I’m back to livin’ Floridays

After a big Halloween weekend, I was looking forward to a bit of downtime in Miami, however this wasn’t quite the case.

South Beach Miami is everything you’d imagine it to be and more; a place full of bright lights, people and things to do, most of which centered around drinking. My mornings usually started off with a bike ride along South Beach Boulevard, as the palm tree covered path leads right from 5th avenue, all the way past 40th, and when it’s 23 degrees (74 fahrenheit for my American friends) at 11am, it’s a great way to work up a sweat before hitting the water. The white sand and warm waters of South Beach are very inviting, but it’s still got nothing on Australian beaches. However, being a tourist hot spot, banana lounges, deck chairs and shades are all available to hire, which does give a standard day at the beach a luxurious touch. I loved being able to spend my days at the beach when in reality, winter was only a month away, but it’s when the sun goes down that Miami really comes to life.

By night, Miami is ablaze of lights, music and people, with Ocean drive being the hottest spot of a hot city. And because of this, you tend to get hassled and sprooked on both sides of the road; on the West side by bars and restaurants to come in for “the best night of your life” and on the East by drug dealers and homeless people. After a while you get a bit of a Surfer’s Paradise/ Bali vibe, and that’s really fun and everything, but you’d rather be there with six of your best friends. So instead, one night I enjoyed miniature UN Convention as a Brazilian, a Norwegian, a Swiss, a Chinese and two Aussies took in the best South Beach had to offer. Up until now, Miami may just seem as a party town, but there’s a little more to it.

Miami is very proud of its Art Deco district, and so it should be as the 20th century architecture of classic hotels certainly hold their own against modern-day sky scrapers. Each spot along the Art Deco walk has its own character and charm, as the classic and original brickwork lead into luxurious spots on Ocean Drive. Complementing this is Wolfsonian-FIU, a display of both modern and folk art of the 20th century, and whilst only small, the collection is impressive enough to show that art doesn’t have to be centuries old to be impressive. Miami also has a strong Cuban presence, so I decided to appreciate this side as well, enjoying a classic Cuban Sandwich at Puerto Sagua and as you can see below, the multiple layers of meat with melted cheese was delicious (ft. Maria who made the glorious sandwich).

Three hours north of Miami is Orlando, one of the biggest tourist cities of the US. However Orlando offers a bit of a juxtaposition, as while sure, there’s heaps of theme parks and attractions, and neon lights and souvenir shops are on every corner, it doesn’t feel as touristy as say New York or Miami. In saying that, it is clear that Orlando and it’s residents acknowledge the fact that their economy relies on tourism, and so many people go out of their way to make you feel welcome. As Florida is “The Sunshine State” it was again nice to appreciate some warmer weather and time by the pool, being given the opportunity thanks to a competitive accommodation market which allowed a bit of luxury for a backpackers budget. And I’ll be honest, I didn’t really do much at all in Orlando, however this is apart of why people love to come here, as it is very easy to not do much at all. However my time life of luxury and warm weather came quickly to a close, as I began my journey West and headed inland.