galápagos Islands this summer, we had an overnight stopover in Miami.  (Click here to read about our Galápagos trip!)  Although August is unequivocally the worst month to visit Miami, my family was excited.  We had never been to Miami, and were looking forward to seeing South Beach and eating Cuban food.

Our friends, Alice and Mike, had just visited Miami and recommended the hip Surfcomber Hotel, located on the main drag within walking distance of everything in South Beach.  The bonus of traveling to Miami in August?  We secured a room for $189 a night - about a third of the winter rate!  And here is a general tip for whenever you book a hotel:  email the manager directly with your requests.  (You can usually find the manager's email in replies to reviews on TripAdvisor, or on the hotel's website.)  In the case of the Surfcomber, I read reviews about noisy rooms, so I emailed the manager expressing concern.  In her reply, the manager said she gave us a complimentary upgrade to a room away from the air-conditioning units to ensure a quiet night's sleep.  Score!  This trick does not always work - at an airport hotel at Laguardia I had a similar reply from a manager, and we were placed in a room adjoining noisy neighbors despite the hotel being half empty.    

Here is another tip for the Surfcomber:  when you receive your check-in reminder, sign up for the hotel's texting service.  I texted the hotel requesting an early check-in, and again when we arrived at the airport saying we were on our way.  The front desk immediately and enthusiastically replied that my room was ready.  Then when the hotel had a computer problem and could not check anyone in, the front desk sent us off to lunch and said they would text us when the room was ready.  Other waiting guests hung around the posh lobby, looking miserable, or waiting in lines to complain.  The front desk told us the texting service was new and thanked us for using it.  We continued to use it for restaurant reservations and questions, and clearly got better service because the staff was psyched to text instead of talk.

So how did we spend our 24 hours in Miami other than texting the hotel front desk?  On the beach, playing in the warm ocean waves.  In the pool, clearly not cool enough for the posh scene but enjoying our role in it nonetheless.  Walking the promenade along the beach and Collins Avenue, stopping in shops for air-conditioning breaks.  And, eating.  We had a great Cuban lunch at Puerto Sagua, and some of the best homemade pasta we have ever had at Pane & Vino (make a reservation).  

In turned out that 24 hours was about all our family of four needed in South Beach.  It was fun to see, to be in the crowd, to stay in a hip hotel - but clearly wasn't a place we would spend an entire week.  I think I was supposed to do that in my 20's.  Oh, well!  Better late than never.

When to Go to Miami and How to Get There:

Clearly, weather-wise you are better off visiting Miami in winter.  But if you want to save money, look for off-season hotel rates and airfare deals.  After arriving in Miami International Airport, take a taxi to your hotel.  Unless you plan to spend a lot of time in Miami and want to explore the area, you won't need a car.

Where to Stay in Miami:

We chose to stay in South Beach to see what all of the hype is about.  There are countless hotels, from classic beach hotels to art deco hotels to high-end luxury hotels.  We took advice from our friends Alice and Mike and chose The Surfcomber Hotel.  With a funky lobby, dark hallways and a hip front desk staff, the hotel definitely feels like part of the South Beach scene.  Our room was small, but perfectly fine for the four of us for a night. The kids and I slept fine, but my husband said he could hear partying going on outside at all hours.  We liked the pool area, which borders the promenade and then the beach, although it is a little small.  The hotel has its own beach chairs, which are complimentary for guests.  The water is warm and the waves were fabulous when we were there.  We also liked the hotel's texting service, friendly desk staff and complimentary ten dollar coupon to "raid the mini bar". Even though we were a family with kids (and we did not dress up at all because we had packed for our Galápagos expedition), the staff never made us feel like we were out of place.  We loved our off-season rate of $189 per night!

Where to Eat in Miami:

For Cuban food, head to Puerto Sagua, about a fifteen minute walk from The Surfcomber.  It feels like a 1960's diner, and is a perfect spot for lunch.  My friend also recommended Café Versailles, which we did not try (except for the airport outpost take-out location, which I don't think is fair to review).  We had some of the best pasta in our life (and being of Italian descent, I have eaten A LOT of good pasta in my years) at Pane & Vino.  Make a reservation for this cute, casual restaurant that does not feel at all like a scene.  You can watch the chef handcrafting your pasta in the restaurant.  If you want more of a scene, sit outside at one of the restaurants on the pedestrian Española Way.

What to Do in Miami:

South Beach is kind of like Las Vegas and New York City in that the city itself provides automatic entertainment.  Stroll along Collins Avenue or Ocean Drive to people-watch or check out the architecture, watch beach volleyball and young athletes working out on the sand, swim at the beach or your hotel pool, and lounge.  We did not have time to explore Miami beyond South Beach, but for some suggestions from Time Out, click here.