How to Have a Girls’ Weekend in Miami on a Budget (Without Ruining the Vibe)
A girls’ weekend in Miami sounds expensive, and it can be, but it doesn’t have to be. I have done Miami in so many different ways and it doesn’t need to cost you a fortune. And you can still get the Miami vibe you’re looking for!!!
This is your complete guide to planning a budget-friendly girls weekend in Miami: when to go, where to stay, what to do, eat, and drink.
WHEN TO PLAN A GIRLS’ WEEKEND
Timing matters when planning a trip to Miami because you’ll want to avoid the big events. It’s also the perfect escape from the cold too!!
Best Months to Travel for a Budget:
January - Early February
Late April - early June
August - September (expect it to be hot!)
Avoid These Times:
Spring Break
Art Basel
Miami Music Week / Ultra
Holidays (obvi)
That leads into the next point…
HOW TO FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS TO MIAMI
Miami is a significantly easy city to fly into because it shares 2 airports. It’s fairly cheap to find a roundtrip flight to Miami. You can fly into MIA or FLL (Fort Lauderdale) - just know if you fly into FLL, you will have to Uber there and back but it is often cheaper.
Set a Google Flight alert so you get notified when fares drop. There are plenty of Spirit and Frontier flights if you are okay with additional baggage fees.
WHERE TO STAY - BUDGET FRIENDLY BUT STILL CUTE
Skip the trendy, upscale hotels and avoid staying in South Beach if you want to stay on a budget. There are plenty of other neighborhoods to stay in and Miami is relatively small so it’s easy to get around. Here are alternatives to South Beach:
Downtown Miami
Brickell
Wynwood
Mid-Beach
If you’re trying to decide where to stay, I’ve put together a list of hotels for each of these areas in different price points that are also equally cute!
BEST THINGS TO DO
The best thing I’ve learned about Miami is that there are so many free things to do (despite what people think)! Plus the weather is always nice so it’s always easy to be outside walking around the city.
Free & Low-Cost
Going to the beach (duh!)
Wynwood mural walk
Stroll through Little Havana
Window shop in the Design District
Sunset at South Pointe Park
Visit museums and art galleries
Happy hours
Splurge-Worthy Activities
Renting a boat - especially if you have a big group!
Nice dinner out - this is a must!
Boozy brunch
Check out this free events calendar to see what is going on while you’re there!
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
Miami’s food scene is elite - there are a great mix of upscale, trendy restaurants and street food. Not to mention the best part which is that there is ALWAYS a happy hour for you to find. Here are some ways I recommend experiencing the food without spending a fortune:
Take a Food Tour
If you and your girls are foodies, a food tour is one of the best ways to taste a ton of local flavors for a fraction of what you’d spend visiting each spot. This one from Secret Food Tours features Little Havana and you’ll get to try Cuban’s, coffee, pastries, and more.
There’s also the Wynwood Food & Street Art Tour - this combines Miami’s art scene with stops for tacos, cocktails, and local bites. Perfect for combining food and art in one.
Eat Street Food
The food in Miami can be affordable if you know where to look! You’ll definitely find more of these spots in Little Havana, Wynwood, and Downtown - think Cuban bakeries, markets, and taco spots. Here are some budget-friendly yet delicious bites:
Coyo Taco: this is one of the most popular taco spots in Miami.
El Rey de las Fritas: a Miami staple known for its frita, a Cuban style burger.
El Bori Food Truck: serving Puerto Rican street food, this is where you go for empanadas and crazy fries
Try Food Markets
Food markets are ideal for big groups and people who are indecisive (like me).
Wynwood Marketplace: this is definitely a great stop for the girls. An outdoor patio with food trucks, live music, a bar, it truly has it all!
Smorgasburg: This opens in April but it’s an open air market full of all kinds of vendors!
Find a Happy Hour
There are no shortage of happy hours in Miami!! It’s the best way to try some great places while simultaneously getting a deal. Most happy hours are on the weekends and go until 7 PM so it’s a perfect outing before the main event.
Here’s a list from the Infatuation on the best happy hour deals in Miami that you should check out!
Dinner and an Experience
You have to splurge on at least one nice dinner while in Miami. It’s not a girls trip without getting totally dolled up, taking some pics, and wining and dining yourself.
There are so many good restaurants to go to, you’d be reading this all day. Check out my Miami guide where I listed all the best restaurants to eat at during your visit!
HOW TO GET AROUND
Miami is small but spread out like most cities. I have found that Uber/Lyft typically is pretty affordable. The option to bike or scooter is also always there.
Renting a car is not necessary or worth it. It helps if you pick an area to stay in and choose to stay within that radius for majority of your trip or try to walk places.
WHAT TO WEAR
The fun thing about Miami is that you get to bring color to your wardrobe when you visit. You’ll want comfortable dresses and shoes during the day but elevated statement pieces at night.
I put together some inspo below and you can shop my Miami girls’ weekend outfits here!
