4 Things to do Before You Head to the Beach

The beach is essential for any South Florida vacation. It’s perfect for relaxing solo, or building sandcastles and playing in the water with kids. You should know and prepare for a few things before heading out to a day of sun.

Bring reusable plastic bags. You don’t need to dish out money for a protective mobile case from a souvenir shop. Place your phone, keys, and wallets in reusable sandwich bags to keep moisture and sand away! Use larger gallon-sized bags for wet swimsuits when leaving the beach and to house leaky sunscreen bottles.

Pack several swimsuits and a change of clothes. If you’ll be leaving the beach and heading out somewhere else before going back to your South Florida vacation rental this will keep you comfortable and from walking around in a wet bathing suit all day or night. Before leaving your Florida Keys vacation rentals, consider what activities lay ahead for the day and pack accordingly.

Stock up snacks ahead of time. Even if you are just relaxing, hanging out in the sun all day can zap a lot of your energy, making you extra hungry. Packing snacks will keep you from cutting your beach day short and feeling uncomfortable. Pack fruit and other healthy snacks since junk food can make you feel more tired and won’t keep you full for long.

If you are driving your own vehicle, get a folding shade to protect the interior from the sun. This way, when you’re ready to head home, you’ll come back to a much cooler vehicle and spend less time waiting for the A/C to kick on.

The Best Sunscreens for Your South Florida Vacation

Sunscreen is always a good idea – whether you’re hitting the pool or going for an afternoon walk in the middle of October. Applying sunscreen is especially important at the beach since the sand and water reflect the sun’s rays, and intensifies them, increasing your risk of sunburn (and nothing ruins a beach vacation faster than a bad sunburn!) Even on a cloudy day, the ultraviolet rays from the sun are still present, putting you at risk for sunburn.

UVA and UVB rays are present, and both are responsible for skin damage. UVA rays can break through glass and skin, and often you won’t feel yourself getting a sunburn. This type of radiation damages the skin cell DNA and its tissue. UVB ray’s reach is shorter and can’t get through glass, but it’s responsible for sunburns and can still damage DNA.

There are many sunscreen options out there, but there are a few that are especially great for beachgoers. Broadspectrum sunscreen protects you from both UVA and UVB radiation. Look for bottles labeled as broad-spectrum, UVA/UVB protection, or full-spectrum.

It’s advised that you use an SPF of at least 30, as per the American Academy of Dermatology recommendation. SPF is the measure of how well the sunscreen protects against UVB rays (sunburns). SPF 30 will protect you up to 97%, while an SPF of 100 will protect you 99%.

Waterproof sunscreen at the beach is a must! When you are constantly going in and out of the water, it can break down the sunscreen, causing it to wear off faster. You can find waterproof sunscreen in either 40 minutes or 80 minutes increments, which means it will stay on for that length of time while in the water.

Always remember to pack your sunscreen when going to the beach, and apply it every two hours.

If you’re in need of South Florida vacation rentals or a Florida Keys Vacation Rental visit us online to book your stay with us.

What Makes the Florida Keys Perfect for Vacation

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The Florida Keys, or known to Miami locals as “The Keys,” are tropical islands off the coast of Florida that stretch out for 120 miles, making up the southernmost part of the United States (well, aside from Hawaii, of course!) The Keys have over 1,700 islands with few populated and only 43 connected to mainland Florida by a bridge.

The Keys have great activities for any beachgoer, including fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, boating, sailing, kayaking, eco-tours. Popular destinations that are a must-see are the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Bahia Honda State Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, the Dolphin Research Center, and the National Key Deer Refuge. Not to mention the beautiful white sand beaches that make for the best relaxation or a day of building sandcastles with the kids.

Key Largo is another must-see. It’s the self-proclaimed Dive Capital of the world – you can dive, snorkel, and go on a glass-bottom boat trip all in one place – and it’s only a short trip away from the Everglades National Park.

It’s not just outdoor activities that Key Largo is known for. Did you know that it’s also home to a number of art galleries, a film festival, and two literary museums? Yes, Key Largo has some of the best art you can find in Florida. Enjoy the Key West Film Festival, Morada Way Arts & Cultural District, The Tennessee Williams Museum, and the Hemingway Home and Museum.

The Florida Keys are the perfect place for your next beach getaway. Call us at 786.581.8811 or visit us online to check out our South Florida Vacation Rentals and Florida Keys Vacation Rentals.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Tips for the Best Miami Vacation

It’s no surprise that Miami continues to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. With its beautiful beaches, year-round warm weather, an impressive arts district, and delicious food, it’s the makings of a dream vacation. Before you plan your next vacation to Miami consider these tips.

Brush up on your Spanish! Miami has a large Spanish-speaking community, so chances are you will be spoken to in Spanish. If you don’t know the language – don’t worry. There are many great apps out there, like Duolingo, that can help you pick up key phrases fast!

Miami has its own rail system, Metrorail, but it stops running at midnight. Uber, on the other hand, runs the entire night! You can be sure you will get from point A to point B safely after a night on the town.

While Miami Beach is the most famous attraction in Miami, it isn’t the only one. Virginia key beach is just as beautiful and has less of a crowd. Crandon Park, located on Key Biscayne, is full of family-friendly fun and loads of water sports.

Miami is one of the best vacation spots in the country. Book your next vacation here for a trip full of new experiences and tons of fun!


This update is by SoFLA Vacations. We are a South Florida vacation rentals company, and we have lived the unique South Florida experience our entire lives. Our commitment is to make your vacation or business trip to Greater Miami or the Florida Keys special, affordable, and unforgettable. In addition to vacation rentals, we also offer property management, sales, and marketing services to vacation rental property owners. For more information on South Florida vacation rental properties including Downtown Miami vacation rentals, please call 786-347-3180.

Florida’s Elevated Tourism Experiences

People are gradually looking forward to the day that they will fly again after being trapped at home for more than a year. They try to make the most of their holidays by including exceptional adventures that are often part of people’s bucket lists. Maybe that means going to the pool or swimming with sea dwellers. Or paddling seas that shimmer spontaneously at night due to the existence of such microorganisms.

Florida had a decade of record-breaking tourism previous to the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 100 million visitors per year from 2015 to 2019, and not all of them were seeking theme park thrills. Because of Florida’s natural setting and tourism-rich climate, it is home to a diverse range of destinations where tourists can partake in one-of-a-kind activities. Florida is turning into a hotbed for a new travel movement regarded as “experiential tourism,” which encourages tourists to check out exclusive and/or adventurous opportunities for a more enjoyable Sunshine State holiday. With so many South Florida vacation rentals available, options are virtually boundless.

The omnipresence of social media and how people utilize it to share their exciting travel experiences has changed the way travel and tourism businesses advertise themselves and what they have to sell. Tourists use photo-sharing applications like Instagram to catch unforgettable memories from their journeys. Travel is becoming not so much the journey and more about the journey’s narrative.

Beaches, diving, and kayaking account for a large portion of Florida’s tourism. All of these items are adventures in and of themselves, but they’re still very photogenic and shareable on social media. Kayak tours, though, are not for everyone.

Others, on the other hand, enjoy louder adventures with a greater degree of thrill. Traveling through wetlands and swamps may entail a trip on an airboat, which are fast and noisy vessels that transport passengers through natural Florida environments with few signs of growth.

South Florida Magazine Publishes Staycation Guide

We are all about catering to tourists and helping them enjoy the South Florida experience to the max, but we also know that plenty of reasons exist to enjoy a good staycation, especially in South Florida. The popular Ocean Drive magazine recently provided a guide to the “ultimate Miami staycation”. Let’s explore some of the highlights that made the guide.

We’ll kick things off in the Brickell and downtown area of Miami. Seaspice is one of the places mentioned. Overlooking the Miami River, this place is open Tuesday through Friday for happy hour from 5 pm to 7 pm. Bring along a friend or loved one and toast to life or anything you may find toast-worthy while enjoying the beautiful vistas.

Also making the list is a longtime local favorite: Vizcaya Museum and Garden. This historic landmark features the beautiful mansion itself and over forty lush acres of impeccably maintained gardens that are absolutely picturesque and will likely have you snapping multiple selfies.

Let’s move on to Miami Beach. If you’re looking for some live performance art, the Faena Theater emulates the feel of an opera house in Europe and often features shows centered around cabaret performances.

After you’ve visited the Faena Theater, grab some Korean grub at Drunken Dragon or key lime pie at the South Beach staple Joe’s Stone Crab. The latter has desserts and its stone cab is a must-have if you have a seafood palate.

Whether it’s a staycation or vacation, we can help you find the right South Florida vacation rentals. Should you need something more specialized, we also offer Miami Beach vacation rentals.

Florida Spring Break Continues to Be Popular

As more people receive the vaccine, travel has begun to see adoption again, including Spring Break vacations. With its gorgeous beaches and countless recreational opportunities, it’s no surprise that Florida remains a popular Spring Break and year-round vacation destination.

Air travel is now increasing in popularity. The Transportation Safety Administration announced earlier this month that it screened over one million passengers at airports, the largest number of people screened in a single day since early March last year. However, analysts in the airline industry claim that this only reflects about sixty percent of the pre-pandemic volume.

Although figures suggest people are becoming more familiar with flying, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to warn against unnecessary flight, including for those who have been vaccinated.

Road trips are also an excellent option for spring break and some other travel this year. Some people may expect to use their stimulus checks to go on holidays, which will be good news for Florida’s tourism industry. Road trips also provide a way of traveling without the risk of being near others for an extended period.

Remember that we have a host of South Florida vacation rentals available for those wishing to experience South Florida during the spring or the upcoming summer season. We can help guide you on some of the hottest (no pun intended) places to relax and unwind like Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Fort Lauderdale, Downtown Miami vacation rentalsand more. We also offer a medical tourism package for those wishing to visit South Florida for health or cosmetic procedures.

Check Out These Florida Beaches

If the recent temperatures have been any indication, beach season has largely marked its arrival. With spring break looming on the horizon and warm weather predicted for the next few months, we figured now would be a nice time to share some notable beaches in “The Sunshine State” of Florida worth visiting as you explore South Florida vacation rentals. Plus, relaxing with a beach towel provides a great way to social distance and soak in some vitamin D.

We’ll begin with Delray Beach. It is one of the few cities in the United States with a downtown found directly on the water, giving visitors the best of all worlds: gorgeous beaches and the cerulean Atlantic Avenue, which has an almost infinite number of places to shop, dine, and drink. Every year, more than three million people head to the beach, yet Delray doesn’t succumb to the common overcrowdedness found at other beaches. Delray Municipal Beach is mere miles to the east of I-95 and it remains a highly accessible experience.

Just two hours or so north of Miami is Sebastian Inlet State Park, comprising more than three miles and spanning thousands of acres. It’s gained a reputation for being a surfing and fishing hotspot, attracting people from all around the world looking for big waves and a big catch. Whether you prefer to sunbathe, snorkel, swim, or even go beachcombing, there is something for everyone here. Best of all, there is even camping available so that you’re never too far from the ocean.

Sanibel Beach is northwest of Miami and is known for being one of the top places in the country for shelling. Its location means you’ll feel like you’re in an isolated area soaking in the sunshine.

Should you have any questions about finding property such as Florida Keys vacation rentals, we’re here to help.

South Florida Doctors: Let’s Partner Up

We previously announced our SoFLA Vacations health-minded travel package aimed at those looking to visit sunny South Florida for medical tourism. We’d like to take this blog opportunity to reach out to doctors and local South Florida practices that may be looking to provide their services to such tourists and generate business. This may present a fantastic opportunity to significantly boost referrals and exposure.

As a reminder, the travel package provides all-inclusive rooms or condominium units, transfers to and from all medical appointments and procedures, a wheelchair and/or walker, grocery and/or frozen meal service, and bedding sheet and liner packs. Health visits by healthcare providers and local practices also comprise part of the travel package, which may be a great way for those in the healthcare or plastic surgery industries to improve referrals and raise business during the pandemic.

Medical tourism provides a great way to get whatever work you may need done while enjoying the experience of new surroundings. South Florida is already recognized for being one of the top tourism destinations in the southeastern United States.

The travel package is a convenient choice for those who would rather focus on their procedure and recovery rather than on the specifics. Doctors or practices interested in partnering with SoFLA Vacations to offer their services or skills are encouraged to contact the company.

Remember that even if you don’t need medical procedures, we offer plenty of South Florida vacation rentals in cities like Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and more. Should you be in search of a summer vacation property, we encourage you to contact us to find out what is currently available. Alternatively, you can check out the properties on our website and book a stay directly at places like the BeachWalk Resort and the historic La Finca, to name a few.

Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale Are Ready for Spring Break

With the upcoming arrival of spring break, many people will likely be descending upon South Florida to enjoy the warm weather, the beaches, and a potentially much-needed vacation. With the various circumstances going on, however, cities like Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale are both implementing rules and safety guidelines so that all “spring breakers” can enjoy the experience as safely as possible.

In Fort Lauderdale, for example, the ultra-popular A1A that runs parallel to the beach is undergoing some changes. For starters, ridesharing will be prohibited and anyone caught violating this risks receiving a citation. Instead, there will be a designated pickup and drop-off area set to be located at Las Olas Oceanside Park, itself located at 3000 East Las Olas Boulevard. Barricades will also be used to encourage social distancing.

Over in Miami Beach, the beach will be accessible from 7 am to 7 pm and there will be no coolers, inflatables, alcohol, tents, or tables permitted on the beach. All sidewalk cafes must close by midnight. Furthermore, after 10 p.m., all box liquor sales will end across the entire city.

If you’d like to spend spring break or the upcoming summer in South Florida, we’re ready to help you enjoy a perfect vacation. Contact us today.

This update is by SoFLA Vacations. We are a South Florida vacation rentals company, and we have lived the unique South Florida experience our entire lives. Our commitment is to make your vacation or business trip to Greater Miami or the Florida Keys special, affordable, and unforgettable. In addition to vacation rentals, we also offer property management, sales, and marketing services to vacation rental property owners. For more information on South Florida vacation rental properties, including Miami Beach vacation rentals, please call 786-545-2204.