Things to do in Miami

With an endless supply of beaches, trendy shopping malls, and a variety of both cultural and historic sites, Miami offers a wealth of attractions. Antique lovers should visit the Vizcaya Villa, built in the Italian Renaissance style in 1916, as well as the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux, the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere. A romantic attraction is the Coral Castle, which was hand-carved by a man as a homage to his unrequited love. Also worth exploring is Jungle Island, which has an exciting array of wildlife, from parrots to crocodiles.

At the Miami Science Museum, sightseers could run into a few aliens, as well as view collections of rare natural history specimens. Travellers can visit the South Miami-Dade Cultural Center for exemplary performances of music, theatre, and dance, and the Wolfsonian Museum to view a collection of art and design, depicting popular culture from 1885 to 1945.

Almost constant sightseeing is made possible by sunny skies and ample public transport, but visitors should avoid hurricane season (June to November) and the crowds of spring break in March. Sightseers should save money and avoid queues with the Go Miami Card.

Miami Science Museum photo

Miami Science Museum

The Miami Science Museum, officially called The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, contains more than 140 exhibits, all designed to be hands-on and interactive. Coupled …

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens photo

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Lovers of antiques will enjoy visiting the magnificent 34-room Vizcaya bayfront villa, which is built in the Italian Renaissance style in 1916. The grand mansion took hundreds of a…

Spanish Monastery photo

Spanish Monastery

Miami boasts the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere, but cannot claim to have actually built it. Dating from 1141, the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux in North Miami B…

Coral Castle photo

Coral Castle

Legend has it that unrequited love led a Latvian immigrant to spend 25 years single-handedly carving a castle out of rock between the Florida Keys and Miami, on the South Dixie Hig…

Everglades National Park photo

Everglades National Park

The vast Everglades National Park that spans the tip of the Florida peninsula lies 35 miles (56km) southwest of Miami, and is a 40-mile-wide (64km) slow-moving river of grass, inte…

Wynwood Walls photo

Wynwood Walls

Once a run-down, industrial district, Wynwood has been revitalised by a group of artists, who in the early 2000s, wanted to enrich their streets through celebrating the unrecognise…

Lincoln Road Mall photo

Lincoln Road Mall

A pedestrian promenade lined with palm trees and colourful art deco buildings, Lincoln Road Mall is a great haunt for locals and foreigners alike. Once called the 'Fifth Avenue of …

The Wolfsonian photo

The Wolfsonian

A vivacious collection of art and design pieces depicting the greatest century of growth and change humanity has ever known (1850 to 1950), the Wolfsonian covers the journey from a…

Jungle Island photo

Jungle Island

Formerly Parrot Jungle, Jungle Island is a new complex offering an exciting array of wildlife from parrots and macaws to crocodiles and penguins. Visitors can witness over 200 parr…

Biscayne National Park photo

Biscayne National Park

The Biscayne National Park can be seen from downtown Miami, but the city and the park offer vastly different experiences for tourists. The coral reefs and tiny islands of this wate…

Crandon Park Beach photo

Crandon Park Beach

Aside from providing a beautiful sample of Florida's famed sand and sea, Crandon Park Beach also has an Amusement Center with a carousel, a roller rink, a splash fountain, and a pl…

Gold Coast Railroad Museum photo

Gold Coast Railroad Museum

Kids will be delighted by the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, which offers train rides, toy trains to play with, and interesting model train exhibits. The museum's railroad car collect…

Miami Children's Museum photo

Miami Children's Museum

The child-sized exhibits at the Miami Children's Museum are both colourful and interactive. Kids can explore the museum's simulated hospital, supermarket, or fire station, playing …

South Beach photo

South Beach

Once known for its high crime rates and 'cocaine cowboys', South Beach is now celebrated for its thriving nightlife, beautiful beach, and art deco architecture. Miami's most popula…

Miami Beaches photo

Miami Beaches

The beaches in Miami are world-famous; some for their stunning scenery, and others for their stunning sunbathers. Crandon Park Beach is perfect for children, thanks to its playgrou…

Little Havana photo

Little Havana

There's no place in Miami where Cuba's influence is more apparent than Little Havana. The historic district just west of Downtown Miami teems with culture, from cigar shops to dist…

Pompano Beach photo

Pompano Beach

Situated midway between Palm Beach and Miami, the holiday resort town of Pompano Beach is the heart of the Gold Coast. Anglers are understandably drawn to the long municipal fishin…