Stops #3-4: Charlotte, NC & Miami, FL

Initially, I wanted to keep our blogs separate per place we visited, which was great until we had back-to-back shorter stays and a lot of packing and laundry to catch up on. So here is our Charlotte and Miami update. And no, the laundry is still not done. 

Jeff, Dawn, Jackie, me and Zac

Our dear friends, Jeff and Dawn Winch, live in Charlotte, well, technically just outside of Charlotte in a suburb that is actually in South Carolina. To be honest, we didn’t really get out and explore the city too much. The main purpose of that part of our trip was to soak in as much time as possible with our friends. 

We did disc golfing, mini golfing, hot tubbing, and thrifting. However, my top two highlights were a puzzle night with Dawn, where we drank wine, listened to Fleetwood Mac, and went deep discount shopping with her and Jackie.

Next up... Miami! 

Every year, Zac’s company hosts a work event in a different city. Last year we did Nashville; the year before that was Vegas, and then a couple in San Diego, and this year was Miami. This is great because it means Zac’s airfare and hotel for a part of the trip are covered. So the first few days, we stayed at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa, which was a great hotel. Would definitely recommend it to those looking to visit. We also get to spend time with our besties, Alex and Hannah, and their perfect darling angel baby, Daphne, who were also there for the event. 

After Zac’s work event, we headed down to South Beach for a few days. We definitely chose a budget-friendly hotel for our stay there. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a cute little spot but nothing to write home about. Before heading to Miami, I wasn’t sure how much of our vibe it was going to be since we aren’t super into nightlife, but it exceeded our expectations for sure. 

At the former Versace Mansion

On Friday, Valentine’s Day, Zac made a reservation for us for lunch at Gianni's at the former Versace Mansion. The place was absolutely breathtaking, and the history of the villa is so interesting. I've linked it here if you’re curious. I’ve heard mixed reviews about the food there, but we had their lunch special, and everything we had was great! 

For most of the trip, we spent lounging and reading by the pool. Knowing that our next stop was PA, we really soaked in the sunshine. One thing that I would recommend if you do go cheaper on the hotel in South Beach, or really any beach town, is doing a ResortPass for the day. On our last day, our checkout was at 11 a.m., and our flight didn’t leave until 7 p.m., so we did a ResortPass, and they held our bags for us. Because of that, we were able to use the pool and relax until it was time to head to the airport.

Finally, I wouldn’t complete a Miami blog without mentioning Cuban Food. La Mulata was definitely a highlight for us. The staff was incredible, and the food was unbelievably great. I had the braised flank steak, and Zac had the Caribbean garlic shrimp. But if you don’t want to take our word for it, they have over 12 thousand reviews and a 4.9-star rating on Google. 

Now, we are back in the cold world of PA, where we will be for the next few weeks. If you have any recommendations, as always, please feel free to share!