And we saved the most fabulous for last, The Fontainebleau in Miami Beach. This place is the ultimate honeymoon destination for couples who want some old-school romance on their trip. Following a recent $1 billion renovation and expansion (yes, that’s with a B) this place oozes golden-age glamour and luxury. Be prepared to pay a grand a night for a suite here. And then live it up.

Located just off the lobby, The Bleau Bar reminded me of Rat-Pack-hotel-meets-21st-century-Vegas. It was as if Old Blue Eye could come strolling up to the bar at any moment. With his iPhone in hand.

Amanda (above) and I were way, way into this place, as well as the extensive cocktail menu. My champagne-and-strawberry concoction was delicious though expensive. The boys weren’t as thrilled. They thought it was cheesy, but that’s exactly why we ladies loved it.

What can I say… I’m a sucker for a light-up floor!? It makes your strappy gold sandals look oh-so-Miami.

The guys may have been underwhelmed with the decor, but Tim did brave The Gaucho (tequila, ginger beer, and jalepeno.) He says, “It was delicious, but I couldn’t drink it. It made my stomach hurt. It defeated me.”

We ventured outside to check out the huge and newly renovated pool area – where Lady Gaga will be ringing in 2010, by the way. The cabanas are top notch with beds and flat screen TVs. Tim loved the LED twinkle lights that lined the bottom of the pool, slowly changing colors.

And so, dear honeymoon readers, the end of Fancy Cocktail Night seems the best place to leave you on this New Year’s Eve. Wishing you a very happy, very fun, and very romantic New Year. Hope you get to kiss someone great at midnight!

(We’ll be back on Jan 4, 2010!)

As I said yesterday, we were thrilled to have some time with Tim’s college friend – and our Best Man – Dan and his wife Amanda while we were in Miami. The four of us decided to have a “fancy drinks on the town” night. It was a great way to catch up with good friends we never get to see often enough.

First stop was The News Lounge at 55th Street Station. Dan and Amanda (below) are big fans of the regular bartender here. It was pretty quiet when we were there early on a Monday night, but there was still a great feel to this open air spot with tables, couches and even two-seater swings. They had old movies from the ’60’s playing on outdoor screens.

The New Times describes this place as “slowly becoming Miami’s hang-out mecca for local artists, musicians, pro skateboarders, writers, and Scrabble players. There is a large dark indoor bar and an even bigger outside seating area. Head to the pool table in the back; it’s perfect.”

The cool thing about all these swank Miami hotels is that you don’t have to be paying to honeymoon to enjoy the vibe. Wander into any of the famous places and soak up the atmosphere. As long as you don’t mind paying 8 bucks for a Corona that is. Above is us posing by the pool at Miami Beach’s The National, our next stop that night.

For more info on Miami’s hot nightlife, check out sites like this and this.

Miami can be an expensive town, and I don’t mean just the cost of cosmetic proceedures. But there’s lots to do that won’t cost you a dime. Here are some suggestions for Floridian budget honeymoon options.

Most obviously there’s the beach. Relatively clean, warm water and soft white sands, Miami’s beaches are as much of a hot spot as the newest club.

There are lots of public beaches within Miami Beach. The most popular is South Beach – also known as Lummus Park Beach – located between 5th and 14th Streets. Moving north, you can check out 21st Street Beach on Collins Avenue, where the boardwalk starts. And then further north, there are more public beaches between 53rd-63rd Street, and between 88th-98th Street. There are also a handful of nude beaches if that’s your idea of a honeymoon. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

You can walk along the boardwalk or shoreline the whole length of Miami Beach. Bring your camera to get some shots of the “psychedelic lifeguard stands” created by well know artists after Hurricane Andrew’s destruction in 1992.

Learn more about Miami’s beaches here.

While you’re wandering, be sure to head a little further south along Miami Beach to South Pointe Park. Lots of people never make it down here, but it’s worth the walk with a great park area and pathways perfect for a stroll or bike ride. Recently revitalized after a two-year, $22 million facelift, this spot has become a destination on its own.

Lincoln Road is a pedestrian mall lined with shops and restaurants. The open air seating offers some cheap eats if you seek them out. You can wander and window shop at the boutiques. Be sure to stop in at Ghirardelli Chocolate to snag some free samples like we did.

Get a feel for the Miami art scene at ArtCenter/ South Florida. Admission is free. You can wander past studio spaces where artists-in-residence are working. Interact and ask them about their work on display. If you’re inspired to buy and can afford it, you’ll be supporting the local arts culture.

We grabbed a meal at The Strand’s sidewalk spot called Cafe Medi. We’d wandered past a dozen other places and sat down here because a table was open.

Our meal was pretty decent and we skipped alcoholic drinks in favor of iced teas. The food was decent and the bill was bit high, but we figured we were paying for the location and oceanfront view. We had a great time.

I was shocked to get home and read the absolutely terrible reviews online. Apparently lots of other tourists were duped by unpriced menus and drink deal switcheroos. So be warned folks! TripAdvisor and Yelp have all the gory details.

We also checked out a much more mellow brunch in the design district. This neighborhood – north of Midtown and a short drive from Miami Beach – is know for its galleries and home furnishing stores. We hit up Buena Vista Bistro on a late Sunday afternoon.

This place is known for it’s “home-made French-International cuisine” and looked great for dinner. Brunch had all of your basics. I chose the french toast, which was simple and delicious. The service was good, with my mug of tea refilled often.

The space has a cool vibe with simple, clean design. The big storefront windows flood the small space with light during the day. Cream colored-walls are adorned with dozens of frames photos and contrasted by the black trim. Huge mirrors and dry erase pens display the menu.

Tim’s omelet was good and the coffee was strong. Most importantly we were fueled up for the rest of our day running around Miami.

Some choose The Delano for its design sense. Others for its South Beach location. But everyone chooses The Delano for its pool. During the day, the lounge chairs and cabanas are the place to see and be seen. At night the pool heats up into one of Miami’s hottest bars.

Celebrities, socialites and decked-out ‘regular’ folk flock to the pool day and night. But catching some rays here doesn’t come cheap. Besides splurging on a room, be prepared to shell out for bottle service in the cabanas.

Just like the all-white guest rooms, the Agua Spa is minimal and modern. Offering the typical spa services, the best part of any treatment is relaxing on the roofdeck when you’re done.

A manicure will run you around $50 and hour-long massages start at $140. You can also get spa services in your pool-side cabana. The spa is open 9 am to 9 pm everyday.

The Delano offers numerous food and drink options, including Blue Sea (it’s sushi spot), the Rose Bar and the Blue Door Terrace (below). Grab lunch and a cocktail here during the day to people-watch and relax.

We also got a peek at the legendary Florida Room bar, designed in collaboration with Lenny Kravitz (below). The place was empty since it was early in the day, but you can imagine this room gets going when packed until the wee hours of the morning.

The Delano is an experience for all five senses. It can also be a hit on the wallet. Tomorrow we’ll check out a funky Miami hotel that’s much more budget-friendly.

As one of Miami Beach’s most famous hotels, The Delano is hallmark of design in the US. The art deco exterior and glamorous lobby make it one of the most glamrous places to stay in the city.

With even the most basic rooms costing over $500 a night, this place doesn’t come cheap. But every square inch of this place will delight design-lover and trend-setters.

Wandering through the Philippe Starck-designed spacious lobby is like walking through a modern art museum – one where you’re allowed to touch. With chairs designed by Antonio Gaudi, Man Ray, and Salvador Dali you can get up close and personal with the furniture (as Tim does below.)

We were lucky enough to get an exclusive tour from the Delano’s staff. The guest room above features an update of Starke’s design by Tim Andreas of Banjo. The room features a king-size bed, down comforter, white floors and black-out shades for late-sleepers.

Other accommodation options at the Delano include poolside bungalows, luxury suites, and of course the penthouse. But we were smitten with this simplicity of this all-white room. It’s like a blank canvas for the honeymoon of your dreams.

We also got to peek at the seriously stocked mini-bar. Not just booze and snacks here, but also an iPod docking-station, spa products and clothing bedazzled with the Delano logo. Does this place look familiar yet? You may remember it from this little gem.

Up next, a look at The Delano’s famous pool and Florida Room bar.

I have to admit it, I have a huge crush on Miami — Miami Beach to be exact. The designer in me is smitten with the art deco feel on every block. The typography of the neon signs on hotels and shops calls out to me. The geometric buildings draw me in, whether they’re recently updated in the poshest style, or crumbling with decades of neglect. My perfect afternoon in this Southern Florida city is wandering around South Beach taking shots of building edges silhouetted against a cloudless blue sky. The mojitos aren’t bad either.

Miami Beach is a perfect option for American couples who don’t want to go too far on their honeymoon. It’s an affordable alternative to the French Riviera and a much closer than Fiji.

With its velvet rope nightclubs, clean beaches, art galleries, gay-friendly vibe, international cuisine and sunny streets, this city has something for every couple, on every budget.

In upcoming posts, I’ll be focusing first on places to stay in Miami and later on what to do and where to eat + drink.

Stick with us this week to discover that Miami is much more than just retired seniors and Grand Theft Auto. Even more than pink flamingos and Vanilla Ice.