Travel dates: April 29 – May 3, 2024
Arriving on a Monday and leaving on a Friday, our trip was filled with relaxation, a little adventure, and great eats! A birthday trip, but mostly our goal was to test ride efoil boards. As avid travellers who love spontaneous beach escapades, Miami Beach provided the perfect setting for our quick retreat, combining leisure with the thrill of trying out the efoils!
Where we stayed: Monte Carlo Vacation Rental, Miami Beach, Florida. We stayed in a corner unit up on the 17th floor with an ocean view. The one-bedroom condo was perfect for the two of us, my Husband and myself. The balcony was large with a table and lounge chairs. In the mornings we had breakfast out on the balcony and in the evenings, we relaxed with a glass of wine. The view was stunning, and the sound and breeze of the ocean really made us feel like we were on vacation. The condo has two pools, a gym, lots of common area to use as a guest. However, we spent most of our time on our balcony or at the beach. There is direct beach access from the condo, beach chairs, umbrellas and a water station at the beach front are all provided by the condo.
The best eats:
Lido Bayside Grill: A fantastic waterfront spot. The vibe was exactly what we wanted for the first night out in Miami. There was a 45-minute wait on a Monday night for a table, so it goes to show the popularity. We had a drink at the bar while we waited, the view is speculator and obviously a trendy spot i.e. the place to be. Well worth the wait, the food was absolutely delish, this was hands down our favorite spot on th trip! Highly recommend!
Watr at the Rooftop Restaurant - 1 Hotel South Beach: Located 18 stories above South Beach, Watr serves Japanese-influenced cuisine in a bright and breezy environment with stunning ocean views. We stopped by this rooftop for a mid-day light snack and a drink. The food was fantastic. I will point out, it is a pricy spot but well worth the dollars for a spectacular view, great food & drinks and service was on par. Also worth noting, the restrooms are really cool, they are right on the rooftop with ocean views, and outdoor wash sinks and mirrors.
Serena Rooftop Mexican Restaurant: A open-air terrace restaurant and bar located on the second floor of the Moxy South Beach Hotel. The lush greens, and trendy Mexican décor made this rooftop another one of our favorites. For a drink I recommend the Coco Loco which is a fresh whole coconut spiked with coconut rum. Also, the frozen Polomarita was really good. The Mexican deviled eggs are a must, we ordered two orders because they were that good! All the food and drinks were awesome! A cool spot!
STK Steakhouse – 1 Hotel South Beach: The reviews said it would be the best steak in Miami and its true, this steakhouse did not disappoint! We ordered: Ceaser Salad and the Burrata to start. There was fresh bread with a blue cheese infused butter. My husband doesn't like blue cheese but he ate it up, so it goes to show the blue cheese butter is a win! I had the Short Rib and he had the Delmonico steak with the Sweet Corn Pudding and Yukon Mashed Potatoes. For dessert we had the Cheesecake. The food was delicious and the service was over-and-above. I recommend STK for a dinner out if you are looking to splurge. It is a high-priced restaurant, but well worth the dollars. It turns out STK has several locations across the US not just in Miami!
Last thing to talk about, the efoils! They are intimidating at first, this was the first time for my husband and I to try them out. We booked a private lesson with Chris at Efoil Miami. Chris was great at explaining what we needed to do, and how to stay safe. We had to wear all the safety gear including a lifejacket, helmet, and water booties. I used a float wrap which is pretty much ‘training wheels’ for an efoil. The efoil boards are a lot harder to ride then they look. That was the biggest take away, it isn’t as effortless as it looks when you see videos of people riding the boards. I recommend you hit the gym a few times before riding the boards, my legs were like Jello after only a few minutes on the board. We had so much fun learning though, so much so that we decided to buy two boards of our own! So now we will have lots of opportunity to practice and get riding effortlessly.
- LaVerne (Z & Joxa Founder)
PS. The Dress I am wearing -> Trust the Timing Butterfly Sleeve Jacquard Ruffled Mini Dress