Birthdays usually give me an anxious feeling, but something I started to incorporate into my birthdays was when I was turning 24 about 2 years ago. I made myself a promise to always travel for my birthday no matter what and so far I’ve been able to keep myself accountable for it. This was an unforgettable experience from having my sister plan the whole trip from brunch to dinner, to enjoying fun festivities.

Day 1 – Miami Design District

We stayed at The Lexington RL Hotel and it was a wonderful experience. What I loved the most about the hotel is that you can walk towards the beach right across from it. Best believe we got a tan in. The hospitality of the hotel was welcoming and friendly.

We had lunch at Guarapo which is an organic juice bar. Their food was refreshing and super healthy. We then checked out Miami Beach. By dinner time we headed to Hollywood – North Beach and walked around all the fun places they had on the beach and ended the night by going to Mamacita – Latin Bar & Grill which is a mixture of Cuban food and more beach time!

Day 2 – Brickell / Bayside 

Brickell City Centre reminded me of a miniature version of Michigan Avenue from Chicago. All the luxurious places and vibes from this place were beautiful. Then we had a yummy treat at Stefano Versace Gelato. We then decided to go to La Industria which is Nicky Jam’s restaurant/bakery the line was so packed, then we walked around the whole Bayfront Marketplace which includes multiple restaurants, shops, people dancing, and so much more! We wrapped up the night by having dinner at an Italian restaurant near Bayside.

Day 3 – My Birthday 🥳 

We had brunch at the Versace Mansion which felt so boujee and beautiful to be there personally. If you plan or desire to go to Versace Mansion make sure to make reservations beforehand. I use an app called Open-Table when I am making reservations at restaurants and it’s life-changing. The quality of the food was divine, we had three different plates for the price of one. I had Gianni’s Salad, Lobster Spaghetti, and Gold Flan. It was so worth the experience. Close by the Versace Mansion is Ocean Drive which you can walk around and explore there are a lot of people dancing, food stands, and even nice shops to check out.

Since my sister had planned this trip, as a form of my gratitude. I decided to surprise her on my birthday by taking her to Superblue which is an immersive art experience in Miami. Tickets are a bit pricy, but it will definitely be an experience  to remember. Dinner was at a Dominican/Japanese restaurant bar setting and it was an unforgettable night.

Day 4 – Wynwood

Our flight wasn’t until 7:45 PM. So we went to explore Wynwood which is a neighborhood in Miami where it showcases art everywhere you go. Every wall has a story by showcasing it through art. It was interesting and so Instagram-worthy.

After, we had finished exploring Wynwood. We then headed for a relaxing lunch at Bakan Wynwood which I give 10/10 from the aesthetic, hospitality, and the quality of food was delish. We first munched on cacalas – which are blue toasted corn tortilla chips with fresh salsas. Then I had the Pollo Con Salsa De Tomatillo-Chipotle Quesadillas and I swear their guacamole was the best thing ever.

Tips and Advice

• I highly recommend always renting out a car no matter where you go, because it will save a lot of money in the long run. Also, something I learned while renting out a car is always to bring your car insurance for coverage this can help save more money. I had no idea I had to do that, so I ended up paying more for it, but it was worth it. 
• Open-Table is the app when it comes to restaurant reservations. I even use this app in Chicago saves a lot of time.

Check out the video on TikTok of the Miami trip here!

Love Always,

Yessi Bause