Things to do in Miami Beach, Florida
- The city was originally a mangrove swamp and was initially cleared to grow coconuts before being developed as a tourist resort.
- Miami Beach contains the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world, designated as a National Historic District in 1979.
- The city's iconic pastel-colored lifeguard towers are individually designed and rotated periodically to different beach locations.
- It is one of the only cities in the United States that was developed specifically to be a luxury tourist destination rather than an industrial hub.
- The barrier island is almost entirely man-made in terms of its current landscape, as the original terrain was significantly altered by dredging and filling in the early 20th century.
About Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a unique barrier island city defined by its extensive Art Deco architectural district and high-density waterfront culture. It is connected to the mainland via a series of causeways, providing access to cultural hubs like the Pérez Art Museum Miami [1482] and the scientific exhibits at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science [2414]. Visitors often gather at coastal landmarks such as South Pointe [5597] or enjoy the manicured green spaces of Lummus Park [2589]. The city maintains a distinct identity separate from its mainland counterpart, balancing historic preservation with massive beach tourism.
Highlights of Miami Beach, Florida
The places our editors single out — and why they're worth your time.
Parks
Access this central park for direct entry to the iconic South Beach sand and historic lifeguard towers.
Beaches and ponds
This southernmost tip features a pier and park area perfect for watching cruise ships exit the channel.
Museums
Explore contemporary international art housed in a waterfront building designed by Herzog & de Meuron.
Museums
The facility features a massive aquarium and a planetarium designed for immersive scientific study.
Parks
Visit this neighborhood park to see installations from the nearby Bass Museum of Art.
Museums
An interactive exhibition space that offers stylized, candy-themed installations designed for photography.
Parks
A quieter alternative to southern beaches, offering vast dunes and natural coastal landscape.
Top things to do in Miami Beach, Florida
The 112 highest-rated places in Miami Beach, Florida, ranked by travellers.
1
Parks
Lummus Park is a 74-acre public park spanning 10 blocks along the Atlantic Ocean in Miami Beach. It serves as the primar...
2
Parks
Bayfront Park is a 32-acre urban green space located in Downtown Miami along the shore of Biscayne Bay. It serves as a c...
3
Parks
Haulover Park is a 177-acre oceanfront recreational space situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Water...
4
Museums
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens is a historic estate built between 1914 and 1922 as a winter residence for industrialist James...
5
Parks
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is located at the southern tip of Key Biscayne and features the oldest standing struc...
6
Parks
Amelia Earhart Park is a 515-acre urban recreational space in Hialeah featuring a prominent petting zoo and seasonal pon...
7
Parks
Crandon Park is a 800-acre barrier island park located on Key Biscayne, featuring a two-mile-long beach with shallow, ca...
8
Museums
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is a contemporary art museum designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meu...
9
Beaches and ponds
South Pointe Park occupies the southernmost tip of Miami Beach, situated at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and Gov...
10
Parks
Maurice A. Ferré Park is a 21-acre waterfront public space located on the downtown Miami shoreline. Formerly known as Mu...
11
Museums
The Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science is a specialized facility featuring a three-level aquarium, a planetarium...
12
Zoos
Miami Seaquarium is an oceanarium located on Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay. It is one of the oldest oceanariums in the Un...
13
Venues
LoanDepot Park serves as the home stadium for the Miami Marlins, located in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami. The...
14
Temples
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, locally known as La Ermita de la Caridad, is a significant religious landmar...
15
Parks
North Beach Oceanside Park is a 28-acre oceanfront green space situated in the North Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach....
16
Venues
The Adrienne Arsht Center is Florida's largest performing arts venue, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. It span...
17
Museums
The Museum of Ice Cream in Miami is an interactive, multi-sensory art installation space focused on ice cream as a cultu...
18
Parks
Collins Park is a 1.9-acre urban park located in the heart of Miami Beach's cultural district. It serves as the primary...
19
Museums
The Miami Children's Museum is a 56,500-square-foot facility situated on Watson Island, dedicated to interactive, biling...
20
Zoos
Jungle Island is an 18-acre zoological park located on Watson Island between downtown Miami and South Beach. The attract...
21
Historical places
The Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach is centered around a four-story-high bronze sculpture titled 'The Sculpture of Love a...
22
Parks
The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a 3-acre public garden located in the heart of the city, designed by landscape archi...
23
Parks
Biscayne National Park encompasses 172,000 acres, with 95% of its total area consisting of protected marine waters. The...
24
Parks
Margaret Pace Park is a 21-acre waterfront public green space located in the Edgewater neighborhood of Miami. The park f...
25
Parks
David T. Kennedy Park is a 20-acre waterfront green space located on the shores of Biscayne Bay in the Coconut Grove nei...
26
Parks
Hobie Island Beach Park is a premier destination in Miami for windsurfing and sailing enthusiasts due to its shallow, pr...
27
Parks
Flamingo Park is a 36-acre recreational facility in Miami Beach offering a diverse array of sports and aquatic amenities...
28
Beaches and ponds
South Beach is a world-renowned stretch of coastline in Miami Beach characterized by a high concentration of preserved 1...
29
Parks
Peacock Park is a 9.4-acre waterfront green space located in the heart of Coconut Grove, Miami. The park features a mult...
30
Parks
Alice Wainwright Park is a 28-acre waterfront green space located on the shoreline of Biscayne Bay in the Brickell neigh...
Explore by category
Jump straight to what you're into.
Miami Beach, Florida on the map
Top attractions plotted across the city.
Plan your visit to Miami Beach, Florida
March to May, as the weather is pleasant and the humidity levels are significantly lower than during the hurricane-prone summer months.
3-4 days, which allows enough time to explore both the beach districts and the cultural institutions across the causeways.
The city is highly walkable within the South Beach area, while ride-sharing services and the free city trolley system provide connectivity to northern districts.
Stay in South Beach for immediate access to nightlife and the iconic historic district, or Mid-Beach for a slightly quieter, upscale resort experience.
Expensive, particularly regarding beachfront accommodation and dining in popular tourism corridors.
Frequently asked
Aventuro lists 112 curated attractions in and around Miami Beach, Florida, ranked by traveller ratings.
Lummus Park is the highest-rated place to visit in Miami Beach, Florida right now.
The largest category is parks, with 39 places to explore.
Travellers also explore Downtown Los Angeles, Bayonne, New Jersey, Washington, D.C..
Explore more of United States of America
Other cities ranked by number of curated places.
