How to Spend 24 Hours in Miami

{Pictures via Pinterest}

I was in Miami not too long ago and I loved every minute of it. From the retro colored buildings to the streets lined with palm trees, the crazy beautiful people and the blaring music -the city has a lot to offer! It is a fabulous tropical getaway for those of you who are after one. But I got to thinking, lots of people fly in for business or for a weekend vacation, so I decided to make a list of things to do if you had only one day to spend in this hot (literally and otherwise) city!

Quick Tips: The best way to see the city is to have your own car or rent one. The public transportation system is not so great and you can end up spending tons of money on cabs. Grey Line's Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours offer an inexpensive travel option as well and takes you around the best sight seeing spots. Also keep in mind, a lot of the action happens in Miami Beach (a.k.a. South Beach, a.k.a. SoBe). All the fancy hotels are located here and it is practically one ginormous party all day long! With only 24 hours to spare, I suggest sticking to this area, otherwise you will only spend most of the day stuck in traffic.

Alright then, no time to waste - let's get moving!

9:00 AM 

Start with a walk along the boardwalk and explore Ocean Drive which is surrounded by colorful Art Deco buildings. To make things easy for you, there is even an Art Deco Walking Tour so all you have to do is show up and get guided! If you are a museum kind of person, there are plenty to keep you occupied in the morning! Of course, no morning is a good one without some much needed coffee, and Miami's got the the best of the best - Cortaditos. What's that you ask? It's a Cuban espresso with milk, foam and sugar. It's pretty strong and very tasty, even Khloe Kardashian got addicted to them while she was in Miami! 

{Picture via Google Images}

11:30 AM

When you're done savoring your coffee and people watching, head on over to the Bayside Marketplace, with it's lovely views; great music and dancing; and cute little souvenir shops. Go on a boat ride and enjoy the gorgeous blue of the ocean. The smell of salt water and your hair blowing in the wind while you enjoy the scenery is a wonderful feeling, especially if you haven't been out on the sea for a while! Also if your tour boat takes you far enough you can even see a little bit of the Bahamas and the Bermuda Triangle! This kind of boat ride is a good two and half hours long, but there are shorter ones if you ask around.

{Chilling at Bayside Marketplace}

2:30 PM

You can eat right in the Bayside Marketplace, or you could drive to the Miami Design District for some quick lunch and more sight seeing. Here you will find galleries, showrooms, and high-end boutiques. Do check out the much-hyped Wynwood Walls which pays tribute to big international artists. If you got lost in the beauty of the district and forgot lunch, drive over to Coconut Grove, another gorgeous place with plenty of window shopping (stuff is expensive!!) and cute eateries.

4:30 PM

You must go to Little Havana, which is basically Cuba in Miami! I love love love it here, the atmosphere is wonderful and you are sure to have a good time even if you can't speak much spanish. Try a hand-rolled cigar and a cup of café con leche (coffee with milk). 

{Pictures via Pinterest}

SOMEWHERE IN HERE HIT THE BEACH!!!! It's not as hot after 4:00 PM and there will still be a crowd, so catch some rays and take a dip in the cool ocean.

5:30 PM

If you haven't done any shopping yet, drive to Lincoln Road where you will find a variety of high street as well as name-brand stores and everything in between. If you're a book lover, your day will be made when you walk into Books & Books. There is also much for the art lover at the Art Center.

6:30 PM

Head back to your hotel room for a quick nap, the whole point of which is to stay awake later and dance into the night! Shower and get dressed up for a night on the town like you've never seen before. Also carry enough cash because cover charges/drinks/random spending can add up! There are a million places to go to dinner, but try something with seafood since they do get some really fresh catches which taste divine. 

8:00 PM

After dinner, stop by Mango's for a mini carnival-like experience, complete with sexy dancers and Spanish music from salsa to samba. Trust me if you love Spanish/Latin culture and the vibe as much as I do, you will spend a good two hours here!

10:00 PM

Start drinking if you haven't already! The party doesn't start till almost Midnight, so the best thing to do is get buzzed now and find your happy place so you don't have to waste any time once you get inside the clubs ;) 

12:00 AM

Let's go! Head on over to the South Beach/Ocean Drive area if you are not already there. Get inside the clubs and party hard! It would be wise to plan ahead and make some calls to get your name on the guest list a while before you arrive. This way you don't have stand in line forever before you actually get in. Hopefully you got a great power nap in earlier because if you're doing it right, you won't be leaving until 6:00 AM at least!

Party Hard!!

XOXO - Chrissy