Miami In June - A Travel Diary

'I need a getaway' I kept on saying, over and over again just days after getting back to Toronto from Ireland. There's always something about going to Europe that gives me an unshakeable wanderlust, and this time I decided to act on it. Flash forward a few weeks later, when Isabelle, Sabrina, Didier, Andrew and I found ourselves flying to Miami on a last-minute flight in the middle of June.

We were all craving a getaway, and Miami was a destination that we all wanted to check out. If you had been following our trip on Instagram, you'll know that we had an amazing time - Miami is a ton of fun! Here's a quick breakdown of our mid-week Miami getaway, and my photo diary of the experience.

The Weather 

Truth be told, we booked our trip so quickly that we all failed to look into the weather. Miami in June is hot and humid, and it's also the start of their rainy season. I was definitely more than a little anxious when the weather forecast leading up to our trip predicted thunderstorms every single day.

Luckily we soon found out that June rain in Miami is fast and furious, with only short windows of rain and clears right up when its done. Thankfully for us, we were usually indoors when the rain happened, and were able to enjoy majority sunny days and warm nights for our trip. Although the weather was extremely hot and made walking around difficult, we were lucky enough to stay at a hotel with an incredible pool that offered the perfect relief from the Miami heat.

Where We Stayed - The Plymouth

Right in South Beach, close to all of the action but in a quieter area, we stayed at The Plymouth Hotel. Take a look at the pool to see why I was originally drawn to this property - so much pink! Aesthetics aside, the pool at The Plymouth is open 24 hour which is a huge game-changer. We found ourselves in the pool every night, and it was incredible not to have to worry about closing hours.

The Plymouth is a boutique hotel, so it offers a more chill energy; a welcome change from the see-and-be-seen South Beach vibes. The rooms are clean, bright and spacious. The bathrooms are modern. The in-suite espresso machine is a nice perk. The location, great - just three minutes away from the beach. All in all, we had a great stay at The Plymouth and I would definitely book again for my next trip to Miami.

What We Did

There's a ton of stuff to do in Miami and while it felt like we were running around the city trying to do it all, we barely scratched the surface. While most of our trip was a blur of Uber rides, ice cream, tacos and lots (and lots) of photo-taking, here are a few highlights that I would definitely recommend to anyone planning a trip to Miami.

• If you're planning on visiting the Wynwood Walls, definitely stop by 1-800-LUCKY for delicious Taiyaki that's perfect to cool down in the heat. Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake that's filled with red bean. At 1-800-LUCKY, you can get yours topped with vanilla, matcha or black sesame soft serve ice cream and the end result is so good! This was my very first time trying Taiyaki and I'm officially hooked.

• We spent some time exploring the new Miami Design District and, while I had to tap out early due to the sun wiping me out, it was a beautiful area - very modern with gorgeous architecture and luxury shopping. 

• One of my oldest friends, Chris, now lives in Miami and he suggested we all check out The River Seafood Oyster Bar for dinner. Oh Em Gee. This place is so delicious - both for food and cocktails. 

• After dinner, Chris took us to a newly-opened bar and restaurant in Miami called Casa Florida. The vibe at Casa Florida is super chill, and our group spent most of our time in their indoor lounge, which is a converted 1965 GM bus. The cocktails were amazing and after having more than a few to myself, my memories of the night become a little hazy - just a jumble of drinks, laughs with good friends and a late-night group swim in our hotel's pool. The perfect Miami night!

• Although I loved the hotel that we chose for Miami, one of my favourite things to do while checking out other cities is to visit different hotels - enter the 1Hotel Miami. Although we weren't able to check out their famous rooftop, we did enjoy a beautiful breakfast at their restaurant Habitat and enjoyed delicious coffee, fresh squeezed juice and Huevo Rancheros. 

Before we knew it, our three-night stay in Miami had come to and end and we were off to the airport to catch our flight back to Toronto. If you're thinking of heading to Miami during the summer, I say do it - the weather is hot, and there will be a bit of rain, but there's plenty to see and do that keeps you cool. Three nights was definitely the perfect amount of time, and my soul feels satisfied from this Miami getaway - that is, until the wanderlust hits again.

What do you guys think? Have you ever been to Miami? What are some of your favourite things to do in the city? Let me know!

xo Joëlle