People often associate Miami with beaches and palm trees, so most narratives on the South Florida destination concentrate on Miami Beach, where you'll find these features in abundance. You'll sometimes see Key Biscayne added to the conversation as it houses 5-star resorts and beautiful, quiet beaches. However, there's a part of Miami that offers something a little different but no less alluring.
In contrast to the Art Deco style buildings you'll find in many parts of South Beach, Brickell, which is part of Downtown Miami, offers gorgeous views of the bay, the Miami River, and an almost endless supply of high-rise condominiums and modern/contemporary hotels. There's also a good number of parks in the area and closeby to make Brickell the preferred part of Miami for anyone who's not into the Art Deco vibe of South Beach.
Films/TV references
I stayed in South Beach on my first visit to Miami and loved everything but the Art Deco buildings. After some research, I discovered Brickell, and I've stayed in this part of the city ever since. Well, up until my last visit a couple of weeks ago, when I stayed in South Beach again so, I could conduct some research (more on that in my next blog entry). After this, I'm ready to close the chapter of staying in South Beach.
I've made a habit of finding an excuse to go to Miami as often as possible. This time, I was on assignment for an interview at The Concours Club. Even though I wasn't staying in Brickell, I spent a day there and fell into my regular routine. So, how would you spend a day in Brickell?
Brickell has a long list of 5-star hotels you can choose from, and you're not likely to go wrong with any of the top ten (we'll have a list soon). Choosing a hotel close to the bay and river is not a bad idea. The views here are simply amazing, and you can also find yacht cruise companies by the river. You can easily go cruising along the bay and down to South Beach or as far as the Bahamas if you wish.
If you're sold on this option, good hotel choices include the W Hotel next to Miami Circle, Kimpton EPIC (right next to the river), and EAST Miami hotel.
A great way to start the day is by walking to Brickell Key. It's a man-made island that houses the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and many high-rise condo buildings. It also has Brickell Key Park (not exactly a creative name) where you can watch boats of various sizes go by. It's supposed to be a gated island, but in my multiple visits, the gate, though always maned, stays open, and there's free access to all comers.
One of the security guards even requested to take a few selfies with the Maserati MC20 we were filming with a little over a year ago. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel is a good place to stay, and that choice will remove the walk to the island from your to-do list.
Another walking path to consider is by the river right next to the Kimpton Epic Hotel and the new Aston Martin Residences. It looked great while the Aston Martin building was under construction, and now, it is absolutely amazing. As you can probably guess, this is my favorite place in Miami (Brickell Key is a close second), and I doubt I'm alone. It's the best place to start your day.
Once your early morning walk is done, head for the Brickell City Centre, where you can jump on the complimentary Metromover automated 'people mover' monorail. It offers a good way to take a tour of Brickell and other parts of the downtown area. While there's a good chance you'll see good views of the city and the bay you won't experience any other way, there are a few things to note about the Metromover.
Each car only has 4 seats; two at each end. Taking photos will be a big challenge because you have to hold on to one of the poles to keep your balance. It's also worth noting that it can get crowded so your hope of sightseeing can evaporate pretty quickly.
A good place to visit via the Metromover is the Maurice A Ferre Park. You can exit the train at the stop by CitizenM Miami Hotel (Freedom Tower Station). There are many places to visit here. These include the Kaseya Center (home of the Miami Heat), the Philip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science, the Perez Art Museum, and the Freedom Tower. However, I believe the best attraction here is the Maurice Park Baywalk by the waterfront. It's one of the most beautiful places in the city.
On this visit, I wanted to check out the ice cream museum, which is just a couple of blocks away from the station. I wasn't planning to eat any ice cream (not that I didn't want to). I just wanted to see the museum myself since it was a recent discovery. I didn't go in, though. I wasn't confident I could resist indulging in what is likely to be very good ice cream.
The Metromover also takes you as far as the Fours Season Hotel on Brickell Avenue. That's near Simpson Park and the Coconut Grove neighborhood. Coconut Grove has a number of good eateries and the ever-alluring Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. It's not exactly right next to the last Metromover station, so unless you're very fit (aka not like me), don't plan on walking to Coconut Grove (at least, not if you're planning to visit the other places I mention).
The next step is to find a good place for lunch. Here's where things get a little challenging. The options are virtually limitless, but I have a few recommendations. You could proceed to Coconut Grove for a variety of options or take the Metromover back to Brickell City Centre, where you'll find EAST Miami, a 5-star hotel that houses the sky terrace restaurant called 'Sugar'.
Miami has more than its fair share of oddly-name restaurants, but we'll avoid going down that rabbit hole. Sugar is a popular restaurant, so you'll need to make early reservations. The last time I tried a walk-in, it didn't work. The restaurant was full even though it wasn't during a peak dining period. Sugar also has a dress code and age restrictions after 6 p.m.
Another good choice is lunch and a movie at the CMX Theater. The theater is in the building, and they offer gourmet meals while you watch a movie. Here, you'll find reclining seats that are way more comfortable than your regular viewing room seats.
I chose this experience during my last visit. I wanted to watch Den of Thieves 2, but it wasn't on when I arrived, so I opted for the Captain America movie. Don't tell anyone I slept through close to half of it. Maybe watching a movie from a recliner isn't such a good idea.
While the food was great, the seats were not as comfortable (even though it induced an afternoon nap) as similar places I've visited in other cities. That's not to say it's a bad experience though. It's just not what I would describe as the best of the best. Maybe I'm being unnecessarily fussy. The viewing room is also larger than comparable places I know. Smaller rooms work better for places like this for that home theater ambiance.
After your movie, you can do some shopping in the building. There's no shortage of high-end stores here, so feel free to shop until it's time to return to your hotel. Oh, one last thing; not to be outdone by South Beach, Brickell has plenty of palm trees too.
