Miami to Montreal by Rachel Staggs

I’ve just wrapped up a whirlwind 10 days of travel in North America! It was just what I needed.

Travel is always good medicine. Both of my destinations were brand new for me, which made it even more exciting. Miami to Montreal, with one day in Austin, in between. I LOVED IT!

south beach miami

I planned the South Beach, Miami trip for my husband and I after our disappointing night in Port Aransas.

I get weekly flight deals from Travel Zoo and it’s been quite successful for me over the years. You have to act fast because the deals sell out very quickly.

I saw a great deal on flights to Ft. Lauderdale, which is about a 40 minute drive from South Beach. It was $366 on Southwest for two round-trip tickets. I think one leg was even non-stop. I waited a few hours to confirm with my husband and those flights were gone. I was still able to secure flights on Delta for $425. Taxes included. Flying with Delta would later play out a bit unsuccessfully for us, but we still made it South Beach.

peguin hotel ocean drive south beach

I wasn’t sure if I would like it. I’d heard about the party and club scene and figured everyone would be topless on the beach.

Just like anywhere else, South Beach is what you make it! I fell in love with it. The water is spectacular, the food is great, and the people are friendly. Yes, there is a crazy nightlife scene, but you can avoid it completely if you want to. It’s that simple.

Repacking was an interesting test for me. I’ve never had to repack that fast, bring completely different things, and completely different bags. My toiletries bag was about the only thing I didn’t have to totally reorganize. I took out most of the sunscreen.

Montreal is marvelous! I love Europe and have put a dent in my credit card to get there many times over the past decade. For half the price of a ticket to cross the Atlantic, we can visit this amazing gem, right here in North America.

Marché Bonsecours Montreal

While feeling a bit like I was in Europe, because of the cobblestone streets and architecture, I was able to communicate much easier. Montrealers, for the most part, are adept at speaking English. They are very warm and welcoming. I feel like I could learn French, if I stayed a while.

montreal museum of fine arts

I learned so much about Montreal and will be sharing a series of posts about my experiences there. I had no idea bagels were such a big deal, but they are and now I know why! They are denser, sweeter, and always wood-fired baked. Delicious!

Stay tuned…I’m back.

May your journey be your muse,
Rachel

Wandering Artist

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