The 15 things to do in Miami

Visit Miami: What are the best things to do and see in the Magic City? Discover our selection of incontournables

Miami is in many ways, one of the most attractive cities in the United States. A meeting place for the culturists, a high place of nightlife and a cosmopolitan address, Miami is one of these cities with multiple faces that have everything you need to please everyone: from its gastronomy to its pubs, bars and cafés connected by its fine sand and shops, to its surrounding landscapes.

A seductive and lively metropolis, you will lose yourself in Miami among the nostalgic Cubans of Little Havana, perhaps cross celebrities, stroll through the neighbourhoods to the avant-garde decor. Then get out of the beaten paths and the beautiful cliché of the city: the surroundings of Miami are full of sublime natural sites like the Everglades and The Keys . While you're going to visit Miami for the first time, or you're coming back through nostalgia, here's a (non-exhaustive) list of things to do and see in the nickname "Door of the Americas".

1. Miami Beach

What to do in Miami if it’s starting with one of its symbols? Miami Beach is actually a separate municipality of the city. It is located on an island, connected to the continent by a series of bridges. We know the area for its popular beaches, Collins Avenue , and the Art Deco district with pastel-colored buildings of the 1930s with classical neon signs. Cheap tourist area, Miami Beach has many seaside restaurants, shops, hotels, and many opportunities to sunbathe.

2. Art Deco

The Art Deco district in Miami Beach recalls memories of an era in Florida with its magnificently restored Art Deco buildings of 1930. These historic walls with pastel colors are dressed with luminous neon that, without doubt, make their effect once the night falls.

Visit Miami and go through Art Deco, so stop to stop Espanola Way and become acquainted with its typical character. It is also to discover New World Center (high place of concerts in Miami) and the 650 square meters of the Wallcast wall, a full-length show in the middle of which you can enjoy a meal break in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

3. South Beach

Located at the southern end of Miami Beach, right next to Art Deco, where the arty buildings border the coastline and close the " Vice" , South Beach is a name that speaks all over the world. Top place of celebrities and paparazzis, it’s a bit the place of predilection of the icons of the big screen or scene that live here. By continuing your visit from the Art Deco area on foot or by bike, go by Lincoln Rd , stop for a drink on one of the many terraces before discovering the beach of the places: a popular attraction for locals and tourists in the summer, a pleasant place to walk in the winter.

And then, South Beach hosts the no less known Ocean Drive . Symbol of Miami, famous shooting place, Ocean Drive is a familiar face crossed in many movies like Scarface. If it is very popular with tourists, Ocean Drive still calls for knowledge and for cause, the places are enough for themselves to project you out of time.

4. The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (Vizcaya Museum & Gardens)

The villa Vizcaya is very touristy but nevertheless deserves a visit. Perched directly on the bay of Biscayne, on the south side of Miami, the home decorated in Italian style (formerly owned by the industrial James Deering) plunges you into a time when Miami was dressed in trees, away from its today’s traffic costume.

Built in 1910, and admirably maintained since, the villa of 34 rooms is surrounded by hectares of European-style gardens, where fountains and statues of Antiquity have taken their neighborhood. A jewel in itself! Perhaps the most amazing remains the ornamental dam that is just in the bay. Sculpted in Florida limestone in the shape of an oversized Venetian boat, it is scattered with all kinds of decorative sculptures: without a doubt, it is therefore the ideal spot of the places to capture a sunset.

5. Little Havana

Visiting Miami is also a taste of Cuba’s flavour. Little Havana , it is the neighborhood that makes the pride of the Cubans passing by and for cause, the no less famous Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) and its surroundings testify to the American dream pursued by hundreds of thousands of Cubans who fled to Miami after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.

Here you will find many restaurants and shops, replicas of their ancestors. The Mediterranean-style houses and their flip-flop chairs under the porch, the scented scents of tobacco that float in the cigar shops and the snoring of Latin music of all disc shops offer a simple way to Cuba, as if you were there.

6. Downtown

Miami business district located a few blocks from Little Havana, Downtown Promise... contrast! Central financial position (the first of Florida and the third of the United States), Downtown has all of the business district with its buildings that touch the sky. Divided in two "undertowns" (Downtown and Brickell) by the Miami River, it is renowned for its flagship points such as Watson Island, Virginia Key and the port of Miami where you can walk, go shopping or drink a glass on the terrace.

At nightfall, leave the side Bayside Market Place , Midtown or Biscayne Blvd. Top place of nightlife Downtown is renowned for its bars, discotheques, outdoor concerts and other festive addresses where all styles and budgets can be found: the choice is wide!

7. Wynwood

You're trendy street art and you're wondering what to do in Miami in this sense? Direction Wynwood . A few steps away from Downtown, Wynwood has been talking about him for a while, becoming a fully connected address. Here, the freedom of expression is recounted and reads on the walls through the superb works that decorate the places often signed by the greatest street artists.

Visiting Miami therefore undoubtedly passes through Wynwood, which is no other than a huge field of discovery with multiple treasures: walk, lose yourself, in the mazes of the neighborhood and let yourself be carried by this real open-air museum. Stop in particular on the side Wynwood Walls , site and starting point of the street art tour. And because of this, it is here that the works of Shepard Faire , of Okodart and other large prints of the environment.

8. Design District

Two places, two atmospheres. After Wynwood and a few steps from this one, Design District proposes a universe in its own right, the one who makes the part beautiful to contemporary in all its forms.

Born from a full renaissance, Design District really saw the day after its meeting Craig Robins . The Philanthropist, architect and collector at his time gave a second life to this place until now without great interest, proposing a complete rehabilitation of the buildings, inviting artists and contemporary designers to come to settle there.

Among the acolytes of Craig Robins, luxury stitches like LVMH They also brought their stone to the building with jewellery, watchmaking and haute couture boutiques. And then Design District, it is also the first steps of Art Basel Festival . Today, Design District portrays a splendid and eclectic place that is worth a visit. Visiting Miami is through its discovery and believe it or not: it is breathtaking.

9. Museums in Miami

Many museums are worth visiting in Miami. And it's for every taste! Here is a selection:

• Miami Children’s Museum: here, educational and fun exhibitions will awaken children’s curiosity and creativity. Ideal for families!
• Miami Science Museum: includes a planetarium, an observatory (Weintraub Observatory) and a centre of nature. Again, ideal for the whole family.
• World Erotic Art Museum: very different, it exhibits a private collection that brings together more than 4,000 objects from all ages, from all continents and from all styles.
• Seaquarium
• MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) in North Miami
• Pérez Art Museum that replaced in 2013 Miami Art Museum
• Museums of the Wynwood Art District
• Ernest Hemingway House in Key West, located 207 km southwest of Miami

10. The Everglades

What to do in Miami... outside of Miami? With 1.5 million hectares of marshes, cutting grass meadows and subtropical jungles, the Everglades National Park is one of the most unusual public parks in the United States. Located on the southern tip of Florida, it houses 14 rare and endangered species, including American crocodile, the Florida panther and the Caribbean Latin.

A large part of the park is primitive, only explored by enthusiasts and researchers, but you can visit the park and have the opportunity to hike, camp and canoe. A famous attraction here is board aeroglider to meet the alligators.

11. Florida Keys: Key Biscayne, Bahia Honda and Key West

It is the most courteous archipelago in Florida. With its 1700 islands over a hundred kilometers, Keys offer a paradisiacal parenthesis often compared to the Caribbean. The beauty of the Keys is the place of fullness, fierce cocoons and golden spot. Incontournable to do in Miami, the flagship islands are therefore a parenthesis to combine the time of a day if you discover the closest or a few days to enjoy several of them (count 1 hour minimum, the farthest being located at 5 o’clock). Here are three who will give you a taste of what awaits you:

Key West

At the end of the Lower Keys, Key West made a place of choice in the archipelago. Among the best known and most popular (for the quiet moments, therefore, prefer early morning), it invites first of all to the change, the journey and the sweetness of life. Wooden houses in colonial style, warm colours, small shops, bars and typical restaurants welcome you between two sunsets, in this place which in the end is no longer so far from the dream Cuba.

Key Biscayne

Key Biscayne ("" The Key "for the premises) may not be as beautiful as Miami Beach but its "failure" in appearance is compensated by the serenity that reigns here. The northernmost island of the Florida Keys (which, because of its proximity to Miami, is not really considered an island of the archipelago), Key Biscayne was first an exclusive seaside resort in the 1900s and even attracted American president Richard Nixon in the 1970s, who bought a house here.

Despite the rise in real estate prices, the island has kept a quiet air. With a small nightlife and few shopping places, which mainly attracts visitors is nature: there are pristine beaches, two coastal parks, a bike path and beautiful views of Miami. In the north, Crandon Park has picnic areas and barbecues to spend a day with family, and at the southern end of the island, it is good to swim in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area.

Bahia Honda

Between Middle Keys and Lower Keys, Bahia Honda. A portrait of an island with wild beauty, she is one of those feet on the ground that we would not leave. White sand, azur waters, quiet waves and palm trees invite to this exceptional Paradise where fauna and flora enjoy this beautiful life. Classified as a protected nature reserve, Bahia Honda is accessible by right of entry: count $8 per car if you come by your own means.

12. A boat ride

To enjoy the coast or go explore the islands, what better than a boat ride?

Indeed, rent a boat you will discover the landscape in another way, seen from the waters. Discover the bay of Biscayne through the islands of the stars and their luxurious villas. Otherwise, don’t miss admiring the roofs of Miami at sunset from the broad.

A great experience to live with family or friends to perfect your stay in Miami!

13. Venetian Pool

Visiting Miami the feet in the water, do you think? This large outdoor pool may be the most beautiful in the world in its kind. Venetian Pool Miami is a municipal swimming pool widely inspired by Moroccan and Italian styles. Once a career, it was designed by architects George Merrick and Phineas Paist with Mediterranean buildings, a waterfall and a small Venetian bridge. We can’t deny the charm of the place (except when it’s invaded by tourists) and spend an afternoon swimming and drinking a drink is perfect!

14. One. Miami Heat game

What to do in Miami if it is not attending a basketball game between the walls of the famous American Airlines Arena? A must-see stage of your stay, local sporting religion, the Miami Heat offer a real show for both amateurs and for the wise. With famous scorings, legends of the NBA like Dwayne Wade, the team is one of the best in the league with three championships at its own.

To enjoy it, you will have to visit Miami between late October and early April: during the season, more than 41 games are playing at home then, enjoy it!

15. Other sightseeing ideas in Miami

Visiting Miami is a full-fledged journey that does not lack inspiration. So if after discovering our must-sees you have some time left, or if finally, you stay on your hunger, here are some additional places to note among the must-sees in Miami:

• Miami MetroZoo
• Jungle Island
• Gold Coast Railroad Museum
• Bayside Marketplace Shopping Centre

How to get to Miami?

With a tourist destination status, Miami is a destination with many departures from France. In fact, Miami does not have one but two airports: the Miami International Airport (MIA) a few 9 kilometers away and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), located half an hour north of the MIA. At the start of France, you will have an average of ten hours of flight time, with or without a call depending on the company and the flight you choose. Also be careful when you visit Miami... Prices can explode in high season, so you can book your flight in advance to find it at the best price (especially on our partner’s website and comparator Ulysses .

Take about 40 minutes to reach South Beach from Miami Airport (MIA) with an average traffic, and about 25 minutes to reach the centre (Downtown). A taxi to Downtown costs about $22. There is a shuttle called Metrobus that leaves Miami Airport Station (connected to the airport by an electric train) and takes you to the centre of Miami for $2.25 per trip. Also, the bus (n°150) Miami Beach Airport costs $2.65 and stops along Miami Beach, from the 41st St to the south tip. The SuperShuttle shared minibus costs about $22 to South Beach. Finally, there are some private shuttles for about $15 .

Where to sleep in Miami?

Different neighbourhoods are to be chosen as a priority before booking your accommodation. South Beach, Biscayne Bay, Downtown... if it’s still pretty vague for you, don’t hesitate to read our article to find out in which area to house in Miami . On the side you will find everything, for everyone and for all budgets: hotels, apartments, lofts, youth hostels, houses, villas, boats... Free to you! To benefit from accommodation at the best price in Miami, visit this Compare hotels if you are looking for a hotel in priority, or Airbnb if you are looking for more atypical or simply more independent housing.