With beaches, beautiful weather, history, culture, sports, and entertainment, Miami is one of South Florida’s premier tourist destinations. Downtown Miami is a modern city and cultural treasure trove, separated from the Atlantic Ocean by Biscayne Bay and Miami Beach. There’s always something to do in Havana, from museums to the alleys of Little Havana. Miami Beach, across the bay, is a must-see in the area, with its Art Deco District, a magnificent stretch of beaches, and exciting ambiance. Everglades National Park, which is close by, is one of several popular day trip locations from Miami. With our list of the top ten tourist attractions in Miami, you can plan your trip and discover the best locations to go.
This Post is about the Top 10 Must See Tourist Attractions In Miami
1. Miami Beach
Miami Beach is a mix of calm neighborhoods, vibrant entertainment-focused regions, and large stretches of soft-sand beaches, located on a barrier island connected to the mainland by a series of bridges. One of the main attractions for travellers is South Beach and the Art Deco Historic District, which features pastel buildings from the 1930s and early 1940s with classic neon signs. This is an upscale tourist zone with numerous coastal restaurants, shops, hotels, and plenty of options for sunbathing. Ocean Drive, a portion of road located along the coastline and home to some spectacular Art Deco structures, is the most popular roadway in this neighborhood. Collins Avenue is one block inland, running parallel to Ocean Drive. Collins Avenue, or State Road A1A, is Miami Beach’s principal seaside street, connecting a number of neighborhoods.
2. Art Deco Historic District
Even if you don’t care for the beach, a visit to Miami Beach’s Art Deco Historic District is worthwhile. The stylish South Beach district is dominated by this architectural style, which was prominent in the 1930s and 1940s. Following a disastrous hurricane in 1926, these one-of-a-kind structures were erected in a variety of pastel colors and with enormous neon signage. The majority of the hotels and restaurants have been wonderfully restored. Awnings on the lower levels of these buildings provide shade for outdoor dining spaces along with several of the main roadways.
The two main thoroughfares in the neighborhood are Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue. Many Art Deco buildings still serve as hotels and offer far more character than modern hotels if you want to stay in one of these historic jewels. The upscale Delano South Beach or National Hotel Miami Beach, as well as the more affordably priced Hotel Breakwater South Beach, are both excellent choices.
3. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
The magnificent winter house of the 20th-century industrialist James Deering, set on 28 acres, is now a National Historic Landmark. The home, which was built in 1916, has 34 rooms organized around a central courtyard. The Vizcaya project required around 1,100 workers and craftsmen, many of whom were recruited from Europe to assure design accuracy.
The outstanding collection of European furniture and ornamental arts from the 15th to 19th centuries are housed in the Italian Renaissance-style mansion. Beautiful Italian and French fountains, pools, and statues may be found throughout the grounds and gardens. An ornately carved barge with female figures serves as a barrier at the base of the steps going into Biscayne Bay. Vizcaya is the city’s most attractive photo background, and its unrivaled collection of European antiquities and ornamental works is simply magnificent. Do you want to improve your social skills? Some of Miami’s most instagrammable floors and stairs can be found at Vizcaya.
4. Everglades National Park
Just a short drive from Miami, Everglades National Park, protects one of Florida’s most unique natural characteristics. Alligators, crocodiles, snakes, and birds live in these swamplands, which total 1.5 million acres. The entire area is simply a shallow river that flows out to sea. A Visitors Center, as well as walking routes and boardwalks for wildlife watching, is located within the park. The Anhinga Trail, which begins at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, is one of the park’s most popular walking pathways. This track is less than a mile long, but it passes through an area where alligators and other creatures are likely to be seen. This trail is non-strengthening and wheelchair-accessible.
An airboat tour is one of the most enjoyable ways to see the Everglades. Visitors can observe alligators and other wildlife on these high-speed boat tours through the marshes and streams. The half-day Miami Everglades Airboat Adventure with Transport includes transportation from your hotel to the park, a 30-minute airboat ride, and a live alligator display at the Everglades Alligator Farm, as well as transportation back to your hotel. It’s unlike anywhere else on the planet, and it’s only a short drive from downtown Miami. With three unique entrances, guests can explore on foot, on a bicycle, and via boat.
5. Zoo Miami
More than 3,000 wild animals, including 40 endangered species, are housed at Zoo Miami. Unlike many traditional zoos, animals here are maintained in environments that are close to their natural habitats and are grouped with other species with which they would typically coexist peacefully in the wild. Feeding the giraffes is one of the most pleasurable activities at the zoo. These gentle giants will astound children as they reach down with their long necks to pick a goodie from their hands.
In the continental United States, this is the only zoo with a subtropical climate. On the grounds, there are over 1,000 different tree and plant species, including a big collection of orchids. Children will have a plethora of activities to choose from. If the animals bore them, they can go to the play areas and have fun splashing around in the water-themed play area. Thousands of animals, including reptiles, mammals, and birds, call the city’s top wildlife facility home. The enormous 750-acre zoological garden is Florida’s largest and oldest zoological garden. The zoo’s sub-tropical temperatures allow species from Australia, Africa, and other warm climates to thrive. Instead of going on a safari, visit Zoo Miami to see zebras, giraffes, and lions in a safe environment.
6. Deering Estate at Cutler
This 444-acre estate protects internationally endangered pine Rockland habitat, as well as coastal tropical hardwood Rockland hammocks, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and a coastal dune island, which was once the residence of Charles Deering. The Richmond Cottage, which served as a hotel, but also historical buildings spanning from 1896 to 1922 and an American Indian burial mound dating from 1500, are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Charles Deering was an art collector who, with his brother James, amassed a large collection of Old Master paintings. Deering was a painter as well, and some of his work is on show here. The estate’s Artist Village has grown into a significant cultural hub, with art and artist programs.
The huge property, which includes many houses, a mangrove boardwalk, and a remarkable archaeological discovery, is a sophisticated winter residence. The guided nature excursions and birding chances will appeal to nature lovers. A fossil pit on the estate also contains 50,000-year-old animal bones and 10,000-year-old human remains, the latter of which are Paleo-Indians. As the weather cools, Deering ramps up its programming, including this month’s Historic Holidays Evening Stroll, which takes visitors on a tour of the estate’s glitzy decor, led by Designer in Residence Alfredo Brito, and featuring some of South Florida’s best interior designers.
7. Wynwood Walls Street Art
The formerly drab exterior warehouse walls of Wynwood’s warehouse neighborhood have been converted into bright works of art. The Wynwood Walls, which are covered in street art or what most people refer to as graffiti, have given the region a new lease on life. Tony Goldman founded the neighborhood in 2009, and it has drawn prominent personalities in the field of street art from all across North America and the world. More than 80,000 square feet of wall space has been blessed with paintings in this unique art form since it began.
It is the first outdoor street art museum in the city. With a roster of more than 50 murals painted by prominent painters from Shepard Fairey and Kenny Scharf to Kelsey Montague, the decade-old cultural institution is the famed epicenter of the Wynwood Arts District, legitimizing graffiti art. The Wynwood Walls are the indisputable selfie capital of Miami, and chances are you’ll recognize some of the murals from profile photos in your Instagram feed. The Walls invites visitors to do more than just look at street art. Stop in this winter for guided tours on the history of graffiti, mural-painting lessons, and other unique artistic programs.
8. Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is jam-packed with intriguing items for all ages and is ideal for a rainy day or if you’re searching for something to do away from the beach. The museum is split into four sections: The aquarium focuses on the ocean, with a special emphasis on South Florida. Through interactive displays and shows, the planetarium aids in the study of the solar system. Other permanent and traveling displays in the North and West wings aim to describe the world we live in. The aquarium’s viewing rooms are outstanding, and the displays are interactive and exciting in every section.
The new Frost Science contains year-round displays and is a treat for inquiring minds of all ages, spanning 250,000 square feet. Frost Science is as cutting-edge as they come, with interactive exhibits, a 500,000-gallon Gulf Stream aquarium with a variety of sea species, and a planetarium dome with fortnightly laser light shows. The gallery’s newest interactive exhibit features a freestanding, life-size woolly mammoth skeleton whose head grazes the gallery’s roof.
9. Little Havana and Calle Ocho
Little Havana, Miami’s Cuban district, is noted for its distinct cultural environment more than its abundance of tourist attractions. The streets are lined with restaurants, specialty food stores, and Latin music filling the air. Locals congregate in public areas to socialize. Murals depicting famous Cuban people and situations from daily life adorn the walls of structures. The district’s main road, Calle Ocho, is where much of the action takes place, although Little Havana extends far beyond it, into the adjacent streets and avenues. The neighborhood provides plenty of opportunities for people-watching. This is, of course, the place to go for Cuban food.
The Calle Ocho Festival, which takes place in March, is the world’s greatest celebration of Cuban culture. This street festival has grown to include more Latin American cultures over the years, and it is now a fantastic way to sample Latin American music and Caribbean cuisine.
10. Dino Safari
Imagine Exhibitions to deliver a dinosaur-filled indoor experience to the Miami – Fort Lauderdale area, allowing local families and visitors to get up-close-and-personal with larger-than-life reproductions of the most fascinating and fan-favorite prehistoric dwellers! Dino Safari: A Walk-Thru Adventure will debut in Downtown Miami’s Bayside Marketplace on December 10, 2021. Attendees will meet and engage with more than 30 life-sized dinosaurs in this walk-through adventure, including the T.rex of North America and the Spinosaurus of Africa. Dino Safari will transport guests back millions of years to get up close and personal with ancient creatures in a reproduction of their original habitat, using scientifically correct installations and lifelike moving animatronics. The experience, which is located near the Skyview Observation Wheel on the second level of Bayside Marketplace, showcases how dinosaurs evolved and include hands-on challenges for visitors to complete, as well as depictions of natural elements that were common during this time, such as earthquakes. The exhilarating journey includes immersive VR technology, magnificent installations, and a kid-friendly area.
Imagine Exhibitions in Atlanta collaborated with world-renowned Ph.D. Dinosaur Paleontologist Gregory M. Erickson, who is one of only 150 full-time professional dinosaur paleontologists in the world, to produce the show.
Final takeaway:
You must tell us which Miami location you enjoy the most. And if you were allowed to visit Miami, where would you most likely to go?
