A colourful Travel guide to Miami (including a 3-day itinerary)

Welcome to Miami, Bievenido a Miami!Full of life, sunshine, GREAT food and tons of things to do, we visited Miami this month chasing all things colour (and hugging tons of family and friends). This time, this trip was a perfect excuse to escape the endless winter in Montreal and soak a bit of sun and happiness in the lovely south.Am I officially a snowbird and I’m not even 40? I have a feeling I am, proudly.We’ve been to Miami many times before (it’s one of the closest destinations from my home country, Venezuela) and to be entirely honest, I’ve never explored the beauty of this city. I used to stay in the suburbs, visiting malls and starbucks (that American dreeeam, you know?).Did I mention I was the happiest kid hugging with my mom all week? YES! and to impress her a bit, I did tons of research what we could do differently, and explore the design, foodie and local options Miami has to offer.

If you have 3 days, this itinerary would be perfect to explore all the pretty & colourful spots you NEED to visit in your next vacation to Florida.

Day one: Design District

What to explore

– Museum Garage: Our first stop in Design District, a very special (and different) parking lot, where colour is pretty much at every single corner. Designed by 5 different artists, each of them had one area to develop with a common objective: how to empower this district as joyful and colourful as possible. If you drive all the way up (7th floor) you’ll discover floors, walls and ramps with patterns, pastels and hot pink (pretty much, my dream)- Colourful Walls: As soon as you cross the street in front of the garage museum, you’ll find plenty of colourful walls, murals and corridors like the ultra-popular Fendi store in the heart of the district.- Perez Art Museum: This place has been on my pending list for years (shame on me) and I was dreaming to finally experience the blue penetrable of Soto (one of the most celebrated and talented Venezuelan master artists), an outdoor experience just in front of the main entrance, where you can walk through, relax and bring back all the beauty of colour. We loved the American echo chamber expo, so cheerful and fun!

Where to eat

– OTL MIA: Always my pit stop when I visit the design district, this place serves incredibly coffee (hello, perfect iced oatmilk cap), and breakfast all-day! WIN! If you feel like grabbing a bite, try their avo toast, served with pickled red onions, chili flakes, cilantro and tons of avo.- Upper Buena Vista: This bohemian hidden gem was one of my favourite discoveries of the trip. A mix of local boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops and lifestyle spots, they host a very different concept of what you’ll see in Miami. It’s a must visit if you’re around.- Amazonica: Inside Upper Buena Vista, we tried Amazonica, a Colombian spot that serves “cholados” a typical fruit salad prepared with shaved ice, condensed milk, and a mix of different fruits in a glass. THEY-ARE-SO-GOOD!

pretty OTL MIA, so pretty!

This wall is just in front of OTL MIA, don’t miss it!

I’m coming again just to experience this. Loved it.

Day two: Little Havana & Wynwood

What to explore

– Calle 8: First time visiting this side of the city, one of the most popular ‘hoods in Miami, where you’ll dance with locals, eat like a boss and laugh with the lovely Cubans that welcome you as soon as you step in. Every last Friday of the month, they celebrate a cultural day, a big party with live music and artistic shows all over calle 8.- Domino Park: I didn’t see the park full of players (because we arrived late in the evening), but this is THE spot of old Cubans where they play domino, and yes, they take it very seriously. A must experience if you’re around.- Wynwood walls: Created in 2009, all the colourful murals are located in this area. Since I came for the first time, I’ve seen the evolution and growth with tons of cute little places, restaurants, shops and independent local stores. Makes my heart happy to come here every time in Miami.

What to eat

– Cafe Versailles: Empanadas, sandwich Cubanos, cafe cubano and more, this spot is a must when you visit Calle 8. Confession: every time I pass by the MIA airport, I can’t leave without their cheese and potato empanadas and a coffee, it’s just SO good you guys!- Caja Caliente: The OG Cuban tacos, say what? let’s say, when heaven meets heaven, okay? Try their vaca frita, yuca chips and mahi mahi empanadas.- Tacology: I guess all we did was Mexican food! On our way back to the hotel, we visited Tacology, a mercado style restaurant in Brickell. Loved the design, the mix-matched chairs, their micheladas and the entire menu. Try the enchiladas, with chicken on top.- Azucar Ice cream: Home of the most amazing Cuban artisanal ice-cream shop in Old Havana. They have more than 30 flavours and lovely tiles to cheer you up in a sunny day discovering Miami.

Tacology, oh my heart! I’ll never forget your baja tacos and micheladas.

Day 3: Miami Beach

What to explore & eat

– El Confidente beach club: A pastel heaven and art-deco hotel, full of glam, playful and cute vibes that screams “Miami”. We grabbed a drink in their signature bar and walked their lobby, pool and beach areas.- Collins Avenue & Pastel buildings: I recommend taking an uber and drop you at the Geneva hotel. We walked at least 25 to 30 minutes (with the best weather ever possible) and saw tons of art deco buildings that I adore, tons of pastels, colours and a very unique architecture you’ll see only in Miami Beach.- Faena Hotel: A place like no-other at Miami Beach, a five-star Forbes winner hotel, the Faena is a luxury, colourful and funky hotel we loved (as much as the one in Buenos Aires). Tip: Go to their “tree of life” bar, order a cocktail and try their signature Argentinian empanadas. So worth it.- Freehand, Broken Shaker: We ended up our Miami beach tour here, in a super cute oasis backyard where drinks, snacks and the best vibe. I’ve been such a big fan of the Freehand hotel, so I needed to pay them a visit before leaving.