When Work Takes You to Miami: Turning a Business Trip Into a Couples Getaway
One thing about us: if one of us has a work trip somewhere fun, there’s a pretty good chance the other is going to find a way to tag along.
This time, work brought us back to Miami.
Unlike a traditional Umbrella Travels trip, this getaway had a non-negotiable priority: business first. There was a conference to attend, work to get done, and time spent exploring Miami Dade College as part of the purpose of the trip.
But once business was handled? We were absolutely going to squeeze as much Miami—and a little Fort Lauderdale—into the remaining hours as we could.
And that’s exactly what we did.
Where We Stayed: JW Marriott Marquis Miami
Our home base for the trip was the JW Marriott Marquis Miami, which ended up being a great choice for mixing business with a little downtime.
Because so much of the trip revolved around work, we didn’t initially get to take full advantage of everything the hotel offered. We made up for that on our final day.
We spent some time at the rooftop pool, where Yanalis and Danny took great care of us behind the bar. It was the perfect way to slow down after several days of running around.
One thing we’d tell anyone staying here: explore the hotel before you leave.
There are a surprising number of amenities for guests, including the rooftop pool, a basketball court, and other spaces to enjoy. If your schedule allows, build in a few hours to actually enjoy the property you're paying to stay at.
A Quick South Beach Escape
With limited free time, we still couldn't come to Miami and not make our way over to South Beach.
We took a quick trip over for a beach stroll, enjoyed the scenery, and grabbed dinner on the strip.
Was it a full South Beach day? Nope.
Did we need it to be?
Nah...We didn't.
Sometimes a brief walk along the beach with the love of your life is enough.
The Jet Ski Credit That Apparently Wasn't a Credit 😂
First, a little story time:
Now we have to rewind to 2021, before Umbrella Travels even existed.
On our first trip to Miami together, we booked a two-part excursion with Miami Water Sports: parasailing followed by jet skiing.
Parasailing? Completed.
Jet skiing? That's where things went left.
While we were waiting for our turn, a large fight broke out. And we mean BRAWL. Multiple people, blood....THE EMPLOYEES FOUGHT THE CUSTOMERS! As police began arriving, we decided that was our time to leave.
Of course we requested a refund for the portion of the excursion we didn't complete as a serious safety issue occurred, but we were told no refunds, and that we'd have a credit for the jet skis—and that the credit would NEVER expire.
So now...Fast-forward to this last trip to Miami.
We figured, "Perfect! We're finally going to use that jet ski credit."
Yeah...about that.
When we tried to redeem it, we were told they weren't going to honor it as the business had changed owners.
They did give us a free waterproof phone case, though. 😂
We still ended up jet skiing during the trip because we weren't going to let an old excursion dispute stop the fun. But after waiting years to use a credit we were told wouldn't expire only to have it denied, Miami Water Sports definitely did not win us back over. Eff them! And the actual jet skiing wasn't even that fun.
Travel Tip: If a tour operator gives you a future credit, get the terms. Including the amount, expiration policy, and redemption instructions, in writing and save that documentation somewhere you can easily retrieve it later.
Dinner at The River Oyster Bar: 9 (minus 1.5) /10...
Dinner with the coworkers happened at The River Oyster Bar...and the food was GOOD.
We'd give the restaurant a 7.5/10.
Why not a 10?
Well...Our server accidentally dropped a tray of drinks and spilled red wine on both me and my coworker....including her WHITE SHOES. Listen. The food may have been great, but we're deducting a point for that one. 😂...(and another 1/2 point for homegirl white shoes). They didn't even offer us a complimentary drink or dessert or NOTHIN for our troubles...
A Quick Detour to Fort Lauderdale
Since we were already in South Florida, we also made time to head up to Fort Lauderdale to visit a friend. We ate dinner, rode around on golf carts, did a little bar hopping, and simply enjoyed the night.
For dinner, we stopped at Earls Kitchen + Bar on Las Olas.
And this one was real good.
We started with the spicy California rolls before moving on to the Tuscan seared salmon and classic ribeye with scallops for our entrées.
Sometimes the best part of adding an extra city to a trip is simply getting a change of scenery. Miami and Fort Lauderdale offer completely different vibes, but they're close enough that combining the two can work really well when you have the time.
What This Trip Reminded Us About Work Travel
This wasn't our most elaborate trip.
We didn't have a packed itinerary. We didn't try ten restaurants. We didn't spend every day on the beach. We had work to do. But that's kind of the point.
Travel doesn't always have to look like a perfectly planned five- to seven-day vacation to be worthwhile.
A work conference gave us an excuse to get on a plane, revisit Miami, explore somewhere new for business, go jet skiing, spend an evening in Fort Lauderdale, eat some really good food, walk along South Beach, and enjoy a rooftop pool together.
We'll take that.
Because if work is sending one of us somewhere worth visiting, don't be surprised if the other one starts checking flights.
Umbrella Travels rule: Business gotta come first...but we're still going to find the fun. ☂️✈️