Miami is a laid-back beach town during the day and a feverish party town at night. There is a large Latin American population in Miami and you will definitely feel their amazing cultural influences on everyday life in Miami. That being said, there are plenty of things to do in Miami that are interesting, fun, and unique.
These are the seven unmissable things to do in Miami.
Best things to do in Miami
How do these rankings work?
1. Check out Miami Beach
In this beach town, you absolutely got to soak up some rays down on Miami Beach. It doesn’t matter what time of the year you come down to Miami Beach, there’s always a great chance that the sun will be shining and it will be hot.
After you’ve gotten your healthy intake of Vitamin D at the beach, go and explore the area that contains the Art Deco Historic district and some funky early-1900s designed buildings.
2. Little Havana
Little Havana is perhaps the cultural heartbeat of Miami and is where most of the Cubans in Miami live. In this vibrant, Cuban community, restaurants, art galleries, cafes, fill the streets and Cuban citizens go about their lives playing dominoes in the streets as if they were back home in Havana, Cuba.
Come to Little Havana to experience the cultural richness of Cuba right in this energetic community. Swing by Versailles Restaurant and have an espresso with a Cuban cigar.
3. Murals at Wynwood Walls
The murals at Wynwood Walls just might be the coolest thing in Miami and it’s a completely free thing to do. It started off small but has morphed into a colourful, outdoor street art area that now features over 40 murals.
This is the best place for taking some amazing Instagram-worthy photos. Each year, during Art Basel, the walls change and new murals are created.
4. Miami Design District
The Miami Design District is an area with ultra high-end shopping, sleek architecture and art galleries. Museums also adorn this area that are free admission and you’ll also find lots of different and hip murals and statues in and around this district.
This district that blends fashion and art is great for checking out the cool buildings, (window) shopping at some upscale stores, and scoping out the free museums and art galleries in this neighbourhood.
5. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
The Vizcaya Museum & Gardens is a grand villa that has converted into a museum showcasing art dating back to the 15th century. This museum maintains a lot of the original villa charm with much of the vintage furniture still in this museum.
Definitely check out the art in this museum and then make your way out to the bright, lush gardens for some pictures.
6. Explore Everglades National Park
The Everglades National Park stretches out over 1.5 million acres of swampland that is home to 14 endangered species. There are airboat tours that take you around the everglades and stop to encounter an American Crocodile or Florida Panther.
If you come to the Everglades, be prepared to see some unique species on an unforgettable airboat ride.
7. Zoo Miami
Zoo Miami just might be onto something as they are promote a cage-free zoo experience here. This free-range zoo, that showcases over 2,000 animals, allows animals to live in as close to a natural habitat as possible and they come from as far away as Australia and Africa.
If you love wildlife and are intrigued by the concept of a cage-free experience, come to this forward-thinking zoo.
Please note Little Habana is no longer a neighborhood with a predominantly Cuban population and has not been so for a long time. The Cubans have mostly become more affluent and have moved south and west to Kendall, Westchester, Palmetto Bay and Coral Gables to name a few places. Little Habana is now made up mostly of Central American newcomers and there are parts becoming gentrified due to its proximity to Brickell and other near by affluent neighborhoods. What is passed on as Cuban culture is new and tourist oriented, although fun like a lot of things in Miami, Ball and Chain, La Trova, Salao, Azucar Ice Cream.
I especially like Miami Beach and its nightlife. I have visited 3 times in Miami and every time I see the new look of Miami.