Miami – Key West – Caribbean Cruise – Las Vegas – Arizona
👇🏻My Travel Recommendations
If you’re planning a trip that combines Miami, Key West, and a Caribbean cruise, here are all my recommendations, tips, and favorite places from our amazing vacation!
Staying Connected
For internet access, I used an eSIM from Airalo, which worked great throughout the trip.
For transportation, we mainly used public buses and the Lyft app, which was convenient and affordable.
Most of our stay was with family relatives, but for the two nights before the cruise, we stayed at citizenM Miami Worldcenter.
Things to See & Do in Miami
1. Ocean Drive
A beautiful beachfront street famous for its colorful Art Deco buildings, classic cars, restaurants, and nightlife.
2. South Beach
Miami’s iconic beach, known for its turquoise water and colorful lifeguard towers.
3. Biscayne Bay Millionaires’ Homes Cruise
One of our favorite activities! We took a boat tour around Biscayne Bay to see the famous celebrity and luxury waterfront homes.
Booked through GetYourGuide.
4. Wynwood
A vibrant neighborhood filled with incredible street art, graffiti murals, restaurants, bars, and entertainment.
5. Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
A beautiful contemporary art museum with impressive exhibitions and stunning bay views.
6. Miami Design District
A trendy area packed with luxury boutiques, designer stores, cafés, and restaurants.
7. Brickell
Restaurants We Loved
1. Gianni’s at The Former Versace Mansion
An absolutely stunning restaurant located inside Gianni Versace’s former mansion. The atmosphere is unforgettable and the setting is breathtaking.
2. The Cheesecake Factory (Aventura Mall)
Always a favorite! Huge menu and delicious desserts.
3. Miam Café
A popular local Miami café chain serving excellent breakfasts and especially delicious pancakes.
4. Smorgasburg Miami
A fantastic weekend food market featuring a wide variety of food vendors and local specialties.
Shopping
1. Sawgrass Mills
An enormous outlet mall. We spent an entire day there and still didn’t manage to see everything!
2. Aventura Mall
One of Miami’s best shopping malls. You can also find a SKIMS store there.
3. Lincoln Road
A lively pedestrian shopping street featuring many well-known fashion brands, boutiques, restaurants, and cafés.
Day Trip from Miami to Key West
This was a perfect day trip! 👌
Our bus picked us up early in the morning and returned us to Miami in the evening. The drive itself is absolutely beautiful, crossing the famous Florida Keys bridges with breathtaking ocean views.
We booked the excursion through GetYourGuide.
Lunch at Latitude
For lunch, I reserved a table at Latitudes.
Getting there is part of the experience, you take a short complimentary ferry ride from the Key West harbor to a beautiful private island resort. The location is stunning, and the food was excellent.
Reservations are highly recommended.
Key Lime Pie
No visit to Key West is complete without trying the famous Key Lime Pie.
We had ours at Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe, and it was absolutely delicious! 🤤
After lunch, we wandered through the charming streets of Key West, visited the Southernmost Point in the continental United States, explored the lively main street filled with restaurants and bars, and relaxed at one of the gorgeous beaches with crystal-clear turquoise water.
One Week Caribbean Cruise with Royal Caribbean
Symphony of the Seas
This cruise was absolutely perfect! 🥰
I highly recommend booking directly through Royal Caribbean’s website. November is a great time to book because of Black Friday and end-of-year promotions. You can often find excellent deals on excursions and cruise packages as well.
One important tip: reserve all onboard shows in advance through the website. The shows are free, but seating is limited and reservations fill up quickly. Every show and entertainment experience we attended was outstanding.
Our Itinerary
Nassau, Bahamas
Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
Jamaica
Labadee, Haiti
1. Nassau, Bahamas – Swimming with Pigs
We booked a swimming-with-pigs excursion, and it was fantastic! 👌
Interestingly, while we were there, we discovered that the cruise ship offered the exact same excursion at a significantly higher price.
The meeting point was within walking distance of the cruise port. The excursion included a scenic boat ride to a beautiful island with free time to relax, followed by a visit to a smaller island where the pig interaction takes place.
2. Jamaica – Dolphin Experience
We chose a dolphin experience and booked it directly through Royal Caribbean.
After comparing prices, I found it was actually cheaper than booking independently.
3. Labadee, Haiti
I booked the Dragon’s Tail Coaster, a fast and fun mountain coaster with incredible views.
Booking through Royal Caribbean’s website in advance was cheaper, especially during Black Friday sales.
The beaches in Labadee are stunning, and the food at the island restaurants is included.
4. Perfect Day at CocoCay
Royal Caribbean’s private island is absolutely beautiful.
The beaches are gorgeous, the facilities are excellent, and there are plenty of activities available for all ages. It was one of the highlights of the cruise.
Next Stop: Las Vegas 🎰✨
Las Vegas – 3 Amazing Days
After our cruise, we flew to Las Vegas and spent three unforgettable days exploring the city and some of the most spectacular natural wonders nearby.
Hotel: The Venetian Resort
We stayed at The Venetian, one of the most iconic hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.
The hotel is inspired by Venice, Italy, and the entire property is massive. It features a shopping mall, a casino, beautiful Venetian-style architecture, and luxurious interiors throughout. The suites are incredibly spacious, making the stay feel extra special.
It was truly an experience in itself! 👌🏻
Sphere Las Vegas
One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the incredible Sphere.
This unique entertainment venue is shaped like a giant sphere and features stunning digital displays on its exterior throughout the day and night. Even from the outside, it’s an attraction worth seeing.
We watched “Postcard from Earth”, and it was absolutely mind-blowing! 🤩
The screen is enormous, the visuals are incredibly immersive, and the seats move during parts of the experience, making you feel like you’re actually inside the film. The combination of visuals, sound, and technology creates a truly unforgettable experience.
Before entering the theater, visitors can explore the lobby, where interactive robots engage with guests and demonstrations showcase the venue’s impressive sound technology.
Highly recommended! 😎
Day Trip to Lower Antelope Canyon
This was one of the most beautiful day trips we have ever taken.
Lower Antelope Canyon is simply breathtaking—an incredible natural wonder carved by water and wind over thousands of years. The canyon’s smooth sandstone walls create stunning sculptural formations, while the light and shadows produce constantly changing colors and patterns.
The walking route through the canyon is relatively easy and suitable for most visitors.
Our local guide inside the canyon was wonderful. He explained the history, geology, and cultural significance of the area in a fun and engaging way, which made the experience even more memorable.
Additional Stops on the Tour
The tour also included several other spectacular locations:
Hoover Dam
One of America’s most famous engineering landmarks, offering impressive views and fascinating history.
Horseshoe Bend
A breathtaking viewpoint overlooking the Colorado River as it curves dramatically through the canyon landscape.
The Secret Cave
A unique and lesser-known stop that added another special experience to the day.
The scenery throughout the entire journey was beautiful, making the long drive worthwhile.
A Note About the Tour
While the destinations themselves were incredible, I was disappointed with the tour guide/driver who accompanied our group. She seemed stressed and rushed throughout the day, which affected the overall atmosphere of the tour.
This was actually the first time I was disappointed with a guide on an organized day tour. Unfortunately, I just didn’t connect with her guiding style.
For that reason, I’m sharing the tour link below, but I would recommend looking for a different company that offers the same itinerary. The destinations themselves, including Lower Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Hoover Dam, and the Secret Cave, were absolutely worth visiting, and the local guide inside Antelope Canyon was excellent.
Omega Mart
One of the most unique attractions we visited was Omega Mart.
This interactive art exhibition feels like stepping into a completely different universe. What starts as an ordinary supermarket quickly turns into a surreal and imaginative world filled with hidden passages, bizarre stories, incredible visual effects, and mind-blowing installations.
It’s creative, immersive, and unlike anything I’ve experienced before. 🤩
AREA15
Omega Mart is located inside AREA15, an entertainment and art complex that is an attraction on its own.
The venue combines immersive experiences, art installations, shops, restaurants, and interactive exhibits. Outside, you’ll find impressive sculptures and creative displays, while inside everything is designed with a futuristic and artistic vibe.
Even if you don’t visit Omega Mart, AREA15 is worth exploring. 😎
Fountains of Bellagio
The famous Bellagio Fountains are a must-see in Las Vegas.
Located in front of the Bellagio Hotel, the fountain shows combine water, music, and lights in a spectacular performance.
Shows run every 30 minutes during the afternoon and every 15 minutes in the evening, making it easy to catch one while exploring the Strip.
Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street offers a completely different side of Las Vegas.
This covered pedestrian street features a massive LED canopy overhead with impressive light shows and projections. The area is packed with restaurants, shops, casinos, live music, street performers, and a lively atmosphere.
We loved walking around and soaking up the energy of the place. 🤩
Fat Tuesday Cocktails
One of my favorite treats in Las Vegas was Fat Tuesday.
They serve delicious frozen alcoholic cocktails in a variety of flavors, perfect for walking around and enjoying the Vegas atmosphere.
I tried one at the Venetian shopping area and loved it. 😋
Sorry Not Sorry Creamery
If you’re looking for something sweet, I highly recommend Sorry Not Sorry Creamery.
Their ice cream is absolutely delicious, and it was the perfect treat during our visit to Fremont Street. 🤤
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
Inside the Bellagio Hotel you’ll find the beautiful Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.
The floral displays change every season, and each installation is incredibly detailed and impressive. It’s free to visit and definitely worth adding to your itinerary. 🌸
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is the heart of the city and one of the most iconic streets in the world.
Lined with enormous themed hotels, casinos, restaurants, shopping centers, attractions, and entertainment venues, there’s always something happening.
Walking along the Strip during both the day and night was one of our favorite parts of the trip. The atmosphere is exciting, energetic, and uniquely Las Vegas. 🤩
Final Thoughts
I absolutely loved Las Vegas. 😎
The atmosphere, architecture, themed resorts, incredible entertainment, luxury touches, and stunning desert scenery made this destination unforgettable.
Every corner feels like a movie set, and there is always something new to discover. From world-class shows and immersive attractions to breathtaking natural wonders just outside the city, Las Vegas truly exceeded my expectations.
For more photos, tagged locations, and travel inspiration, feel free to follow along on Instagram. ✨📸
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