One of 200 flavors of ale that are available at Zeke's Roadhouse in Miami

Hotels in this story

Price Dates

The Browns Hotel

Century Hotel

Metropole South Beach Hotel

The Sagamore Hotel

Catalina Hotel & Beach Club

If your travel style is more flip flops than stilettos, a weekend in South Beach should still be on your radar. Visiting a city that’s known for velvet rope nightclubs and fine dining can be daunting if you don’t have an insider’s guide to the chill spots in town. If you want to break away for a laid back weekend of sun, sand and surf, here are some of my favorite South Beach hangouts that are as easy on your budget as they are on your spirit.

(124 Second Street): Ted’s Hideaway has just as many drinkers in shorts and tee shirts as they do well-dressed night clubbers who come by to pre-game on buckets of beer and rock on the juke box. The South of Fifth (SoFi) neighborhood might be better known for million-dollar condos, but Ted’s remains one of the locals’ favorite dive bars. Think of it as “Cheers” with tan lines. Hotels near Ted’s: Browns Hotel, Century Hotel, Metropole South Beach

(625 Lincoln Road): The pedestrian promenade Lincoln Road Mall stretches across South Beach from the Atlantic Ocean to Biscayne Bay and serves as a tropical Main Street for tourists and locals. Lined with tony shops, galleries and bars, it’s not always easy to find a spot where an afternoon of people watching under a parrot-filled palm tree won’t bust your budget. Zeke’s is the perfect oasis serving over a hundred different beers from all over the world for the wallet-friendly price of just four bucks. Find a breezy sidewalk table and stake your claim. If you get hungry, a hot dog pairs well with your beer and your cut-offs. Hotels near Zeke’s: Sagamore Hotel, Catalina Hotel, South Seas Hotel.

(1811 Sunset Harbour Drive ): Cool hounds have discovered the west side of South Beach where Andre Balazs’ Standard Spa attracts a monied yoga crowd and the new Mondrian keeps a Bentley on call. If you would rather drink shots of Jägermeister with local surfers and test your wits at the weekly Drunken Spelling Bee, hit the Dirty Purdy on Sundays to see how alcohol affects your intellect. To simply watch and cheer, tell the bartender you want a Happy Meal and enjoy a Jäger shot and a Miller High Life while the competition heats up. Each round of spelling starts with a shot of Jäger and proceeds until everyone is buzzed and baffled. Ultimately the victor gets a $50 bar tab and bragging rights until the following Sunday.

– AdvisorGirl

[Flickr/ruben i]

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