JQ Louise is a food and travel writer based in Boston. She has written for Teen Vogue, Style Me Pretty, Paste Magazine and several other publications. You can also occasionally find her on the Food Network Snapchat! She loves to share her travel tips and tricks on her blog jqlouise.com and her Instagram account @jqlouise. Catch her first book called “Boston Food Crawls”.
Summer is a time for fun in the sun, and Miami does that better than anywhere else. Here are a few things to keep in mind next time you make your way down to this Floridian gem:
1. Anything goes when it comes to fashion.
Miami is a tropical paradise all year long, so no matter what time of year you visit, you can really stretch your wardrobe. The vibe is colorful, fun and sexy. Embrace your inner beach goddess because in Miami if you got it, you are flaunting it. Bring that bikini you have been too shy to wear on Nantucket, bring plenty of crop tops and flowy dresses. This is the place to get those gorgeous palm tree filled Instagrams you’ve been lusting after!
2. The city is beautifully diverse.
I’d say that Miami feels like the most diverse place on the East Coast, and that means there are so many tasty fusion restaurants to explore. Latin fusion combinations are available for the foodies in your group, and I had an amazing meal filled with Peruvian/Japanese creations at a funky hotspot in downtown called Chotto Matte. Our meal consisted of things like beef tataki with passion fruit salsa and Nikkei calamares. Oh, and the drinks celebrated all the tropical ingredients locally available, so 10/10 would recomend!
3. You will eat a lot of tacos.
While you can find any food that your heart desires in Miami, you just need to have a few tacos. The taco scene is huge in Miami, and whether you are looking for a late night snack or a date night meal, tacos are a great choice! I even found a place called Bodega Taqueria that has a taco truck out front and a secret speakeasy in back. (You even have to go through a door that looks like the entrance to their freezer to get to it!)
4. The sun is no joke.
Pack the sunscreen! Since Miami is so close to the Tropic of Cancer, the sun is extra strong during the summer season. Since you’ll most likely be spending a lot of time outside (the beach is calling your name, obviously), make sure you protect your skin from all those damaging UV rays. Why not throw in a cute sun hat as well?
5. There is a big difference between Miami and Miami Beach.
When planning your trip, know the difference between Miami and Miami Beach. “Miami” is on the mainland, home to areas like downtown Miami and Wynwood. Miami Beach is home to those famous miles-and-miles long stretch of beach that I’m sure you’ll be checking out on your trip. So, depending on what you want to do on your vacay, choose your hotel wisely so you can avoid too many Ubers across Biscayne Bay.
If you are into cool hangouts, than perhaps Miami proper is for you, so you can check out all the hotspots in Wynwood (like the rooftop bar, No. 3 Social, which is located above an amazing fine dining eatery called Number 3 right in the heart of Wynwood’s fabulous street murals). Or if you want to be in the heart of the beach party scene, maybe South Beach is for you – or if you want something more laid back, Mid Beach or North Beach may be the best choice.
Here’s to wishing your a gorgeous trip to Miami – it’ll definitely be one for the books.