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5 great girlfriend getaways
Grab a suitcase and your best friend and take a road trip to one of these
amazing getaways.
By Marybeth Bond
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Miami
Neighborhoods for strolling
Get a taste for Cuba in the Little Havana District. You'll encounter the domino players in Domino Park, shops with Cuban souvenirs, and the El Credito Cigar Factory, where you can watch cigars being rolled. Then sip a cafe con leche and feast on arroz con pollo (chicken with yellow rice) and catch an evening flamenco performance. The villiage-like neighborhoods of Coconut Grove and Coral Gables and their galleries, sidewalk cafes, and small boutiques are great places to spend an afternoon.
Best shopping
There's something for everyone in the open-air Lincoln Road Mall of South Beach: boutiques, big-name stores, antique shops, a Sunday morning farmers market, art galleries, and cafes. Further north, on Collins Avenue, the Bal Harbor Shops completely transform the concept of a shopping mall. Every high-end designer imaginable, from Prada to Chanel to Gucci, has a store here.
A day at the beach
White sand, turquoise water, and beautiful people are the ingredients that have made South Beach one of the world's most famous beaches. Lavish art deco and contemporary hotels skirt the beach, but between 5th and 15th Streets there are none: a prime spot for spreading out your towels and spending the day. And if you can't afford to be a guest at the nearby Ritz-Carlton, at least pretend you can with lunch and cocktails at its swank oceanfront DeLido Beach Club.
For more of a natural beach experience, visit the mile-long beach of Bill Baggs State Park in Key Biscayne and its 19th-century lighthouse. And on Virginia Key, a non-residential island in the bay with a large wildlife conservation area, you'll find beaches with a wilderness feel.
Thrift and vintage clothing
C. Madeleine's in North Miami Beach has outfitted celebrities and Sex and the City actors in their extensive collection of elegant vintage clothing and accessories. And at the Douglas Gardens Thrift Shop, a warehouse full of inexpensive stuff, you'll unearth some treasures if you're patient.
Where to stay
Sonesta Hotel & Suites Coconut Grove offers "Just Us Girls" packages that include tickets to the Fairchild Botanic Tropical Garden and a Bloomingdale's discount card (starting at $260 per room; 800-766-3782, www.sonesta.com/coconut_grove).
Affordable, centrally located hotels may be found by visiting the city's official tourism website, which offers a wide selection of hotels, especially for holiday periods. You'll find an up-to-date list of accommodations based on information provided by the hotels that includes room availability. location, toll-free phone numbers, and rates. Then contact the hotels directly for the most updated information, packages, and specials. For Miami Beach and South Beach hotels from $129, go to "Hotel Availability Information."
On a budget
The Spanish Mediterranean-style Clay Hotel & Hostelling International is situated on historic Espanola Way in South Beach (starting at $54; 800-379-2529, www.theclayhotel.com).
One click and you're off
www.miamibeaches.com
Reprinted with permission of the National Geographic Society from the book
50 Best Girlfriends Getaways in North America by Marybeth Bond. Copyright ©2007 Marybeth Bond. All rights reserved.
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