I’ve never been that person who chooses Miami Beach—the classic Jewish destination—for winter break. Usually, I enjoy escaping the Jewish Bubble for a while. I hadn’t been back since the elementary school days, but this year, my heritage finally lured me back to where I belonged. Like everyone else, my friends and I longed to escape the biting weather of the tri-state area. We debated between Cancun, Puerto Rico and Miami, and ultimately came to the conclusion that we wanted to stay in good old America. We booked Hotel Riu on Collins Avenue as our classy abode for the first week of winter break, packed our sunnies and best heels, and got ready for a week of complete bliss and relaxation by the beach.
Unfortunately, the weather looked bleak on the forecast before we arrived. It was not the Miami weather that we were prepared for. The unforeseen weather put us in low spirits at first. To make matters worse, a doubtful friend from Miami commented: “Miami Beach is beach by day, clubbing/barring by night. You guys came on a bad week.” Since the weather was literally raining on our parade, we didn’t want to let it “rain on our parade” figuratively as well. Our original to-do list of paddle-boarding, kayaking and tanning aimlessly whilst indulging in romance novels on the beach needed to be adjusted.
Our first anti-weather tactic was to pretend that the desolate weather was just a cruel facade. We tried lying on the beach and imagining that the Miami sun was bestowing gorgeous tans upon our skin. Apparently, I wasn’t in the most sane mindset, since I actually went into the frigid ocean water. My body acclimated after moving around for a while, but logic told me that pneumonia was not part of the plan. We realized that the beach did not feel like the haven Miami promised us, so it was time to whip out the real game-changers.
The Bal Harbour Shops were among our first daytime excursions. Even though I’m not a high-fashion kind of girl, we checked out the luxurious mall. We tried on fancy gala dresses and outlandish attire we’d never actually wear in reality. We got lost in Books & Books, a very sophisticated book shop. For the most part, we just wandered around without purpose. On another day, we rented bikes from Bike N’ Roll like proper tourists and rode along the scenic boardwalk. With the wind flowing through our hair, we passed through Ocean Drive, volleyball courts and workout parks. We rode to Miami Beach’s Botanical Gardens, which was smaller than we anticipated but beautiful nonetheless. The sun even made a guest appearance at one point. We also found time to drift through the clothing stores and art galleries of Lincoln Road, ending our day at Aroma. We wanted to see the artsy Wynwood Walls as well, but never got the chance to see it.
Thankfully, the weekend we were there happened to be Art Deco Weekend, a festival where the Art Deco District goes all out with Miami culture. Art Deco Weekend definitely made up for not being able to see Wynwood Walls. As we walked through, we were presented with eclectic jewelry, colorful art pieces and enticing food stands. There were street performers on almost every corner; magicians, a daredevil father and son duo, and a particularly entertaining drag show, to name a few. We definitely managed to make the climate work with our daytime activities.
On the last day, we were blessed with proper Miami weather. It was absolutely wonderful waking up that morning to sunny skies. Finally, our Sunny State Beach Day was granted. We wasted no time at all; we slapped on some sunscreen, packed copious amounts of snacks, and threw on our sun hats that longed to be worn. We lounged by the beach for a good five hours, truly soaking in that Miami sun as we napped and read our romance novels. The ocean water was actually welcoming that day, too. It was as if Miami was wishing us a friendly goodbye. Leaving on the day when the sun decided to show its face was tough, but at least we had one day of sunshine.
Even without access to the summer activities, Miami still had a lot to offer from an arts and culture perspective in the daytime, to the wild nightlife and enjoyable food. Figuring out new adventures that didn’t involve the outdoors turned out to be a bonding experience for us. Miami Beach certainly refreshed my spirits for another semester.