Miami is a city in Miami-Dade County in Florida state of the United States of America. The city is known for its pristine beaches and fun vibe. Partying and clubbing are some of the most fun things to do in Miami at night. The city has a pop culture standing of its own. It has been featured in several films, television shows, and music videos. There are movies, shows, and songs dedicated to the city. Many of the best places to visit in Miami are recognized because of their pop culture fame. The city has been featured in 2 Fast 2 Furious, Ace Ventura, Bad Boys franchise, Baywatch, The Bodyguard, Donnie Brasco, Iron Man, and so on.
The majority of Miami’s tourist attractions are close to the coast. The beaches of Miami have it all. People come here to enjoy the ocean view, relax in the golden sands, enjoy street food, get thrilled of water sports, or just swim to beat the heat. Each of the Miami beaches has a vibe of its own.
Aside from the beaches, there are several outdoor activities to do in Miami including nature trails, jet skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing, jet-pack rides, parasailing, off-roading, and so on. The city has gardens, public parks, sports venues, entertainment venues, recreational areas, wildlife parks, and golf courses. These places are the major Miami attractions for family tourists.
But, Miami is more popular with bachelors and is a prominent spring break and pre-wedding partying destination. Nightlife in general is an integral part of Miami travel with several clubs, pubs, bars, nightclubs, dance bars, and so on. You can find these spread throughout the city and along the beaches in Miami.
The city is well known in the art community as well for its role in the Art Deco movement. Art museums and galleries are a major part of Miami sightseeing. It is also a renowned center for innovative performing arts.
Top Tourist Places to Visit in Miami in 5 Days
DAY 1
1. WYNWOOD WALLS
These warehouse walls act as an art gallery of sorts. The walls feature large murals of celebrities, historical figures, and fictional characters. It is one of the most popular things to see in Miami. The murals are changed from time to time. While here, you should also check out Wynwood Doors. These are building doors painted by different artists and these too are changed from time to time. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to explore this wall.
2. MARGULIES COLLECTION
This art gallery exhibits the collection of Martin Margulies. The collection features contemporary artwork and vintage photographs. It is one of the best places to visit in Miami for art admirers. You will need about an hour to tour this collection.
3. PÉREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI
This museum is dedicated to international artwork hailing from 20th and 21st centuries. The art gallery is supposed to be reflective of the international culture of the city and the country. It is one of the best Miami tourist attractions to see modern artwork from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. You will need an hour to tour this museum.
4. FREEDOM TOWER
Built-in 1925, this National Historical Site exhibits the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture. It is one of the most iconic landmarks of the city. During the 1960s, this building was used to receive Cuban refugees. Today it is known among Miami attractions for housing the Museum of Art and Design and the Cuban American Museum. You will need an hour to explore this building.
5. GESU CATHOLIC CHURCH
Built-in 1925, this is the oldest church in the city. This pink church is also one of the most photogenic monuments you will come across during Miami sightseeing. The architecture is a blend of several styles. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this church.
6. HISTORYMIAMI MUSEUM
This museum is dedicated to the history of southern Florida and the Florida keys. The museum has 4 permanent exhibits namely Tropical Dreams, The History of Ourselves, Whitman Family Gallery, and Folklife Gallery. Collectively these exhibits shed light on several aspects of the region from pre-historic times to the modern period. You will need about an hour from Miami to tour this museum.
DAY 2
1. LITTLE HAVANA
This Cuban neighborhood is the most famous district to explore when you visit Miami. It has been featured in films, television shows, and music videos. The area is great for colorful houses, street art, street food, restaurants, and its general Latin American vibe. It is one of the best things to do in downtown Miami. You will need a couple of hours to explore Little Havana.
2. VIZCAYA MUSEUM AND GARDENS
This villa was built in the 20th century and belonged to an industrialist named James Deering. The villa is known for its Italian Renaissance style of architecture. The villa has 70 rooms featuring different types of decors and antique art. It is one of the most fun places to go in Miami for art and architecture admirers. You will need 2 to 3 hours to tour this place.
3. KEY BISCAYNE
This town sits on an island in the Florida Keys. The town and the island are popular for their pristine golden sand beaches and several fun things to do in Miami. It is also popular for its seafood joints, golf courses, water sports, boat cruises, and recreational parks. The island is also home to Bill Baggs Cape Florid State Park where people can enjoy nature trails, birdwatching, camping, and other outdoor activities to do in Miami. You will need 3 to 4 hours to enjoy this island.
DAY 3
1. JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
Built during the 1930s, this building was previously a synagogue. Now it is a museum dedicated to the history of Jewish people around the world. There is also an exhibit focused on the history of the community in Florida. You will need an hour from the Miami trip to visit this museum.
2. THE ART DECO HISTORIC DISTRICT / MIAMI BEACH ARCHITECTURAL DISTRICT
This area has around 800 buildings built between 1923 and 1943. These buildings are known for their beautiful art-deco style and pastel color palate. You will come across several historical places to see in Miami. The area is home to several iconic hotels with a history of hosting celebrities. You will need an hour or so to explore this area.
3. THE WOLFSONIAN
This museum is dedicated to art and design. It houses more than 180,000 items of decorative arts, handicrafts, artifacts, paintings, sculptures, and so on. It is one of the best places to go in Miami to witness antique items as well. The museum exhibits originate from North America, Europe, and Asia. You will need an hour to tour this museum.
4. LINCOLN ROAD
This pedestrian street mall is part of South Beach. Shopping is one of the most popular Miami activities and you will find almost everything at one of the shops here. The street also has restaurants, cafes, bars, and art galleries. You will need about an hour to explore this place.
5. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
This sculpture garden was designed by Kenneth Treister and was founded by a group of Holocaust survivors. The garden features several sculptures depicting the horrors faced by the people during the holocaust. The beautiful sculptures have made this memorial rank among the top things to do in Miami. You will need about 30 to 45 to explore this place.
6. BASS MUSEUM OF ART
This museum exhibits the collection donated by John and Johanna Bass. The museum features artwork by renowned artists including Botticelli, Rubens, Dupre, and Makart. You will need about 30 to 45 minutes from Miami travel to explore this museum.
DAY 4
1. ZOO MIAMI
This zoo has more than 300 articles and is one of the most popular Miami tourist spots for families. The zoo has African lions, elephants, deer, antelope, gazelle, alpaca, oryx, clouded leopard, orangutan, rhinoceros, jaguar, wolf, and giraffe, hyena, tiger, and so on. You will need about 2 hours to tour this zoo.
2. MONKEY JUNGLE
This wildlife park houses 30 species of primates in the recreated forest-like environment. The park is quite popular for animal interaction activities and shows. These are popular activities in Miami for family tourists. You will need a couple of hours to tour this place.
3. CORAL CASTLE
This sculpture garden was developed during the 1940s by Ed Leedskalnin. It is one of the most fascinating things to see in Miami, not just for the wonderful sculptures, but also for the legend surrounding its creation. Leedskalnin claimed he used ancient Egyptian methods to move heavy stones to the site, though it was never revealed. You will need 2 to 3 hours from Miami sightseeing to explore this site.
DAY 5
1. MIAMI SEAQUARIUM
This aquarium and marine life entertainment park is one of the most popular Miami tourist attractions. You get to witness several shows featuring seals, orca whales, sharks, and so on. People can also engage in encounters with animals at this place. You will need 2 to 3 hours to explore the seaquarium.
2. MIAMI CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
This museum features multimedia and interactive exhibits to engage children. The museum covers a variety of subjects including science, technology, history, evolution, zoology, geography, cosmology, and so on. You will need 2 hours to tour this museum.
3. JUNGLE ISLAND
This zoological park houses rare and exotic animals. But, more than the animals this park is well known for animal encounter activities in Miami and animal themed shows. You will need about 2 hours to tour this animal park.
