The 22 Best Things to Do in Miami in 2025

A Complete Guide to Exploring the City

Miami is high energy city, blending cultural diversity, vibrant neighborhoods, and year-round warm weather. Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or planning a longer stay, there’s always something to see and do. Based on my own experience (I live here so I get to explore it every day), here’s a list of the best things to do in Miami in 2025.


Visit South Beach

South Beach is one of Miami’s most iconic spots, famous for its white-sand beaches, Art Deco architecture and lively atmosphere. It’s a place to swim, party, dine or simply walk along Ocean Drive, the main strip, which is packed with outdoor cafes, bars, and nightclubs. South Beach’s Art Deco district is the largest in the world, with more than 800 preserved buildings, with an unique vibe that’s hard to find somewhere else.

Ocean drive, south beach, miami beach

Wynwood Walls Miami

Explore Wynwood Walls

Known for its street art, Wynwood has become one of Miami’s most famous neighborhoods. The Wynwood Walls outdoor museum showcases murals by artists from around the world, and the surrounding streets are filled with galleries, coffee shops, and breweries. It has become one of the most recognized street art destinations in the world.


Walk Around Little Havana

Little Havana is Miami’s Cuban heart. Stroll along Calle Ocho to experience Cuban culture through local restaurants, cigar shops, and bakeries. Domino Park is a popular spot to see locals gathering for a game of dominos, while the neighborhood is also known for live Latin music.

Little Havana Miami

Vizcaya Museum Miami

Spend Time at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

This European-inspired estate is located in Coconut Grove and combines art, architecture, and history. The mansion features more than 70 rooms filled with antiques, while the gardens are designed with fountains, sculptures, and waterfront views.


Shop and Dine at Lincoln Road

Lincoln Road  is a pedestrian-friendly street in Miami Beach lined with shops, restaurants, and cafés. Designed for walking, it offers numerous stores & restaurants, making it a central spot for shopping, dining, and simply spending time outdoors.

Lincoln Road

Miami Design District

Discover the Miami Design District

Located just north of Midtown, The Miami Design District is an area dedicated to fashion, design, art, architecture and dining. High-end shops sit next to galleries and public art installations, and the district often hosts events and exhibitions. Even if you’re not shopping, it’s worth a visit to see the architecture and open-air spaces.

The atmosphere is less “shopping mall” and more “outdoor design museum.” Storefronts are architectural experiments—facades of polished concrete, perforated aluminum, mirrored glass, or lush vertical gardens. Art installations appear in plazas and alleyways as if they’ve always been part of the plan.


Visit Downtown Miami and Brickell

Downtown Miami is the city’s central business and cultural district, home to modern skyscrapers, the FTX Arena, and several museums. Nearby Brickell is known for its mix of luxury residences, offices, and a growing dining scene. They are next to each other, and they both serve as a local hub for work and a destination for public attractions.

Downtown Miami

Bayside Marketplace Miami

Explore Bayside Marketplace

Located along Biscayne Bay, Bayside Marketplace is an open-air shopping and dining complex. It’s also the departure point for many boat tours, making it a convenient stop if you want to explore Miami from the water or if you want to hop on the the Miami Observation Wheel, which si located inside the mall. It serves both city residents and visitors looking for retail variety and activity along the water.


Relax at Key Biscayne

Just a short drive from downtown, Key Biscayne, a barrier island connected to Miami via a causeway, offers quieter beaches compared to Miami Beach. Crandon Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park are both popular spots for swimming, picnicking, or enjoying nature.

Crandon Park

Visit the Pérez Art Museum Miami

Visit the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)

Located by the bay within Museum Park, alongside the Frost Museum of Science, PAMM focuses on contemporary art and often features international exhibitions. The building itself is worth a visit for its modern design and hanging gardens. The permanent collection includes around 3,000 works across 15 gallery spaces, with an emphasis on 20th- and 21st-century art tied to the Latinx experience, African diaspora, Latin America, and the Caribbean.


Explore the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science

The Frost Museum of Science combines science, technology, and nature in one space. Highlights include a planetarium, aquarium, and interactive exhibits suitable for all ages. The museum replaced the older Coconut Grove site and now anchors Miami’s cultural corridor, alongside neighboring institutions like PAMM.

Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science

Best Nightlife in Miami in 2025

Experience Miami’s Nightlife

Miami is one of those cities where nightlife is just part of the culture. From huge nightclubs that stay open until sunrise to smaller bars and speakeasys, there’s always something going on. Clubs like LIV in Miami Beach, E11EVEN in Downtown, and Space attract international DJs and stay open until sunrise. If you prefer something more relaxed, neighborhoods like Wynwood and Brickell have a wide selection of bars and lounges.


Spend the Day at Everglades National Park

Just outside the city, the Everglades National Park stretches across nearly 1.5 million acres, and it is a unique ecosystem where you can see wildlife like alligators and manatees. It’s often described as a “river of grass”—a shallow, slow-moving ecosystem where water travels over marshland rather than through it. Airboat tours are one of the most common ways to explore the wetlands.

Everglades National Park

12 Essential Tips for Traveling to Miami

Take a Boat Tour of Biscayne Bay

Boat tours are a great way to see Miami from a different perspective. Options range from sightseeing cruises to private charters, often passing by celebrity homes on Star Island and the skyline of downtown.


Attend a Game or Concert

Miami is home to several sports teams and venues. You can catch the Miami Heat at the Kaseya Center (formerly FTX Arena), the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park, or check out concerts and events held throughout the year.

Miami Heat at the Kaseya Center

Coconut Grove

Explore Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove is one of Miami’s oldest neighborhoods, known for its laid-back vibe, parks, and waterfront views. It’s also home to shops, restaurants, and cultural spots like the Vizcaya Museum.


Discover Coral Gables

This neighborhood is known for its Mediterranean-style architecture, tree-lined streets, and landmarks like the Venetian Pool and the Biltmore Hotel. Miracle Mile is the area’s main shopping and dining street.

Venetian Pool

Zoo Miami

Visit Zoo Miami

Zoo Miami, located southwest of downtown Miami, is one of the largest and most diverse zoos in the U.S., with animals from around the world in open-air habitats. It’s spread out, so be prepared for a full day if you visit. It houses more than 3,000 animals representing around 500 species across approximately 100 exhibits.


Visit the Coral Castle

The Coral Castle is a unique and mysterious structure located in Homestead, Florida, about 25 miles (40 km) south of Miami. It was built by a Latvian immigrant named Edward Leedskalnin between 1923 and 1951. The site is equal parts sculpture garden and architectural puzzle.

The purpose-built castle, created without modern machinery, still raises questions about how one person moved massive stones alone, since some of the blocks weight over 30 tons.

Coral Castle Miami

Coconut Grove

Explore Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden spans 83 acres in Coral Gables, just south of downtown Miami. This garden focuses on tropical plants and conservation, as it was established to cultivate plants that could grow outdoors year-round in South Florida. It’s a peaceful place to walk and learn about local and international flora.


Get adventurous at Haulover Beach

Located between Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles, Haulover Beach is a popular beach in Miami, known for its beautiful sandy shores and laid-back vibe. The beach is part of Haulover Park, a big area with picnic spots, a marina, tennis courts, and a golf course. What really sets Haulover Beach apart, though, is that it’s one of the few places in the U.S. with a legal clothing-optional section.

Haulover Beach Miami

Oleta River State Park

Spend a day out at Oleta River State Park

Oleta River State Park is Florida’s largest urban park, located in North Miami. Despite being only a short drive from the city’s busy neighborhoods, the park offers a different setting, with mangrove forests, waterways, and outdoor recreation areas.

The park is best known for its network of biking trails, which range from paved paths for beginners to more challenging off-road tracks, and the opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, and canoeing. For those interested in swimming, there is a small sandy beach along the Biscayne Bay side of the park.

Are you ready to start discovering Miami?

Check some of the best tours below to make the best of your trip!

Are you ready to start discovering Miami?

Check some of the best tours below to make the best of your trip!

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