Looking for your next weekend getaway? A girls’ weekend? Big birthday celebration? Anniversary trip? Our recent five star destinations would be great additions to your travel bucket list! Last week, Megan shared her adventures in Charleston, and her stay at the amazing Hotel Bennett. (She may have influenced me to visit Charleston!) Today, I’m sharing details about our vacation in Miami at the Acqualina Resort. Ahhhh, those sandy beaches, tropical drinks and endless lounging are calling me back!
Christa’s Vacation in Miami
Drew and I vacationed at Acqualina Resort in Miami. It was five stars in every way! Located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, it’s such a beautiful and relaxing destination! Planning with the resort was simple – a few weeks before the trip, the concierge emailed us a guest survey for our dining preferences, activities, and cabana reservations, so everything for our trip was scheduled prior to our arrival. The only decision to make each day was what drink to order!
Their guest service is top notch – from housekeeping and concierge to front desk and wait staff, everyone at the Acqualina Resort pays attention to the guests and the details. We had housekeeping service twice a day so everything was always fresh. (They even tidied up our chargers, and wrapped them neatly in velcro Acqualina-branded ties!) I can definitely see why they rank at the top of every resort list published, including #1 Best Resort in the continental U.S. in 2022 U.S News Best Hotels rankings! Beautiful views from our balcony, relaxing room with all the amenities, great service throughout the resort, and delicious food from all of their restaurants. It was our first big vacation since Covid, and it did not disappoint.
Our favorite meal was the Il Mulino New York restaurant at the hotel – fabulous service and delicious authentic Italian cuisine. On our last night we treated ourselves to a private, four course dinner on the beach, and you couldn’t beat the view. (We even had front row seats to a very romantic proposal in progress, orchestrated through the hotel so you know every detail was perfect – such fun to see the bride-to-be’s entire family hiding behind the palm trees to witness the event and then rushing out to the beach after she said “Yes!”)
What Christa Packed
Our itinerary our vacation in Miami was simple. We spent three days lounging by the pool and beach, with the only immediate decisions involving drinks or food. So “what to wear” was a breeze!
POOL OUTFITS
I had three pool outfits:
- Blue coverup (similar), Summersalt white coverup and laceup style coverup – I like having a few options because when you lay in the sun all day, things get a little sweaty!
- Blue swimsuit, black swimsuit 1 (above) and black swimsuit 2 – clearly a huge fan of the one shoulder swimsuit and especially the Summersalt brand
- Flip flops (and there’s a wedge version) – and yes, I brought and wore both even though they are nearly identical! When I like something, I stick with it!
- And I’m declaring this a perfect pool tote (I added this blue tassel) – it’s just the right size for all my stuff. I purchased this inexpensive 2-pack of sunglasses (so I don’t have to worry about just tossing them in my bag) and had my Kindle (I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo). I used this small zip bag for sunscreen – keeps things from getting messy in my tote.
AFTER-POOL OUTFITS
Beach trips are the easiest to pack for since you spend most of your time in swimwear. For the evenings I wore these dresses:
- T-shirt maxi dress (similar) with a metallic belt and 3″ sandals. I love these heels! WHBM shoes generally are NOT the most comfortable, but these fit well and run TTS (and now also come in several other colors and a lower heel – all here).
- Shirt dress (similar) – love this dress and the lightweight fabric. I look forward to trying other items from this brand! Paired it with my SCHUTZ sandals.
- Paige T-shirt dress with SCHUTZ sandals – a simple dress like this is the easiest thing to pack – looks cute dressed up with heels or dressed with flip flops and a jean jacket (and it doesn’t wrinkle in the suitcase).
- Clutch purse (old from J.Crew; similar) – comes on every beach vacation with me
Christa’s Packing Tips for a Vacation in Miami
Maybe it was wishful thinking that we could stay longer, but I packed enough for about four extra days! What can I say…I am an overpacker and I own it! If I’m planning to check my bag at the airport anyway, then I might as well bring the bigger suitcase! I’m a girl who likes to have options.
- I like to hang everything on a rolling rack as I’m packing so I can see it all together and coordinate.
- I also try on many of the items I plan to pack, just to make sure they fit as expected and that I have the right shoes/accessories.
- Packing cubes. I started using packing cubes in the last few years and am now convinced there is no better way to pack. It makes packing easier, you can fit more in your suitcase, and they make unpacking easier, too. (Here is another option from Amazon.)
- I packed all my hanging stuff in the suitcase last and left it on my slim hangers. This made unpacking at the hotel a breeze and the hanging clothing stayed wrinkle free since there was minimal folding.
- I keep my toiletry bag packed and ready to go between trips. (Pro tip: refill it when you get home from a trip so it’s ready to go.) Also, be sure to grab a set of these refillable tubes for your liquids – they hold enough for five days and never leak.
- I love my Tumi backpack for my carry-on. It’s worth the investment. It holds a lot without getting too heavy and has just the right amount of compartments to stay organized.
WHERE SHOULD WE GO NEXT?
Where will your next trip take you? Maybe a vacation in Charleston or a vacation in Miami are on your bucket list now! If you’re looking for another warm weather destination, check out Christa’s travel guide to Aruba.
Aqualina Resort is the perfect empty nest retreat, with relaxing days and amazing food. Whether you prefer the sand or the pool, they’ve got you covered for an effortless getaway. Leave your worries at home and let Acqualina take care of you.
We hope our photos, tips and outfit ideas provide you with some inspiration to plan your next trip! If you already have a trip scheduled, then safe travels, friends!
Thanks for following along on your blog. If you have any questions about either destination we recently visited, we’re happy to answer them — just leave us a comment and we’ll get back to you! We’d also love to hear about your favorite destinations so we can start planning our next trips!
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Makes me want to jump on a plane and head to Miami. Great photos! Love your rolling cart idea–where do you keep it when not in use? I’m packing now for a trip and was planning to roll everything. I’ve used extra large plastic bags with the air sucked out (straw), tissue paper, and packing cubes in the past, but I always end up with wrinkles. I usually challenge myself to just a rolling, 19″ carry-on, and I can do that for a month long trip, but this time I’m splurging on a checked bag for a few more shoe-options. Thanks for a lot to think about and a fun read!
Have a fun trip! I keep the rolling rack in our storage room or in the guest room when it’s not being used.
Makes sense on the storage. Thanks!
Christa,
Beautiful hotel!
Quick question regarding your packing tips: what do you do about your toothbrush? I hate to pack my electric Sonicare (too much space) so I go back to the traditional tooth brush …but the plastic holders tend to get moldy due to the moisture. Grateful for any tips …thanks.
I use this toothbrush or a Quip. I have not had trouble with mold. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S8RZ32R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3X2SFKQ7Z5PGQNX7B69K?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you!