South Beach

Outdoors on the gorgeous plant-flanked rooftop of the Betsy Hotel, this spa is absolute heaven. Retractable sails shade private cabanas, where treatments that harness the power of pure ingredients and salubrious fruit extracts are performed by skilled aestheticians. The Muse is a thorough detox with antioxidant-infused coconut milk, pore-tightening cucumber toner, and a corrective, glowifying mask made with blueberries and cocoa powder.

Though it’s in close proximity to the glitzy hotels of South Beach, the Surfcomber is unpretentious and relaxed. It’s right on the beach but not super scene-y. The pool is shaded by the surrounding palms and close enough to the waves to catch that essential sea breeze and none of the sand. The décor abandons the all-white concept adopted by so many hotels in the neighborhood and instead goes for bright geometric patterns that complement the Art Deco aesthetic of the property. The surfboards nestled in corners around the lobby and heaped out by the pool are a further nod to the mellow, amiable vibe the Surfcomber is going for.

A hotel, restaurant, and private club imply a scene. However, out-of-towners can barely get in the door given locals have taken all the best seats. Casa Tua—which translates to “your house”—resembles a beautiful, homey Mediterranean villa. The four-poster canopied beds are made up with the silkiest white sheets, and the bathrooms have deep tubs for long soaks after days at the beach. The food is some of the best in the city, and the patio is perennially packed with locals, all diving into bowls of rich, peppery truffle tagliatelle at tables illuminated by the Moroccan lanterns that drop from the surrounding trees. Hang out in the lobby during Art Basel—this is where all the deals go down.

Despite Sweet Liberty's being ranked one of the best bars in the world, locals actually drink here, and tourists, for the most part, do not. The space is a little too big to feel intimate, and the best seats are at the bar. No matter how well-versed you are, you can’t help but be impressed by the selection of premium spirits, and watching the mixologists at work is true theater. Come for happy hour: The drinks are, of course, excellent, and the fresh oysters (under $1 each) go down just as easy. The rest of the bar menu is all tasty, salty bites that pair so well with the drinks—the swordfish tacos with mango pico and Asian-style tater tots with crunchy seaweed and sesame are the standouts.

Planta hits that sweet spot of healthy, sustainable dishes that are flavorful and substantial and look absolutely beautiful. We’re partial the “lox” platter, with its smoky carrots, surprisingly good cashew cheese, and sharp pickles. The banana pancakes are comfort on a plate and the ceviche—in this case, with fresh watermelon, mango, and coconut—is incredibly refreshing. The drinks are reason alone to show up. We love a Kombucha Mojito to start, then suggest moving on to a Charcoal Bourbon Sour (with whipped aquafaba, or chickpea water, instead of egg whites). For dessert, get a side of the especially good (and gluten-free) banoffee pie to share—or not.

This South Beach newcomer, run by an adorable married couple from Maui, specializes in locally sourced organic health food. The menu is full of vegetarian and allergy-friendly dishes, with smoothies and acai bowls in the morning and buckwheat ramen and gluten-free pizza in the afternoon. The décor here is just as light as the food, with walls of subway tiles in the back and dainty patio tables out front—it's exactly the kind of place where you want to meet friends for lunch after a workout.

With a full menu of detox-approved meals for every time of the day (smoothie bowls, salads, soups, juices, you name it) and an order-online setup that makes for easy takeout, Pura Vida is exactly the kind of place we try to keep in our Rolodexes for busy weeks. They now have two locations—South Beach and Edgewater—so you can find them on either side of the Julia Tuttle.

Mister O1 (formerly Visa O1, named for the US visa given to people with extraordinary ability or achievement in their fields) serves Neapolitan-style thin-crust pies at its popular South Beach location. Small, cozy, and usually packed, it's known for a pie with a photogenic star-shaped crust topped with San Marzano sauce, ricotta, Calabrian salami, and fresh basil. Pretty much any pizza from the varied menu is sure to please, though. If you prefer, you can opt for vegan cheese, and there are plenty of salads to choose from for the gluten-averse. There's a location Downtown, too.

The Miami Beach sand is packed down every morning so it’s an ideal surface for a morning jog, walk, or workout (you can actually run around without sinking in and feeling like your calves are on fire). Just off the sand, there’s also a boardwalk pathway for pedestrians and bikers that runs parallel to the water. If you don’t want to rent a bike (or have one), there are conveniently stationed Citi Bike stations that make spontaneous rides easy throughout the day.

JetSet is the only studio in Miami that has Lagree Fitness Megaformers, which are Pilates-like machines that have gained a cult following in recent years. Unlike a lot of Pilates classes, JetSet sessions incorporate a fair amount of cardio with weight training and resistance-based body conditioning. It’s a relentless fifty-minute workout that’s not for the faint of heart—which is probably why it’s so addictive.