# What to do in Miami?



## Chuckles (Apr 22, 2016)

In Miami 13th-17th. Never been but tasked to come up with one must do activity for that weekend. 

So far I have Anderson Paak and Florence and the Machine at American Airlines Arena. Not sure about that one. I don't really like huge venues. I saw Paak at a small venue in Portland last weekend and he was great but basketball stadiums turn me off. 

What is there that can't be missed?

Could be a show, restaurant, club, location, anything fun but not crazy obvious. 


Thanks in advance.
:clown:


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## CoqaVin (Apr 22, 2016)

never been, but naiYara looks intriguing


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## Chuckles (Apr 22, 2016)

NaiYaRa looks intriguing indeed. Thanks for the idea, I wouldn't have found it. It's on the short list.


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## alterwisser (Apr 22, 2016)

I think Miami pretty much sucks unless you love staring at expensive cars and people 10000000x hotter than you...

That being said, I would check out Wynwood (walls), some pretty fantastic graffiti out there, if you are into that at all.

Other than that Miami continues to disappoint me, even little Havanna.


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## panda (Apr 22, 2016)

Call me and we go grab a drink at the St Regis.


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## Dardeau (Apr 22, 2016)

The Fruit and Spice Park, i think it's in Homewood out by Coral Castle.


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## Dardeau (Apr 22, 2016)

After the drink with Sun.


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## Dardeau (Apr 22, 2016)

Correction, after the drink with Sun you will have more drinks and maybe make it to the fruit and spice park the next afternoon.


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## panda (Apr 22, 2016)

you can help me celebrate my redskins just signing josh norman.


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## Chuckles (Apr 22, 2016)

Panda,

I knew you were in Florida but for some reason I didn't think you were in Miami. Now I have to come clean. This trip is actually my wife's book club. I won't actually be there. While my original post might not technically be a lie it is for sure outrageously misleading. 

I saw your post and said that now I want to go too and she replied 'THIS IS _*MY*_ TRIP!!!'


Uggh.. Really it's that damn Whistle Pig Rye you've posted that I can't get in Minneapolis. Honestly, flying somewhere to have cold drinks in hot weather sounds amazing. 



Dardeau,

The fruit and spice park looks cool. We get such horrible examples of those fruits up here most of the time. 


Alterwisser,

I have recently been described as 'Wisconsin skinny with a butterface' so I could probably hold my own on the beach. Just sayin.


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## panda (Apr 22, 2016)

i kind of had a feeling that was the case when you mentioned florence & the machine, there's no way you listen to EMO music. 

you should have told me this before, i would have poured half my bottle into a plastic one and sent it along with the headphones!
well if you can get away for a weekend with the missus, the summer time is perfect time to go as the rates are low and i can get you a small discount at my hotel (which is right on the beach).


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## panda (Apr 22, 2016)

I'm not in Miami, but I could have made the drive. It's only an hour from my house.


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## alterwisser (Apr 22, 2016)

Chuckles said:


> Alterwisser,
> 
> I have recently been described as 'Wisconsin skinny with a butterface' so I could probably hold my own on the beach. Just sayin.



On my first ever visit to Miami I got hit on by a gay model in a Starbucks. Not sure that helps my "beach body" credentials, but I'm sure I won't ever forget that LOL


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## Chuckles (Apr 22, 2016)

No worries on the Rye. You are my headphone Sensei. I can stumble my way through the bourbon landscape, they all seem to get me where I'm going. 

My lady is the judge and jury on Miami. Let's hope the recommendations from this thread do the trick!



If I got hit on by a model of any kind I would be bragging for weeks.


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## daveb (Apr 23, 2016)

panda said:


> I'm not in Miami, but I could have made the drive. It's only an hour from my house.



That's about 10 miles in that part of the state....


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## panda (Apr 23, 2016)

haha it's more like 2 and half hours with traffic, and there is always traffic. i really hate driving down there.

chucks at the very least she should enjoy the beach


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## tkern (Apr 23, 2016)

While shes enjoying the beach head over to Lost Weekend for cheesesteaks, pool, and cheap beer.


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## Chuckles (Apr 23, 2016)

Well that sounds like my kind of good time.


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## brainsausage (Apr 24, 2016)

Isn't Miami known for its abundance of appetite suppressants?


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## panda (Apr 24, 2016)

i don't get hungry in miami


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## fujiyama (Apr 24, 2016)

I'd probably do some blow and hop on the boat to the islands, puke a few times and hit a pizza shop on the walk home.

"Sounds like you've been there before.."


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## panda (Apr 24, 2016)

I was at wynwood street festival, live music food trucks, way awesome way to spend a Sunday afternoon.


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## mille162 (May 2, 2016)

Miami gets a bad rep because of South Beach, but there's still plenty of cool and fun stuff to do. So, assuming you're staying in/around Sobe, here's what I do with my out of town friends...

Grab a bowl/shake at JugoFresh in the morning to start the day.
Vinyl shopping at Panther Coffee at Sweat Records

Lunch at Dirt 
- or -
Cubano from El Latin American Cafeteria on Coral Way to go, then over the bridge and brown bag alcohol to sit on beach on Virginia Key (first beach over the bridge), a locals favorite dog friendly park with a huge sandbar to just chill and do whatever you like. Rent a SUP and paddle over to Seaquarium area, always manatee's there. If it's a quite day and no dogs in the water, the manatees are randomly swimming around on the sandbar too.

Taco's then drinks at Bodega (go through fake bathroom door to bar in the back), Wed nite is live music.
Fishbowl drink at Broken Shaker, then across the courtyard for more drinks and apps upstairs at Freehand
Sunset drink at Juvia has the best view.
Go to Faena hotel after sunset, take a selfie with the golden woolly mammoth. DO NOT STAY for drinks ($$$)
Barton G for a "fun" and quirky dinner

If looking for activities, Parrot Jungle and the Miami Zoo are both fun places to kill a few hours.


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## Chuckles (May 2, 2016)

Staying in Coconut Grove whatever that means. 

Thanks for the ideas mille162!!


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## Lucretia (May 2, 2016)

It's been decades since I lived in Miami, but Fairchild Garden looks like it's still a nice place to go. And it's close to Coconut Grove.


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## Lucretia (May 2, 2016)

Oh, and Viscaya used to be really beautiful. http://vizcaya.org/home.asp


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## Castalia (May 2, 2016)

If she is going for her book club, you could read Tom Wolfe's Back to Blood

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13480192-back-to-blood

Set in Miami, some odd interludes but I found it diverting.


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## Lucretia (May 2, 2016)

An even more appropriate read, by a south Florida writer--Carl Hiaassen's "Tourist Season".


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Or any of McDonalds Travis McGee books


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## daveb (May 3, 2016)

All of Hiassain's books are hilarious, we're at different ends of the political spectrum but he'll make you think about it.

@Charlie, I relayed your request to a lady friend who used to live in Miami and still spends more time there than she does in Tampa. She has a couple suggestions "for someone who doesn't want to drink until they throw up"


Ortanique On the Mile

278 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 446-7710

https://g.co/kgs/wUTW1

The most authentic Cuban food in Miami (thats a ppretty strong claim)
Versailles

3555 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135
(305) 444-0240

https://g.co/kgs/Cb8S6

And finally:

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

1600 Lenox Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 538-5220

https://g.co/kgs/b58Wi

Thats a long way to go for a bookclub.


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## Elfen23 (May 3, 2016)

Never been to Miami, but Hiaasen is always worth the time.


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## Lucretia (May 3, 2016)

If she's a lobster fan, tell her to try Florida lobster if she gets a chance. No claws like a main lobster. It's wonderful. And I'd give my eyeteeth for a mangrove snapper sandwich right now. I haven't had really good shrimp since I left Florida, either.

I think "Lucky You" is my favorite Hiaasen. He got a little repetitive in his later books---man injures hand, ends up with pit bull head/weed whacker/ etc on end of arm. Can't get tired of Skink, tho.


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## Dardeau (May 3, 2016)

Lucky You was the first one I read and thought it was hilarious. I tried to explain the White Rebel Brotherhood tattoo to my partner and couldn't for laughing. 

When I first read Hiassen I was amazed that someone else captured the strangeness of South Florida in the eighties as well as John McDonald did in the sixties and seventies. I am still waiting for the "black" book. I don't think it is real but I want it to be.


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## Chuckles (May 3, 2016)

It is a long way to go for a book club. "Book Clubin' Miami" is the idea I think.



> "for someone who doesn't want to drink until they throw up"



she said: "that's me!" 
And I thought: "That line always sounds great _before_ you have a drink."

But seriously, thanks for all the great ideas! My wife has already learned that if you want to actually figure something out you ask the forum. Doesn't matter what it is. She's gonna get a Hiaasen book. I'm going to read one too. None of the people posting in this thread have ever steered me wrong before. :thumbsup:


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