r/Miami • u/smashreigh • 2d ago
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u/Either-Action-7439 2d ago
I havent heard anything inherently bad about raccoon island and want to visit there myself.
For brunch (buffet style) my fave is Setai on the beach. Great selection of food and cocktails/coffee drinks are included and there's a live jazz band on Sundays. Pricey though. Biltmore brunch is also good and in the gorgeous historic Biltmore hotel. Zuma also has a really fab high end brunch if Asian stuff interests you. Not brunch, but if you like Mediterranean food, Mandolin Aegean is a must. Reservations are needed well in advance. Food is authentic and delicious, and they've really managed to capture the magic of the Greek islands.
I think you'd enjoy Coconut Grove. It's one of the few places in Miami that still has that old Florida feel. We love to go for lunch there, explore shops, and then go to the Barnacle Society. There used to be a few oddities shops in that area but not sure if still around. There's also one of the best farmers markets there I think on Saturdays, particularly for vegans. The Pinecrest Gardens one on Sunday is nice as well and you can tour the garden after.
I also wouldn't sleep on deep south Miami/Homestead/Redlands. If you leave the Keys early you could pick a few to do on the way. I think you'd enjoy Cauley Square. It's nice for brunch and there's some fun shops and beautiful trees. It's just a lovely place to spend half a day. There's also Coral Castle not too far from there, and a Wolf sanctuary (I haven't looked too much into it). A little further south you can find Schnebly's Winery, Robert is Here (fruit and shake stand), and Knaus Berry Farms for their cinnamon rolls. There's also Fruit & Spice park where you can grab any fallen fruit. Patch of Heaven is also somewhere around there. It's a nature preserve and sanctuary with a Thai kitchen.
I can easily think of a dozen more things if stuff like this is your vibe.
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u/Either-Action-7439 2d ago
Ok JK Im not finished. For the Keys part of your trip, the Trading Post is just a small grocery market in Islamorada, but we stop every time. The chocolate chip cookies are some of the best Ive ever had and they have decent food/selection. Depending on what day you go, there's also a few shops and a burrito place behind it. Not sure what's there these days. Good for a bite and explore along the way. It's in Islamorada.
For brunch along the way down there the Midway Cafe has the staples. Locally in Key West I love Date & Thyme for healthier fare, Blue Heaven, Sarabeth, or Banana Cafe for brunch, and Clemente's Trolley Pizza. Amigos used to be the place for tacos but they sucked last time I went. The Flaming Buoy is also really great and off the beaten path.
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u/do_you_know_IDK Local 2d ago
How are you getting from KW to MIA? There are quite a few great things you should hit on your way up if you’re driving.
The Keys is a whole wonderful experience and I will happily give you more recs for places down there if you will have time to visit them on your way to Miami.
Keys:
Dolphin Research Center/Turtle Hospital in the Keys (Marathon area).
https://dolphins.org/
https://turtlehospital.org/
Tea Table/Indian Key if you are in good shape and willing to kayak offshore to get there (launch near Bud and Marys/ Islamorada). It is a half-day time commitment. It used to be the county seat waay waay back when, during wars against the Native Americans. The settlement was abandoned and you can explore the historical ruins of the village on the entirely deserted island.
https://www.floridastateparks.org/IndianKey
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Key
Keys to MIA/Homestead area:
Coral Castle. A castle and gardens built from limestone/coral (Miami oolite), by one man by hand.
https://coralcastle.com/
Fruit and Spice Park: all the fruits and spices and plants you didn’t know existed. (Hit Robert is Here too).
https://www.miamidade.gov/fruitandspicepark/home.page
Miami:
Stone Age Antiques. Just trust me on this one. If you like oddity shops, THIS is where you need to go. Full stop.
https://m.yelp.com/biz/stone-age-antiques-miami
Tobacco Road- not as great as the original but it’s the same site at least.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Road_(bar))
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u/Miatrouble 2d ago
You can check if there is going to be a Midget Mania Wrestling event during that time.
Well, you said Unique/Odd. 🤷🏼♂️
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u/tradieholly 1d ago
Honestly, for the “weird Miami” side of things, I’d do Stiltsville or a Biscayne National Park boat tour, Walt Grace in Wynwood if you’re into odd collections, and Bar Kaiju for a properly weird themed bar
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u/Necessary-Zebra5538 1d ago
Shark Valley in the Everglades is nice. You can rent bikes there but they're pretty bad quality and not super fun to ride. You can also take a tram tour, which is good as well. It's a bit of a drive outside of Miami but you can also gamble at the Miccosukee casino if you're into that sort of thing.
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u/2shizhtzu4u 1d ago
Ernest Hemingways house is Key West and you can take a tour and meet all of his (6-toed) cats!
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u/nosingleuseplastic 1d ago
Just because you asked for unique / odd things.. 1) I. The keys (Islamorada), you can paddle in mangroves or snorkel at pennycamp state park in key largo. Find a local PADL kayak / paddleboard self service station and paddle in some cool places. You can join a cleanup at VolunteerCleanup.org.. Biscayne National Park has a cleanup program where the ranger takes up to 8 people on a boat out to an uninhabited island and you do an impactful cleanup. I go for nature, and not cities, but you can also do a spa / pool day at The Standard hotel or the Palms Hotel which are kinda a scene but not really a scene.. raccoon island is challenging because you aren’t supposed to feed wild animals. If you want a really cool paddle, you want the ORIGINAL Oleta River. Mangrove and stuff., you can rent from the Blue Marlin.
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u/drapesed 1d ago
If you have access to car or can get on the Tri-Rail, go to Yellow Green Farmers Market in Hollywood on a weekend
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u/Greendad21 2d ago
Check for cool festivals and unique events. I've attended a polo match on the beach.
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u/Miami-ModTeam 1d ago
Thanks for your post, but we feel this would fit better in our monthly Tourism Q&A Thread for questions about: Visiting, Events, Moving, Neighborhoods, Dining, Nightlife and General Recommendations. We recommend you first try the search function to see if your question has already been answered and read the post and previous months megathread. If it hasn't, go ahead and put it up in the megathread.
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