Spring Break! It’s known as a time for relaxation and refreshing yourself after striving to make it through the spring semester. Months of cold weather, weekly exams and quizzes, and packed schedules certainly call for hours in bed doom-scrolling on TikTok. That’s probably what I should’ve done. However, I took the allotted eight days and didn’t really sit for much of it. I love to travel, and very much took advantage of that this break. Even given my need to spend time with friends and family, my professional mission to attend the ALPFA Northeast Regional Student Symposium, and just avoiding crashing out, I managed to sneak a few days in down south. Here are the ups and downs, highs and lows, and everything in between about my little adventure.
The trek to Miami Beach, Florida
About a week or two prior to the trip, I get a call from my mom proposing the idea. Out of a desperate need to spend time with her and to not be pale anymore, I jumped on the idea with enthusiasm. I spent that week looking at places to go and things to see because I couldn’t contain my excitement. Our journey starts on March 14, late at night, when I accidentally pulled an all-nighter. I spent the evening in my dorm waiting for my dad to pick me up from my dorm, and I made it back to my hometown at around midnight on March 15. Normally, this would be a point where I went to sleep, but the plan was a little different this time because my mom and I had plans to hop on a flight from JFK Airport at approximately 6 a.m. Hypothetically, I could have taken a little nap, but not only had I not packed yet, but we had also arrived at the airport around 3 a.m. to avoid TSA stress. After a fun few hours of scrambling and flying, we were met with the warm embrace of the Miami sun!
The trip involved great experiences with culture, nature, and quality family time. I had always wanted to have a mother-daughter trip like this, so you could’ve imagined my happiness in planning. We stayed in the North Beach area, but thanks to Miami’s public transportation and the free trolley system, we were able to travel frequently and cheaply throughout the city. We moved between North and South Beach basically every day, which gave us the chance to have a two-for-one experience. In South Beach, you get the touristy areas, constant buzz, and lots of aesthetic picture stops. On the other end of the spectrum, you can find a calmer area where more locals reside, but still full of great food, calm beach scenes, and great energy.
Top spots and moments
One of my favorite parts of the trip was taking a side quest to a neighborhood called Little Havana. We traipsed through South Beach to Downtown Miami and finally made it to Calle Ocho, or 8th Street. The little strip was full of restaurants, stores, and activities that showcased Cuban culture in a way I hadn’t seen since my last trip there at 7 years old. There’s also a place called Domino Park, where locals stop by to play a game of dominoes and enjoy themselves. I loved going and seeing real people live their lives together, honoring Cuban roots, as that hasn’t been a prominent part of my life growing up in New York. Full of murals, engraved Cuban stars on the road, and love, this was an experience I’d recommend for anyone looking to take a moment away from tourist life.
Another key aspect of Miami Beach is that there are Citi Bikes for rent. To preface, this was not at all our plan to pursue before arriving, but after a friendly conversation with a woman in the hotel’s pool, my mom and I thought it would be a fun and different move to make. So, on our last full day, we woke up a little earlier and planned to bike from North to South Beach. To be honest, it was so much better than I had expected! The ride was approximately five miles, but we took about 30 minutes to get to our destination. A path had already been made along the beach, and it was such a serene and calming experience while also getting in some exercise. The feeling of having headphones in with some relaxing music (“august” by Taylor Swift) and the breeze flowing in freshly washed hair is something I would pay any amount to get back. Once we arrived in South Beach for the day, we were able to stop by Cortadito Coffee House on Washington Avenue. A cortado, or cortadito, is a traditional Cuban espresso drink that I must have had at least three times a day throughout the whole trip. When in Miami, I need to take that opportunity because the Starbucks version doesn’t hit the same. What was special about Cortadito Coffee House was that they offered different flavors for the cortaditos, so I was elated to try a caramel version that definitely lived up to the hype. Its proximity to the Lincoln Ave Trolley stop makes it a recommendation for anyone in the area!
The last part I wanted to highlight was a bit of a nightlife aspect in a restaurant called Mango’s on Ocean Drive in South Beach. We visited the site on our last night in Miami in search of a nice dinner out and a vibrant scene. The restaurant is known for its dinnertime shows and club experience afterward. During our dinnertime, we were faced with performances by local singers doing covers of Celia Cruz, Selena, Shakira, and more iconic stars. We even got some featured fun dancing from our servers who definitely shone on the stage. Besides the fun and chaotic atmosphere, the food was divine and somewhat different than the rotation of Cuban food I had been indulging in the whole time. Although it was a bit pricey, the experience was unforgettable, to say the least!
Spring Break Reflections
Throughout my trip, I realized something about spring break and college in general: It’s what you make of it! Most people wouldn’t have thought to do a trip like this with their mom, but I think it made my experience so much more special. The chance to step away from Storrs to engage in my culture and similar cultures (as well as accidentally gain five pounds due to excessive empanada consumption) was one I will value and cherish for years to come.
