A cultural guide to Miami
From its Latin influences and Michelin-starred dining to its street-art scene and all-night parties, the Magic City makes the perfect urban beach escape
Our essential guide to the best things to see and do in Miami. Find more travel inspiration for more amazing cities here.
While Miami has long enjoyed a reputation for sizzling, sexy beaches, swaying palms, and dance-until-dawn nightlife (and trust us, they’re still there), today the city’s offerings are a lot more diverse and sophisticated. A thriving metropolis with wonderfully warm weather all year round, a trip here has become an exciting cultural experience, too.
The “Magic City” now welcomes some of the world’s largest art, music and food festivals, plus Formula 1 racing, world-class spas, and a truly special landscape, from Caribbean-blue shores to the Florida Everglades. Many destinations say they have something for everyone—but nowhere does it quite like Miami.
Art & architecture
Each December, Art Basel Miami Beach brings thousands of artists, gallerists, celebrities, art lovers and partyers to the Miami Beach Convention Center, while a range of satellite fairs, art and fashion shows, concerts, celebrity events and underground dinners contribute to an unforgettable week.
But the art doesn’t stop in the off season. With Biscayne Bay as its backdrop, the Herzog & de Meuron-designed Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) has hanging gardens, lush hammocks and giant sculptures outside, and inside, a collection of 20th- and 21st-century pieces by largely Latin American, Caribbean and African artists. Go to The Bass for contemporary art that reflects the spirit of Miami Beach; the Rubell Museum, in Allapattah, to see one of North America’s largest private contemporary art collections; and the Lowe Art Museum, at the University of Miami, for historic African, Asian, Renaissance European and Native American art.
Just north of Downtown Miami, the mural-covered Wynwood Arts District has at its core Wynwood Walls, an outdoor art museum (tours available). Linger for the area’s indie cafés, shops and breweries.
Meanwhile South Beach’s Art Deco Historic District is noted for its pastel hues, geometric shapes, chrome accents, and glowing neon (join a guided tour). Visit Lincoln Road and Lummus Park to see the art-deco skyline up close.
Expert tips
The essentials
Fly into Miami International Airport (MIA). Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), about a 35-minute drive from Downtown Miami, is another option, that’s often cheaper than MIA. The Metrorail orange line connects MIA to Downtown Miami in around 35 minutes. The Route 150 Miami Beach Airport Express travels to South Beach in 40 minutes; hop on at MIA Metrotrain Station. Though overnight parking is limited, renting a car lets you easily hop around the beaches and neighborhoods.
Getting around
The Metrorail comprises an orange and green line. Both run every five to 10 minutes on weekdays and every 15 to 30 minutes on weekends. These lines connect stations around Miami and surrounding suburbs but don’t serve Miami Beach. The Metrobus and Metrorail take contactless cards, cash, or an EASY Card. Use the GO Miami-Dade Transit app for purchasing tickets and schedules. The Metromover is a free above-ground service connecting many areas of the city, including Kaseya Center (formerly FTX Arena and American Airlines Arena). Cycle along dedicated bike lanes on Miami Beach’s promenade. Citi Bike is the official bike-sharing program: Buy a day pass or download the app.
Accessibility
Manual and motorized beach wheelchairs are free to use for visitors, found at the Art Deco Welcome Center (1001 Ocean Drive) and South Pointe Park in Miami Beach. Many beaches have a promenade, boardwalk or non-slip beach mats to help those with poor mobility. Check online before you travel. All Miami-Dade Metrorail stations and services are fully accessible.
LGBTQ+
Miami Beach has one of the largest Pride events in the country, held annually over two weeks in April, and culminating with a festival and parade. Other neighborhoods host further celebrations. Wynwood’s multi-week celebration in June includes performances, parades, and art exhibitions. South Beach, particularly Ocean Drive and the surrounding area, is known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, inclusive venues, and LGBTQ+ friendly events.
Family
While Miami is a very kid-friendly city in terms of museums and attractions, some popular Miami Beach hotels are adults-only—be sure to check before booking. In addition to endless beach days, kids will also enjoy the Frost Science Museum, the immersive, interactive Superblue Miami experience, ziplining with Treetop Trekking Miami at Jungle Island, and selfies in front of Wynwood’s edgy murals. If you’re planning on swimming at Coral Gables’ historic spring-fed Venetian Pool, be aware that kids must be a minimum of three years of age and 38 inches tall.
Food & drink
Long gone are the days when the “Miami food scene” equalled a frozen daiquiri on the beach. Bon Appétit named Miami its 2023 Food City of the Year: Today, there’s a smorgasbord of award-winning and international cuisine, from food trucks and ventanita takeout windows to Michelin-starred restaurants. As a coastal city, Miami offers a plentiful haul for seafood lovers, and thanks to the farms in nearby Homestead and the Redland, much of the destination’s cuisine is made with produce grown right in its own backyard.
From October to May, when stone crabs are in season, guests line up at Joe’s Stone Crab. But you can have your seafood any way you want: in hand-rolled bagels with locally smoked lox at El Bagel, lobster croquetas at Michelle Bernstein’s Cafe La Trova, or Nikkei-style at Itamae AO.
It’s sacrilege to leave Miami without trying local Latin and Caribbean specialties: a Cuban sandwich (roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard stuffed on hot, flaky bread) from Versailles or Sanguich de Miami; ice cream made with guava or sweet plantains from Azucar Ice Cream Company on Calle Ocho; or saltfish “frittaz” from Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen. Find all types of cuisine at Greater Miami’s many food halls, like MIA Market.
The Michelin Guide came to Greater Miami for the first time in 2022, finally recognizing its growing reputation on the international food scene. Homegrown hotspots like Zitz Sum, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, and Ghee Indian Kitchen earned nods as Bib Gourmand restaurants, while The Surf Club Restaurant, Boia De and The Den at Azabu Miami Beach made Miami’s first list of Michelin-star eateries. Now in its 23rd year, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival brings together foodies and the Food Network’s most notable chefs for a four-day fête in February with dinners, concerts, and more. If you’re in Miami in August or September, don’t miss Miami Spice when select restaurants offer deals on prix-fixe, multicourse meals.
Shopping
Head to the Miami Design District for art, design and high-end shopping, where fashion boutiques meet a seemingly endless collection of murals and art installations. Visit Palm Plaza and walk through R. Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome, or park up at Museum Garage and ogle its whimsical, surrealist façade.
Lincoln Road pedestrian mall is a Miami institution, lined by art-deco architecture and filled with swaying palms, European-style restaurants spilling out onto the streets, popular boutiques, and top-notch people-watching.
Meanwhile, Bayside Marketplace pairs Miami souvenir shopping with frozen drinks overlooking the water, boat rides on Biscayne Bay or bird’s-eye views of Miami from the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel. Explore four floors of dining, entertainment, shopping and Miami’s most beautiful rooftop bar, Sugar, at the stunning Brickell City Centre or, on nearby Coral Gables’ Miracle Mile, saunter down “bridal row” and find your dream wedding dress.
The best beaches seen on screen
Sports
Sports fans have plenty to do in Greater Miami. Along with two college football teams, the University of Miami Hurricanes and Florida International University Panthers, Miami hosts the Capital One Orange Bowl every January. See the Miami Marlins play under a retractable roof at LoanDepot Park, or watch the Miami Dolphins from a satellite location of LIV nightclub at Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Heat call the Kaseya Center (right next to Bayside Marketplace) home. If you have a need for speed, NASCAR comes to the Homestead Miami Speedway, while the Miami Grand Prix brings Formula 1 racing to the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium in May.
For something more active, snag some tee time at one of Miami’s 20-plus golf courses and play all year round. Or take to the water, where you can try SUP (stand-up paddle boarding), take sailing lessons, watch regattas or charter a boat for one of many fishing tournaments.
Hot ticket
Miami’s newest sporting darling is the David Beckham-owned Inter Miami C.F., aka Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, which signed World Cup champion Lionel Messi in 2023. The regular Major League Soccer season runs from late February to October, and with the team’s star power, seats (which start at $100 for single game tickets) go fast. Be sure to buy them early.
Dubbed “City Beautiful,” the suburb of Coral Gables is filled with Mediterranean Revival homes and wide, tree-lined streets. You can eat, drink and shop at Giralda Plaza or along Miracle Mile, explore 83 acres of tropical gardens at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens or see a show at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre or GableStage Theater. Stay at the historic Biltmore Hotel Coral Gables, and you might never leave.
The South Beach neighborhood is the place that comes to mind when most visitors think “Miami.” It’s what you see on TV: swaying palms, pastel-hued art deco architecture, the iconic Ocean Drive, and famous hotels and nightclubs. Stay at The Betsy South Beach to be at the heart of the action.
Historically the heart and soul of Miami’s Cuban community, the Little Havana neighborhood centers around Calle Ocho (Spanish for “8th Street”). From SW 12th to 27th Avenue, you’ll find Latin restaurants and bars, including famed Cuban spot Versailles; Cuban cigar and coffee shops; and salsa dancing at Ball & Chain. Also be sure to check out historic monuments in Cuban Memorial Boulevard Park and Máximo Gómez “Domino” Park. The latter is a hotspot for intense domino competitions, political gossip and murals of Cuban icons. Stay at Life House, Little Havana and you can walk to all of it.
Jennifer Agress is a food and travel writer whose work can be found in Fodor’s, Business Insider, Thrillist, Eater, The Miami Herald, Time Out, Orbitz and more. She’s always on a mission to explore new places, try new restaurants, and find the world’s best gin martini.
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