Miami Birthday Trip: Brunch, Gators, and Brightline Adventure! 🎉

Intro

So, guess what? 🎉 It’s my birthday trip, and boy, am I pumped! 🎂

Flew into Miami from LaGuardia, keeping it chill on a Spirit flight. ✈️ First time trying out Brightline – gotta say, major relax vibes. 🚆 Found myself with some friends at Crazy About You Restaurant in Brickell, Miami, nomming on some killer Huevos Estrellados and Chicken and Waffles. 🍳🥞 Oh, and the view? Iconic. 🌇

Then, off to the Everglades Safari Park, where I met some wild gators 🐊 and took a rad airboat tour. 🚤 Back in the city, hit up Manta in Wynwood for some delish Mahi Mahi 🐟 and La Industria Bakery & Cafe for a killer mocha and arepas. ☕

And let’s not forget the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel – talk about views! 🎡 Now, it’s all aboard the Brightline train to Orlando for the next leg of this epic adventure!

Welcome to Miami

I was going back to Miami for my Birthday Trip, a quick weekend getaway, so I went to LaGuardia International Airport to take a Spirit flight to MIA Miami International Airport.

Arriving to the metropolitan area of Miami was nice at night.

It was already late, so this night we did not do much. The next morning though, we went to take revenge on a big brunch at Crazy About You Restaurant in Brickell.

The wind was crazy, and the food was even crazier. I did not get to finish all this food. I loved it tho, the waffles were incredible.

From this restaurant, we were able to see the Icon of the Seas in one of its first sailings from Port of Miami.

Everglades Safari Park

Thankfully, my friends had a car and after this big brunch we went to the Everglades Safari Park. Incredibly, in all the times I had been to Florida, I had never been to the Everglades. I was actually in shock I was going to go for the first time.

And after getting the tickets at the entrance, we were told to get in and join the last group of the day. In the meantime we saw alligators roaming free and some not-so free in this park.

After a few minutes, we were called to join the Airboat Tour, which at this time of the afternoon in a late January felt really good.

We were right at front and got to see a few alligators.

It was very noisy, but we heard everything the tour guide was saying, it was a lot of fun, especially being sit right in front.

After ending the boat tour, we went to see the Alligator Show, were one of the caretakers of these animals, would demonstrate the power and teach us more about them.

The show was very entertaining and we got to see a snake and a baby alligator up close at the end.

The last thing we did before leaving, was to just walk around even more, on the wooden deck paths on the back of the park.

The sunset was almost on us, and it was almost time to go, they would close soon.

Last view of the park, and then it was time to go back to Miami.

Back here, we celebrated my birthday by having a walk, drinks and delicious food in Brickell. For dinner we picked Manta, a Peruvian fusion restaurant, where I got the Mahi Mahi. This was so delicious, but do not miss the Appetizers, they were all so good.

La Industria Bakery & Cafe

On my actual Birthday, we went for Brunch at La Industria Bakery & Cafe. Reservations are recommended, since this is the restaurant of Nicki Jam, a famous Reggaeton artist.

Started with some mocha…

… and for the actual entree, I got the Arepleta, an arepa filled with chicken, ham, pork, garlic sauce serve with melted “queso de mano”. Delicious!

Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel

I am not a huge fan of Observation Wheels, even though I have been in famous ones like the London Eye, or the Pixar Pal-A-Round in Disneyland Resort. But here I was, on top of the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel, also located at the Bayside Marketplace, Downtown Miami.

The view of Port of Miami was amazing, the Icon of the Seas had sailed for these 7 days, and now I was also seeing the skyline of the Downtown Miami and Brickell.

Brightline

But it was time to say bye to Miami, and of course I had to go to Orlando for this trip. For that I was planning to use Brightline for the first time ever. Brightline is a high-speed passenger rail service in Florida, connecting cities like Miami and Orlando. It offers modern amenities and aims to provide fast, convenient, and sustainable travel options.

I was planning to do this trip once again in a couple of weeks, but it was exciting to get to see this terminal and get on this fast train for the first time in the USA. I guess the closest thing I had done in this country, was the Acela from New York to Washington DC.

Time to board, and it was so exciting.

The train look stylish and refreshing. We were going to have a few stops on the way but was hopping to get a quick trip into Orlando.

And just like that, arrived to the MCO Orlando Terminal, and took an Uber to my hotel closer to Universal Orlando Resort, where I would go to finish this Birthday Trip. See you then!