Gentrification is leaving no survivors.
I grew up in Miami Beach, Florida and when I was little the area was more commonly referred to as "Little San Juan" or "El Barrio." The neighborhood was known as a Puerto Rican community with families that immigrated from the island or from the Northeast. Since leaving, "El Barrio" has seen a sort of "Williamsburg-effect" and the neighborhood has blossomed into a trendy Miami arts district: Wynwood.
Even in my cousin's adjacent neighborhood "Little Havana," similarly known for its Cuban immigrants, tour buses wiz down the street and wide-eyed European tourists snap photos of the graffiti and in front of the countless cigar shops. The streets of Wynwood are often flooded with tourists posing for Instagram-worthy shots in front of the ever-changing graffiti installations. Afraid of visiting Wynwood and being too #basic? Fear not we're all a little basic when we go because honestly there's just so much to photograph. We've done the dirty work for you and narrowed down the most Instagram-worthy spots.
The feet + quote pic
This one is a staple in Wynwood. The streets are decorated in painted quotes, sayings, and witty one-liners. Passer-bys can't help but stop to snap a photo to show off their favorite quotes and their trendiest kicks
The Wynwood Walls pic
You can't skip this one. Practically the crowning glory of the central Miami neighborhood, the Wynwood Walls are a maze-like exhibition of graffiti installations. Constantly changing, the vibrant big-scale canvases are the perfect backdrop for your next profile picture.
The Salty Donut pic
You won't be able to miss The Salty Donut. Though a small store, it's easily identified by the epic line flowing out of it any given day. Rightfully so. The donut shop boasts some seriously unusual but delicious flavors like this fig treat posted by @foodigasm
The Coyo Taco pic
The perfect predecessor for donuts is tacos in Wynwood! Coyo Taco is specifically the place to nosh on yummy tapas-sized tacos, but not without gramming it first.
The party people pic
Wynwood has tons of amazing spots to party depending on what you fancy. If you love live music, head to Bardot. If you love the energy of a club but the lowkey nature of a bar Wood Tavern is perfect for you. It's rumored that Kanye West has even hung out there. Be sure to snap a pic on their iconic wooden bleachers.
The witty store sign pic
Wynwood is packed with adorable brick + mortar boutiques and with that in 2017 comes with a catchy sign. Text-based photos are perfect to disperse amongst all of those selfies. We found this one outside of a kitchy art gallery and "kawaii" emporium. We love the encouragement here.
Whether you're stopping in Wynwood quick or staying a while, you can get all of the Instagram content you need in just a couple of hours. I basically ate and took photos the entire time I was there. Visiting Wynwood? Share your photos with us @journiest on Instagram and Twitter.