Cuban Food and Salsa Dancing in Miami, Florida with Jen Ruiz

I’m really excited to interview Jen Ruiz of Jen On A Jet Plane about Miami, Florida. Jen’s tips for the best things to do in Miami are awesome because many are focused on the cultural flavors of this diverse city. The Cuban influence in South Florida is evident in the music, the food, and the personality of the locals. Most people think of South Beach and sports when talking about Miami, but Jen shows us that there is so much more to do when visiting her city.

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Jen cooling off at the Museum of Ice Cream

Miami, Florida

Miami is one of the most popular beach destinations in the United States. The South Florida weather is amazing all year long and you can sense the swagger as you drive around town. Miami has something for everyone – amazing food, professional sports, awesome nightlife, and wonderful beaches. And, as Jen mentions in the podcast interview, Miami is also home to some impressive museums that you really must visit.

We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out Miami and Beaches, the local convention and visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.

When you visit, consider the Miami Sightseeing Pass. Over 35 attractions are included and you can save up to 56% on admission to attractions.

Street art in Miami.

Best things to do in Miami

• AmericanAirlines Arena (reviews) – The Miami Heat play their basketball games at this arena.
• Ball & Chain (reviews) – I recommend going salsa dancing at Ball & Chain in Little Havana.
• Hard Rock Stadium (reviews) – The Miami Dolphins play their home football games at this stadium.
• Marlins Park (reviews) – The Florida Marlins play their baseball games at this stadium.
• Pérez Art Museum Miami (reviews) – I also suggest visiting the Perez Art Museum and Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. They are amazing venues, and you might even spot a dolphins by the bay.
• Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science (reviews) – I also suggest visiting the Perez Art Museum and Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. They are amazing venues, and you might even spot a dolphins by the bay.
• Romero Britto Fine Art Gallery – Stop by the Romero Britto art gallery
• South Beach (reviews) – South Beach is the main tourist draw. No tickets needed.
• The Florida Panthers – The Florida Panthers play their hockey games at this arena.

Best places to eat in Miami

• La Carreta (reviews) – It’s a very common, low-key franchise but La Carreta hits the spot. It’s Cuban food with generous portions, serving everything from rope vieja to Cuban sandwiches. I can eat anything on the menu, topped off with a flan to boot!
• Lincoln Road Mall (reviews) – Go by the Lincoln Road Mall for lunch.

Best places to stay in Miami

Here are the best places to stay in Miami.

• Fontainebleau Miami Beach (reviews) – The Fountainebleau is the fanciest hotel in the city, known for its frequent Kardashian and rap star sightings. It’s beautiful, and expensive, but nice if you’re looking for a splurge for dinner or a spa treatment
• Hilton Miami Downtown (reviews) – Hilton Miami Downtown has a gorgeous rooftop view and is popular for conferences and events.
• Hyatt Centric Brickell Miami (reviews) – Hyatt Centric Brickell is in the middle of the business district and is great for anyone traveling for work.
• InterContinental Miami (reviews) – The Intercontinental Miami is by the bay and ideally situated by the American Airlines Arena for games or concerts.
• Kimpton Angler’s Hotel (reviews)
• Kimpton EPIC Hotel (reviews)
• Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel (reviews)
• Marriott Stanton South Beach (reviews) – If you want to be on the beach, the Marriott Stanton South Beach is as close as you can get.

Getting around Miami, Florida

The local airport is Miami International Airport, which is about 10 miles from South Beach. Another airport option is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. It is about 26 miles from the beaches of Miami.

Jen says that you definitely need to rent a car when visiting Miami. Uber and Lyft are also excellent ways to get around.

If you need to rent a car, click here for the best offers from Avis, Budget, or Hertz.

If you only need a car for a couple of hours, you can rent by the hour with Zipcar. Join now to get $25 loaded into your account.

Places we talked about on the podcast

Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Jen Ruiz about Miami, Florida. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.

• Red dots = best places to eat in Miami, Florida
• Green dots = best things to do in Miami, Florida
• Yellow dots = best places to stay in Miami, Florida

Who is Jen Ruiz?

Jen Ruiz is a former attorney who is now a digital nomad that travels the world. She has given a TEDx talk and serves to inspire other female travelers to explore the world, even when it means going by yourself. Jen writes about her travels at Jen On A Jet Plane.

Jen’s book The Affordable Flight Guide was recently published and it is chock full of great tips to help you reduce your travel expenses.

Jen and one of her books “The Solo Female Travel Book“.

Here are a couple of articles that she’s written:

• How to Find Cheap Flights to Europe: Tips to Save You Money on Airfare
• Flight Myths Debunked: 8 Common Booking Misconceptions That Are Costing You Money
• All About Airline Error Fares: How to Book Cheap Flights With Mistake Pricing

As you can tell, Jen really knows how to save money on flying. Airfare deals are available and Jen will show you how it is done in her blog articles and her books.

You can connect with Jen Ruiz at her website and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Big thanks to today’s affiliate partner – AwardWallet

This episode is brought to you, in part, by AwardWallet. Using airline miles and hotel points makes travel affordable, but keeping track of all of those loyalty programs can be a challenge.

That’s why I use AwardWallet to track my miles and points balances, reservations, and special goodies like free hotel night certifications and airline companion passes.

Having everything in one easy to use dashboard helps ensure I don’t let any rewards expire and makes logging into my accounts super easy. Go to WeTravelThere.com/awardwallet to start your free account.

Stay tuned for our next episode

Listen to the next episode when Jonathan Verhaeghe of JoneyTalks.com shares where to get the best breakfast tacos in Oslo, Norway. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.

What’s your favorite part of Miami, Florida? Let us know in the comment section below or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!

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To see which cities we’ve interviewed and scheduled, please visit WeTravelThere.com/map. If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please submit an application at WeTravelThere.com/guest.

Related episodes

To learn more about other fun destinations in South Florida, listen to these episodes:

• Jupiter Wreck Trek, Spring Baseball & Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Jupiter, Florida
• Sandoway Shark Tank, Morikami Museum & SS Inchulva Shipwreck in Delray Beach, Florida
• Songwriters Fest, Fantasy Fest & Sunset Celebrations in Key West, Florida
• Winterfest, Mizner Park & Boca Lake in Boca Raton, Florida