Lucy moved to Miami after four years in New York and never looked back. Less anxious, more grounded—her words. The access to big-city energy without sacrificing a walk in the park or a sunrise from her balcony was something she couldn’t find elsewhere. Miami is also, she’ll point out, a much more intimate city than people expect: small enough to run into friends, tight-knit enough to build something real.
What she built is Coffee & Chill, a wellness-forward day party she co-founded that draws over a thousand people on a Sunday morning with cold plunges, great DJs, and zero alcohol. It’s become one of Miami’s more unlikely communities: locals who want to have fun and still feel good at the end of it.
Lucy’s Miami runs on movement, sunshine, and intention. Here’s how she does it.
Access hotel pools, spas, and resort amenities by the day. No overnight stay required.
Browse ResortPassStart moving, then slow down
Lucy’s non-negotiable is a 3 to 6 mile walk in the sunshine with her mini poodle, Mila. From there, the day is already off on the right foot.
A perfect morning includes a hot Pilates class or a session at one of the city’s boutique fitness studios. “This is one of the wellness capitals of the world,” she says, “so it only feels right to start that way.” After that, the agenda loosens: A few hours outside with no plan, soaking up the sun.
Then, by evening, something worth getting dressed up for: a dinner that’s a little indulgent, somewhere with good energy and good food. The wagyu burger at The Joyce on Miami Beach is her hidden gem order, and she mentions it with the conviction of someone who has thought about it more than once.
She books pool and beach time through ResortPass because it gives her access to the best hotel properties in the city without needing to be a guest. “It feels like I’m on vacation in my own city,” she says. Every time she spends a full day at the beach, she has the same thought: why don’t I do this every week? Five years in, it still catches her off guard.
The reset, and the community
When Lucy needs to properly decompress, the answer is The Standard Spa. Co-ed facilities mean she can spend the day with her boyfriend; the amenities cover sauna, steam, and hammam inside, and a pool deck with cold plunge, hot tub, and ocean views outside.
The massages are, in her words, consistently some of the best she’s had in Miami. The gardens, boutique shops, and fireplaces make the whole place feel like its own world. “10/10,” she says, without qualification.
The other side of her Miami is Joia Beach, the most frequented venue for Coffee & Chill events. Sandy beach, tiki huts, right on the ocean. Areas to sit and actually talk, or a beach lounge with a dance floor and a resident DJ if the energy calls for it.
“The Joia team is incredible to work with,” she says. “It feels like our home base.” She started Coffee & Chill after she stopped drinking four years ago and realized she still wanted to dance, still wanted to meet people, still wanted to have a social Sunday. The city’s culture is shifting toward it, she thinks. Locals are looking for something that leaves them feeling better than when they walked in.
Lucy’s picks: Her favorite day pass resorts in Miami
For the beach day: Joia Beach Restaurant & Beach Club
Lucy’s Coffee & Chill home base and the property she points to when someone asks where to bring a group. Situated on Jungle Island with direct waterfront access, Joia Beach has the sandy, tiki-hut, ocean-breeze energy she described: oversized loungers steps from the water, attentive service, and a restaurant serving international flavors with a full cocktail menu. Relaxed enough to actually talk to people, lively enough that you won’t want to leave.
For the quintessential spa reset: The Standard Spa, Miami Beach
The property Lucy named without hesitation when asked where she goes to properly decompress. Set on a private island on Biscayne Bay just minutes from South Beach, The Standard is built around communal bathing traditions from around the world: outdoor infinity pool overlooking the bay, plus a full thermal circuit that includes a Turkish-style hammam, aroma steam room, hemlock sauna, Roman waterfall hot tub, ice room, and arctic plunge. It’s co-ed, which she specifically appreciates, and the whole place has its own self-contained energy that makes it easy to stay longer than planned. Poolside dining at Lido Bayside Grill handles the rest.
For the immersive wellness retreat: Carillon Miami Wellness Resort
Another excellent spa day in Miami. Home to the largest spa on the Eastern Seaboard at 70,000 square feet, Carillon’s Thermal Hydrotherapy Circuit alone covers a Finnish sauna, Crystal Steam Room, Herbal Laconium, Vitality Tub, and Miami’s only igloo with Arctic Mist experience. Two outdoor pools and beach access round it out. Add a treatment and it’s a full day with no agenda required.
For the elevated pool day: The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
A restored 1950s Art Deco landmark on Lincoln Road, right in the heart of Miami Beach, with a heated outdoor pool, private cabanas, and direct beach access. The Ritz-Carlton Spa offers massages and facials highlighting South Florida ingredients, plus spacious saunas and steam rooms. Globally inspired dining from the José Andrés Group is on property when the afternoon calls for something worth sitting down for. The indulgent, attentive day Lucy is describing when she talks about closing out with something boujee.
