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Miami Beach is a location everyone should visit at least once. You’ll find that there’s a variety of things to see and do in the area. Plus, access to the beach is real easy no matter where you are. If Miami Beach is on your list of places to visit, then save these tips for your trip.
Visit outside of hurricane season
If you want to avoid being caught in a storm, like me when I went with my friend back in August, go outside hurricane season. Hurricane season, in Florida, lasts from June 1st to November 30th. These hurricanes can be very dangerous and unsafe for locals and tourists.
It’s best to travel outside this window to avoid potential dangerous storms. However, if you do decide to travel during hurricane season…
Bring a raincoat or umbrella
Bring either one of these items when traveling to Miami Beach. You can never be too prepared for anything Florida may throw at you. If it’s a light drizzle or a torrential downpour, you’ll be prepared with a raincoat or umbrella on hand.
Wear comfy and light clothing
This is so important for traveling to Miami Beach. For the most part, Florida is very warm (even scorching hot during the summer months). Wearing light and comfy clothing for your trip is essential for maintaining comfort and airflow.
Bring comfy shoes
Of course, comfy shoes are an essential if you’re walking around and exploring the area. You can pretty much walk almost everywhere in Miami Beach. Walking is also a cheaper and healthier alternative to taking an Uber. So, if you choose to walk everywhere, have comfy shoes on hand.
Take out extra money
Miami Beach is on the expensive side. You can definitely find cheap restaurants, shops, tours, and activities. However, more often than not, you’ll find prices to be above that cheap range. Therefore, you should take out extra money when traveling to Miami Beach.
In addition, it’s good to have some extra money on hand when you travel. In case your cards are lost or stolen, or you don’t want to utilize them a whole lot, having cash on hand is beneficial. Plus, if you do some tours or activities, it’s good to have cash for tips.
Use a waterproof fanny pouch for swimming
This was such a life saver when I visited Miami Beach and swam in the ocean. If you want to go to the beach but don’t want to leave your valuable items unattended, then get a waterproof fanny pouch! This one from Amazon worked very well for my trip to Miami Beach.
Use activity apps
There’s tons of activities, tours, events, and more in the Miami Beach area. But how do you figure out what’s out there? Well, get out your phone and go on those activity apps to find out! Apps like Tripadvisor, Viator, Get Your Guide, and more can help you find things to do, tours, and activities in your area. That’s how I find the tours and activities I did while in Miami Beach. You’ll find a wide array of things to see and do!
Try Cuban food
Miami Beach has a large Cuban population, because they are relatively close to Cuba. Because of this, you’ll find a lot of Cuban restaurants and cuisines in the area. Before you leave, try some authentic Cuban food. We tried Cuban food at the Latin Cafe and it was awesome!
Visit the beach
Of course, you can’t go to Miami Beach and NOT visit the beach. The beach pretty much runs along the whole shore line from north to south. Just pick an area and walk to the beach. Go for a swim, get a tan, walk on the beach, or just get your feet wet. It all makes for a lovely time in Miami Beach.
Beware of seaweed
When my friend and I visited the beach, there was A LOT of seaweed. There was a lot of seaweed in the water and on the sand. It was everywhere, you couldn’t escape it. This sort of saddened the experience, because you constantly had to struggle with being tangled in seaweed.
If you visit Miami Beach, don’t be surprised to see a lot of seaweed everywhere. And try your best to avoid being tangled in it as well.
Bring sunglasses
Sunglasses are a must for Miami Beach. They’re important to have when you’re lounging on the beach or walking around in the sun. It offers your eyes some protection from the sun, so bring those cute sunglasses.
Bring a hat
I recommend bringing a hat with you when you visit Miami Beach. It’s a great way to protect your eyes and face from the sun. It also provides a bit of shade when you have no other coverage. Plus, it’s a good way to try to stay cooler.
Lather that sunscreen on
No matter what time of year you travel to Miami Beach, be sure to put sunscreen on. It’s important to stay protected from the Florida sun, so lather that sunscreen on.
Stay hydrated
While you’re out and about exploring Miami Beach, make sure you’re staying hydrated. Especially during the summer months, you can become dehydrated and very sick. Please either buy bottled water or refill your own bottle with water. There are fountains along the pathway on the beach, so you can get water there for free.
Have a first aid kit
Having a first aid kit is essential for any type of travel. You never know when you, or someone else, will need a bandaid, some gauze pads, or something else. That way, you and your travel group are covered.
Have a medicine kit
You never know if you’re going to get sick while traveling. So, if you have a medicine kit, take that with you to Miami Beach.
When my friend and I visited Miami Beach, on the Key West day tour, she got sick on the bus. I did have my medicine kit with me. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any Dramamine on hand. The take away lesson is to have spare medicine with you when you travel.
Stay close to the shoreline
When swimming at the beach, be sure to stay close to the shoreline if the waves are rough. When my friend and I went, the waves were rough for all the days we were there. We got knocked around quite a bit and we weren’t even that far out.
Please be careful and safe, stay close to the shoreline.
Explore South Beach
If you’ve heard of Miami Beach, then I’m sure you’ve heard of the South Beach area. This is the area that’s very lively, colorful, and fun to be in. Here, you’ll find more cafes, restaurants, stores, and more. Plus, the overall vibe of South Beach is so cool and fun, you have to spend a whole day here.
Visit Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is about a 15 minute ride from Miami Beach (without traffic). Being in such close proximity, definitely check out the downtown area of Miami. There’s plenty of restaurants, bars, shows, clubs, tours, and activities here. You can even do a sunset cruise which departs out of the Bay Marketplace in Downtown Miami. It’s worth the 15 minute Uber ride!
Prepare for day tours
You can do a variety of day tours from Miami Beach. You can take a day trip to Key West, Orlando, the Everglades, and other areas as well. However, you’ll be up from 4am until 10-11pm for some of these tours. It’s best to prep ahead of time by buying snacks and drinks to take with you.
My friend and I went to a CVS, which was located across the street from our hotel, to buy supplies for our Key West day trip. We were thankful the day tour we picked included a breakfast stop, so we got food in the morning. Some day tours may or may not include food breaks, it really depends on the company. With that being said, it’s good to be prepared with some small snacks and drinks.
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