Getaway Miami

I had been to Miami years before, I hadn't liked it too much and I had no desire to return. In fact, I have a long list of destinations to go to before repeating Miami; but the nephews dominate me.

They are restless and move around the United States and I, as I have always promised them, I am going to see them where they are. This was the reason for the second visit to Miami.

It's a good idea to start at Wynwood Walls. It is a neighborhood of artists and bohemians that has nothing to do with the famous Miami Beach. Wynwood has stopped being a conflictive working-class neighborhood with crime and insecurity and has become fashionable. Apartments are rising in price, companies are fighting for premises and musicians are setting up their recording studios. The cranes on every corner make it evident that it is an emerging neighborhood. All this has happened since the 90s thanks to the residents of the neighborhood and Tony Goldman who promoted the graffiti on the walls and culminated it with the exhibition: Wynwood Walls. There are very interesting museums. I walked slowly and looked at the outdoor murals. There is art on every corner. I recommend Morgans restaurant which is simple but good relation quality-money and they are lovely.

Going from Wynwood to Little Havana is shocking. I did not imagine that I would find what I saw here! I walked up and down SW 8th avenue about four times and spent a long time without talking to anyone in Domino Park (or Parque Máximo Gómez). It moved me to Cuba. This space is a faithful witness to the Cuban immigration that Miami experienced during the 60s when many citizens fled from Fidel Castro's regime in Cuba. There are elderly people playing dominoes or chess. They say that 98% of the population is Latino and the majority is from Cuba. Everything revolves around this street where Cuban restaurants, authentic shops and cigar manufacturers coexist. There is a Walk of Fame of the best-known Latin stars such as Julio Iglesias, Thalia, Celia Cruz, etc.

I think we organized the order of the visits perfectly. Contrast after contrast. Going from the Cuban environment to Coral Gables was magnificent. There is no music in the street here; there is silence. The avenues are huge. The streets are clean and super tidy. The houses are huge with gardens full of well-kept trees. It is a residential area that makes you want to live there! The person responsible is George Merrick, who in 1920 bought 4,000 hectares and built what he called a "beautiful city." I was unlucky because I saw the Venetian Pool empty. The legendary Biltmore hotel is one of the icons of the area.

Due to inertia and proximity, the next stop is Coconut Grove. It was an independent city that in 1925 became part of Miami. The Coconut Grove Sailing Club area is amazing. Big green palm trees contrast with the blue of the bay. I loved spending a while in the port, walking along the wooden walkways and enjoying the calm of the place. Nearby is the CocoWalk, which is one of the most visited points by both tourists and citizens of Miami. It is a very nice shopping center full of restaurants, cafes and shops.

For those of us who like tennis, it is almost an obligation to go to Key Biscayne. I went but I didn't see anything. There is only one access road and it was a big traffic jam. I spent almost 5 hours with the car completely stopped. I would have liked to go to Virginia Key to do the Mabel Fentress Miller Walking Trail and Key Biscaine's Robin's Birding Trail, but it wasn't possible. It will be another year! I had dinner at the Rusty Pelican! A person who lives there recommended it to me and it was a total success. You can dine both inside and outside with wonderful views of the Miami skyline.

From Miami Beach I only choose the Casa Tua restaurant. I was disappointed with the area. Because of the movies, I imagined a huge promenade with long beaches full of wonderful shops and restaurants and I found the worst version of Miami. I didn't like the atmosphere either day or night. It has a decadent point without any charm.

No one can leave Miami without experiencing Brickell. It is extravagance taken to the extreme: impressive skyscrapers, rooftop pools, luxury cars, huge yachts, inconspicuous people... I never got tired of observing people and their way of doing things and living. There are thousands of cafes and restaurants next to each other, of all prices and levels, but all full. Everyone speaks Spanish; You don't need to speak English to get around Brickell as there are many Latinos. Leaving aside the histrionic atmosphere of the city, I visited two places that I had on my wish list. The first was to go to the famous restaurant Nusr Et Steakhouse) and the second is to walk along the Brickell Key promenade. One is already seen, the other I would return.

This time I did go to the Everglades. I boarded one of the air-powered boats and was able to see the wildlife in the area; crocodiles among others. The hydrofoils travel at high speed and make the excursion a lot of fun. I booked the excursion here. It lasts an hour and a half and is very short. The best thing of all is when they stop the engines and you see the crocodiles not too far away!

An excursion that has to be done in three days is the one to the Keys and ending in Key West. I have gone twice. The first I caught the end of a tropical storm. What should have been paradisiacal beaches turned out to be a horrible accumulation of mud. The second one, which is this last one, was wonderful. I hope it doesn't take long to publish the post.

If you need and/or want help organizing your getaway, don't hesitate to send me an mail!

If you want to go to Miami with the eSIM card already purchased, you can request it from Holafly and you will get a 5% discount if in the "Discount Code" you introduce "Raconets"!

Miami has a lot of life.
One can stay as long as one wants; but, at least, three or four days are necessary.

No problem.

No problem.