Celebrating Hubby's 40th in Miami
Miami has a little something for everyone - beach, nightlife, culture, and adventure. We were looking for the perfect combination of fun and relaxation for my Husband's 40th birthday, and Miami delivered.
Here's our must-do list for a couple's Miami beach getaway.
We had incredibly high expectation for our trip to Miami. Not only was it our first kid-free vacation since having our triplets 4 years ago, but it was also a huge milestone birthday for my husband: his 40th! We considered destinations ranging as far as Costa Rica and as close as Charlotte, NC, and we quickly decided that Miami was the perfect compromise in terms of distance, price, tropical weather, and of course things to do.
Here's our list of must-do's for a couple's milestone trip to Miami:
Rent an exotic car from mph club
Topping my list is renting an exotic car from mph club, because it was the absolute highlight of our trip! If you're looking for the total Miami experience, there's no better way than cruising the strip with the top down in a luxury sports car for 24 glorious hours.
Sam is a huge car guy, so I knew I had to find a way to surprise him on the morning of his 40th birthday with an unforgettable experience. A luxury car rental (or, as we affectionately referred to it during our entire trip: the Samborghini) was the perfect choice.
He was honestly SO surprised! Click here for video I put together of the surprise, and clips of our full experience.
I researched a handful of rental options, and mph club was far and away the best choice I found. Here's why:
The crew at mph club were amazing at helping me keep it a surprise as we worked together to secure the rental
They offer a massive fleet of cars - Audi, Bentley, BMW, Bugatti, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Jeep, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Range Rover, Rolls Royce and more, which means tons of options and price points. The Lamborghini Huracan Spyder I chose was mid-priced at $1295/day
They have multiple rental locations across the country including one right in the lobby where we were staying at Fontainebleau Resort. This made pick-up and drop-off insanely easy. This also makes it super easy to rent same-day if you’re feeling spontaneous and didn’t book ahead
You use your own car insurance. I priced out a second luxury car rental company who required $300-$500 of private car insurance in addition to the rental, but not mph club!
Rentals are 24 hours, which meant we squeezed in a joyride on the second day, unlike the other company I compared where we’d need to return the rental same-day. We left the car with valet for the night when it was time for dinner/drinks, and still got to enjoy one last cruise in the morning
Sam truly felt special, which was what it was all about. Not only did he insist on driving around literally all day long, but he loved watching people take photos, and even let a few excited kids sit in the drivers seat. We will definitely rent from mph club again!
Pro tip: Bring cash! You'll pay a premium to park out front rather than in a garage while cruising around. We paid $100 to valet right out front of the Versace Mansion for lunch, and another $80 to valet overnight at our hotel.
Stay at Fontainbleau
In all honesty - I agonized over committing to a hotel for this trip. There are just so many great options! I went back and forth considering Fontainbleau Resort after hearing so many great things from so many people, mixed with reading some sketchy reviews about the resort being run-down and past it's prime. Ultimately we went with our gut and booked at Fontainbleau, and from the moment we walked into the main lobby, we instantly knew we made the right decision by booking this iconic hotel, and here's why:
It's stunning: The resort is insanely beautiful. It's completely renovated while still holding onto the charm of it's prime - the rat pack era of glitz and glamour. You truly feel like you have traveled back to the 50's and may run into Frank Sinatra at the hotel bar.
It's massive: It reminded me of a large Vegas hotel in all the right ways (there's actually one opening in Vegas in 2023). There are 4 towers: Tresor, Sorrento, Versailles, and the main tower Chateau. After reading countless reviews, we thought we'd have the best chance of getting a renovated room in the Sorrento tower where we booked a Junior Suite. I'm not sure if that's true - the rooms there didn't live up to the main lobby exactly, but our suite was spacious, super comfortable, and had balcony with a killer view (we paid a little more for oceanfront, versus ocean view).
Inside you'll find shopping, ice cream shops, restaurants, a video game lounge, and as I mentioned before, you can even rent an exotic car from mph club located right inside the main lobby of this massive resort!
Poolside: There are eleven stunning pools on site. You can rent cabanas and pool beds for a pretty penny too, but we never had trouble finding a lounge chair. Check out Arkadia Day Club Friday-Sunday if you're looking for the Vegas pool party experience.
Night Life: I'll be honest, we were all about the day drinking and had no intention of hitting up a night club. And so we didn't (hah!) But if that's more your scene, Fontainbleau is home to LIV which is a popular nightclub in the Miami area. They're known for celebrity guest lists and for hosting famous DJs.
Dining: There of tons of dining options within Fontainbleau - I counted at least 7 full service restaurants. Our favorites included La Cote for poolside dining serving plenty of seafood and fresh salads ($30-$40 per lunch entree), Vida for a decadent breakfast buffet ($39), and my personal favorite Strip Steak by Michael Mina for truly the most mind-blowingly delicious steak dinner I've had in my life ($300+ per couple including drinks).
Fontainbleau turned out to be the perfect option for our trip, and we would absolutely stay there again.
Pro tip: Join their mailing list and keep an eye on the email deals! Our friends actually saved hundreds of dollars a couple of weeks before our trip by canceling their original reservation and cashing in on an email deal they received for the same room.
Pro tip: This is a great spot for groups with different price points. Trying to stay on a budget? Book a basic room under $300/night. Celebrating something special and have a more moderate budget? Book a Junior Suite with a view for roughly $400-$500 a night. Ballin'? The options are endless for luxury suites.
Dine at the Versace Mansion
Take a stroll down South Beach and you may be surprised to find yourselves on the infamous doorstep of the Versace Mansion. The Mansion is now known as The Villa Casa Casuarina, a privately owned and operated full service restaurant, cocktail bar, and boutique hotel. Outside you'll dine by the pool and imagine the wild parties of the past. Inside you'll order fabulous drinks by the bar, and lounge in the Encanto-esque main indoor courtyard. The ambiance is amazing and the service is impeccable; a true must-see.
Pro tip: Can't get a reservation for dinner? There's much more availability for lunch! Or, drop by for a cocktail in the evening, but be sure to arrive before 10pm - they close early for the hotel patrons to enjoy the grounds and pool.
Smoke a cigar in Little Havana
Okay so cigars aren't my thing, but Latin music pouring into the streets, al fresco dining in the streets lit by hanging twinkle lights, and delicious cocktails sure are my thing. Little Havana is a vibrant community at the heart of Miami's Cuban district. We frequented this area after dinner for a nightcap while the guys enjoyed selecting their cigars from the smoke lounges attached to almost every restaurant. The vibe is amazing here, and it's a great option for dinner or late night drinks.
Get active
Miami is so much more than beach loungers and night clubs. There's a ton of adventure to be found including deep sea fishing, speedboating, yacht rentals, golf, and more. It's best to book early - we attempted to book a fishing excursion a couple of days in advance and everything was booked. Luckily, our concierge was there to recommend jet skiing instead!
Jet skis: There were jet ski rentals on the beach directly outside of our hotel, but unfortunately the waters were so rough that the rental desk was closed for days. Instead, we booked with Bouyah Water Sports at Miami Beach Marina and had an absolute blast! We paid around $130 a person for a half an hour ride.
Top Golf: IYKYK! Topgolf is a golf driving range game with electronically tracked golf balls and automatic scoring. It's a ton of fun for a group of up to 6 people to enjoy good beer, decent bar food, and a little bit of friendly competition. It's a franchise, with a location right outside of downtown Miami. This is another one you'll want to book early online if you can, with reservations released a week in advance.
Brunch
If you love a good vacation brunch (and who doesn't!?) don't miss the Rusty Pelican located on Biscayne Bay. The views are stunning, the food is great, and we loved the $30 bottomless mimosas in a variety of unique flavors like lavender activated charcoal lemonade, passion fruit & tarragon, and dragon fruit & watermelon.
Miami lived up to it's reputation.
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