18 Best Things to Do and See in Miami
Exploring Miami on foot is one of the best ways to feel the city’s atmosphere, connect its landmark places and discover its neighbourhoods at a more natural pace.
In this guide, you will find the attractions not to miss when planning a walking route in Miami, with simple reference points.
To go further, you can also enjoy a private guided tour in Miami. It is a smoother way to connect places, understand details you might miss on your own and enjoy a more human, personal discovery adapted to your trip.
1. Bayside Marketplace
Bayside Marketplace, in Miami, is a large bayside complex that combines a shopping center, a going-out spot, and a starting point for the waterfront. Visitors will find shops, restaurants, cafes, and a lively atmosphere, often with live music or outdoor entertainment. Its marina offers beautiful views over the water and hosts boat excursions, making it a popular place to stroll, shop, and enjoy the city’s tropical vibe.
2. Wynwood Walls
Wynwood Walls is one of Miami’s most iconic street art destinations. Discover monumental murals, painted walls and graphic interventions in an open-air gallery.
3. Lummus Park
Lummus Park stands out as one of the most iconic public spaces on the Miami Beach waterfront. Between Ocean Drive and the beach, it offers an open setting with lawns, walking paths, Atlantic views and the urban vibe of South Beach. The park reveals the strong connection between the historic district, beach life and the coastal landscape. Its location makes it a prime spot to observe local activity and the unmistakable character of Miami Beach.
4. Miami MetroZoo
Miami MetroZoo is one of Miami’s major zoological parks, set on a large site south of the city. It combines animal viewing in open habitats with a strong botanical dimension marked by dense tropical vegetation. Visitors can explore a park designed for observation, with areas evoking different natural habitats and a focus on conservation. Its location in Miami-Dade makes it an important site for understanding the meeting point of nature, education, and leisure in Florida’s metropolis.
5. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is one of Miami’s most remarkable heritage sites, combining a European-inspired villa, decorative art collections, and expansive formal gardens in a single visit. Inside, the house reveals richly appointed rooms and the feel of a historic residence, while outside you’ll find paths, pools, sculptures, and bay views. This blend of architecture, art, and gardens makes Vizcaya a unique place to discover a different side of Miami.
6. Miami Science Museum
The Miami Science Museum offers science discovery in several forms, with a science museum, aquarium and planetarium in one place. It covers marine life, nature and astronomy in an accessible setting. Located on Biscayne Boulevard near the bay, it is closely tied to Miami's natural environment.
7. Pérez Art Museum Miami
The Pérez Art Museum Miami is one of Miami’s key art museums, ideal for discovering modern and contemporary art overlooking Biscayne Bay. It features temporary exhibitions and works from the permanent collection, often highlighting artists from the Americas, the Caribbean, and other international scenes. The light-filled waterfront building is part of the visit, making the museum a lively way to experience art, architecture, and Miami’s urban views.
8. Oleta River State Park
Oleta River State Park offers a rare glimpse of the natural areas that still exist in the Miami region. The park combines mountain biking trails, mangrove zones, wooded spaces and water access, revealing a coastal landscape typical of South Florida. It shows how nature and the city coexist just minutes from highly urbanized neighborhoods. Visitors come for both outdoor activities and the calm, bayfront atmosphere surrounded by greenery.
9. Museum Park
Museum Park is an urban park on Biscayne Boulevard, facing Biscayne Bay in the heart of Miami. It offers open lawns, walking paths and wide views of the water, surrounded by downtown towers and cultural institutions. The park is as appealing as a peaceful urban escape as it is for its strategic location near the museums and waterfront. Its setting makes it a great example of a contemporary park woven into Miami's cityscape.
10. Museum of Ice Cream
Miami’s Museum of Ice Cream is a colorful, immersive attraction that celebrates the world of ice cream through playful installations, pastel backdrops, and photo-friendly spaces. Visitors discover interactive rooms, sweet-themed settings, and sensory experiences inspired by ice cream and desserts. More than a traditional museum, it is a family-friendly entertainment venue where you explore creative displays, often featuring tastings and visual surprises. Altogether, it offers a fun, unusual visit that is especially popular for a day out in Miami.
11. Miami Children’s Museum
The Miami Children’s Museum is an interactive museum designed to spark children’s curiosity through play, exploration, and creativity. Visitors can discover themed areas where younger children can touch, handle, and experiment freely, with activities centered on art, health, jobs, everyday life, and imagination. Located in Miami, this family-friendly attraction also offers workshops and educational programs, making it an ideal outing to learn while having fun in a playful, colorful setting.
12. Flamingo Park
Flamingo Park is a pleasant park in Miami where people come to enjoy a green setting in the heart of the city. It offers wide open spaces for relaxing, walking paths, as well as sports and leisure facilities that make it a popular spot for both locals and visitors. Its peaceful atmosphere contrasts with the lively surroundings, making it a great stop to take a break, stroll around, or simply enjoy some time outdoors under the Florida sun.
13. Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami is a museum dedicated to contemporary art, where you can discover exhibitions by emerging and established artists from the United States and beyond. The venue showcases installations, paintings, sculptures, multimedia works, and experimental projects in a modern, minimalist setting. It also offers a cultural program focused on contemporary creation, with activities that invite visitors to reflect on today’s artistic trends. Located in Miami, this museum provides an inspiring stop for art lovers and curious visitors.
14. HistoryMiami
HistoryMiami is a must-visit history museum and cultural center for understanding the past of Miami and South Florida. Visitors can explore exhibitions dedicated to the city’s evolution, its communities, its environment, and its multicultural heritage. The venue also features collections, photographs, and objects that illustrate everyday life and the region’s changes over time. It’s an enriching visit for curious travelers and families alike, in the heart of downtown Miami.
15. Freedom Tower
The Freedom Tower in Miami is an iconic landmark in downtown Miami, both a historic site and a cultural venue. Recognizable for its Mediterranean-inspired architecture, it now hosts exhibitions and spaces dedicated to art and history. Visiting it means discovering a building steeped in memory, now an important symbol of the city, as well as a place to explore works, documents, and stories connected to local history and the experience of Miami’s communities.
16. Museum of Graffiti
The Museum of Graffiti in Miami is a modern art museum entirely dedicated to the history and creativity of graffiti. Visitors can discover original works, murals, installations and archives that trace the evolution of this urban art form, from its rawest expressions to its contemporary styles. The exhibition highlights the diversity of styles, techniques and artists, while showing how graffiti has earned its place in today’s art scene. It is a lively and colorful visit, ideal for understanding Miami’s creative energy.
17. Torch of Friendship
Torch of Friendship is an iconic Miami sculpture located on the edge of downtown, near Bayfront Park. This large flame-shaped monument stands out for its modern style and striking presence in a lively urban setting. It symbolizes welcome and connection between peoples, making it a favorite point of interest for visitors and walkers. From the surrounding area, you can also enjoy pleasant views over the bay and the neighborhood's architecture, in a distinctly Miami atmosphere.
18. Jewish Museum of Florida
The Jewish Museum of Florida in Miami is a museum dedicated to Jewish history and culture in Florida. Housed in a heritage building in South Beach, it features exhibitions that trace the lives of the state’s Jewish communities, their traditions, their integration, and their contribution to local development. Visitors can discover objects, photographs, and testimonies that shed light on the past while highlighting Miami’s cultural diversity. It is an interesting visit for understanding an important part of Florida’s heritage.
Antony M
During my travels, I looked for guides who spoke my language. This search turned out to be long and tedious. That is why I created MYTOGU (My Tourist Guide): a matching site between tourists and professional tourist guides.
