Hi, we are staying at Acqualina in a few weeks for a long weekend. I have been trying to research restaurants and night clubs in the area...Forge Restaurant and Casa Tua keep coming up for restaurants, and Arturo Sandoval for jazz . This whole trip is a surprise for my husband, and I want to ';wow'; him. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.....
We will be taking a car service, so distance from the hotel (within reason) is no issue....just the best of the best would be great.
thanks!
Nightlife around Acqualina?
My4%26gt;
Good news / not so Good news situation:
Acqualina is a new full service ';Vegas Baby'; resort with all the amenities on site. As you like it - ';best of best...';
However, it is in a community well to the north of the places you mentioned. Not too long ago, Sunny Isles - which is a separate community in North Miami Beach - featured 2-3 storey low rise motels that had themes like ';Arabian Nights'; or ';South Seas'; with statues of camels or tiki huts etc out front . They included the Castaways, Coral Seas, Sandy Shore, Dunes, Sahara and more.
http://www.tikiroom.net/gallery/album02/abb
During the 1950%26#39;s and 1960%26#39;s more than 30 motels sprang up along Collins Avenue including Ocean Palm, the first two-story motel in the U.S. Tourists came from all over to vacation in themed motels of exotic design along ';Motel Row.';
http://www.mimo.us/images/Driftwood.jpg
The Beatles were among noted visitors to Sunny Isles, visiting the Castaways Motel%26#39;s famed Wreck Bar on Collins Avenue which was demolished in the 1970s to make way for Oceania Towers in the 1990s. By the mid 80%26#39;s - Motel Row started showing it%26#39;s age and was frequented by retired people and budget travelers.
Almost all of the once-charming landscape in this ocean front community has been bulldozed by the likes of Donald Trump and Mike Dezer to make way for huge high rise condos and resorts. The experience of walking along the sidewalk is no longer quaint and personal... that%26#39;s ancient history now.
To answer your question - the ';nightlife'; you seek hasn%26#39;t really caught up with the development of Sunny Isles. Yes, there are multi-million dollar condos and 24 hour room service and 3 different swimming pools at Aqualina... but no - the area is not a great deal of fun yet.
Across the street from the Vegas Style strip of luxury high rise buildings are the original storefront shopping plazas with dollar shops and souvenir stores and budget Chinese buffet restaurants. You can find a few decent cafes amidst the chains (Tony Roma%26#39;s, McD%26#39;s, Starbucks, etc) including Timo, Bissaleh and the very popular deli Rascal House.
My suggestion to folks who seek the upscale experience of these brand new resorts is to rent a car or pay for a taxi to travel down south to the Forge or Casa Tua. Aqualina is on 178th Street and the Forge is on 41st Street and Casa Tua is on 17th Street to give you an idea how far you need to travel... You need to make reservations in advance to dine at these hotspots.
You can take a shuttle bus to the Aventura Mall if your visit includes shopping at Macy*s and Bloomies or hop on a bus southbound to around 98th Street to see Bal Harbour%26#39;s more upscale Gucci, Pucci and Chanel. www.balharbourshops.com
Just south of Sunny Isles is Haulover Park. Their marina is located at 10800 Collins Ave (305) 947-3525 if you want to schedule your hubby a day of deep sea fishing. Haulover is home to the largest charter/drift fishing fleet in South Florida. The 180-acre park also has two on-site restaurants, an ice cream shop, souvenir shop, bicycle rentals, picnic pavilions; kite rental concession; casual 9-hole golf course and tennis courts. An underground path leads to sparkling Haulover Beach part of which features Miami%26#39;s only clothing optional area...
Surfside - the area around the 9000 blocks has some decent restaurants including Sushi Republic, Flanigan%26#39;s and the very popular Cafe Ragazzi at 9500 Harding 305-866-4495 (definitely worth a visit).
If your husband likes golf, Turnberry Isle Resort %26amp; Club offers two championship golf courses. Both courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. are exceptionally well-maintained, have firm green fairways, gracefully sculpted bunkers, and scenic tropical surroundings.
Turnberry鈥檚 two courses have won numerous awards, but Golf Digest ranked Turnberry resort among the top ten golf courses in the country for outstanding service.
With a little planning, I think you can organize a really fun weekend for your husband...
Enjoy!
AG
Nightlife around Acqualina?
Thanks AG...you packed in alot of info, I appreciate it (although I%26#39;m not sure I am looking forward to our trip as much as I was before...the area sounds pretty depressing) Keeping my fingers crossed for good weather!
My4%26gt;
Please do not fret - it is not ';depressing'; in Sunny Isles. It is an area undergoing a HUGE transition. Lots of construction and an entirely new direction...
There are going to be growing pains no matter what. Trump and Co. have invested millions to turn this little quiet strip into a Millionaire%26#39;s Row. The entire ';North Miami Beach'; zone is a hub of new construction. Aventura - the city immediately to the East (just over a small causeway from Aqualina) is busting with high rise condos and waterfront vertical communities.
In 4 days time at the Aqualina - I doubt you or your husband will be depressed. It is a brand new property and a wildly successful resort. The restaurant Il Mulino has finally opened and you can contact the concierge in advance of your trip to get reservations to dine, to go out fishing or golfing... whatever you desire. The perk of staying someplace like Aqualina is service - so take advantage of that and let them help you make the most of your visit.
The difference in a stay at Aqualina right now (before the neighborhood grows a little ritzier) and someplace to the South is the access to places to visit in the evening on foot. In South Beach, you can book a stay at the Ritz Carlton and enjoy top level resort amenities by day and still walk to the South Beach cafes on Ocean Drive or Lincoln Road at night.
If you use a taxi or car service, you can still see whatever suits your fancy during your stay. Perhaps you can take your husband for dinner one night at Prime 112 on Ocean Drive and walk around the area afterward and see the Art Deco District and have a cocktail on Ocean Drive at Vix at the Hotel Victor...
Have cocktails and a look around Bal Harbour in the afternoon and then dinner one night at Cafe Ragazzi in Surfside.
Do not be unhappy with your choice. I am sure you and your husband will have a wonderful weekend!
AG
My 4sons,
Let me assure you the Sunny Isles Beach area is far from depressing. It is clean and new unlike the old and dirty South beach. The area is quiet as it is mostly residential but at the same time it does not cater to transient element found in South Beach. The only reason one has to go to South Beach is for the clubs, but be prepared to navigate around the partying drunks.
The restaurants you mentioned are about twenty minutes away by cab and are worth a visit, but as you will see , there are resturants like Timo and Laterrazza across the street that are equaly nice.
And yes, we have a McDonnald';s but you will see Bentleys in the drive through.
I would strongly recommend Bal Harbour Shopps for cafes ,but not Lincoln Road Mall.
Acqualina has golf privileges at William%26#39;s Island if you want to fit it in you schedule.
Wow, I%26#39;m glad I checked this message board again. Thanks everyone. As I%26#39;m sure you can appreciate, it is very difficult to get a handle on a location when you are completely unfamiliar with the area! I%26#39;ve made restaurant reservations, and my guess is that the rest of the time we will be relaxing at the beach/pools Acqualina. I%26#39;ll be sure to write a review when I return! Thanks again!
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