Miami, FL – August 2026
Hotel: Iberostar Waves Berkeley Shore
It’s been a while since my last travel guide. We’ve had a lot going on between hosting both a high school and family reunion, among other life events.
My husband has also started a new business venture that’s brought us some pretty amazing opportunities so far, — shout out Sacred Dose — which is how we ended up in Miami for the weekend.
We were invited out to the Marlins game and batting practice by the head coach and his wife, who have been using Sacred Dose’s energy pouches, and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take our son to such a cool experience.
This trip was completely last minute, so we ended up finding cheaper flights into Ft. Lauderdale instead of Miami directly. The airport is about 45 minutes away, so we decided a rental car would be best so we could also have a car seat and explore more beyond right where we were staying.
Our hotel was located just a block away from the sand and in the middle of South Beach’s lively atmosphere, making in an incredible location.
Since we had a car, we were able to explore outside only Miami to see The Keys too, so here’s a list of must-sees in and around Miami for a weekend.
Art Deco District
Specifically Espanola Way, you’ll find the cutest street lined with tons of restaurants and tropical greenery. This area is where we walked the most, and enjoyed tons of delicious meals.
Lincoln Road Mall
Not too far from the above, you’ll find this outdoor shopping mall with tons of shops lining the street. It makes another great location to grab a coffee or ice cream and stroll.
South Beach
Of course, you can’t come to Miami and not check out the beach. Even though our hotel wasn’t located on the sand, it still had a designated area with chairs and umbrellas for guests to utilize. There’s also a nice playground right off the beach that was perfect for our son to let out some energy. Playgrounds. Never noticed there were so many throughout cities before traveling with Lionel.
Design District
Here you’ll find all the designer shops. A gorgeous neighborhood to walk through with amazing architecture too.
Wynwood Walls
An area completely covered in street art. Almost every building featured an amazing mural, and we even saw an artist in action adding a new piece to a wall. We decided to just walk the streets, but there’s also a museum in the area with more pieces to check out.
Little Havana
Another lively area filled with Cuban culture to walk around and check out. Tons of shops and restaurants to enjoy along Eighth St and 16th Ave.
Bayside Marketplace
Another outdoor shopping and restaurant area right along the water. You’ll also find some market types booths, a few small carnival type rides, and tons of yachts docked along the water.
The Keys
Originally, we were planning to drive the entire way down to Key West, but after many late nights out with a toddler, we didn’t think the 3.5 hour drive there and then back was the best idea to do in one day. If you have the time or can stay a few days, I have a Key West guide already posted from my bachelorette trip.
To shorten the trip, we decided to head to Islamorada as our farthest point and stop at Robbie’s. The small area is filled with booths to shop, some delicious smelling BBQ and other foods, and the famous giant tarpon feeding.
The tarpon feeding is relatively cheap, but you can also pay to enter the dock without buying a bucket of fish to feed them. The worker told us the best way is to hold the fish by the tail out between your ring and middle finger, lay on the dock, and hold the fish out low. The tarpon will jump up to grab them. Don’t worry, they don’t have any teeth, but maybe use a hand without any jewelry, just in case. See photo below.
From this point, we started heading back north towards Miami. Our son had been impatiently waiting to get to the beach all trip to dig for treasures, so when we saw there was a restaurant right on the sand, we thought this would be perfect.
Well, it wasn’t. We stopped at Morada Beach Bay Cafe which was gorgeous, secluded, and tables right on the sand, but the sand was hard as a rock. Impossible to dig for treasures despite Lionel trying as soon as we got there. We didn’t end up staying for lunch, but instead headed off to find a beach.
We ended up stopping at Founders Park Beach a little more north. The area does require to pay for entry, although the gate attendant did end up reducing the price for us because we only were stopping for less than an hour.
The small bay was beautiful with extremely calm water. However, the sand was still rock hard. We found a small section right near the water that we were able to dig and hide toys in, and Lionel was satisfied. The water, on the other hand, was not satisfying. It was so warm, it went past bath water and was borderline jacuzzi.
Right behind the sand was a gorgeous newly built playground with shade that we spent a lot of time on. You can also find a swimming pool and ball fields to enjoy if you choose to explore the park more.
Before we completed the drive back into Miami, we made one last stop for key lime pie at The Key Lime Pie Factory in Key Largo.
Food Recommendations:
Havana 1957 – An amazing restaurant in the heart of the Art Deco District featuring classic Cuban cuisine. My husband described it as “everything he’s ever wanted“.
Santorini by Georgios – I was surprised by the amount of Greek food in the city. This place was adorable right along South Beach, and the flavors were incredible.
Cubatón Sandwich Shop – Unfortunately for me, I’m gluten free, so only my husband and son got to enjoy a sandwich here, but it looked so incredible, I almost considered indulging. The bread looked perfectly toasted, and I did try a bite of meat that just melted in your mouth.
Sunshine Coffee – Fortunately for me, though, they’re really into matcha in Miami. There was no shortage of matcha cafes on every block, but this one in particular caught my eye our first morning. The matcha wasn’t very sweet, but I also make my matcha at home without any sweetener, so it was exactly how I like it. They have lots of flavors you can choose to add too, if that’s more your speed. They also have tons of options for breakfast, and everything we ordered was tasty.
Key Lime Pie Factory – You can’t visit the Keys without trying at least one slice of key lime pie. This place is located right off the highway in Key Largo and has a selection of key lime flavored treats with a cute garden area in the back to sit and enjoy them.
Our trip to Miami was short, but so perfect. We’ve both always wanted to visit, and I’m so glad we finally got to check out the vibrant and lively atmosphere. I know it won’t be long before we’re back for more.
• Everyday Davis • 