The Ten Best Things to Do When It's "Cold" in Miami

Ugg boots on the streets of Miami are a good indicator that the temperature has dipped below 70 degrees. If you're like most locals, the recent cold front left you out of sweaters and confused. How else are Miamians supposed to act when they aren't unbearably hot and cranky? For those born and raised in the 305, muttering the words "I'm cold" is an extremely rare occurrence.

But there are a few antidotes to chilly weather in this town. From steamy spa treatments to indoor cycling classes, here are the ten best things to do when it's "cold" in Miami.
1. Drink a cup of hot chocolate at Honeybee Doughnuts. Drop the Swiss Miss, leave Publix, and head to Honeybee Doughnuts for a real cup of hot chocolate. The South Miami craft doughnut shop recently debuted Miami-Dade's first hot chocolate bar. Can we get an amen? Warm up with your own hot chocolate creation and choose from a plethora of toppings, ranging from homemade whipped cream to chocolate chips, cinnamon sticks, cookie dough, and torched marshmallows. 7388 Red Rd., South Miami; 786-773-2770; honeybeedoughnuts.com.
2. Visit Christmas on 10th St. With its never-ending construction and hellish traffic, Brickell would ordinarily be the last place you'd look for some holiday cheer. But Christmas on 10th St., a holiday-themed pop-up bar, has taken over Fado Irish Pub in Mary Brickell Village. If you want to get "LIT (Like a Christmas Tree)" à la Basside and keep warm in the cold, borrow your abuela's most hideous holiday sweater, order yourself a holiday-themed cocktail, and head to the fireplace in the bar's Victorian room. Christmas on 10th St. at Fado Irish Pub, 900 S. Miami Ave., Miami; 786-924-0972; christmason10th.com. Admission is free.
3. Book a cozy spa treatment. All of this dry air is wreaking havoc on your skin. So treat yo'self to a spa appointment. The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne offers the "Path of the Rising Moon" package, which includes a warming orange scrub, a stone massage, and a scalp massage to slough off all your layers of skin that died instantly the moment the temperature dropped into the 60s. You can also hide out in the steam and sauna rooms until you're warm enough to face the outside world again. 455 Grand Bay Dr., Key Biscayne; 305-365-4197; ritzcarlton.com.
4. Take a SoulCycle class. Spend five minutes in this indoor cycling class and you’ll be sure to warm up in no time. The cult fitness company recently opened its third Miami location in Brickell. One 45-minute ride ($30) will leave your body screaming in agony tomorrow. But it's superfun too. You can count on the studios' top-notch instructors to come prepared with excellent music selections ranging from hip-hop to indie rock, pop, and more. That's because instructors are in complete control when it comes to curating their playlists. Each class has a different vibe depending on the instructor's music taste. Music lovers, this workout is for you. Visit soul-cycle.com for locations. A 45-minute ride costs $30. 5. Visit Santa's Enchanted Forest. Just when you thought you finally got the children's voices out of your head, the Santa's Enchanted Forest theme song is back on the airwaves and summoning you to Tropical Park once again. Self-described as the world's largest holiday theme park, this 305 staple is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Whether you've lost all of your cash at the game booths, unsure if your ribs are still intact after a ride on the Himalaya, or have spent 45 minutes looking for your car after a long night, no Miami Christmas is complete without a visit to this winter wonderland. Doing it when the weather's chilly only makes it all the more surreal. Santa's Enchanted Forest at Tropical Park, 7900 Bird Rd., Miami; 305-559-9689; santasenchantedforest.com. Tickets cost $24.30 to $33.64.
6. Institute of Contemporary Art Miami. ICA opened its new permanent location less than a month ago, and if you haven't already gone, you’re truly missing out. The museum boasts over 20,000 square feet of gallery space featuring works from both established and up-and-coming artists. You can dip inside to get out of the cold, and its year-round free entry will surely warm your heart. Don't miss the museum's 15,000-square-foot sculpture garden out back. 61 NE 41st St., Miami; 305-901-5272; icamiami.org. Admission is free.
7. Let South Florida's punks keep you warm at Churchill's Pub. Any given night, you can head to Little Haiti and catch a wild show at this local institution that New Times recently dubbed Miami's Best Rock Club. Leave your inhibitions at the door, grab a pint from the bar, and head straight to the stage for a sweaty good time. Don't forget to take a peek at the new mural on the side of the infamous double-decker bus out front. 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-757-1807; churchillspub.com. Admission prices vary by event.
8. Arcade Odyssey. If you're asking yourself why you'd ever venture to Kendall other than to visit your parents, the answer is simple: Rick Medina's private videogame collection at Arcade Odyssey. New Times named the retro arcade one of the best things to do in Kendall. Scrounge up your quarters, head to the suburbs, and play more than 100 classics, from Pac-Man to pinball. This strip-mall gem is seriously a gamer's paradise, bro, and dedicated players can work up a sweat punching those buttons. Plus, all of those machines running indoors are sure to keep the place toasty. 12045 SW 117th Ave., Miami; 305-253-2722; arcadeodyssey.com. Admission is free. 9. Watch a classic film at Nite Owl Theater. Forget the fancy cineplexes. Gather the family, load up the minivan, and head to the Design District's 35mm-classic movie theater. Playing holiday staples such as Home Alone 2 and A Christmas Story, Night Owl Theater offers a stacked December lineup that will not disappoint. Tickets are affordable, and all the snow onscreen will remind you what real cold weather looks like. 3930 NE Second Ave., #201, Miami; 833-648-3695; niteowltheater.com. Tickets cost $8 to $10.
10. Dine at the Rusty Pelican. While people up North are shoveling snow off their cars, Miamians are busy deciding which waterfront restaurant to choose for dinner. Grab a table outside with a fire pit, order a glass of wine, and witness an epic sunset on the water with incredible views of Key Biscayne. Then snap a few selfies captioned "Winter in Miami is rough" and send them to your snowed-in loved ones. 3201 Rickenbacker Cswy., Key Biscayne; 305-361-3818; therustypelican.com.