The day started off at Sofitel Heathrow with a 6:30 am wake up to allow us to be at the airport in plenty of time. The hotel is in a perfect location as it is a five minute under cover walk to terminal 5.
Heathrow was busy but we were fast-tracked through security once our passport and ESTA had been checked. We went to the British Airways South Lounge for breakfast and an obligatory glass of fizz.
We had to keep an eye on boarding times as it’s a 20 minute transfer on the train to get to gate C, but we arrived in plenty of time for our 10am flight.
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_gb/
Once boarded on the upper deck it was announced that the flight would be longer than normal, due to some head winds of up to 135 mph. Most of the journey was turbulence free but it helped having the comfort of seats that reclined into a bed, and a wonderful air stewardess who couldn’t have been more helpful.
We landed in Miami International Airport at 1510 local time. We’d taken off at 10:35 from London so this meant our flight took nine and a half hours. We managed to get off the plane in record time and US customs and immigration was a breeze.
We took a yellow cab from the airport to Miami South Beach which cost US$55, with a transfer time of approximately 30 minutes.
It was a balmy 25 degrees when we checked in at Hotel Avalon. We dropped our luggage off in the room and headed out. Ocean Drive was buzzing, it has a vibe like no other place I’ve been to.
We went to CJ’s Crab Shack at 600 Ocean Drive, a stone’s throw from our hotel. It’s a place we’d been to during our last visit in 2023. The menu consists of mainly crab dishes with a few other fish and steak options. I went for the crab cake dinner. This was three smallish crab cakes served in their shell, with a cheese and breadcrumb topping. The crab was seasoned with a little spice which was perfect. I went for the veggie accompaniment which was basically a dish of broccoli topped with garlic butter.
The website advertises the restaurant “Where crabs are king” which is definitely the case. A fab place to go.
Once we’d eaten we headed to South Beach. The sun was setting which was a perfect time to go. The moon was just coming up over the horizon so it gave me the chance for a bit of a photo opportunity. We then went to a Mexican bar/restaurant for a margarita before stumbling upon a great bar/club called Mango’s Tropical Cafe.
I felt a bit underdressed in my shorts, well it was Saturday night after all. However we went and sat at the bar for a caipirinha and watched the show from there. There was a central bar that also doubled up as a stage, with another stage at the back of the venue. This is a place where people want to be seen. There were drag queens, dancers, singers and magicians doing card tricks. There were a variety of acts performing, as part of the nightly “Tropigala”. Artists were singing and dancing in mainly the Cuban and Latino style although we also saw a Michael Jackson act and someone singing a bit of Italian opera.
Some people were up and dancing with the performers on the floor where the audience were. Drinks were pricey here but I guess it’s to pay for the entertainment as well as being on a prime site on Ocean Drive. I’d thoroughly recommend this place to anyone for great entertainment.
https://mangos.com/mangos-miami-beach/
After 22 hours of being awake, it was time to head back to the hotel for some much needed shuteye.
jctraveller 
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