Monday, March 28, 2011

Bayside Marketplace

Bayside Marketplace on Biscayne Blvd is a colorful, bustling, fun place to go in Miami, FL.  It is a great place for tourists and locals to get a feel for Miami and enjoy the natural beauty of the bay.  Bayside is an outdoor mall with many restaurants and tourist attractions.  The mall houses popular shops such as Gap, Bebe, Cache,  Bath and Body Works, Brookstone, Champs, Claire's, Express, Disney Store, Foot Locker, GNC, Guess, Sunglass Hut, Skechers, Perfumania, and more.  There are many local specialty shops as well.  Some of the restaurants at Bayside are: Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Cajun Grill, Fat Tuesday, Hard Rock Cafe, Hooters, Largo Seafood & Grill, Latin American Cafe,  Los Ranchos, Starbucks, The Knife and Tradewinds Bar & Grill.  (For a complete directory of shops, services and restaurants please visit the Bayside Marketplace link above.)
We spent the day in the area because my children had a fundraiser at the American Airlines Arena.  Later we had tickets to attend the Heat basketball game.  We were able to leisurely enjoy Bayside, which we hadn't done in a long time.  Miami is a great place to visit as a tourist.  We have many beautiful sights to enjoy and a huge variety of things to do.
There are several charter boats that leave from Bayside as well as party boats and tours of the celebrity homes in the area.
I recommend any of those activities.  It's always fun to go out on a boat on Biscayne Bay and as a bonus you get a gorgeous view of Miami from the bay.
We dined at the Tradewinds Bar and Grill overlooking the marina.  Although the temperature in Miami is rising and the days are no longer cool, we had a nice breeze in the restaurant terrace.  They can accommodate small or large groups and they have several lounging areas with large, comfy shairs and TVs.  Our meal was okay.  I tasted a friend's tuna appetizer and had a few conch fritters and a bit of my husband's Shrimp Scampi.  The best tasting dish was the Shrimp Scampi.  The ambiance was delightful.  All in all, a very enjoyable experience.  I recommend several visits to Bayside while in Miami.