Travel tips: Miami?

[Circe]

My husband is going to have to travel for business during our actual vacation at the end of the month (boo!), so we're taking a romantic long weekend in Miami starting Thursday to celebrate early (yay!) Of course, I know nothing about Miami outside of what one sees on "Dexter," so ... tips? We're staying at the St. Regis in Bal Harbor, but beyond that, no concrete plans. I'd love tips on ... well, just about everything.

I'm guessing the hotel will have a nice pool, but I'd love a rec for a beach (not too crowded, maybe?). And I've heard amazing things about the Miami restaurant scene, but I'm getting choice paralysis trying to decide. Any personal favorites?

Can anybody tell me if there's an equivalent to Greenwich Village in NYC? Older buildings, younger people, might be the best way to describe it ... I'm not necessarily looking for shopping OR clubs OR museums OR restaurants, but the walking part of town with a nice blend of all of the above.

And, of course, if anybody can point me towards the good jewelry stores, the good vintage shopping, and maybe the local flea market ....

 

[Dee*Jay]

Circe, take a walk down Ocean Drive, starting around 15th St. on the north end down to... well... you'll figure out where to stop becuse the "flavor" will change. But then, go inland even just one block and walk back north again. It becomes more "real," although not TOO real because you are still right on the water so there's a lot of tourist trade, but not AS plastic as Ocean Drive itself.

There are some decent Cuban restaurants, one dive that I particularly liked was down toward either 7th or 5th, and the food was great. (Better than any food I actually had in Cuba, LOL.)

It looks like your hotel is up by 96th St. (am I looking at the right place?). If so, you'll have to drive/take a taxi down to the area I'm referencing.

Sadly I'm no help on jewelry stores or flea markets there though...

 

[gemmyblond]

Hi Circe,

You will be right at ground zero for jewelry ogling and shopping! The St. Regis hotel is in/near a large, super-upscale, longstanding outdoor mall called Bal Harbour Shops on Collins Avenue. It's north of Miami Beach (and the South Beach neighborhood), which you would need a car to get to...probably a 20 minute or more drive south, straight down Collins Ave.
At Bal Harbour Shops, there are lots of fancy name-brand shops and boutiques as well as Saks and NM. Jewelry stores included Graff, Harry W, Chopard, Bulgari, VCA, T&Co., and several high-end watch boutiques. The Chanel boutique has the fine jewelry collection there, and there are Pommellato and Yurman boutiques as well. As far as I recall, there were no estate or antique jewelry stores there at all, though.
The entire complex is outdoors and airy, with lots of foliage and a very open and tropical feel. It's an older shopping area that has been owned by the same family for many decades and has tried to remain very upscale and 'exclusive' with a different mix of stores and restaurants, valet parking, and a bit of a throwback feel to it.
I was there in 2012 and went in to most (OK, all!) of the jewelry stores and most could not have been nicer or more willing to let me browse and try on. Since it's October, the high resort season has not yet begun, so it should be a bit more laid-back and lower-key than in the winter. I found it to be a fun, easy way to experience jewelry overload all in one place!
Hope you have a great time.

 

[wakingdreams53]

Circe! You're coming to my 'hood!

The St. Regis is gorgeous! As mentioned, you'll be right across the street from the world-renowned Bal Harbour Shops, which is super high-end. Then again, coming from NYC, its nothing you'll be very surprised at, but its still nice. The St. Regis beach is actually quite nice, so you actually don't have to go anywhere else. They have live music after 6pm and offer free champagne.

My recommendations are mostly South Beach because that's where I live and am most familiar with.

Restaurants? One of the best steak houses is the infamous Prime 112--definitely worth a visit. Heed my advice-- do not go on Saturday. It gets crazy packed and you're guaranteed to wait 1.5 hours even with a reservation. The ideal time to go there is actually lunch because you get the same amazing food without all the people and craziness. One of the best restaurants I've been to is actually off the beach at Azul in the Mandarin Oriental that's on Biscayne Key. Absolutely spectacular. Another steakhouse that would be great to go to around 5pm on Thursday is Smith and Wollensky. If you sit outside, you'll get to see the cruise ships passing by and an amazing sunset. You'll also be in the new South Pointe park, which would make a beautiful walk post-eating. You also have Joe's Stone Crab -- is October stone crab season? I've heard great things, but I haven't gone there. Amazing seafood place, Milos. A superb authentic Cuban place is Puertas Agua, it's inexpensive and the oxtail is heavenly.

South Beach is a historically preserved Art Deco district. Almost all the buildings are from that period. On 7th and Ocean you can see the steps from the chainsaw scene in Scarface. Ocean Dr is great to walk on as well as Lincoln Road. If you're coming this Thursday, this Saturday is the Winwood Art Walk. Every month this part of town is filled with artists and food trucks, it's pretty awesome and definitely not a typical tourist destination.

Interesting events while you're here: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/calendar/

You can take a tour cruise where you'll get to see the white mansion from Scarface and various other celebrity homes. This is an incredibly tourist driven city, so there are more than plenty of things to choose from.

There's an Antique & Collectible Market this Sunday on Lincoln Rd as well.

 

[NTave]

I second Puerto Sagua for Cuban..its an institution. Bal Harbour Is a very upscale part of Miami, more so than Aventura. Aventura has a decent mall too, but its not Bal Harbour shops. South Beach is a lot of fun. There are other pretty things to see in the city, such as the zoo, which is way south near Perrine. Downtown is blah. I haven't lived there in 13 years, but if I had a weekend Id hit lower Collins ave and the beach. The shopping is fun and the beach is pretty, and late at night its fun to walk along Ocean, pick a restaurant (they all have their restaurant menus out front) and then go to a club. A drive to the keys in a convertible is fun, but its an all day trip going down, spending time and coming back from Key West, but the drive is really pretty and fun.