Travel After Divorce

I know that we’ve posted about this amazing trip before, but there is a lot to say about going away where you feel comfortable. For us, the quickest getaway is a few short hours away at Miami Beach. This trip was an experiment to see how quickly we can get away to, and back from a beach from cold New York in the winter.

ON THE WAY THERE

Anyone who has read our blog will know that our trips start out pretty much the same. This time I found myself in the early morning being wakened by a beautiful blonde. I went to sleep early the night before in anticipation of our trip, but there is nothing more exciting than her appearing before me early morning on our vacation day. A short while later I was getting dressed and ready for our usual pre-trip routine. It was almost cocktail time!!

TRAIN TIME FUN

We arrived to the train platform with plenty of time to relax and enjoy our drinks. This time we limited ourselves to a few large “White Claws” as we stood in anticipation of our trip. The train arrived and within 20 minutes, we were arriving in Queens for our Air Train to the terminal. Those reading this who are not in New York need to know just how wonderful this mode of transportation is. Making the trip to and from an Airport terminal this easy is AMAZING!!

AMERICAN AIRLINES ADMIRALS CLUB

The one thing that separates American Airlines from all the others is their treatment of members of the military. From the second we arrived at the terminal, we had our bags checked in for free as “Priority”. Because we are pre-check, we were through security within 10 minutes. There was nothing left to do besides heading to the “Admirals Club” (First Class Lounge), for morning food and drinks.

Sitting at a bar in the early morning is something to always appreciate. The drinks are free, the environment is relaxing, and the food is delicious in the admirals club. What makes it even more enjoyable is the fact that we know we are about to go on a flight to one of our favorite destinations. The gate was right outside of the lounge after we left.

PICKING AN EASY FLIGHT DESTINATION

The flight to Miami might be one of the most simple ones to encounter for a lot of reasons. First off would be the price when booking. By monitoring the prices on trips to Florida in general, you can get round trip flights for cheaper than filing up your SUV. This trip to Miami was based off that fact. Once I fount that low price I had no choice but to book.

The other simple factor of a flight to Miami is the short time it takes to get there. Once we were airborne (and upgraded to the 12th row), it took merely 2ish hours to arrive safely at our destination. It sometimes takes me more than 2 hours to commute home from work from New York City, and today my commute takes me to Miami Florida. This is a BIG consideration when planning quick vacation getaways.

ARRIVAL IS EASY

Arriving to the airport we had our bags instantly waiting for us on the carousal. A short walk across the street had us with a wait time of 12 minutes until our Uber arrives. To put it in perspective, this entire commute to Miami Beach has been less than 2 1/2 hours. The car arrived, and within a handful of minutes we arrived at the hotel we always stay at for a number of reasons.

LEXINGTON HOTEL BY “RL”

There are a million places you can book when going to Miami Beach. Not being a fan of Air BnB, we elect to stay in a cheaper hotel. This place may be cheap, but the amenities do not suggest it. It is located on the beach boardwalk and even includes free chair and umbrella rentals. The pool is big and even (during the summer), has its own little tiki hut bar. The smell of the lobby rivals that of a high end Las Vegas Casino.

We were assigned a room which is in the same location of the building on a higher floor than past trips. What takes you back is the large size of the room and the modern up to date furniture. The window alone spans 10-15 feet and overlooks the intercostal waterway. It’s VERY clean with a mini fridge and two bottles of water included every day. This is a room that would cost ten times as much in New York, yet for us it’s right on the Miami Beach.

The only complaint we had was that the hotel pool wasn’t really always clean and because its off season, the tiki bar was closed. The other unfortunate thing was that in the middle of a weekend the hot water went out and we had to wait 30 hours for the repair to be made. Other than that, you will never find a hotel for this price at this location.

THE AREA WHERE WE STAYED]

To understand just how perfect this location is, all you have to do is google “Lexington hotel by RL”. This being our third time staying sat this property, we already have a favorite restaurant and activities. A walk out the back of the property puts you right on the boardwalk where there are endless amounts of runners and bicyclists passing by. The weather was a little bit overcast during this time of year, but that is no reason to complain.

We have to mention the restaurant “The Tavern” as we found ourselves in there on day 2 watching football and enjoying each others company. The place was filled with people from all areas of the world cheering and having fun. The food is second to none, as we ate there a total of three times during this trip. Even for breakfast, this is a great spot only a 5 minute walk from our hotel.

Another good thing is the CVS pharmacy that is right across the street from the hotel. Making the trip more affordable, you can get big bottles of wine to carry with you when you are going to the beach. There is also plenty of snack foods available, which really gave us more time where we didn’t have to reach the hotel room.

ART DECCO DISTRICT

When visiting Miami, it is imperative that you go to eat after dark in the Art Deco District on South Beach. The buildings are just as the name implies and the area makes you feel like you are in Cuba in the 1940s and 50s. Neon palm trees and brightly lit up buildings stretching for miles as you walk freely in a street which is closed off to vehicle traffic. Each building is either a small boutique hotel or a restaurant (or both in 95% of the cases). The nightlife is very busy, even as we were there on a weekday night.

BEACHES

The beaches during the winter months are great in Miami. The weather was overcast, but we still found that bundling up under towels and blankets are worth it to lounge together. I did go in the water and was happy to realize the water temperature in November is still very warm. Do to it being slightly chilly, we didn’t make it to Haulover Beach this time (Nude Beach), but staying clothed right behind our hotel was very worth it. We even found a good pizza place to deliver to our front desk so we can eat pizza on the beach!

ALL “UP’S” NO “DOWNS”

As I have discussed throughout this site, the destination of a a vacation means absolutely nothing. This trip in particular made me smile to see the love of my life having the time of her life. I find myself staring at the smile on her face and asking her over and over again “if her life is better or worse since she met me”, which is me acknowledging that she is beaming with happiness. We could be together in Miami or in a Motel in Kentucky and the outcome would be the same.

All that I ask of those reading this is that they take the time to appreciate every moment of this new phase of life. This is only the beginning, and I hope you are all excited to hear about Europe!

Travel Well…. Live, Laugh, Love!!!