Curated by the Smith Formosa Team
One of the beauties of living in Miami is that you don't have to leave to feel like you are on vacation. Every summer, the city fills with limited-time deals on spa days, restaurant menus, cabanas, and cultural events that make staying home the smarter move. Here's what's worth booking this July and August.
Miami Spa Months: July 1 – August 31
Miami Spa Months returns for its 19th year, and it cuts the price of an escape you'd normally have to travel for. More than 30 participating spas across Miami and Miami Beach are offering treatments at set price tiers of $109, $159, and $199, a savings of up to 40% off regular rates. New this year is a Signature Experiences collection, an elevated tier of treatments at select spas.
Expect everything from CBD-infused massages to marine-based facials to hot stone rituals, many of them paired with pool and beach access at the hotel property. If a spa day has been on your list all year, this is the two-month window to book it.
Full list of participating spas: miamiandbeaches.com/deals/spa-months
Taste of the Gables: July 1 – 31
If you live in or near Coral Gables, this one's for you. Taste of the Gables is the city's annual restaurant month, and this year's lineup is its biggest yet, with more than 75 participating restaurants ranging from Michelin-recognized dining rooms to neighborhood favorites. Expect three-course prix fixe menus, with lunches typically starting around $30 to $35 and dinners in the $45 to $60 range, plus other specials throughout the month.
The lineup spans everything from Coral Gables' Michelin-starred Shingo to steakhouses, gastropubs, and casual spots you've probably driven past a hundred times. It's the easiest excuse to finally try somewhere new, or revisit an old favorite, without leaving your own neighborhood.
Participating restaurants and menus: tastethegables.com
Miami Spice: August 1 – September 30
Right as Taste of the Gables wraps up, Miami Spice picks up the baton across the rest of Miami-Dade. More than 100 restaurants offer three-course, prix fixe menus for two full months, typically $35 for lunch and $45 to $60 for dinner. It's one of the only times of year you can eat at some of the city's most acclaimed kitchens without the usual price tag attached.
Between Taste of the Gables and Miami Spice, locals get nearly three straight months of discounted fine dining. Plan a few reservations early for the restaurants you're most excited about, popular weekend slots fill up fast.
Full participating restaurant list: miamiandbeaches.com/deals/spice-restaurant-months
Cabana Rentals
Skip the flight and rent the umbrella instead. Many of Miami's hotel pools and beach clubs open their cabanas to non-guests through day pass platforms like ResortPass, giving you access to pools, loungers, and sometimes food and drink service for a fraction of what a hotel stay would cost. It's the simplest way to turn an ordinary Saturday into something that feels like a resort trip.
Browse day passes: resortpass.com
Boat Day
Rent a boat for the afternoon and let the city do the rest. Whether it's a few hours cruising Biscayne Bay or a full sunset run, a boat day gives you a totally different view of Miami, one where the skyline becomes the backdrop instead of the destination. Platforms like Viator make it easy to book a charter without owning a boat or knowing a captain.
Browse charters: viator.com
Viernes Culturales in Little Havana
On the last Friday of every month, Calle Ocho closes to traffic for Viernes Culturales, a free, family-friendly celebration of Cuban culture with live music, art galleries, and food vendors lining the street. Even outside of the monthly event, a stroll down Calle Ocho for a cafecito, a Cuban sandwich, and a walk past Domino Park is one of the most authentic ways to spend a Miami afternoon.
More information: viernesculturales.org
A Few More Worth Adding to Your List
- Oleta River State Park. Rent a kayak or paddleboard and wind through mangrove tunnels where manatees and dolphins are a regular sighting. It's one of the few spots in the city where summer heat actually feels manageable, thanks to the shade and the water. floridastateparks.org/oleta-river-state-park
- Free museum days. The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is free to the public on the second Saturday of each month, and the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami in the Design District offers free admission year-round. Both are easy ways to swap the sun for air conditioning without sacrificing a good afternoon. pamm.org/free-second-saturdays | icamiami.org
- Wynwood Walls. A self-guided wander through Miami's outdoor mural museum runs $12 for adults, $5 for kids 6 to 17, and makes for one of the best photo backdrops in the city. thewynwoodwalls.com
The Takeaway
You don't need a passport to feel like you're somewhere else this summer. Between spa deals, two back-to-back restaurant promotions, cabana rentals, boat days, and a calendar full of free cultural events, Miami spends July and August handing locals every reason to stay put and enjoy the city they already call home.
Have a favorite Miami staycation spot we missed? Send it our way, we're always adding to the list.
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The Smith Formosa Team ranks in the top 1.5% of Realtors nationwide and the top 1.5% of agents serving Coral Gables, according to RealTrends. With more than 25 years of combined experience and over $1.25 billion in lifetime sales, the team has helped 2,412 clients buy and sell homes across Miami. The team also brings specialized expertise in estate and inherited home sales, a focus area that has made up 25% of their business over the past 18 months.