We love Miami, but we also love getting out of town every now and then. Good thing we’re only a few hours’ drive from some pretty thrilling weekend getaways. Ogling Dalí art in St. Pete? Check. Hanging out at Ernest Hemingway’s Key West home? You got it. Spending the day in space? Well, sort of. Here are six weekend getaways from Miami that make for a perfect mini trip.
6 Amazing Weekend Getaways from Miami
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Published Aug 31, 2018
1. St. Petersburg
About four hours north of Miami is our absolute favorite spot: St. Petersburg. It’s got all the fixings for an epic escape from the city (think gorgeous beaches, cooler weather, stellar restaurants and top-notch art museums). You’ll want to stop at the Dalí Museum, which housesthe largest collection of the Spanish surrealist’s work outside of Spain. Plus, make some timeto explore the city’s seven unique arts districts, eat a meal at mega Italian food hall Locale (house-made potato gnocchi, anyone?) and visit Dunedin, Florida’s oldest microbrewery.
2. Cape Canaveral
If you haven’t made the trek up to the Kennedy Space Center yet, what are you waiting for? Spend the day at NASA, see the Rocket Garden and, if you’re lucky, catch a live rocket launch. (Check out the schedule.) Plus, Cape Canaveral has a handful of pretty cool things to do besides the Space Center. (Scenic state parks! Quiet beaches! Parasailing!) Check out Exploration Tower, a funky seven-story structure detailing the history of Port Canaveral. Then grab a drink at Hogan’s Irish Bar, a locals haunt stocked with Florida craft beer.
3. Naples
Sure, Miami has some gorgeous shoreline. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit this upscale beach town on Florida’s west coast. It’s the perfect place to spend a sleepy weekend of brunching at Jane’s Garden Café on 3rd and tanning at Barefoot Beach. When night falls, catch the sunset at Naples Pier with dinner at Tulia, a rustic-chic farmhouse restaurant in Old Naples.
4. West Palm Beach
Whoever said West Palm Beach was just a retirement town was very much mistaken. This charming Florida city is brimming with history, art, delicious eats and tons to do. Be sure tovisit oil tycoon Henry Flagler’s 100,000-square-foot Gilded Age mansion, Whitehall. Think of it as the Versailles of Florida (it’s more than 100 years old). Other activities to add to your to-do list: Sip a cocktail at The Breakers; stop into Palm Beach’s first-ever food hall, Grandview Public Market; and roam the Society of the Four Arts, a picturesque botanical garden with a neighboring art gallery.
5. Key West
TripAdvisor recently named Key West the number-one city to visit this year. So yeah, catch us perusing colorful pastel-painted beach houses, hanging at Ernest Hemingway’s historic home and drinking our way through the rowdy bars of Duval Street. Don’t judge us for overindulging in some freshly caught seafood and zesty key lime pie, either. Even though we’ve been here before, we always manage to find something new to explore.
6. Upper Buena Vista
We get it: The thought of packing up the whole family for a weekend away sounds equal parts overwhelming and exhausting. Settle for Upper Buena Vista instead. Never heard of it? Perfect. A stone’s throw from Wynwood and the Design District you’ll find a serene enclave of local shops, restaurants and the area’s first rooftop bar. Surrounded by large banyan trees, Upper Buena Vista offers a slate of indie shops, an artsy nail studio, an Italian hair salon, a two-story Latin-Italian restaurant and an adorable French café.
