The best weekend trips from Miami

The best weekend trips from Miami right now

Miami offers beaches, restaurants, nightlife, and a calendar that rarely leaves room for boredom. Still, sometimes the greatest local luxury is leaving town for 48 hours.

Fortunately, we sit in a prime position for weekend escapes. Point the car toward another Florida coast, hop aboard Brightline, or catch a short flight and you can wake up somewhere dramatically different without sacrificing half the trip to getting there. From floating bungalows in Key Largo and Gulf Coast rooftop pools to Appalachian trails and free Smithsonian museums, these destinations make a strong case for packing light and getting out of Dodge.

In the Neighborhood

The Florida Keys

The Overseas Highway remains South Florida’s ultimate choose-your-own-adventure experience. Start in Key Largo with conch fritters and waterfront drinks at Snappers or go off-grid at Stay Ombi, where you can take an eight-minute boat ride to three solar-powered floating bungalows. Farther south, Three Waters Resort & Marina puts guests near the Islamorada Sandbar and serves wood-fired fare at Kindler, while Islander Resort spans 24 acres with bungalows, a private beachfront, and a nine-hole putting course. Grassy Flats Resort & Beach Club brings kiteboarding and wingfoiling to Marathon. Make it to Key West and newcomers such as Hilton Key West Resort & Marina join The Marker Key West Harbor Resort and the colorful Blue Flamingo Resort as worthy bases for a Duval Street detour.

Naples

About two hours west, Naples swaps Atlantic bustle for golden Gulf Coast sunsets. The Perry Hotel Naples overlooks the Cocohatchee River with a marina, two pools, Cantonese-fusion restaurant Tigress, and cocktails at rooftop bar Easy Tiger. For a serious splurge, Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort, stretches along 1,000 feet of shoreline and houses The Sanctuary, a 30,000-square-foot spa, plus sunset sails aboard a Hinckley Picnic Boat. Dinner is the main event at The Merchant Room, helmed by two-time James Beard Award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen.

Orlando

Orlando remains one of Miami’s easiest escapes, particularly with Brightline removing the Turnpike from the equation. Beyond Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, Lake Nona Wave Hotel offers technology-packed rooms, Michelin-recognized dining at Bacán, and Nami, an outdoor sculpture collection. Groups can spread out at Encore Resort at Reunion or Villatel. Outdoorsy travelers can push farther into Lake County for horseback riding and kayaking at Lake Louisa State Park or a swim at Alexander Springs, where a first-magnitude spring pumps millions of gallons of water daily.

Palm Beach County

A quick drive or Brightline ride north can produce several distinct weekends. Boca Raton brings Mizner Park, the Boca Raton Museum of Art, and dining at Louie Bossi’s, with Motek and Boca Brasserie adding fresh reasons to stay for dinner. Farther north, Palm Beach’s hotel scene includes Palm House, where a pink marble lobby bar, secluded Sunset Pool Deck, and Japanese dining await near Worth Avenue. Cross the bridge for West Palm Beach restaurants and nightlife, or book The Boca Raton or The Ray in Delray Beach and build an entire weekend around beaches, galleries, cocktails, and very little highway time.

Port St. Lucie

Less than two hours from Miami, Port St. Lucie now offers something unusual for a Florida road trip: a true all-inclusive stay. Set along the St. Lucie River, Voco Sandpiper All-Inclusive Resort has family-friendly and adults-only pools, complimentary water sports, live entertainment, trivia, and sip-and-paint sessions. A partnership with RPS Academies adds expert-led tennis, pickleball, volleyball, and soccer classes for travelers who prefer a weekend with a little competition mixed in.

Tampa and St. Petersburg

Make this a two-city Gulf Coast weekend. Tampa offers Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (and Iron Gwazi!), while The Tampa Edition brings a rooftop pool, Punch Room cocktails, and Michelin-starred Lilac to Water Street. Across the bay, St. Petersburg adds beaches and arts. SkyBeach Resort combines a marina, private beachfront, live performances at Azibi Stage, and Mediterranean-inspired Luma. Newly opened The Luce on St. Pete Beach has direct Gulf access, 200 rooms and bungalow-style suites, the beach’s largest pool, and coastal fare at Sundrop — all within striking distance of downtown St. Pete’s museums and galleries.

Farther Afield

Asheville, North Carolina

When South Florida’s summer starts resembling the inside of a dishwasher, Asheville offers mountain air and a creative streak. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, hike Pisgah National Forest, explore the River Arts District’s working studios, or follow the Asheville Urban Trail through downtown. Botiwalla handles Indian street-food cravings, while Xico brings wood-fired Mexican cooking to the South Slope district. Biltmore Village Hotel and the cabins at Firelight at Shope Creek provide two very different home bases for a weekend spent trading palm trees for mountain views.

The Bahamas

Few international escapes sit as conveniently close to South Florida as the Bahamas, an archipelago of more than 700 islands and cays with options ranging from quick Bimini trips to resort weekends in Nassau. Rosewood Baha Mar and SLS Baha Mar provide two upscale bases in Nassau, while Resorts World Bimini offers a closer-to-home island getaway and Aztec Airways runs private day trips from Fort Lauderdale to swim with the famous pigs at Big Major Cay and snorkel Thunderball Grotto.

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is built for a weekend centered on food, architecture, and walking off the previous meal. Stay downtown at The Palmetto Hotel or The Ansonborough, then work through shrimp and grits and local seafood at Hank’s Seafood Restaurant before tackling South Carolina’s mustard-based barbecue at Melvin’s. Between meals, browse Ladybird Books, M. Dumas & Sons, and T.D. McMurry, then let the city’s historic streets fill whatever unscheduled time remains.

Mexico

Cancún and Costa Mujeres make an international weekend surprisingly manageable, with nonstop flights from South Florida and resorts designed to keep logistics minimal. Adults can retreat to the all-inclusive TRS Coral Hotel Costa Mujeres, while Moon Palace The Grand Cancun packs expansive pools, dining, and entertainment into one memorable stay. Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort, adds AMAI Beach Club, kids’ and teens’ clubs, and access to treatments at the neighboring Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya Spa.

Washington, D.C.

Few cities offer this much sightseeing without making you frequently reach for a credit card. The Smithsonian museums, Lincoln Memorial, and National Zoo — home to giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao — can fill an entire weekend for free. Newer attractions such as the Go-Go Museum and Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream add fresh options, while Bar Angie, Selva, and Maison Bar à Vin showcase the city’s increasingly ambitious dining scene. Finish with rooftop views at Sly and congratulate yourself for choosing a destination with three airports and plenty of nonstop flights home.