If youβre planning one week in South Beach, the biggest mistake is trying to cram too much into it. A full week gives you time to actually enjoy Miami β beach mornings, great restaurants, a possible day trip, and still plenty of time to sit by the pool and do absolutely nothing for a while.
This itinerary centers around The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach because the location makes everything incredibly easy. Youβre steps from the beach, close to Lincoln Road, and within walking distance of a lot of the restaurants that make South Beach fun. If youβre planning your stay, you can find hotels in South Beach here to compare options and see what fits your trip best.
If youβd rather stay slightly north and want more of a full resort-style property, take a look at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Itβs bigger, more of a traditional Miami resort, and a little removed from the main South Beach strip. If youβre considering it, see my full review of Fontainebleau Miami Beach to understand what the experience is actually like.
Hereβs exactly how Iβd spend a full week.
Fly into Miami International Airport in the afternoon and head to your hotel. Once you check in, unpack, freshen up, and ease into the trip.
If you have some time before dinner, take a short walk through Lummus Park, stroll along the beach path, or sit by the pool for a bit. After a travel day, keeping it simple is the right move.
Dinner on night one is Prime 112.
Itβs lively, a little flashy, and feels very Miami β exactly what you want for your first night in South Beach. Order either the filet or ribeye, then add a few sides for the table. The truffle mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach are all solid choices. Splitting a steak and ordering multiple sides is honestly the best way to do it. Steakhouses are one of the few places where extra sides feel completely justified.
Start the morning at Bacon Bitch. Bacon, fresh squeezed orange juice, and Cardi B is how I live my best Miami brunch life.
If you want quiet and peaceful β this is not it. If you want fun and memorable, this works. The Pink Passion Pancakes with passion fruit syrup were a special they were running and so so good, and a breakfast sandwich is a must. If you want the full breakdown of what to expect there, see my review of Bacon Bitch.
After breakfast, head back to the beach at the Ritz. The beach staff sets up chairs and umbrellas for you β just give them your room number and they take care of the rest.
Spend a few hours relaxing, swimming, and walking the shoreline. Mornings are usually the calmest time on South Beach before the heat and crowds pick up later in the afternoon. If you enjoy people watching, though, the afternoon energy can be part of the entertainment.
For lunch, walk over to La Sandwicherie. Theyβve been serving sandwiches here since 1988 and itβs still a South Beach staple. The baguettes are fresh, the ingredients are simple, and their vinaigrette pulls everything together. The portions are big, the service is quick, and itβs an easy beach-day lunch.
Dinner is at Macchialina, one of the best Italian restaurants in Miami and well known for house-made pasta and a great wine list. Order at least one pasta dish and let the staff guide you on wine. If you want help deciding what to order, see my full review of Macchialina.
If you want to see more than South Beach itself, this is the day to do it.
Renting a car makes things much easier, especially if youβre planning to leave Miami Beach for the day. We rented our car here because they had the best prices.
One option is heading out to Everglades National Park for an airboat tour. The Everglades are about 45 minutes away, so itβs an easy half-day trip. Youβll skim across the marsh in a flat-bottom airboat and usually spot alligators, birds, and wildlife you wonβt see anywhere else in Florida. If you want something organized ahead of time, you can book an Everglades airboat tour here.
Another option is driving down to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park for snorkeling. The water is clear, the coral reefs are real, and itβs one of the best places in Florida to get in the water.
If youβre feeling ambitious, a day trip to Key West is technically possible, but itβs a long day β more than three hours each way. Itβs a fun bucket-list trip if youβve never been, but honestly another beach day in South Beach is also a great option. No wrong answer here.
Start the morning at The Local House.
Itβs a reliable breakfast spot with good coffee and a calmer atmosphere than some of the louder brunch places around South Beach. Sometimes thatβs exactly what you want after a few busy days.
After breakfast, spend the day at the pool at the Ritz. Grab a chair, order lunch poolside, and stay a few hours. Miami trips donβt always need a packed schedule β sometimes doing nothing is the plan.
Dinner tonight is Barton G. The Restaurant.
This place is dramatic, over-the-top, and very much an experience. The food presentations are huge and the dessert literally comes in a briefcase of fake money. If youβre going to go, lean into the whole concept. If you want to see exactly what the experience is like, read my review of Barton G. The Restaurant.
Start the morning at Limonada Bar + Brunch. During the week itβs a colorful breakfast spot with plenty of good options. On weekends it turns into more of a brunch party with DJs and cocktails.
Popular orders include the breakfast burrito, avocado toast with eggs, and pancakes. If youβre committing to the brunch experience, add a mimosa.
After breakfast, walk Lincoln Road. The pedestrian-only street is great for shopping and people watching and always has a lot going on.
For lunch, stop at Naked Taco and order the cowboy steak taco and the fried doughnuts. Tacos and doughnuts in the same meal may sound questionable, but it works.
Dinner is at Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza, where you should absolutely order the coffee pizza. Yes, it sounds weird. It not only works but will blow your mind. The crust is light, the toppings are balanced, and itβs one of those things youβll talk about long after the trip. If youβre curious why itβs so famous, see my review of Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza.
Finish the night with ice cream from Salt & Straw, which rotates creative flavors constantly.
Take an Uber to the Miami Design District for the day. The area is known for luxury shopping, modern architecture, and a surprisingly strong food scene.
For breakfast, you can grab something quick from Zak the Baker, or sit down at Pura Vida Miami or Sadelle's at Kith.
Lunch options nearby include Mandolin Aegean Bistro, Coyo Taco, or MIA Market if you want a food hall with multiple options.
For dinner head to Little Havana.
Or, Uber over to Little Havana and do a guided food tour. Itβs a fun way to try several Cuban dishes while learning more about the neighborhood and its history. You can book a Little Havana food tour here, and if you want a deeper look at what to see and eat there, check out my full breakdown of Little Havana Miami.
Start the morning at CafΓ© Bastille. Order the pistachio pancakes and add one of their creative lattes. If you want a deeper look at the menu and experience, see my full review of CafΓ© Bastille Downtown Miami.
After brunch, head back toward the beach for one last swim or walk along the shoreline.
For lunch, stop at Taquiza, where the fresh tortillas and simple tacos make for an easy, satisfying meal. If you want a full breakdown of what to order, check out my review of Taquiza.
Dinner on your final night should be Carbone.
Order the spicy rigatoni vodka and the veal parm, and dress up a little for the night. Itβs the perfect place to end a week in South Beach. If you want help navigating the menu, see my review of Carbone.
Before heading to the airport, grab breakfast at Rosetta Bakery. A croissant and cappuccino is the perfect simple ending to the trip.
Traffic leaving South Beach can be unpredictable, so give yourself plenty of extra time getting back to the airport.
A full one week in South Beach should feel relaxed, not rushed. Beach mornings, great restaurants, a little exploring, and plenty of time to just enjoy Miami.
The tulip fields in the Netherlands look exactly like the photos, except the photos donβt capture how massive the color blocks actually are stretching across the countryside. Or the windmills. Or the sheep randomly standing in the middle of everything like they donβt know theyβre in the most photogenic country on earth.
The honest caveat: tulip season moves fast, the fields rotate every year, and peak bloom is not a guarantee, it depends on the weather, the harvest schedule, and a little bit of luck. But thatβs also part of what makes it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like something you actually found.
Full driving route with towns, parking tips, and what to expect | linked in bio. π·
#netherlands #travelling #tulipfields #exploreeurope
Amsterdam has a way of making you feel like you need to see everything, and then rewarding you most when you slow down anyway. The museums and canal cruises are worth it, but so is just wandering neighborhoods, eating whatever looks good, and sitting along the canals with a grilled cheese and nowhere to be.
First-time visitor guide is on the blog. Link in bio. π·
#travelling #travel #amsterdam #visitamsterdam #traveleurope
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes Iβve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Hereβs what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
CafΓ© Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davieβs Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (itβs not ketchup, and itβs better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what Iβd skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
Thereβs a version of Gatlinburg thatβs all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then thereβs the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Hereβs everything worth doing downtown, in the order Iβd do it: ποΈ
β¨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
β¨ Walk the strip mid-morning when itβs still manageable
β¨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: donβt skip it)
β¨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
β¨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isnβt your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. Itβs more of a βhereβs what Iβd actually do if I had one solid dayβ kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. π
If someone told me Iβd spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. π
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and itβs one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it β longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
β¨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
β¨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
β¨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
β¨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. π
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
