We had so much fun in Miami I almost didn’t want to come back home! Last weekend Andrew told me he wanted to go to Miami for a spontaneous getaway trip – spontaneous as in “let’s go tomorrow.” I’m normally one who prefers more advance notice but all he had to do was mention The Salty Donut and I did not hesitate to immediately start throwing things into a suitcase. I don’t think I’ve ever packed so fast in my life! If you haven’t tried The Salty Donut in Miami add it yo your list. They have the best donuts I’ve ever had and if I lived in Miami I think eating there would be a weekly habit.
Since moving to Florida so many of you have asked me about packing tips for your vacations. You want to know what to wear, how hot it gets, what sunscreen wears the best, etc. I’ve also received so many questions about the Away Luggage and other accessories like their packing cubes, everywhere bag and backpacks. I’ve put together a travel diary to share exactly what I packed, what I wore and thoughts about everything we’ve tried from Away.
This trip we stayed at the Loews Miami in South Beach. We’ve stayed in a few different areas in Miami before and we really love staying by the beach areas. Other neighborhoods also have their benefits but being in South Beach is so fun. You can literally just stay at a hotel in the area and have everything you need for a fun vacation without a car. We like to get around and since we live in Florida we drove 4 hours from Tampa to Miami. We had a pleasant stay at the Loews! Staff is really attentive, rooms were clean, pool and beach area were really nice. The food and coffee bar were spendy but that is expected in South Beach. We tried breakfast at their Preston’s Market which was pretty good – we ate outside on the covered patio which was really beautiful and relaxing.
Tank – J.Crew / Shorts – 7 ForAll Mankind / Sandals – Sam Edelman Beckie runs true to size / Belt – J.Crew / Mini Crossbody Bag – Chloe Mini Marcie (review here) / Sunglasses – Rayban 55 mm round (love these!!)
This is our fourth trip to Miami and each time we plan a mini vacation. We leave feeling like we should have stayed longer! We’ve already found some favorite eats but force ourselves to try something new each time. That being said, my ride or die must-eats for every trip are The Salty Donut and Panther Coffee in Wynwood. We bought a box of four Salty Donuts and walked over to Panther Coffee down the street for a perfect snack. This round we tried the Guava and Cheese, Coconut Lychee, Chocolate Marshmallow and Traditional Glazed Donuts. They’re AMAZING!
Sunglasses – Rayban / V-neck Tee – J.Crew / Short – AGolde Parker Shorts in Rock Steady / Sandals – Sam Edelman Gaia (runs true to size and comfortable enough for walking around in all day) / Card Case – Gucci / Lips – Dior Addict Lip Glow
For shopping we stopped by the Glossier Miami Pop Up which was a few blocks away, also in Wynwood until April 28th. Full recap plus haul in this post. If you’re in town definitely visit – it’s super cute!
Just around the corner, Wynwood Walls:
During our trip we did a tiny little bit of shopping. We did a quick stop in the Miami Design District to walk around, window shop and browse. I splurged on a pair of Celine Round Sunglasses which I’m really excited about! There’s also a tiny Aesop Store and Andrew bought a few skincare items to try including the Control Anti Blemish Gel and another bottle of Mouthwash. I had my eye on the Sao Paulo Kit for travel but decided to think about it.
Tank – Nation LTD / Shorts – L’Agence Zoe Shorts / Sandals – Sam Edelman / Purse – Chloe Mini Marcie / Sunglasses – Rayban / Necklace – Nordstrom
There’s a really cute Taco Truck inside the Miami Design District called La Pollita which has cute snacks and drinks. We were stuffed from food earlier in the day otherwise would have tried the tacos, we took a few sneaky peeks at what other people were eating and it looked and smelled delicious.
Since we stayed in South Beach we spent the rest of our time near the beach areas. This time of year it’s warm but not too humid and the water temperature is so nice to swim in! We love the blue shallow water, it’s one of the nicest places to swim. We rented lounge chairs and an umbrella at the beach. You can also rent them even if you’re not a hotel guest. Policy might be different depending on hotel, but we’ve also found in Tampa a lot of the hotels will rent their beach chairs and cabanas to anyone.
Tank – Nation LTD Dakota Henley / Shorts – 7 For All Mankind / Hat – Eric Javits / Belt – J.Crew
Tank – Nation LTD / Shorts – 7 For All Mankind / Hat – Eric Javits (love this because the top has enough material to have it rated SPF50 and it prevents your scalp from getting burned, it really works!) / Swimsuit worn underneath not shown is the Tory Burch Costa Top and Bottom
A few more new eats we tried this time included Yardbirds on Leonox Ave and Havana 1957 on Espanola Way. We enjoyed both immensely! If you’re new to the Miami South Beach area, quick note that some restaurants automatically include tip in the bill labeled “Service Charge.” We didn’t realize this at one of the places we ate until after we left and looked at the bill and realized we ended up leaving a seriously hefty tip because we tipped on top of the tip. A few people had mentioned this to me before but I had forgotten about it! I feel like I still have yet to really explore Miami enough to find the best eats. I’d love to explore more of Wynwood though.
Since first discovering Away I’ve now tried their Carry-On, Bigger Carry-On, Medium Suitcase, Everywhere Bag, Packing Cubes and Backpack. Everything has exceeded our expectations in quality and function. I’m an Away Ambassador so the items I’ve featured were gifted but I stand by everything 100%. I have also bought many suitcases on my own to gift to family and it’s been well received, even among the most skeptical and picky ones. Everything has held up really well. My thoughts on each item:
- Suitcases:
- Carry-On Suitcase is best if you’re a light packer or traveling on international flights with smaller suit case carry on restrictions
- Bigger Carry-On is our favorite to fly with and travel with in general. Works on flights we’ve flown with Delta, United, American Airlines. It’s roomier than the Carry-On but still fits in the overhead compartments for the listed airlines.
- Medium Suitcase makes more sense for us for longer distance trips. We brought this with us on our California trip over the holiday and think it’s much more convenient to have something larger vs. carry ons for our needs. I plan on buying a second one soon.
- Everywhere Bag is the best travel bag I’ve ever tried. I normally use my totes and end up stuffing them full. These bags have well thought out storage zippers and pockets as well as a roomy interior. It fits perfectly under the airplane seat in front of you but is roomy enough to carry a laptop and other essentials you might need for on the plane. There is an exterior pocket to store documents for easy access before you get on the plane. It also has a pocket to attach onto your suitcase handle.
- Packing Cubes have gone through a couple design changes, the current ones with mesh top are a lifesaver to organize your clothes, underwear, shoes etc and keep them in place. I bought a set for Andrew and he didn’t want to use them. I begged him to try and he’s now convinced it’s one of the best things invented. He can organize all his clothes by type and he loves how they truly keep things in place without shifting.
- Backpack is the larger option of the two they carry, this one has three main compartments to store things that allow you to be truly hands free. We love that it’s cushioned and that the base is flat so it can actually stand up on it’s own if you set it down. There are a couple nicely hidden compartment zippered pockets for things like your passport etc. It fits a lot more than we anticipated!
A closer look at the Backpack which now has a personalization option! There are some more of their soft goods you can personalize with 3 letters which I think is so fun. I have my initials on the backpack. We brought it with us to the beach both back home in Tampa and in Miami. It has really well thought out pocket placement so there’s a place for everything. This one can fit a laptop inside as well.
Tank – Nation LTD / Hat – Eric Javits / Shorts – 7 For All Mankind / Sunglasses – Rayban / Sandals – UGG Kari Sandal (runs true to size) / Backpack – Away
My full pack list linked below, makeup and beauty to follow in a separate post! We each packed a Bigger Carry-On, an Everywhere Bag and shared the Backpack space. Our trip was open ended – we didn’t know how long we’d be away when we left Tampa.
What I packed (including a couple things I didn’t wear but brought just in case):
You always love reading my thoughts on what I brought and what I missed so I’m doing it again! For a very casual laid back last minute getaway I had everything I needed. I still need to find a good beach coverup and an updated beach tote (although our backpack works better than any beach tote I’ve used). I didn’t pack a nice dress for a just-in-case occasion. Some of the restaurants are dressier and require something other than shorts. This round we were ok with everything very casual. I packed a denim jacket and some long denim pants just in case but didn’t end up wearing them. The three pairs of sandals I brought worked perfectly! I probably could have gotten away with just 1 pair of sandals but I like having options for a few days.
If you’re going to be in Florida know the weather can be unpredictable. Bring a few extra sets of clothes packed with you just in case you need to change if you get rained on or sweat too much. When we’re going out to the beach even in Tampa Andrew always reminds me to bring an extra set of clothes to change into. I feel like it’s a bit of a hassle but I’m always really happy when I do have that extra dry clean set to change into. Aside from the obvious good sunscreen and sunglasses, a good hat is a MUST. I really am so impressed with the Eric Javits one I bought – it is large enough to cover the face and has the perfect amount of flop/stiffness with the brim. I’m going to buy one in black too.
Our other Miami Florida trips:
Hope you enjoyed this packing post and mini travel diary! We’ve been in Florida for a little over two years now and there’s still so much more to explore. I still want to go to Palm Beach and perhaps Key West again. If you’ve been to Florida what are your favorite areas?
Got the Mini Marcie yesterday and I LOVE IT. Already wearing it today 😀
I’m SOOOO excited for you!!!
Ooohhh I neeeed that everywhere bag!
It’s THE best travel bag I’ve ever tried.
I just love South Beach and the Lowe’s is our fave hotel! Next time your in SoBe check out Cafe Charlotte…it’s a small place and not fancy but they serve the most amazing Argentinian skirt steak and fries.
Thanks for sharing your adventures xo
Cheers Lisa
Thanks Lisa! We will add it to our list, we love small places for food! They’re often the best ones 🙂
The donuts do look fancy, dare I say artisanal (free range? cruelty free? lol) and I wouldn’t turn one down BUT the best donuts ever are Amish made. They don’t follow the “we must make baked goods healthier for you” BS, these puppies are made with LARD and they taste like clouds of laughter surrounding frolicking pastel glittery unicorns. I used to work in a farmer’s market when I was growing up in Philly and the Amish drove in daily from Central PA with these nuggets of perfection. Oh how I miss being young enough to inhale whatever I wanted without gaining an ounce. 😉
“Clouds of laughter” sound like perfection!!!!
This looks like it was a fun little trip! I think my favorite spots in Florida are Honeymoon Island for a nice laid back day at the beach, Marco Island for some amazing resorts and beaches, and Fort Jefferson/Dry Tortugas is probably the most memorable place I have been to in FL – a little history and stunning natural beauty. I would love to camp overnight there sometime to explore the Fort/island at our leisure and catch the sunset and sunrise.
Marco Island is SOOOO beautiful! We stopped by a couple years ago and I want to go back! Adding your other spots to our list, so many places we want to visit!
Love these packing posts! Thanks! I have to get back to Florida. I want to check out The Pearl boutique hotel at Rosemary Beach. Who cares for your fur babies during last minute getaways?
Thanks Claire! Glad you liked the post 🙂 Our family here looks after our furbabies when we travel! Thankful for that 🙂
Have never been to a Glossier pop up or store, but like the moisturizing primer. Will be scouting out the mango balm dot com though – sounds yummy for summer!
I haven’t tried the Moisturizing Primer! I think I need to though 🙂
I love these travel posts that you frequently do! Because of your influence, I too, have purchased a number of Away items. I have a bigger carry-on in white and am contemplating purchasing the medium suitcase in white, but am terrified about checking either bag. I’ve seen online that people have no difficulty cleaning up scuffs and marks from the lighter colored suitcases, but I’m pretty particular… I’m curious, do you have any trouble with keeping your bags clean?
Hi Gina, my apologies I missed this comment months ago! I’ve done a few cleaning posts on IG stories and should probably start a highlights section to save them.
The white is going to get dirty, scratched and marks if you check it. But any color will. Even the black or grey ones will get scuff marks (they can be white or grey). We’ve used ours since the brand launched and they’ve held up really well.
To clean surface marks warm water and a Magic Eraser really does get it looking squeaky clean. However if you check a bag, it’s only a matter of time before it gets a scratch or two. I do think the material is very sturdy though! They hold up really well.
I’ve subscribed to your blog for years for the beauty, but happen to be in the market for new luggage. I’ve traveled a lot in the last year, will be doing the same in the near future, and am beyond the point of needing a luggage upgrade. I’ve also had serious travel-envy seeing people in airports with their seemingly weightless spinner bags and finally decided I need my own.
I just bought a Victorinox Spectra in medium for its expansion feature, and haven’t yet, but will buy a spinner tote to carry with it that’ll either work as an underseat personal item or carry-on depending on the airline. That’ll work best for me (and my husband when we travel together) for most scenarios, but I’ve also been looking at carry-on/underseat combos for situations when that’ll be the best option. I’ve avoided carrying-on in the past since I’m 1) an overpacker and 2) a beauty/skincare/perfume junkie and just haven’t wanted to deal with the liquid restrictions. But if a fellow junkie can get around the restrictions, that gives me hope (though based on your photos, it looks like you don’t travel with shower items, or did I miss it?)
I’m looking for some guidance on the Away underseat options and which works best with their Carry-On (Bigger or original.) I’m trying to get away from carrying anydamnthing on my back or shoulder while slogging through airports, but if I can slip it on my suitcase we’re good. Between the Everywhere Bag and the Backpack, which one works most seamlessly/comfortably with a Carry-On in terms of staying balanced on the suitcase and ease of navigation when wheeling it through the airport and city streets? And have you ever had issues with either as your underseat/personal item? United, in particular, has sort of odd size restrictions (Air Canada does, too, but that’s presumably something you can’t speak to – maybe other readers can?)
I’m drawn to the Backpack (or even the Daypack) since they’re generally easier to carry, from a weight-bearing perspective, but multiple slots and compartments aren’t necessarily what I need in a bag (I always travel with a “blarf” and bigger soft goods, not things like papers and folders that fit nicely into slots.) That said, having free hands is a draw since I always board planes with a coffee in hand. But it looks like the Everywhere can be carried as a cross-body? At heart, I’m a tote bag girl, but they can really be a PITA (heavy and awkward) to carry.
Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! (And that pink leather Everywhere is evvveryything)
Hi Kpaint, my apologies this slipped my radar. By now this feed back may be too late, but to find the right size for you, I recommend looking at the carry-on restriction dimensions per airlline. They’ll list them on all their sites and you can compare/contrast with the dimensions on the Away site. Also check out their FAQ section (open up the part about PRODUCT). They have some more insight.
https://www.awaytravel.com/help/warranty
My thoughts on your questions:
1) Expansion features on suitcases are nice to fit more things, but it makes it really difficult to fit overhead if it expands past limit. If you check it, no problem. But for carry on, I’ve found anything that expands usually makes the fit harder.
2) Best carry-on and under seat combo is their Everywhere Bag plus the Carry-On (or bigger carry on depending on airline). The Everywhere Bag surpasses every other bag I’ve bought from Longchamp, Tumi, etc. because of the size and pocket design. It has everything positioned in a way for easy access and storage. There’s no digging around, pockets are actually functional, and unlike the longchamp ones they have structure.
3) Both Everywhere Bag and Backpack have been equally well balanced when placed on the handle of the suitcase. The wheels of the suitcase and handle make maneuvering super easy. I really appreciate the design of the wheels because you can move it standing upright or angled.
4) I’ve only had issues underseat on a commuter flight, the plane was so small there were no overhead compartments.
5) We have the smaller Daypack, we haven’t tried the larger Backpack. I’m 5’3″ and the smaller one is better for me and even when full doesn’t get too heavy to carry. We use it even for non-travel things, like day trips to the beach, kayaking, etc.
6) I’ve tried the Everywhere bag as a crossbody and it’s a little challenging to wear like a crossbody bag when it’s full, but this will depend on your height and strength. Since I’m short it’s not as easy for me to carry.
HTH!