Miami with Kids... To do or not to!

We made a family decision recently to add a family member to our brood a fuzzy little four-legged friend of the Wheaten Terrier kind.

With this on the horizon, my hubby and I decided to surprise the kids with a trip to Florida. We are fully aware, all travel will seize temporarily, until our new fur ball pup is trained, so we decided to seize the moment and take advantage of our short lived freedom.

We agreed on Miami(where we got engaged 13.5 years ago) for 3 days, followed by 3 days in Boca Raton, where we would surprise my Soak business partner and friend, Elena.

E moved there last year to help expand the Soak business deeper into the south. She had recently mentioned shed been feeling a little homesick and missing her friends so I took matters into my own hands.

Needless to say the kids were super psyched to find out, the morning of, that we would be jetting off to warmer temperatures. And even more thrilled to find out they would be seeing their pals(business partners kids)too, who they had been asking to visit for awhile now.

Our first stop the Loews Miami Beach.

We landed in sunny, Florida and hopped in an Uber . Bam, we were there in less than 30 minutes.

What a warm greeting we received!

We were surprisingly upgraded to a suite with a separate room for the kids.

Local goodies and treats welcomed us once upstairs, along with a mojito kit to enjoy on our ocean view balcony.

As you can see, my husband immediately got to work making us cocktails, without a moment to waste!

Our first night we dined at the hotel. What stood out immediately was the customer service. It was above and beyond anything we had received on prior trips with kids. The staff was particularly good with our children and their meals were served in kitschy TV dinner like serving trays, with separate compartments for all the different food groups. They brought out little gift bags for them and although their recent renovations created a chic and upscale feel, the vibe was super laid back and we didn't feel at all uncomfortable, being there in Miami, with the kids in tow.

I am not going to lie, we were a little nervous about vacationing in South Beach with our little ones, due to the highly adult content common to this area. However, we knew Loews had a program that catered to just this very demographic, so we decided to take a chance... so far so good!

The next morning we took full advantage of the hotels lovely breakfast offerings. They had typical breakfast fare as well as unique offerings to discover. All was fresh and tasty with organic options included and the ambience in the restaurant was cushy and sophisticated without being stuffy.

After breakfast, we settled in to a poolside cabana complete with tv, fridge, bathroom and shower. And for the complete irony their cabana program is called Soak! I immediately pondered a potential partnership opportunity :).

Soak is a great option for individuals who cannot be in the sun or do not like spending the entire day outside without a break. Obviously its genius for the kids too, whether for a nap or just to hose their sandy bodies down prior to heading back up to the room.

The weather was glorious and we enjoyed an amazing first day between pool and sea.

In the evening, we had arranged to take the kids to the Delano hotel for dinner. My husband proposed to me on the beach at the rear of the hotel and we dined there afterwards.

The restaurant in the hotel has changed since, but everything else was exactly the same. We even snapped a pic to mimic one from those many years ago, in the very same spot.

Now

Then

This property really has a feel like no other. It has a very sexy vibe, with long sweeping curtains as you enter. Everything is white with unique artifacts and pops of art about. In the evening, the lights are dimmed and candles illuminate the lobby. It's absolutely breathtaking.

Dinner was fantastic at the outstanding Leiyna, which offers a mix of Argentinian and Japanese fusion.

We started with an unbelievable tuna pizza, followed by Chilean Sea Bass and skirt steak with chimichurri. The kids had sushi. Dessert was both visually stunning and equally delish, a take on a chess board with tastes of chocolate and hazelnut crunch. We took a lot of pics and promised to return. The service was great and the staff loved hearing "our story of the Delano".

The next day, we did breakfast again at the hotel and sadly, packed up. It was too short a stay, but we were off to some further good times. We were thrilled to discover Miami with kids can be done and well definitely be back.

Then off to Boca we went, arriving in the early afternoon.

We would spend the next 3 days at the Boca Raton Resort and Spa.

Just a quick detour to note both properties are hailed as being 4.5 stars. It was our first time at the The Loews and they owned theirs for the customer service alone. I do have a hard time with the half stars as I feel 4 to 5 is a big leap and a true 5 star is dramatically different from a 4 star. The Boca Raton Resort and Spa, for me, is more of a 4 Star. That being said, it never disappoints for the kids and that is why it was our third trip back. They always have fun and innovative experiences for children. From their FlowRider surfing exhibition to their world renowned tennis program, and everything in between, including ferry rides to the beach, golf, bocce, basketball, ping pong, pool, sand castle building and surf. Never a dull moment to be had!

The first night there my business partner's fianc and I had arranged a surprise meeting. When they arrived Elena was shocked and we spent the whole night catching up. What was super convenient, was the option to be able to order take out from the various restaurants onsite. Our friends had already eaten and all the kids wanted to do was play, so I ordered food for my family and we were able to picnic and have cocktails, at the tables along side the bocce court. Opposite to where we were sitting, there was a big patch of grass for the kids to run around on. Many use this area to play crochet with equipment readily available, but the kiddos chose to play football instead. Awhile after, our children headed over to the propertys Serendipity ice cream shop, where the night ended with ice cream and a variety of other sweets.

The next morning my daughter and I had brunch solo. What I loved most was the vast array of healthy options, including overnight oats with berries, coconut quinoa and lots of local fruit selections.

Our friends joined shortly after and the kids spent the entire day learning to boogie board and surf on the FlowRider, without the fear of rip tides.

Cocktails were sipped and chips and guac were munched, as the sun shined bright.

As evening settled we parted ways and my family and I dined at one of Boca Resorts restaurants, Lucca. I had the lobster pasta, a definite must try. It was sooo good, I actually contemplated going back the next night to have it again. However, the idea of sushi at famed chef Morimoto's place, ultimately won and that almost didn't happen as my son's cold turned into a fever, leaving him in the room all day with my husband and I taking shifts. His fever broke before dinner and he felt good enough for a quick meal, but then it was straight to bed. He woke in the middle of the night with the fever having returned and the next day it was more of the same.

Our last 2 days were a little hampered, but we made it work. I felt bad for my little guy having had his last days spent inside, but he recovered just in time for the flight back home. I was grateful for that.

Thankful to have had the break before moving, but maybe next time we will take the vacay after. I could certainly use a break now, but that wont be happening for at least another few weeks. Our puppy, Navy has made his NYC debut!

Our next trip will definitely be one that includes him!