Miami Life: Daycations, Duck Tour, SoHo House, Miami Spice

by Lois Whitman-Hess · Published July 7, 2022 · Updated July 7, 2022

If you haven’t heard of Daycations or Staycations, I have a special treat for you. I’m going to tell you about what’s going on in Miami, but this is happening all over the world. If you have never been in a vehicle that can be used on land, and then in water, you must take a Duck Tour. Great news for the residents of Miami. They are getting their own Soho House later this year. Miami Spice Restaurant Months returns August 1 – September 30. Check out who is participating.

“Daycations” Are the New Miami Day Trips

Hotels everywhere are offering day rates (no overnights) to locals and tourists so more potential guests can enjoy their amenities during the sunshine hours. This is not entirely a new concept, but it sure ramped up during the pandemic when hotels were starving for guests and people in every country were looking for things to do in the great outdoors. At first hotels offered day rates (not overnight) for limited social distancing activities like golf and tennis, but as time matched on, they are now offering every feature available just to bring in new clientele. The irony was that this was just what people, who have been in seclusion for more than a year, needed to feel alive again. Even in normal times there are millions of people who want to spend time in a luxurious hotel, or resort, that can offer them the finest things in life without committing to overnight rates.

Yes, day rates (not overnight) in some of the finer hotels can cost a few hundred dollars a visit, but there are scores of other places that are much more reasonable. Miami runs the gamut. Every day I hear about another friend who spent the day at the Fontainebleau, Loews, Four Seasons, Hilton, or Marriott just to get away. We are very lucky in Miami because we have hundreds of hotels to choose from, and many of them are on the beach. Even residents who live in the most expensive homes, or condos, want to get away from their everyday routines, experience new gyms, pools, yoga studios, restaurants and meet new people. We have found that even some of the nearby hotels who don’t advertise daycations will accommodate us with affordable rates if we just call and ask. The hotel industry is actively adopting daycations as a way to generate additional lucrative revenue.

A few of the Miami early adopters are:

Quack Quack, One Of The Best Tours For The Entire Family

If you have never been in a vehicle that can be used on land, and then in water, you must take a Duck Tour. They are available in many cities in the United States and Miami is no exception. We have what I consider to be one of the best tours because our city is so picturesque. The first time I took the Miami Duck tour I thought it was a miracle to be seeing the city on land in a bus and then enter Biscayne Bay in a vehicle that turned into a boat. Was this some kind of a trick?

I couldn’t believe it. We paid $45 for the tour, but as far as I was concerned, it was priceless. The vehicles that Duck Tours use are on purpose-built amphibious tour buses and modified surplus military trucks,, like DUKWs (“Ducks”) and LARC-Vs. They are perfect for tourist attractions in harbor, river and lake cities. The 40 foot, 49-passenger Hydra-Terra Amphibious Buses are manufactured exclusively for tourism, by CAMI (Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International).

The Duck Tours in South Beach feature the Art Deco District, Fisher Island, Millionaire’s Row (expect celebrity sightings), The Beaches The Night Clubs, and all of the iconic hotels you have been reading about for years. The entire tour is perfect for people of all ages. The tour guides are informative and funny. The whole family gets to laugh together. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, cameras, hats and identifications. Get the details.

Soho House Is Opening Second Miami Location

Great news for the residents of Miami. They are getting their own Soho House later this year. No longer will they have to drive over the causeway to Miami Beach to hang with the fast lane crowd that frequents the Soho Clubs around the world. Now they have one of their own on the border of Wynwood and Edgewater in a former printing press building, Windward Publishing. The exact address is 105–107 NE 25th St. The first ever Soho Club is at 4385 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.

The new location is named Miami Pool House. It hopes to attract the local Miami artist community. Ocean Drive magazine recently quoted Philip Spee, Area General Manager, Soho House, who said, “Soho Beach House has been a part of Miami for nearly 12 years since we opened in 2010. We help connect a diverse, vibrant, and creative set of members and guests over that time. The team and I are delighted to bring another location to our local and visiting members that will provide a platform for them to come together and connect socially and professionally.

“The House will include a pool with lounge areas, a terrace restaurant, club space, and a cottage bar. This will result in a relaxed, laptop-friendly workspace and social spot during the day, evening events, and entertainment.”

The Miami Pool House will join other recent openings, including Soho House in Nashville, Holloway House in Los Angeles in North America, and Brighton Beach House in the United Kingdom. Soho House was founded by Nick Jones in 1995. There are now members and houses worldwide, as well as restaurants, spas, workspaces, and cinemas. Get the Miami Pool House Details.

Who Is Participating In Miami Spice This Year?

Miami Spice Restaurant Months returns August 1 – September 30, 2022. Enjoy three-course meals at top eateries for just $28 for lunch/brunch and new year this, the option of $45 or $60 for dinner. It’s early but this is who we have so far. Mark Your Calendar

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

Allapattah 1 Participant

LEKU at Rubell Museum

Aventura 2 Participants

Bal Harbour 2 Participants

Coconut Grove 5 Participants

Coral Gables1 0 Participants

Doral3 Participants

Downtown Miami Area/Brickell Area15 Participants

Kendall4 Participants

Key Biscayne1 Participant

Cantina Beach

Little Havana1 Participant

Cafe La Trova

Miami Beach: Mid Beach3 Participants

Miami Beach: North Beach1 Participant

Cafe Prima Pasta

Miami Beach: South Beach25 Participants

Miami Design District2 Participants

Miami Lakes1 Participant

ML Steaks + Sports

Pinecrest1 Participant

French Bistro

South Miami Area3 Participants

Sunny Isles Beach2 Participants

Upper East Side2 Participants

Wynwood Area7 Participants

Lois Whitman-Hess

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As Co-Founder and President of HWH PR, Lois Whitman-Hess has been actively involved in public relations for a vast array of business sectors including technology, Internet-based companies, entertainment, law, publishing, fashion, beauty and art. For the last eight years, Lois has authored a daily blog called “Digidame.” It mostly covers her personal journeys as well as tech innovations, art, travel, and entertainment. In addition, Lois co-hosts a weekly podcast called “Lying on the Beach” with TV personality Steve Greenberg who is a contributor on NBC's Today Show. They interview luminaries who discuss their expertise and views on current events.