Little Black Book

What to Do On Your Day Off: Miami

by Kate Donnelly
Perez Photo courtesy of Perez Art Museum.

With work on pause for the holidays, you're having a moment in Miami. Here's how to make it memorable.

MIAMI – Divert your gaze from the glam of South Beach. Expand your visuals at boutique shops and indie art spots in Wynwood. Push your palate at new chef-driven eateries in some of the city's chic hotels. Here's how to rock winter break in Miami.

TAKE AN ART DETOUR

On the downtown waterfront of Biscayne Bay, the super manageable, light-filled Perez Art Museum designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron is worth the visit if only for the tropical native greenery. The well-curated gift shop is good for sourcing a cardboard safari skull puzzle. Verde, the museum's patio restaurant, is perfect for rosé sipping and a wood-fired squash blossom pizza.

A quick jaunt away, the buzzy, hipper-than-thou Wynwood nabe is the place for a sidewalk graffiti tour and, on the second Saturday of every month, an Art Walk. The succulents in the terrariums at Plant the Future push the boundaries of the imagination, as does a proper detour to Coyo Tacos for grilled cactus and quinoa tacos and potent margaritas.

Plant the Future

Bring home the outdoors. Photo courtesy of Plant the Future.

Matador Room terrace

The lush terrace extension of Matador Room. Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Edition.

Matador Bar

Matador Bar. Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Edition.

HAVE A CULINARY MOMENT

These days, top chefs and hoteliers are two peas in a pod. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened Matador (swoon at the sexy, red-hued bar) and Market at Miami Beach Edition, a mod, white-on-white hotel by Ian Schrager.

Further down, Tom Colicchio’s seafood-centric Beachcraft matches the rustic beachy vibes of 1 Hotel South Beach. Outside the strip, Alter Miami has a tasting menu with herbs from the chef’s outdoor garden. The no-frills Bodega Taqueria y Tequila is the spot for a cubanita torta with spit-broiled pork. And their speakeasy stirs a fine digestion aid — illegal Mezcal Joven, lime, fruit, and hellfire bitters, a.k.a Don Diablo. When the sandman calls, hit the hay at one of the aforementioned hotels.

Bodega Taqueria y Tequila

Colors and flavors that pop. Photo courtesy of Bodega Taqueria y Tequila.

Bodega Taqueria y Tequila bar

The speakeasy bar. Photo courtesy of Bodega Taqueria y Tequila.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

Fathom's Miami Guide
Where to Stay Now: Miami's Hot New Boutique Hotels
Hometown Debrief: Miami's Design District

We make every effort to ensure the information in our articles is accurate at the time of publication. But the world moves fast, and even we double-check important details before hitting the road.