There's Nothing Like the Big City: Miami
Summer 2007 Girlfriend Getaways> Subscribe Now
Home Base
The Marriott South Beach, at the southern end of Ocean Drive, is a bit out of the South Beach fray, and that can be a relief. Boutique-style amenities include flat-screen televisions and 300-thread-count sheets. The swimming pool is closed until December for renovations, but guests can use the one next door.
Comfort Inn & Suites features well-decorated suites with two queen beds in one room and a couch and living area in the other. The lobby sports lace curtains and cute furniture--and has a breakfast nook instead of a bar.
The Hotel scores with its attention to detail: tie-dyed bathrobes in the Todd Oldham-decorated rooms, Frette towels and linens, complimentary Internet access, and beach chairs you can borrow.
We Love Brunch
On Miami Beach's quiet east side, Oliver's Bistro has the essentials--thick French toast, soft scrambled eggs, fruit salad--and no South Beach attitude.
Must-See Museums
The Museum of Contemporary Art's 10th Anniversary Collection is at its Goldman Warehouse outpost until June 3.
With its ivy-covered walls and lush gardens, The Vizcaya Museum is an unexpected European oasis right in the middle of Miami. It's the former estate of an industrialist named James Deering.
Pamper Yourself
Hidden above a jewelry store, the Touch Skin & Body Care Studio is a low-key spa destination with a nondescript reception. But great massages and facials--using custom-blend and Dr. Hauschka products--await in the eight softly lit, simple treatment rooms, and the spa's modest rates are a nice surprise on ritzy Lincoln Road.
What's for Dinner?
Prime 112 is a trendy celeb magnet, and it has the culinary chops to back that status up. A perfectly cooked rib eye comes smothered in foie gras butter.
You can rub shoulders with the likes of J. Lo and Shaq at The Forge, a loud, crowded, old-school hotspot that serves classics like bone-in filet mignon and sesame tuna. On Sunday night, during the Soul Kitchen party, fried chicken gets paired with R&B music. It's also ladies' night, with free champagne till midnight.
Where to Kick Up Your Heels
Grown-up drinks: The legendary '40s-era Raleigh Hotel recently got a meticulous restoration, and its Martini Bar is a sleek homage to the stiff cocktail.
Outdoor seating: Vue is on the Hotel Victor's second-floor terrace, with views of South Beach and the Atlantic.
Till midnight: Between the raucous cherry-hued Redroom, the intimate, white-curtained Rumbar, and the open-air Sandbar, Skybar has a setting to suit every mood.
Print this article
Order your own copy of Girlfriend Getaways, or send one as a gift to a girlfriend. Only $6.95 in the US and $7.95 in Canada (includes shipping and handling).
