Here's the first of many "In a Day" series posts! Last Sunday, I traveled from Miami Beach to Coconut Grove and made the most of my time there. My goal with this series is to help and inspire you to successfully fill up your day with activities without hurting your wallet. Don't forget to check out both of my galleries down below!



My first destination: Washington Dog Park. After having volunteered at the Mango Festival it was time to meet Miami Beach's most valued citizens... their dogs! Miami Beach's Parks and Recreation Department are celebrating "Let's Get Physical Month" this July, and they kicked off their celebration with a wonderful doggie luau.

With a photo booth, free doggie treats and toys, and leis for pups and their owners, I knew it was to be a great afternoon for those doggies. The first place I hit up was the Litter Sitter table, where they gave out treats in cute containers for my pup back home. I also got a delicious cupcake with their adorable logo decoration. Check out their site! If you're in the Miami Beach area and need a dog sitter, they'll be happy to do it for you. I highly recommend the Litter Sitter and I commend them for their dedication.


The photo booth was a great touch to this event and I hope everyone got the chance to do it! With cute add-ons and funny thought clouds, the photo booth guaranteed the immortalization of this amazing event in those pictures.
One organization that made me really happy with their presence was Miami-Dade County Animal Services. As a high kill shelter, it's refreshing to see that they really care about getting animals off the streets and into new homes. At the doggie luau, they brought along several pups that were occasionally kept in cages, but eventually set free to roam the park. I met many new dogs that were yearning for a new family, and whether they found one or not that day, I was so ecstatic that they were able to get a taste of what a normal day at the park felt like.


I am a huge advocate for animal rights and the hashtag and belief of #adoptdontshop. While it's great that we can (seldom) afford to buy a pure-breed dog, it hurts more to be aware of the perfectly adoptable dogs in shelters that are up for adoption at a much lower and affordable price. It's quite rewarding to know that you'll be giving a home to a dog in need. No dog belongs at a high kill shelter.

If you're ever interested in adopting and meeting your new doggie soulmate, go here for more information.

After an amazing lunch at TGI Fridays ($13) located on Ocean Drive, and visiting the infamous DASH retail store, I decided I'd go and pay a visit to one of Coconut Grove's beautiful and historic hot spots: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.

While there are several ways to get in for free/cheap, I spent $10 on a ticket after receiving the student discount with my student ID. Hey, it was very last minute! After the day was over, I felt satisfied and felt like those $10 were worth it.

How to get into Vizcaya for free/cheap:

• MDPLS Free Museum Passes
• CultureShock Discounted Tix
• Being 5 years or younger