Diverse in culture and abundant in natural beauty, Miami is a paradise for travelers seeking authentic experiences without sacrificing luxury.
With that in mind, Acqualina Resort & Spa recently debuted Acqua Experiences, a collection of highly curated lifestyle offerings at the resort and around Miami. Whether your preference is exploring the city’s world-renowned culinary scene or delving into nature, here are the best ways to discover South Florida with our one-of-a-kind Acqua Experiences:
Painting by the Sea with Haena
Surrounded by sun, sand, and sea on Acqualina’s front lawn, unleash your creativity in a painting class led by Miami artist Haena Chen Biton of Painting Picnik. In this free-flowing, abstract painting lesson, Haena will guide you in painting what you feel and not what you are told. Influenced by nature – and Haena’s meditation techniques – you will depart with a beautiful keepsake to remember your time in South Florida.
Location: Acqualina’s Front Lawn
Cost: $35
Duration: 1.5 hours
When: Every Sunday (must book with Concierge 24 hours in advance)
Yacht Cruise with Captain Matt
Lounging on a yacht with a glass of rosé or diving beneath the Atlantic in search of marine life, Miami is the perfect place to spend a day on the water. Captain Matt of The Charter Agency has arranged for a private three-hour cruise exclusively for guests of Acqualina. Captain Matt will drop anchor at a popular sandbar so you and your friends and family can swim, snorkel, or jump on a paddleboard and paddle around the sandbar. Keep your cameras close as you’ll likely see a variety of dolphins, turtles, and local wildlife.
Location: Duffy’s 163rd | 3969 NE 163rd Street, North Miami
Cost: $180 for adults and $150 for children under 12. The yacht experience includes: rosé wine, fruit, light snacks, sodas, and juices. Towels will be provided.
Duration: 3 hours
When: Every Monday (must book with Concierge 24 hours in advance)
Kayaking through Oleta River State Park with Tour Guide Lauren
For guests feeling adventurous and looking to take the scenic route through Florida’s largest urban park, we invite you to partake in private kayak tour of Oleta River State Park led by Lauren, one of the park’s expert lead guides. Your journey will begin as you paddle through the mangroves and head into the calm blue waters of Biscayne Bay. Along the way, Lauren will share interesting facts about Florida’s ecosystem. Once you arrive to Sandspur Island, an hour’s paddle ride away, you can swim, relax, and enjoy a light snack. From here, you’ll paddle through a beautiful mangrove creek before returning to the Outdoor Center.
Location: Oleta River State Park | 3400 NE 163rd St, North Miami Beach
Cost: $45 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under plus 18% service charge. There is a park entrance fee, which is $4 per vehicle with single occupancy or $6 for 2 to 8 people. Ground transportation can be arranged through the hotel’s house car.
Duration: 2 hours
When: Daily at 10 am (must book with Concierge 24 hours in advance)
Scuba Diving with Instructors Alejandro and Dara
Discover the vibrant coral reefs and schools of fish beneath the ocean’s surface by taking a scuba diving course at Acqualina. Certified PADI instructors Alejandro and Dara from Squalo Divers will take you on a fantastic scuba experience and introduce you to an amazingly plentiful marine world in the warm, pristine waters of South Florida.
You can choose from three distinct scuba programs which all begin with a pool session at our resort:
Discover Scuba Diving – Pool Session Only
Ages 8 and up, $99
Swim weightlessly underwater in the safe, shallow confines of our swimming pool. Take underwater photos and get an introduction to some of the fundamental skills of scuba diving under the guidance and supervision of our experienced instructors Alejandro or Dara.
Discover Scuba Diving – Pool Session and Ocean Diving Experience
Ages 10 and up, $225
Are you intrigued with scuba diving? This is the program for you and no previous experience is required. This introductory session includes a pool session followed by a scuba diving experience in the open water. You’ll leave the resort and go diving with your instructor from a boat. Let the diving begin!
PADI Open Water Diver Course
Ages 10 and up, $599.99
You’ll enjoy a scuba diving vacation and receive your PADI certification in just three days. This program begins with class and pool instruction at the resort followed by two days of open water dives. You’ll demonstrate the scuba skills that you learned in the hotel’s pool, view colorful marine life, and practice buoyancy control. Each dive is typically 20 to 40 feet depth range.
Location: Acqualina’s Recreation Pool
Cost: Dependent on the course, please see above (tax not included)
Duration: Dependent on the course, please see above
When: Daily at 11 am (must book with Concierge 24 hours in advance)
Photoshoot with Pipe Yanguas
Relive your time in South Florida even after you return home with eye-catching photography by Pipe Yanguas. An expert photo biographer, Pipe will capture your memories whether on the beach or at your favorite backdrop in Miami. Throughout the natural-light photoshoot, your passions and the things that move you are the focus – from family to art to sailing – and depending on the package you choose, you can opt to take home a photobook of your session as a beautiful keepsake.
Location: Acqualina or around Miami
Cost: Starting from $600
Duration: TBD based on guest preferences
When: Please see concierge for details
Miami Beach Style with stylist Amanda Gutierrez
Cutting-edge fashion abounds in Miami, where the streets are filled with designer boutiques and the beaches play host to waves of stylish sunbathers. For eye-catching coastal style, Amanda Gutierrez is on hand to help you find the perfect beach look. Meet the distinguished Miami stylist at the boutique at Acqualina Spa by ESPA to choose your ideal swimsuit, cover-up, and accessories – then step outside and onto 400 feet of pristine shoreline.
Location: Acqualina Spa by ESPA
Cost: Complimentary
Duration: No time limit
When: By appointment (must book with Acqualina Spa 48 hours in advance)
Wildlife at Acqualina
Although many Acqua Experiences are suitable for children, some are designed especially with young visitors in mind. For a memorable experience for the entire family, join expert animal trainers in Wildlife at Acqualina to interact with an array of exotic animals. You will learn interesting facts about the animals and have the opportunity to take photos together.
Location: AcquaMarine or the Great Lawn
Cost: Complimentary
Duration: 1 hour
When: Select dates throughout the month
Sports Lessons with Oscar
Young athletes of all ages will enjoy sports lessons in soccer, football, basketball, volleyball, and agility either through private lessons or group lessons with Oscar from Miami Fitness. Oscar has been helping kids achieve their fitness goals and teaching them all about the world of sports for over two decades and has been with Acqualina for a decade.
Location: Great Lawn, Basketball Court
Cost: $100 per hour for a private lesson
Duration: 1 hour
When: By appointment (must book with Concierge 24 hours in advance)
The Art of Social Decorum: Etiquette Class for Children with Stacey Mirander
Acqualina is delighted to partner with Stacey Mirander from The Etiquette Consultants to offer hands-on classes for children where they will learn the necessary skills and self-confidence to create a healthy character with classes focused on first impressions and valuable dining skills.
Location: AQ Veranda
Cost: $30 per child
Duration: 1 hour
When: Every Wednesday from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm (must book with Concierge 24 hours in advance)
Spinning with the CEO and Instructor Lindsay
Healthy living is a way of life in Miami, and RedBike spin studio was born, bred, and inspired by the culture of the city – with classes ranging from the all-Latin RumbaRide to the daily synchronized club lights and beats reminiscent of a night out in South Beach.
Join Acqualina’s dynamic CEO Deborah Yager Fleming at the Aventura RedBike for Spinning with the CEO, a complimentary 45-minute class. Full of positive and uplifting music, the cardio experience is high-intensity and rhythm-based for a fun, full-body workout.
Location: RedBike | 18725 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 350
Cost: Complimentary
Duration: 45 minutes
When: Reservations must be made by noon on the day of the class. You’ll leave the hotel promptly at 5:30 pm. Lockers, shoes, and towels will be provided.
A Taste of Miami
From the crème de la crème of Miami’s culinary scene to the best in globally inspired street food, discover the diverse flavors of The Magic City with local food writer Jenny Agress. South Beach, Wynwood, Little Havana, and Miami Beach are just a few of the neighborhoods on your itinerary depending on how you choose to indulge.
In the Top Chefs Tour, taste dishes from nationally acclaimed chefs – each recognized by the James Beard Foundation – and innovative cocktails in four of the city’s highest-rated restaurants. The Miami Cuban Food Tour offers insight into the city’s Cuban culture as only the locals know it, while the Miami Street Food Tour highlights delectable Venezuelan arepas, Mexican tacos, Cuban sandwiches, and more.
Each tour lasts up to 4 hours with a maximum of four guests per tour and includes ground transportation and food and drink samples at each location. Reservations must be made two weeks in advance. For reservations, contact the Concierge.
Story Hour at Acqualina
Upon arriving at Acqualina, you will have already noticed the complimentary bestsellers in your guestroom as part of Acqualina’s innovative Bedside Reading™ program in partnership with Madison & Mulholland™. Now, children can spend even more time immersed in great books with Story Hour, featuring some of the newest and most popular children’s books. After the reading, each child will receive the book to take home.
Location: Please see concierge for details
Cost: Complimentary
Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour
When: Select dates monthly