I had a girls weekend in Miami or maybe I should say a spring break in Miami and it’s one of the best things I’ve done in a long time. This wasn’t the type of girls trip you may be thinking. I took the trip with my college-aged daughter.

One of the strongest common threads among my senior portrait clients are the amazing relationships they have with their daughters. They laugh together, they’re friends as well as mother, daughters. It fills my heart when I see moms beaming on the sidelines of a senior photoshoot knowing that they’re gifting their daughter with an unforgettable experience.

I share the same kind of relationship with my daughter which is how we ended up in Miami having a vacation we’ll never forget. Here are some recommendations I have.

Location

We chose to stay in South Beach, Kimpton Surfcomber on Collins Ave on the beach. All the hotels border a beautiful walking/beach path along the wide beach which we walked in the mornings for coffee. I prefer this location over Ocean Ave for a few reasons. Ocean Ave is a block away from the beach, the beach can be really crowded and the hotels don’t provide beach chairs/umbrellas like those on Collins Ave., most of those hotels don’t have pools and at night it can stay loud into the morning hours.

Dining

Make reservations! I left Riley in charge of this. She got on Instagram and found places she wanted to go to – fun, trendy, good food and dancing. We chose from her list and made reservations for 8/8:30 which, in Miami, is when dining starts. A lot of the restaurants have dj’s that start off dinner vibey (is that a word?!) and then slowly amp it up to post dinner dancing. It’s a scene, it’s Miami and when in Miami…We ate at Byblos, Mareva 1939 and Swan all of which I’d highly recommend.

Attire

We dressed true Miami, bright colors, festive and dressy. One of my favorite things about Miami is that people get dressed up to go out at night. If you don’t have a wardrobe that feels Miami, make it super fun and rent some dresses, we did! You can go to Nuuly, Rent the Runway or Fashion Pass all of which you’ll find outfits perfect for your weekend away.

Day trips

We took one afternoon away from the beach and went into the city of Miami to the Design district which is also not far from the Wynwood neighborhood. It’s a 20-25 minute uber ride away, just over the bridge.

Nightlife

A girls weekend in Miami means…have fun! Honestly, this is the time to let loose with your daughter and make forever memories. As I said above, a lot of the restaurants morph into clubs later into the night. Go dancing! We stumbled onto a drag queen show on Ocean Ave at one point and ended up dancing and laughing until our stomachs hurt. There are a lot of shows, do your research. We were at the Setai and happened upon a fire breathing show in the glass enclosed restaurant that we were sitting outside of.

Like anything in life, it’s what you make of it. Yes, do your research but also leave the trip loose enough for serendipity to drop you into the exact right spot at the right time. Soak up every minute with your daughter. Laugh easily, take a lot of pictures and enjoy the fact that you have this incredible relationship with your daughter. I made a fun Instagram Reel that I watch on repeat and it makes me smile every. single. time.

Now, go plan a girls’ trip with your favorite girl(s). If you want to give your daughter another forever memory go HERE to see how senior portraits are elevated to a senior photoshoot.