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 94 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
Beaches and ponds
South Pointe Park occupies the southernmost tip of Miami Beach, situated at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and Gov...
9
Museums
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is a contemporary art museum designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meu...
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
Temples
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, locally known as La Ermita de la Caridad, is a significant religious landmar...
14
Parks
North Beach Oceanside Park is a 28-acre oceanfront green space situated in the North Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach....
15
Venues
The Adrienne Arsht Center is Florida's largest performing arts venue, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. It span...
16
Venues
LoanDepot Park serves as the home stadium for the Miami Marlins, located in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami. The...
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
19
Museums
20
Zoos
21
Historical places
22
Parks
23
Parks
24
Parks
25
Parks
26
Parks
27
Parks
28
Temples
29
Museums
30
Parks
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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 94 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 31 places to explore.
Travellers also explore Bayonne, New Jersey, Downtown Los Angeles, Washington, D.C..
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