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Delano Miami Beach, Miami

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Miami

Updated 1 October 2026 · 14 things to do

Pictured: Delano Miami Beach

Miami is pastel Art Deco hotels, Cuban coffee at a walk-up window, and a beach that never seems to be empty. It's a city that likes to look good and have a good time doing it. But the real Miami is a lot more than the postcard: Latin American culture runs through everything, from the music to the food to the language you hear on the street.

Come for sun and sand, and stay for the neighbourhoods. Little Havana, Wynwood and Coral Gables each have a distinct character, and the Everglades are a surprisingly short drive from the beach. Bring sun cream, comfortable shoes and an appetite.

Don't miss

  1. 1South Beach
  2. 2Ocean Drive and the Art Deco district
  3. 3Wynwood Walls
  4. 4Little Havana
  5. 5Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Miami Beach

The sand, the neon and the architecture that made Miami famous.

  1. South Beach

    Beach

    A colourful lifeguard stand on South Beach
    Photo: Radomianin, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Wide white sand, warm Atlantic water and those candy-coloured lifeguard towers: South Beach is the Miami of the postcards. It's lively all day, with volleyball, rollerbladers and beach bars. For quieter sand, walk north towards Mid-Beach.

  2. Ocean Drive and the Art Deco district

    Neighbourhood

    Ocean Drive in the Miami Beach Art Deco Historic District
    Photo: Robbschultz69, CC BY-SA 4.0

    South Beach's streets hold one of the largest collections of Art Deco buildings anywhere, all pastel curves, porthole windows and neon signs. Walk Ocean Drive, ideally at dusk when the signs flicker on, and the Art Deco Welcome Center can give you background.

    Tip: A guided walk adds a lot to the buildings, which look similar at first glance.

  3. Lincoln Road

    Neighbourhood

    A pedestrianised street of shops, cafés and restaurants running across Miami Beach, good for people-watching and a meal at an outdoor table. It's busy in the evenings, with live music in places.

Art and neighbourhoods

  1. Wynwood Walls

    Neighbourhood

    Murals covering the buildings around the Wynwood Walls plaza
    Photo: Dan Lundberg, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Warehouses turned into one of the best-known outdoor street-art galleries anywhere, covered with giant murals by artists from around the world. The streets around are full of more murals, breweries and cafés, so allow a good half-day.

  2. Little Havana

    Neighbourhood

    The domino park on Calle Ocho in Little Havana
    Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The heart of Miami's Cuban community, centred on Calle Ocho. Order a cafecito at a walk-up window, watch the old men play dominoes in Domino Park, and listen to music spilling out of cafés and cigar shops.

  3. The Design District

    Neighbourhood

    A showcase of luxury shops, public art and architecture, just north of downtown. It's good for window-shopping, with plenty of restaurants to refuel in.

  4. Pérez Art Museum Miami

    Museum

    A modern art museum on Biscayne Bay with hanging gardens and a waterfront terrace. The building is as much a reason to visit as the contemporary art inside.

Gardens, nature and days out

  1. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

    Landmark

    The Italian-style Villa Vizcaya beside Biscayne Bay
    Photo: Averette, CC BY 3.0

    A grand Italian-style villa built in the 1910s on the shore of Biscayne Bay, with formal gardens, fountains and a stone barge in the water. It feels like a slice of Italy dropped into Miami, and it's a calm change from the beach.

  2. The Venetian Pool

    Landmark

    The Venetian Pool in Coral Gables
    Photo: Jesper Rautell Balle, CC BY 3.0

    A 1920s swimming pool in Coral Gables, carved from a coral rock quarry and surrounded by loggias and waterfalls. It's a public pool, which makes swimming here a delightfully unusual experience.

  3. Everglades National Park

    Nature

    An airboat skimming across the Everglades
    Photo: qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0

    A vast wetland of sawgrass, mangroves and slow rivers an hour or so from Miami. Take an airboat or walk the boardwalk trails and look out for birdlife. It's a world away from the beach, and a quiet, wild contrast.

    Tip: Use insect repellent, and go in the cooler, drier months.

  4. Key Biscayne

    Beach

    The Cape Florida Lighthouse in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne
    Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A laid-back island reached by a causeway from downtown. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park has a historic lighthouse, wide beaches and calm water, and it's popular with locals for a quieter beach day.

Eat and drink

  1. Cuban sandwich and cafecito

    Food

    A pressed Cuban sandwich from a Calle Ocho restaurant
    Photo: Todd Van Hoosear, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and gherkin slices on pressed Cuban bread: the lunch of choice. Wash it down with a cafecito, a tiny cup of strong, sweet espresso that wakes you straight up.

  2. Stone crab

    Food

    Florida stone crab claws are a Miami speciality, served chilled with mustard sauce, and Joe's Stone Crab on South Beach is the famous name. The season runs through the cooler months, so check before you go.

  3. Key lime pie

    Food

    A Key lime pie decorated with lime slices
    Photo: Kimberly Vardeman, CC BY 2.0

    Tart, creamy and cool, on a crumbly crust. It's Florida's signature dessert and Miami's seafood restaurants are happy to serve it up.

Where to stay in Miami

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Miami →

Getting around

Miami is spread out, so use ride-hailing or taxis between neighbourhoods and walk within them. South Beach is easy on foot, and free trolleys run in several areas. Hire a car for the Everglades and day trips.

When to go

November to April is the driest and most comfortable season. Summers are hot and humid with afternoon downpours, and hurricane season runs from June to November, so check forecasts and travel plans.

Questions about visiting Miami

What is Miami best known for?
South Beach, its Art Deco hotels, nightlife, Cuban food and culture in Little Havana, and the street art of Wynwood.
How many days do you need in Miami?
Three or four days covers the beach, Art Deco, Wynwood and Little Havana. Add a day for the Everglades or Key Biscayne.
What is there to do in Miami with kids?
Beach days on South Beach and Key Biscayne, an Everglades airboat ride, the Venetian Pool and Vizcaya gardens all go down well with families.
Do you need a car in Miami?
Not for the beach and Wynwood, where taxis and ride-hailing are easy. A car is handy for the Everglades, Key Biscayne and for exploring beyond the main areas.

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