Things to do in Downtown Miami

By Sarah Harris
Published: July 18, 2024
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Downtown Miami

Set along the southeastern coastline, Miami is a sprawling tourist hub drawing in millions of visitors each year – and with good reason. At its core, downtown is a modern and culturally-rich area perfect for exploring on foot. Interesting activities to do here run the gamut – known particularly for its wealth of fantastic galleries, theaters, event venues and more, you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing great things to do here. Still, daunted by the prospect of figuring out the best things to do in downtown Miami? Don’t worry – we've done all the research for you! So, grab a notepad and get ready to jot some things down. We promise that you won’t regret it.

Find Fun Activities

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Lively and bursting with culture, downtown is one of the best places for getting in touch with the local art scene. There are countless fantastic galleries in this area of the city, but our favorite has got to be Pérez Art Museum for its unique and well-established collection of 20th- and 21st-century art. The institute’s small but carefully considered collection features around 2000 works from the Americas, Western Europe and Africa. Walking around the institute, you’ll be able to view seminal pieces from many recognizable names, including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Christo and Jean-Claude. Make sure to stop by the gift shop, where you’ll find great homewares, stationery and posters to bring home with you. A fantastic stop for all art lovers, we love this spot because it’s impossible to leave without having learned something new.

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Those who are travelling with family might be looking for great stops to please the kids. Downtown Miami is filled with some fantastic crowd-pleasers, but none are quite greater than Bayside Marketplace. Much more than just a mall, this enormous entertainment complex has pretty much everything you could ask for all in one space. For shopping addicts, there are of course countless stores ranging from popular high-street brands to designer boutiques. In addition, this place veers off from the typical mall experience, but in a totally great way with live music and events each day. If you’re looking for something a little more relaxed, you’ll be able to kick back and chill at some of its many waterside cafes and restaurants out by the marina. Perfect for those travelling in groups, this place has a lot to give.

Learn Something New

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Though downtown is known as Miami’s financial district, it has much to offer for sightseers. For those looking to incorporate learning into their vacation experience, we recommend heading over to the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum, which is well-recognized for its broad range of engaging and educational exhibits. This place has both a planetarium and aquarium, so you know that there’s a whole lot to see and do here. The institute’s exhibitions cover everything from the Ice Age and dinosaurs to the future of scientific discovery. In addition, this place has special family workshops and mini-me science sessions, making it a great place to take the kids. As fun as it is fascinating, the museum works to provide an exciting educational experience for those of all ages.

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Some of the best trips include a day or more spent in the halls of a museum. There are many great cultural institutions in downtown Miami, but if you’re looking to learn more about the background of the area, the HistoryMiami Museum is the place to be. The institute is the largest history museum in the state of Florida, and one of the most popular visitor attractions in this part of town. Upon entrance, visitors can learn about the city’s fascinating origins, going back over 12,000 years. Within the institute’s expansive collection, you can see photographs, paintings, artefacts and artwork showcasing the development of the city. There’s truly no better place for travellers interested in social and archaeological growth.

Soak Up the Sun

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Seated along the southeastern coastline, Miami is well-recognized for its year-round beautiful weather and lush greenery. If you’re looking to take advantage of the city’s wonderful natural attributes, look no further than Virginia Key Outdoor Center. Kayak your way through a secluded tropical lagoon. Get up close with a real-life manatee. Or simply rent a bike and explore downtown on your own. This place offers a wide array of options as well as lessons for beginners, so don’t worry if you’re not quite the sporty type. We recommend that if you’re planning to try your hand at something sporty in Miami, take a lot of water and sunscreen to keep comfortable and hydrated. Great for all nature lovers, this place works to highlight the intrinsic beauty of the area whilst getting our adrenaline pumping!

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One of the biggest draws of the Miami area is its beach scene. The city boasts countless wonderful seaside attractions to be explored, but if we’re talking about those specifically in the downtown district, then Hobie Island Beach Park is a total winner. Whilst you won’t quite be able to sprawl out on a lounge chair with a podcast here, this spot is perfect for a breath of fresh air and soaking up the sun. The park also grants spectacular views of downtown skyscrapers across the bay – perfect for taking some fun vacation snaps! If you’re looking to get active, you’ll find that surfing, windsurfing, paddleboarding and boating are all popular activities here. We recommend taking some time to explore the surrounding area, since there are plenty of stores, restaurants and bars to be enjoyed.

Miami is a city that urbanites and nature lovers can both appreciate. Downtown has an authentic cultural buzz that you won’t find in any other district. With a vibrant mix of the old and the new, this exciting walkable neighborhood is perfect for spending time with friends and family. Whether you’re a history buff, a shopping addict, or an outdoorsy type, you’re sure to find something to pique your interest. Explore the city to its full potential with GoCity’s All-Inclusive Pass or Explorer Pass. If you’d like to know more, connect with us on Instagram and Facebook. With Go City, you can see more, for less.

Sarah Harris
Go City Travel Expert

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Miami in June

There are countless reasons to visit Miami in the summertime. A quintessential Floridian beach city, the area is characterized by its palm-fringed shores, gentle surf and year-round beautiful weather. Still, this place is no one-trick pony. More than 20 million people visit Miami each year, and they all go for something different. For nature lovers, Miami has some of the best botanical and zoological gardens in the United States. If art and culture is what you’re after, you’ll be spoilt for choice with fantastic cultural amenities and architectural sites. After dark, the city comes alive with waterside cocktail bars and rooftop hotspots to be enjoyed. Trust us when we say that the only problem you’ll run into when deciding on fun things to do in Miami is narrowing down your options. So, grab your sunscreen and comfiest walking shoes and get ready to jot some things down! However you choose to enjoy your time in Miami, we’re sure it’ll be just great! See the Sites It’s summertime and you’re in Miami. So, what do you do? Go, to the beach, of course! Stretching for 3 miles offshore of the city, South Beach’s white-sand shores and turquoise waters are famed as some of the area’s most beautiful. If it all seems a little too familiar to you, it’s because this particular outdoor attraction has appeared on just about every movie and TV show set in Miami. Amongst the various things to do here, you’ll find that surfing, longboarding, paddle boarding and sailing are all popular activities. If you’re looking to just relax on the beach, you’ll be able to rent seats and umbrellas and just watch the world pass you by. As one of Miami's most popular tourist attractions, the area surrounding the beach is pretty interesting to explore – we suggest taking a stroll to enjoy the unique Art Deco architecture and fantastic eateries. We also recommend sticking around after dark to experience a taste of South Beach’s legendary nightlife. A quintessential Miami attraction, this one is a total must-see. No matter what your age, seeing animals up close is always a captivating experience. As fascinating as it is fun, Jungle Island offers the chance for you to see and learn about animals from all over the globe in one place. Founded in 1936, Jungle Island is known for being one of the oldest tourist attractions in the Miami area. Walking through the park, you’ll be able to view around 3000 animals, with over 1000 varieties of parrots. Highlights include king vultures, African penguins, alligator snapping turtles, lemurs and more. For those who interact with the animals, this place offers experiences to satisfy this need, including animal feedings and a petting zoo. You'll also catch tours, keeper talks, and educational presentations throughout the park daily. In addition, there are cafes, stores, kid’s playgrounds (and even a waterpark!) to be enjoyed. Combining the beauty of Miami’s tropical landscape with rare and exotic animals, this place provides a fantastic educational experience to remember. Find Interesting Activities If you’re looking to get in touch with Mother Nature, there’s no better place to be than Miami. Aside from its beautiful beaches, the area is home to some wonderful botanical gardens thanks to its unique ecosystem and wonderful weather. Standing out for its expansive collection of rare and exotic plants, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is one of the most interesting parks of its kind to visit in the United States. Covering over 83 acres, this quiet and serene green space showcases much of avid plant explorer David Fairchild’s discoveries which he brought back from his travels. Walking through the park, you’ll be able to enjoy carefully planted flower beds, shrubs, vines, trees, and much more. This landscape is also home to the largest palm collection in America, with over 500 species to see. A treasure trove of natural beauty and wonder, this spot is perfect for those looking for a relaxing way to enjoy the area. Don’t forget to take your phone for this one, since you’ll definitely want to capture some snaps of this outstanding excursion. Though Miami is perhaps best known for its great beaches and tropical greenery, there’s a lot to see here for all types of travellers. Anybody looking for art and culture in the area will be pleasantly surprised by the city’s unique offerings. A peculiar achievement defying all laws of physics, Coral Castle is most certainly one of the city’s most distinctive attractions. Carved out of 1, 100 tons of megalithic stone in a time when no modern construction advances were available, the structure is most notable for the questions it brings up. Over the years, this piece has even become subject to many conspiracy theories, which postulate that the artist might have used reverse magnetism or supernatural abilities to make it. Whatever the case, the final result is well worth the visit for its incredible handiwork alone. Fascinating and beautiful, this unusual work of art tells the artist’s story whilst retaining a little mystery. Relax! June marks the beginning of hurricane season in Florida, making it pretty hot and humid throughout the month. Still, if you’re looking to beat the heat, don’t worry – we've got you covered! Great for those days when you just want to take it easy, the Venetian Pool is the perfect place for spending time with friends and family. Built into an old coral rock quarry and opened to the public in 1924, the pool has been a long-time favorite for visitors and locals alike. Filled with an impressive 820, 000 gallons of water from artesian wells, this is the largest freshwater pool in the United States. The pool starts at four feet, going deeper as you move further on, and there is a two-foot kiddie pool with a lifeguard station for little ones – so nobody is left out! The end wall has a grand waterfall, where you can feel the rush of fresh water over your face. If you’re not much of a swimmer, you’ll find a great sunning area where you can kick back and soak up those summer vibes. Fun, laid-back, and unique too, this place kind of has it all. There’s nothing quite like Miami in the summertime. With a fantastic blend of nature and urban attractions, this place truly has it all. And now, you don’t have to miss out – with our All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass, you can find an exhaustive array of things to do, for cheaper. If you’d like to know more, connect with us on Instagram and Facebook. With Go City, you can see more, for less.
Sarah Harris
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Miami in May

These days, visitors are downright spoiled with things to do in Miami. As one of the most popular tourist hotspots in America, the city continues to surprise us with new attractions and events cropping up each day. Spring is a great time to visit, since the weather should be warm enough to enjoy all of the area’s fantastic outdoor attractions without being too hot to function. Enjoy the natural beauty of the area at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Have a blast at Zoo Miami. Or simply explore the boardwalk at South Beach. No matter where your interests may lie, you’re sure to find something to suit your style. If you‘re not quite sure where to start, we’re here to help! Use our guide as a starting point to plan your perfect vacation. No matter how you choose to enjoy the Magic City, we’re sure it’ll be great. See the Sites With lots of sunshine and little rainfall, May is great for spending time outdoors. Those looking to learn more about the background of the city might enjoy Coral Castle for its unique history. Built single-handedly over the course of 28 years, this mysterious sculpture garden is perhaps best known for the questions that it brings up. Constructed out of 1, 100 tons of oolite limestone in a time when no modern construction advances were available, the piece is somewhat of an anomaly. Walking around the site, there’s no doubt you’ll be mind-blown by the intricately hand-carved pieces telling the story of artist Edward Leedskalnin’s heartbreak. A mysterious mindbender and true testament to the artist's innovation, Coral Castle is an attraction quite like no other. Undoubtedly one-of-a-kind, this place is a total must-see for any first-time visitor to the Miami area. Looking to discover a different side of the city? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Standing out as the oldest building in Miami by a long shot, the Ancient Spanish Monastery is a total treat for architecture buffs and history aficionados alike. Parts of the structure date as far back as 1133 AD, long before America was even established. Apparently, the monastery was originally built in northern Spain around this time, but later bought, shipped to New York, and dismantled stone by stone. In 1953, two entrepreneurs bought the stones to build a tourist attraction – and the Ancient Spanish Monastery was born! As such, Time Magazine characterized the building as ‘’the biggest jigsaw puzzle in history’’. Today, the structure stands as a fine example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The interiors are incredibly preserved, showcasing a number of captivating architectural and religious details. Walking around the space, you’ll notice impressive hand-carved columns, sweeping arches and beautiful shrines from the original structure. Rich in history and most certainly unique, this place should rank right at the top of your itinerary. Get in Touch with Nature No doubt, Miami is the perfect haven for all nature lovers. Standing out for its unusual and expansive display of exotic flora, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a fantastic place to spend a sunny spring afternoon in the area. Established way back in 1936, this historical attraction works to showcase the unique collection of avid botanist David Fairchild, which was brought back from his travels. Thousands of varieties thrive here, including many rare species you’d never expect to find in the United States. Bursting with color, scents and spectacular views, the gardens are an absolute joy to wander. Walking through the park, you’ll be able to see the birds, fish, lizards, and crocodiles which call the site home. Don’t miss the butterfly emporium, with too many species to count. We suggest setting a few hours aside for this, since it can take a while to get around the entire place. Remember to bring lots of sunscreen and wear your comfiest walking shoes! A total treat for the senses and educational, too, this place is not to be missed. If you’re anything like us, a visit to the zoo would be right down your alley. Luckily for you, Miami is home to some fantastic nature reserves to bring out that sense of childlike wonder. Combining the natural beauty of the area with incredible exotic wildlife, one of the most popular tourist attractions for animal lovers has got to be Zoo Miami. In fact, this place is recognized as the only tropical zoo in the United States. Featuring over 3, 000 animals and around 100 exhibits to be enjoyed, there’s a little something for everybody here. Expect jaguars, warthogs, spotted hyenas, hippos and much, much more. You’ll need a whole day at the zoo to make the best of it - we suggest heading off pretty early so you can fit as much in as possible! A fantastic educational opportunity, we love this place because it’s impossible to leave without having learned something new. Try Something Different Though the city is perhaps best known for its palm-fringed beaches and exotic greenery, there’s plenty to see here for those looking for art and culture. Open to the public and free of charge, Wynwood Walls is a trendy outdoor street art museum shining a spotlight on some of the world’s best urban artists. Carefully curated and periodically transformative, the exhibit works to showcase a wide variety of styles; at Wynwood Walls, you’ll be able to enjoy the work of old school graffiti artists and the newest innovators in the game all in one space. For those who are interested in learning more about the creatives, different styles, and history of the art form, we recommend booking a guided tour. Aside from the museum itself, the surrounding area is great to explore, with lots of cool shops and eateries to check out. The perfect stop for all creative types, this place provides the perfect taste of the city’s art scene. Few places are as exciting and energetic as the Floridian hotspot of Miami. May is great time to visit, since the temperatures are warmer but it's not as busy as the summer months. Explore the city to its full potential with GoCity’s All-Inclusive Pass or Explorer Pass. If you’d like to know more, connect with us on Instagram and Facebook. With Go City, you can see more, for less.
Sarah Harris
Couple in Miami
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Romantic Things to Do in Miami for Valentine's Day

Miami is an incredibly romantic city. Warm weather, breezy beaches, great nightclubs, delicious food – you name it, Miami’s got the perfect date night in store. If you’re going to be spending Valentine’s Day in sunny South Beach, or on another romantic occasion, then you’re probably searching for a few ideas. Fortunately for you, we've got a few suggestions in mind: Enjoy a day trip to Key West Tour the city's Art Deco district Peruse the Pérez Art Museum Tour Florida's Everglades Dine on world-class cuisine And more! Soak Up Artistic Inspiration Prefer paintings and sculptures? The Pérez Art Museum is a must-see for you. It’s filled with amazing, internationally and internationally-inspired artwork from predominantly modern and contemporary styles. They often have rotating special exhibits, too, like this year's "On the Horizon," featuring contemporary Cuban art. Or, if you love architecture and artwork, then you will not want to miss out on a visit to the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, one of the most magnificent buildings in the entire state and truly the most beautiful estate as a whole. Depending on when you take your romantic vacation to Miami, there are also likely to be a number of film or art festivals floating around – like the Coconut Grove Arts Festival that happens annually in February. Roam the Beaches It may seem like a no-brainer, but spend some time outside while you’re in Miami this February! The weather is going to be lovely (and possibly much warmer than where you’re used to), so take advantage of its temperate climate and enjoy a little beach time. South Pointe Beach and Key Biscayne are typically recommended as having the best views, but there are a ton of other options, too. If you want to be out but the beaches sound too touristy for you, try a walk along the very romantic pedestrian walkway on Lincoln Road. Or, opt for something more active with a bike ride around South Beach. Take a Nighttime Tour of the City If you're new to Miami and want to see a bit of the city, but hope to do so in a more romantic way, then a night tour seems like a good fit. This option from Big Bus will highlight the sexy and sultry aspects of Miami at night - including the evening illuminations that distinguish Miami's skyline. Of course, it's also a smart sightseeing opportunity, too, because the tour will showcase Miami's best landmarks and hotspots. It will give you some ideas for what to do the next day, too! Remember to Save on Attraction Admission So there you have it. Our list of some romantic things to do in Miami, just in time for Valentine's Day. Remember, some of these great options are included on the pass for Miami by Go City®, where you can save on combined admission vs paying at the gate. Please note, the special events taking place at some of these attractions may be separately ticketed and not included with your pass.
Katie Sagal

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