There are many things to do in Miami, but in this article, I will also include a few places to visit near the city.
The distance to these places is small, and you can easily add them to your Miami itinerary.
Miami is not just about gorgeous beaches, stretched along the Atlantic Ocean, clubs, shopping, and sunbeds.
The Florida metropolis has much more to offer, from top museums to natural parks and lots of outdoor activities.
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Where to stay in Miami
I think it’s predictable enough that the main recommended area to stay in Miami is Miami Beach.
The world-famous beach is lined with hotels for all tastes and pockets. I recommend you to use the Booking platform, being the safest from my point of view.
Where to stay in Miami Beach, depending on your budget:
- budget: Generator Miami – swimming pool, Wifi, beachfront, restaurant, bar, very clean
- mid-range: Hotel Breakwater South Beach – private parking, swimming pool, beachfront, bar, fitness center, good breakfast
- luxury: 1 Hotel South Beach – private parking, swimming pool, fitness, delicious breakfast, luxury, spa, beachfront
10 things to do in Miami
1. Visit Vizcaya Museum
Spread over an enormous area of 43 acres, Vizcaya is an Italian Renaissance-style villa.
The villa is located in the middle of the luxurious Coconut Groove neighborhood, one of the best areas in Miami.
It was built in 1916 and belonged to James Deering, an American entrepreneur.
Initially, the purpose of the land was to become a mini-ecosystem that would preserve mangrove swamps and rainforests native to Florida.
But the project evolved into this beautiful construction with 34 rooms. More than 1000 workers participated in this gigantic project.
Surrounded by splendid gardens and a large terrace opening to Biscayne Bay, Vizcaya is one of Miami’s greatest treasures.
The place is so beautiful that couples who want to marry in Miami often use it as a location for their wedding ceremony. In case you are interested, the price for such an event here starts at $ 2000.
Over time, Vizcaya was affected by the hurricanes that hit Florida, but in the end, it was reconditioned and is still looking great.
Therefore, is a wonderful place to add to your Miami itinerary!
Address: 3251 South Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida
What I use every time I travel:
- To book hotels: Booking.com
- To book tours: GetYourGuide.com
10 things to do in Miami | Vizcaya Museum
2. Take a walk on Collins Avenue, one of the best streets in Miami Beach
Collins Avenue is not only one of the main streets in Miami Beach, but it’s also a street close to my heart.
That’s because the first hotel I stayed at when I first visited Miami was on Collins Avenue.
The name of the street hasn’t been randomly chosen. It comes from S. Collin, the man who built the first bridge over Biscayne Bay, in order to connect Miami Beach with Miami.
The bridge was completed in 1913 but replaced in 1925 by the Venetian Causeway.
Collins Avenue is nearly 22 km long and is as vibrant as the neighboring street, Ocean Drive. You will find here lots of Art Deco-style hotels, shops, restaurants, and other tourist attractions.
Some of the most famous hotels on Collins Avenue are Eden Roc, Renaissance Hotel, and Fontainebleau Hotel.
10 things to do in Miami | Collins Avenue
10 things to do in Miami | Art Deco hotel
3. Go to the beach in Crandon Park
A beautiful place and too little explored by tourists who visit Miami, for how much potential it has, is Crandon Park.
It’s located in Key Biscayne and is practically a large area of 600 acres full of parks, coconut trees, and large white-sand beaches. If you’re lucky, you can even spot iguanas and peacocks here.
The beach is divided in two, depending on the activities carried out. The southern part is for people who come here to get tanned and relax or for families with children.
While the northern part is ideal for those who love to surf and practice other water sports because the waves are bigger here.
In terms of scenery, Crandon Park will delight you, no matter where you choose to sit.
Honestly, parking is quite expensive, even for a city like Miami. Therefore, if you want to spend a whole day here, you must be prepared to pay at least $ 30 to leave your car in a safe place.
Is it worth paying that amount to spend a day in Crandon Park? Definitely! I consider it one of the most beautiful places to see in Miami.
Crandon Park is the perfect place for cycling, tennis, golf, kiteboarding, paddleboarding, snorkeling, and even windsurfing.
All the water sports you wanted to practice you can do in this park in Miami.
Address: 6747 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149
10 things to do in Miami | Crandon Park entrance
10 things to do in Miami | Crandon Park beach
4. Go on a boat tour
One of the cool things to do in Miami is going on a boat tour on Biscayne Bay.
You have two options: a one hour and a half tour by boat or a 45-minute tour with the Speedboat.
The first option you let you enjoy music, and, most likely, you will also have a buffet.
It’s a relaxing tour that is worth all the money and is even more beautiful if you opt for the sunset cruise.
The advantage of the Speedboat, on the other hand, is that if you choose this tour, you will go out into the Atlantic Ocean, from where you can admire the Art Deco-style hotels and the skyline of Miami.
In general, all boat tours in Miami will take you through Biscayne Bay and you will have the opportunity to admire the island of celebrities, the homes of millionaires who live in Miami, Hibiscus Island, Sunset Island, Fischer Island, and many more.
The highlight of the tour is Star Island. Some of the celebrities who own properties here are Gloria Estefan, Shaquille O’Neal, Madonna, Thalia, Sylvester Stallone, Lenny Kravitz, Will Smith, etc.
All tours have at least one guide who speaks English, sometimes also a guide who speaks Spanish since it’s the second most spoken language in Florida, respectively Miami.
All of these tours depart from Bayside Marketplace in Downtown Miami.
Address: 401 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
→ book the 1h 30 min boat tour
→ book the 45 min Speedboat tour
10 things to do in Miami | port of Miami
5. Visit Little Havana
If you wanted to visit Cuba, you can “taste” a little of this exotic and controversial country right here, near Miami, in Little Havana.
The largest concentration of Cuban people in Miami lives here. And it comes bundled with everything Cuba has to offer: Cuban coffee, Latin rhythms, famous cigars, and, last but not least, Cuban dishes.
Calle Ocho, the heart of Little Havana, is full of restaurants and shops where you can experience all of the above. Don’t miss Versailles, which is said to be the most famous Cuban restaurant in Little Havana.
You can find out more in a food tour in which to discover the secrets of Cuban dishes. Empanadas filled with picadillo, Mojo Criollo and Ajiaco are just a few of them.
And if you want to discover how Cuban cigars are made, you can have such an experience at Cuba Tobacco Cigar.
Feel the authentic Cuban vibe in Maximo Gomez Park, where local retirees gather and play dominoes. It’s such a cool place!
Little Havana is also known for the early events that take place here: Calle Ocho Festival, Viernes Culturales, and Three Kings Parade.
Little Havana is one of the places to see in Miami, even if you only spend a few days in The Magic City.
→ book a walking tour in Little Havana
READ MORE: 3 weeks East Coast itinerary in the USA
6. Discover the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world
The Art Deco District is one of the best places to visit in Miami.
Surely you’ve heard of Art Deco at least once. It is an architectural style originating in France, which appeared at the beginning of the 20th century.
Subsequently, it quickly became known in the entire world, and nowadays, you can find the largest concentration of such buildings in Miami Beach.
The Art Deco style is distinguished by the buildings with precise geometric shapes and pastel colors.
All this, combined with the green palm trees on Ocean Drive and the blue water of the Atlantic, creates a beautiful image of the Art Deco district.
Here, you can admire over 800 buildings on Ocean Drive, Washington Avenue, and Collins Avenue. All these buildings were built between 1923 and 1943.
If you want to wander these streets in search of the most famous examples of Art Deco hotels, then add to your list: Celino South Beach Hotel, Colony Hotel, Delano South Beach, National Hotel, Raleigh Hotel, Clevelander Hotel, Park Central Hotel, and Beacon South Beach Hotel.
Address: 1001 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139
→ book a tour of the Art Deco District
10 things to do in Miami | Ocean Drive
7. Discover South Beach
At the top of the things to do in Miami or places to visit should be South Beach. A large public beach, located on an island and connected to Miami by several bridges.
South Beach is one of the most popular and populated beaches in Miami.
It’s also a beach loved by celebrities, so you should not be surprised if you meet some of them here.
South Beach, also known as SoBe, has appeared in countless film productions and videos of famous music hits.
Some of these are Scarface, Miami Vice, and The Birdcage.
The wide white sand beach, the colorful lifeguard houses, the palm park, and the Art Deco hotels in the background are the elements that attract millions of tourists annually.
What else do you need to know about South Beach:
- it’s the best place to stay when visiting Miami
- the distances are short, so a car is not a must, especially since parking is very expensive in Miami
- it’s a fairly quiet area during the day and very noisy after dark
- the area is in continuous erosion and is expected to be underwater years from now, so some of the sand is brought from the Caribbean to help combat this phenomenon.
- one of the most beautiful activities you can do here is to book a helicopter tour to see from above all the islands and canals with turquoise water
Best 10 things to do in Miami | Miami Beach
Best 10 things to do in Miami | South Beach
Best 10 things to do in Miami | South Beach
8. One day trip to Key West
Key West must be on your Miami itinerary if you spend at least a few days in the cruise capital.
Located on the last island of the Florida Keys, Key West is the southernmost city in the United States.
To get to Key West, you will have to cross the famous Seven Miles Bridge, with a length of 7 miles/11 km.
Although there is an international airport in Key West, most choose to come here by car or bus because the road is very scenic and well worth the distance.
The most vibrant street in Key West is Duval Street. Here, you will find plenty of restaurants, pubs with live music and eccentric decor, shops of all kinds, and a very active nightlife.
Also, in Key West, you can choose to visit the residence of Ernest Hemingway, one of the most important American novelists of the 20th century.
Of course, the most sought-after places in Key West are the beautiful beaches. Don’t miss Smathers Beach, South Beach, and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park.
Organize your program so that you catch at least one sunset on the beach. In Key West, sunsets seem to enrich their color palette, and that will put a smile on your face.
Also check out a visit to the landmark that marks the fact that Key West is the southernmost point of the continental United States and, why not, stay at the southernmost hotel on the island.
→ book a sunset cruise in Key West
10 things to do in Miami | house in Key West
9. Visit Coral Gables
Coral Gables is a small town south of Miami, a beautiful place with luxurious Mediterranean Revival-style residences and banyan trees that shade the streets even on the hottest summer days.
One of the main attractions of Coral Gables is the Venetian Swimming Pool, one of the most beautiful public swimming pools in the world.
Built-in 1924, the Venetian Pool is almost a century old.
Due to its obvious beauty, with boulevards full of banyan trees, ivy-covered residences, and the fantastic Venetian Pool, Coral Gables is also known as The City Beautiful.
Just as Key West has Duval Street and Little Havana Calle Ocho, so does Coral Gables Miracle Mile, a street that runs through the city center and is a kind of paradise for shoppers.
In addition to those already presented, Coral Gables “boasts” a few other attractions at least as interested and worth visiting.
Put the Alhambra Water Tower, the Lowe Art Museum, Matheson Hammock Park, and the Fairchild Botanical Garden on the list of places to see in Coral Gables.
10 things to do in Miami | Venetian Pool, Coral Gables
10 things to do in Miami | banyan trees, Coral Gables
10 things to do in Miami | Downtown Miami
10 things to do in Miami | Downtown Miami
When is the best time to visit Miami?
The best time of the year to visit Miami is late winter and spring, specifically between January and May.
The temperatures are perfect, hurricanes avoid the city in general during that period, and you will not have too much rain if you choose to go during this period.
