We have collected the top 20 things to do in Miami
Miami is one of the most popular cities in the United States if you are interested in pure entertainment, or just want to go on a relaxing vacation. The city is nown as a hub for beachgoers and those who love aquatic sports and activities. It’s a large seaport as it accommodates some of the world’s largest cruise ships and operations, and is the busiest port in both passenger traffic and cruise lines. If you are interested in this sunny and lovely city, be sure to check out our list of the top 20 best things to do in Miami.
- Little Havana
Little Havana is the symbolic and cultural capital for Cuban-Americans in Miami. This neighborhood is popular for its excellent atmosphere. You can see many festivals and try out local foods for a cheap price, or just listen to the music and see dances. People are pretty welcoming here concerning tourists, so be sure to this important place among the things to do in Miami.
2. Zoo Miami
The Zoo Miami is famous for not only having more than 2000 animals from 500 different species, but for not using cages to keep the animals seperated from the visitors, but moats and other natural barriers. It’s a great place to see interesting animals and the zoo is entertaining for alla
3. Wynwood Walls
This is one of the largest open-air street art installations in the world. The Wynwood Walls are a series of abandoned warehouse walls that were used to give place to artists to revitalize the district. Since its start, more than 50 artists from 16 countries have brought the walls to life, and it has been expanded with gates and other structures. Be sure to check this out if you are interested in a non-traditional “art gallery”.
4. Everglades National Park
The Everglades National Park offers an excellent experience and view into the ecosystem surrounding the city of Miami. The many features of the national park include airboat rides, interactive alligator shows, trails and exhibits about preservation. The airboat ride is an especially good way to see the national park and its wildlife.
5. HistoryMiami
The HistoryMiami is a museum dedicated to the history of the city dating back to its Native American origin. Visitors can see permanent and temporary exhibitions that showcase how the city came to be the way it is, and show Miami’s influence on American pop culture, which is quite significant.
6. Marlins Park
If you enjoy baseball, then you should definitely go to the Marlins Park, a large stadium in Miami. It’s a 37,000-seat stadium with regular food vendors and shops, but there is also a big 700-piece bobblehead museum, which is quite a thing to see. There also numerous other bigger and smaller features, including the retrectable roof, an aquarium and different works of art on the walls.
7. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens was a winter villa of a local businessman, but it now serves as an art gallery. The main attraction for most people is the mansion itself and its gardens, showcasing beautiful flowers and other plants, and a great gardening style. The mansion resembles a mixture of European and American architectural styles.
8. Miami Tower
The Miami Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Miami. It’s an office skyscraper and a well known landmark of the city, but the main feature of the tower is actually the multitude of color schemes it lights itself in during the night. The three tiers were installed with a 1.5 million dollar LED system for much better and quicker transitions. Examples include red, white and green for Christmas, pink for Valentine’s Day, the colors of the USA flag for Independence Day, purple-ish colors for Halloween and so on.
9. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is one of the largest of its kind in the country. It offers a relaxing experience among the very beautiful greenery and tropical plants that the garden consists of. You either take a guided tour through the garden, or just go and explore it for yourself. Either way, the spectacular scenery provides the visitors with a wonderful memory.
10. Bayside Marketplace
Just like its name suggests, the Bayside Marketplace is a seaport mixed with dozens of souvenir shops, food vendors, restaurants and cafés all in one place. If you want to shop in Miami, this is one of the best places for it. Shopping or just eating and relaxing at this place with such a beautiful backrop of the bay is simply amazing. Coming here is advised both during the day and the evening.
11. South Beach
South Beach is quite possible one of the best vacation spots in Miami, and even the whole country. It’s a very lively and long stretch of a beach which is almost always sunny, so it makes an excellent place for having a break, sunbathing, swimming and pretty much anything you can think of when you say “recreation”.
12. Ocean Drive
Of course Miami and South Beach wouldn’t be complete without the Ocean Drive, long and spectacular boulevard going along the beach. The place is famous for it’s countless beautiful art deco buildings, which offer numerous spots to enjoy yourself, including lots of restaurants, bars, hotels and other places centered around entertainment. Walking along this street, both day and night, is something that shouldn’t be missed on the list of top 20 things to do in Miami.
13. Haulover Beach Park
If you are more of the type who enjoys skinny dipping, then the Haulover Beach Park is the place for you. The beach has a strong clothing-optional rule, so it’s quite a place for nudists. Don’t be alarmed when you come here. It’s a place of natural looks, without having to worry about judging people.
14. Lummus Park
Located near the Ocean Drive, Lummus Park is an urban park and a beach-area in Miami. It’s not only famous as the location for numerous scenes of the TV series, Miami Vice, but as a park where people can enjoy different types of sports and other activities, including rollerblades, volleyball, running, bicycles and more. It is also home to the South Beach Triathlon for this very reason.
15. Lincoln Road Mall
The Lincoln Road Mall is a big shopping mall with many different kinds of shops, boutiques and restaurants. This is one of the best places for shopping in Miami, especially if you are more focused on regular and not very upscale shops. After you grab a bite, you can also check the art galleries and the movie theater here if you wish so.
16. Ancient Spanish Monastery
The St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church, or as it is more commonly known, the Ancient Spanish Monastery is quite a hidden gem of Miami, and many people might be surprised about this being in Miami. It was originally built in Spain and used by monks for about 700 years until it was sold to an American business man, who had the monastery disassembled and shipped to the USA, where it was reassembled in Miami. People jokingly called it the “The World’s Largest and Most Expensive Jigsaw Puzzle,” as it involved 36,000-some stones. Now it is used as a tourist attraction and a church.
17. South Pointe Park and Pier
South Pointe Park and Pier is another famous and popular beach and park in Miami. It’s a great place for recreational activities, like different kinds of sports, or taking a stroll or just sitting down on a bench and watching the ships and people go by. People with animals might also want to come here, as there is a whole section for pets. Another great activity here recently has been fishing.
18. Holocaust Memorial
The Holocaust Memorial of Miami is not the only one in the world, but it’s a very strong one. The site features a series of statues, architectural pieces, a garden of meditation and a memorial wall. The main sculpture is of course the most distinct one, as it features dozens of people reaching out for help as they cling to one another, and together, these make up an outstretched arm reaching up to the sky. It’s very disturbing, to say the least, so only come here if you have a strong stomach.
19. Miami Circle
The Miami Circle is a series of 24 holes in a perfect circle cut into the limestone bedrock of a spot in Miami. Believed to be 1800-2000 years old, researchers think it was the work of the Indigenous people of America, possibly the location of some kind of structure. It is now available for tourists to visit, as it has been turned into an attraction.
20. Miami Children’s Museum
Located on a small island between Miami and South Beach, the Miami Children’s Museum is dedicated to the youth as it is full of interactive and fun exhibitions, including a mini bank (for math and finance education), the Castle of Dreams (focused on imagination and inspiration) and the World Music Studio (for karaoke and visiting a recording studio), among many other ones. It’s a great place to take your children if you come with them.
