This year marks the fifth consecutive year my mom and I have taken a mother-daughter vacation. We decided to venture somewhere a little different than Paradise Island, Bahamas, and Aruba, our go-to spots.

Miami was at the top of our list, as it boasts white sand, warm weather, prime foodie destinations, shopping and the infamous South Beach. We stayed at the St. Regis Bal Harbor Resort Fourth of July weekend, and it far exceeded my expectations. As soon as we arrived we were handed a glass of rosé Champagne, and I think it is safe to say I was already loving Miami. The St. Regis is an elegant oceanfront property with a contemporary style, featuring Art Deco elements. The hotel presents a new level of luxury, providing guests exclusive service with world-class dining, the Remêde Spa, two pools, private cabanas and a pristine, white-sand beach. For the majority of our trip we had excellent weather, besides early morning rain showers, which allowed us to spend time relaxing and rejuvenating at the spa. After our spa treatments, we thought there is no better way to spend a rainy day on vacation than going shopping.

Luckily for us the hotel is directly across from the Bal Harbour Shops, an upscale, open-air shopping mall with exquisite designer boutiques and restaurants. The St. Regis also happens to be a fifteen-minute drive from Aventura Mall, the premier upscale super-regional shopping mall for Miami and Fort Lauderdale. With everything you need in close proximity, my mom and I had a fully packed weekend. South Beach is less than a 10-mile drive from our hotel, so we decided to try some of the neighborhood’s hottest restaurants.

Two restaurants which I particular fancied were OLA and Prime Italian. OLA brings you the essential flavors of Latin America with specialty mojitos and renowned ceviches and empanadas among many other pan-Latin, Spanish and Caribbean dishes, taking you on a gastronomical adventure. Prime Italian is among the four restaurants in Myles Restaurant group — Prime 112, Prime Fish and Big Pink — and originally developed around a one-pound Kobe meatball on top of spaghetti; talk about being stuffed!

The restaurant offers the finest foods, exceedingly large portions and an upscale dining experience. When we sat down, they brought over bread, but it wasn’t your traditional pre-appetizer bread; this was a large warm loaf of bread with cheese oozing from the middle and a side of marinara sauce. We then ordered the bufala mozzarella & heirloom tomatoes salad which was immersed with the right amount of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Just when we thought we were stuffed, out comes our main course on very large plates. My mom ordered the chicken Parmesan with spicy marinara and bufala mozzarella, and I ordered crab-stuffed raviolis topped with lobster meat and caviar. Molto delizioso! To top off our last evening, we walked down Ocean Drive, which was filled with crowded restaurants, bars and live entertainment.

We eventually stopped at The Sugar Factory, one of Miami’s sweet spots, and ordered a Lollipop Passion. It’s one of their signature Sugar Factory drinks, a 60-ounce goblet drink served over dry ice, filled with a mix of melon, coconut and pineapple and garnished with lollipops and candy necklaces. I can’t wait to go back for more!

— Jenna Payesko, advertising and editorial coordinator