Hey y’all! Ok, so my girl Stacia, gifted me with a surprise trip to Miami for my birthday (I just love her), and I’m so glad she did! Who wouldn’t appreciate a completely paid for trip with the itinerary built for you? Yup, she did it all! But if you’re here, that means you’re interested in the details of our trip. So, here you go 😊.
First Stop, Bacon Bitch
We’ve been seeing this restaurant circulating around social media for awhile now, so naturally we decided to go ahead and give it a try. Straight off the plane, we stopped to have breakfast with these Bitches! (Pun intended. You WILL be greeted with “Hey Bitch!” Upon arrival, so don’t get offended, it’s all fun!).
The food is average, at best. The menu consists of your normal breakfast / brunch items that can be found anywhere (except for maybe their cheese stuffed hash browns. Those were good!). Lively music, nice crowd, fun enough atmosphere (even equipped with a small pool) and cool hostesses; but unless you don’t mind not having a super unique meal, you probably won’t be doubling back here. Well, maybe for a drink you would🍹….. Check out their Instagram and website for more info.
The Town
Next, we spent a little time at Bayside Market Place. If you’re looking for somewhere where you can shop, eat, go fishing, ride bikes or enjoy water activities such as yacht rides and cruises, this is your one-stop spot.
We did some souvenir shopping, ate ice cream and played with these really cute Parrots! The owner charges $15 for pictures / videos with them.
It wasn’t much of a crowd, which I loved. Not too sure if that’s because it was a weekday, or if people just aren’t ready to come outside yet, but either way, the missing crowd was enjoyable for me.
Barton G.
For dinner on the first night we ate at the infamous Barton G. The presentation of the entrees are over the top and like no other restaurant I’ve ever been to! Seriously y’all, just look at this art! They really overdo it… but in a good way.
With so many unique plates to choose from, you’re going to get to a point where you don’t even care what you eat; all you want is coolest looking dish. I spent a few minutes on their Instagram page, and decided to go with the Boo G. Pasta. Not only because I love pasta & seafood, but because the tea kettle on top is fully functional. It whistles and blows out steam, so I had to have it! Other dishes include giant utensils, a bird cage with built in animation, mouse traps, sky high cotton candy, and some future robot looking contraptions. If you don’t eat anywhere else, you have to give this place a try.
Bring some money! Not that you wouldn’t, but this restaurant isn’t exactly cheap. Our bill racked up to just about $400 🥴. However, they do offer a $90 p/p menu where they have set appetizer and entree items to choose from, and one dessert to be shared. The desserts are HUGE, so sharing them amongst at least 4 people wouldn’t be a problem.
Water Tubing
The first activity we did, was water tubing! Now, I’m not someone who’s scared of a lot of things, but my first thought about water tubing was that someone (me) was going to fly right off, drown and die (yea, my mind took it that far 😭). But don’t worry, although YOU WILL bounce around a bit, it’s not too likely you’ll go flying off the tube.
Also, the Captain makes you feel a little more comfortable by giving you signs to communicate with him. For example; to let him know whether you want to speed up the boat (give him the thumbs up 👍🏾), slow down (give the thumbs down👎🏾) or stop the boat altogether (give the neck slice, or “cut” signal). With this, you’re at ease knowing that he’ll understand exactly what you want him to do, in the event that the ride becomes too much for you.
One down side to this activity though, the tube sits four people. So if you’re there with less than a party of 3, you may have to ride with others (as me and Stacia had to do). I wouldn’t have minded this too much, but my tour was cut short because someone from the other party wanted to stop. So instead of getting my full 15 minute that’s promised to you, I only got about half the time (in which case I should have asked that my ride be extended, but hey, whatever)…..
She booked this activity through Miami Water Sports and paid $55 p/p. She also purchased the picture package for $39. Now, it’s up to you if the photo package is worth it. If you have your own professional camera, and can have someone other than the Captain take your photos, then there is no need for you to purchase this particular package. On the other hand, you won’t otherwise be able to capture yourself on the tube in the midst of your ride without it – and no, your phone simply won’t do the job. Footage taken with your phone is guaranteed to come out blurry. In my opinion, a video package should be offered instead.
Clear Kayaking
This was definitely the highlight of the trip, for me! But it wasn’t easy to get to…. keep in mind, that if you’re vacationing in the Miami area, you’ll have to travel to these clear kayaking destinations. We originally planned to kayak at the Juniper location, which is only about an hour and a half from Miami, but missed out because reservations were sold out for the day that we originally planned for. This sent us on a 5hr road trip to Silver Springs …. Yes, 5hrs! But hey, it wasn’t that bad for me, because I slept most of way (lol). Thanks for getting us there (and back) Stacia! 😬
Being forced to book at this location was a blessing. Because the scenery of surrounding trees and super clear water was nothing short of amazing! Not to mention, we were able to see all of the wildlife we were hoping to see; everything except for the monkeys (see my ‘Miami’ highlights for the videos). A few locations will advertise as being great spots to catch Manatees, Alligators, Monkeys, Starfish and various birds. You can also swim at some locations, but not at Silver Springs.
We got the 90 minute tour, and paid $50 p/p. There is also a 2hr tour and the cost for children is $40. There is no photo or video package to purchase for this, but the Tour Guide (and your fellow Kayakers) serve as great photographers. So don’t be afraid to ask! And feel free to bring your personal effects, but only if you absolutely have to. There’s a waterproof bag available to use on the kayak, free of charge.
This is a very calm activity, but it helps if you have some kind of paddling experience (although it’s not necessary). Me and Stacia were bumping into trees and going in circles because neither one of us knew what we were doing 😂. But I can’t lie, it made for a great time and good memories.
Starting in June, ‘Get up And Go Kayaking’ will be offering a 90min Bioluminescent tour that you just shouldn’t miss, for $69/pp! I’ll probably be going back for that one!
Esotico Miami
It was my turn to choose a place for dinner on our last night, and Esotico Miami’s Hawaiian / tropical theme caught my attention. Y’all know I’m always looking for a new pretty place to eat.
As cute as it seemed though, the food kind of disappointed. My plate was dry and pretty much tasteless (I actually asked for random sauces to add to it for more flavor). I’m not sure if this is the case for all of their entrees, or if we just happened to pick the wrong dishes, but I’m hoping it’s the latter. I probably should have went with the Octopus Hotdog or one of the Poke Bowls, they just looked a bit more appetizing. Stacia ordered the Chicken Curry, and also wasn’t too impressed.
The drinks, on the other hand, were a lot more enjoyable. We both ordered the ‘Pi Yi’, but I asked for mine to be served in a coconut instead (it’s originally served in a Pineapple). Atleast we got to walk away enjoying something…. right? The tab was about $135. Worth it? Not for me. At least not for the meals we ordered. If you visit here, maybe try out some different options.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at this really nice Airbnb located in the Trump International Resort. The resort is located on Collins Ave, but far enough from the tourist section that you can maintain your peace. Very clean, very quiet, helpful staff, 2 beautiful pools and sits right on the beach. There’s also a host of restaurants directly across to street for easy lunch or dinner plans (we ate at there for dinner one night), but my favorite part about staying here, was the was scene we acquired from the balcony of our room.
Oh, a quick note: there’s mandatory valet parking for $30/night. But with Airbnb you get one free space for the duration of your stay. You will also be charged $100/night in resort fees (when booking through Airbnb. $35/night when booking through hotel). I’m not familiar with the terms of this, so contact the property directly for more info.
What else would I have done if my trip was longer?
•Visited Casa Miami : Only because I like the aesthetics of the venue. In my research, the menu didn’t look too appetizing or sufficient (more of a small bites type thing), but I would have been ok with grabbing a drink and taking a few pics, if anything.
• Attended a night yacht boat party. Because, have you even truly experienced Miami without getting on a yacht?
•Ate at the Famous House of Mac. Mac and cheese is one of my favorite things eat, and they have a large variety of it. I’m talking Buffalo chicken Mac, Jerk Mac, Cheeseburger Mac and so much more…. Aw man I need to go back now 😩. This was originally planned for us, but we lost track of time with everything else we were doing.
•Spent more time on Collins. Because sometimes, you just miss the entertainment of being around people.
•Ate ate Bar One. Because it just looks cool.
Quick Tips:
• Rent a car! This should go without saying, especially for Visiting Florida. But wherever you’re vacationing to, having access to your own transportation just makes it a lot easier to explore the way you want to.
• Have extra money for parking – because you’ll have to pay for parking EVERYWHERE! Whether you’re parked in a lot or on the street, you’ll have to pay, but you won’t need cash. Wherever there’s a meter, you can use your debit card. Otherwise, the tolls are ‘toll-by-phone’, where you have to pay by debit card as well. And please, for your own sake, don’t forget to pay! We got hit with a $36 ticket…..Don’t be like us.
Check out my Instagram page for videos of this trip, under the “Miami” highlight. And don’t forget to follow!
What’s your favorite things to do in Florida?
And don’t forget to head on over to HeadSlay for some cool accessories and Dad Caps!
XO,
Lexi 💋
Lexi 💋
