Visiting Miami: A Few Words About This Itinerary

Getting Around Miami

One rule of thumb for getting around Miami is you should have access to a car or have your favorite ride-share app loaded and ready on your phone. Getting around by foot is great, but Miami encompasses more than 35 square miles. Add to that the greater Miami area and the suburbs, and the area is close to 60 square miles. So unless you are planning on only exploring one neighborhood, a car is a necessity when exploring the Miami area.

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Lummus Park is dotted with playgrounds, volleyball nets, white sand beaches, and delicious bistros. Photo courtesy of the City of Miami Beach Government

Pick and Choose Your Miami Itinerary

There is so much to do in Miami, especially if you want to explore more than one neighborhood. One neighborhood could take a full day on its own, so remember to focus on what makes your family happy and pick and choose activities you feel your family will enjoy the most. There are activities for shoppers, thrill-seekers, water lovers, beach lovers, science fanatics, animal enthusiasts, foodies, artists, and more. So choose your activities first, then focus on a neighborhood where those activities exist, filling in the extra time as you have it.

Here, we will detail the neighborhoods you can visit and what activities are within or near those neighborhoods, so you can focus on a neighborhood or area per day. We also have grouped one to three neighborhoods together so you can see what neighborhoods are easy to move about it in and not lose time in the dreaded Miami traffic we locals know all too well.

I have given my thoughts on how to choose what to do on your three days in Miami. Look at the neighborhoods and the activities they offer and pick and choose the neighborhoods to plug into your Day 1, 2, and 3 itinerary. That will help you and your family get the most enjoyment out of your three days in this vibrant and wonderful city.

3 Days in Miami with Kids: Day 1 Strategy

Get the lay of the land and explore the neighborhood where you are staying. Most people think of Miami Beach when they think of visiting Miami. If that is the case with you, get on a pair of comfortable shoes and enjoy the day by the beach—shopping, exploring, and having tons of fun in Miami Beach.

3 Days in Miami with Kids: Day 2 Strategy

Choose a neighborhood with a museum, animal encounter, or tour that interests you. Go and explore that neighborhood. If you prefer to see more than just one neighborhood, get tickets for the Big Bus Tour hop on-hop off bus and travel through the art deco neighborhoods of Miami Beach, Wynwood, the Design District, Little Havana, Brickell, and Downtown. Listen to the history of the neighborhoods, jumping off the bus when you want to explore a specific area. Jump back on when you are done.

3 Days in Miami with Kids: Day 3 Strategy

Explore the water before tackling some more adventures. Island Queen Cruises and Tours offers sightseeing cruises with views of the Miami skyline along the Intracoastal Waterway from Key Biscayne through Miami Beach and Downtown. While on the cruise, view the beautiful homes that line the waterway; you might even see a celebrity. Take a food tour through Little Havana or choose an activity, professional sports game, shopping area, or other place you have among your top things to do and explore that neighborhood.

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Explore nature at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Photo courtesy of the museum

Miami Neighborhoods that Offer Fun and Excitement for Families

Coconut Grove, South Miami, and Coral Gables

These neighborhoods provide a day of quality family time in a relaxed and tranquil environment. Explore nature at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens or the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables. Both destinations offer an outdoor experience where kids can run and explore. Kids can also learn on walks along the trails and by viewing the exhibits. You can easily spend a few hours in both places and are sure to be hungry. If you are looking for more than a potential small snack area, head to Glass and Vine in Coconut Grove, a covered outdoor restaurant in Peacock Park. If you prefer to be by the water for lunch, consider Monty's Raw Bar in Coconut Grove. This great option provides a laid-back family feel that only a marina in Florida can offer.

After lunch, head to the beach or pool, continuing your relaxed Florida day at either Matheson Hammock Park, with its small size and manmade atoll pool, or the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, which is refilled daily from spring water from an underground aquifer. The pool features two waterfalls and cave-like grottos.

If you prefer to shop, vist the Miracle Mile and the Shops at Merrick Park in Coral Gables. Miracle Mile offers shoppers a half-mile lined street of boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment. Merrick Park is a high-end shopping mall with stores and restaurants you are sure to love. If you are in Coconut Grove, browse the boutiques or stop into CocoWalk for a fun shopping experience.

Looking for a fun snack? Mojo Donuts makes gourmet donuts in fun flavors and has three locations in South Florida, including in Coral Gables.

 
Enjoy the hip vibe and outdoor art at Wynwood Walls. Photo by Francisco Guerrero, via Flickr 2.0.

Wynwood and the Walls, the Design District

The Wynwood neighborhood is all about grafitti walls, hip vibe, and street art, while the nearby Design District is all about high-end shopping. In Wynwood, head straight to the Wynwood Walls, which is Miami's outdoor street art museum. These walls will wow you while providing some Instagram-worthy pictures. If you haven't satisfied your street art fix, head to the Museum of Graffiti, where you can view the history of this street art or even take a quick class.

After your art fix, enjoy lunch at either 1-800 Lucky or Mr. Cheezious, or grab a donut at The Salty. If you prefer to move on and explore the high-end shopping of the Design District, then enjoy Ol'Days Farm to Table for lunch before shopping the day away at stores such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and other boutiques.

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Delight in a foodie's tour of Little Havana, Photo courtesy of the Little Havana Food Tour

Little Havana, Downtown Miami, and Brickell

These neighborhoods have so much to offer you won't be able to fit it all into a day. Here are some options. Start your day at a museum. The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum offers hands-on science and STEM exhibits and a planetarium. The Perez Art Museum, which is right across the street, offers guests beautiful art gallery exhibits. You can spend hours at both or just take your time at one. After the museum, head to the waterside Bayfront Park and enjoy lunch and shopping at Bayside Marketplace or one of the other great family-friendly restaurants nearby, including OkeyDokey food hall in Brickell or Versaille in Little Havana.

If you prefer to start your day with a food tour, then head to Little Havana and enjoy a walking food tour lasting about three hours.

After lunch or your food tour, enjoy shopping at the Bayside Marketplace or at Brickell City Centre. Besides shopping, these areas offer family fun and thrilling activities. You can enjoy a game of mini golf at Puttshack in Brickell City Centre; a Marlins game at Loan Depot Park near Little Havana during baseball season; a Miami Heat game near Downtown during basketball season; or jump on the Thriller Miami Speedboat, which departs from Bayside Marketplace.

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Miami Beach's beachfront is unmatched. Photo by Erik Cooper via Flickr 2.0

Miami Beach, North Miami Beach, Surfside, Sunny Isles, Aventura, and Watson Island

Miami Beach and its surrounding areas have so much to offer that one day is never enough. If you are looking to enjoy just walking around, browsing shops, taking in the sun at the beach, or sampling good food, then enjoy a day filled with the following in whatever order that works for you.

Restaurants for Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks for Kids

• Sugar Factory, Miami Beach: Good for brunch, lunch, and dinner, this restaurant has amazing signature drinks, milk shakes, and fun food.
• Barton G, Miami Beach: This is a splurge restaurant that provides the ultimate "wow" dining experience.
• Lincoln Road Food Hall: Great to browse the different food options, and everyone gets to eat what they want.
• Monty's Sunset, South Beach: Located poolside and waterfront on the docks of the Miami Beach Marina, it offers casual dining, fresh-caught local seafood, raw bar, live music, and stunning sunsets.
• Big Pink: A fun, retro diner experience.

Beaches and Parks for Kids

• South Pointe Beach, Miami Beach: This beach on the southern tip of Miami Beach offers a scenic oceanfront park and splash pad, sandy beach, fishing pier, off-leash dog area, and picnic space.
• South Beach: Between Fifth and 15th streets is Lummus Park. This area features the most traffic with tourists, a playground, volleyball nets, and white sand beaches.  After the beach, you can enjoy a drink or meal at one of the Ocean Drive cafés.
• Sunny Isles Beach: Sunny Isles Beach is a two-mile stretch of white-sand beaches where you can enjoy wide beaches and clear waters for snorkeling, diving, and other water sports.
• Oleta River Park: In between North Miami Beach and Sunny Isles, this park is a haven for mountain bikers, paddlers, anglers, and swimmers. You can enjoy a picnic along scenic Biscayne Bay or unwind while fishing.

Shopping

• Lincoln Road, Miami Beach: An eight-block-long pedestrian mall with more than 200 boutiques and restaurants lining both sides of the street. You can shop at brands like All Saints, Mango, Ted Baker, Scotch & Soda, Zara, H&M, and popular brands like Adidas, Nike, Anthropologie, Lululemon, and more.

 
Enjoy a thrilling afternoon at Treetop Trekking. Photo courtesy of Treetop Trekking

If you prefer to head to a museum, see animals, or do something thrilling, then enjoy the Miami Children's Museum, Jungle Island, and Treetop Trekking, both on Watson Island. If taking Instagram-worthy photos and being silly with your family is on the agenda, head to the Museum of Ilusions on Lincoln Road. You can also look into one of the day resort pass apps such as Resort Pass, or see if you can get a day pass at Tidal Cove at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry and enjoy hours of fun at an on-site water park. After that, head for lunch or dinner, or to one of the beaches.

 
Say hello to the "residents" of Zoo Miami. Photo courtesy of Zoo Miami

Homestead, Cutler Bay, South Dade

As you go farther south, you can enjoy a day filled with animals at Zoo Miami in South Dade or at Everglades National Park. Both locations offer hours of fun and can be a whole day in and of themselves.

When going to Zoo Miami, don't forget your bathing suit for its on-site splash pad. Its playground offers kids extra fun aside from the animal feedings, shows, and huge exhibits of animals that are organized by continent.

At Everglades National Park, enjoy an airboat tour to see alligators and other Florida wildlife. This park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and home to endangered species such as the manatee, American crocodile, and Florida panther. Take a boat tour, ranger-led tour, or shark valley tram tour.

If you have extra time after the park or zoo, head to the Homestead Miami Speedway and take in a race. If you want to grab a bite, check out Nando Grill for a meal or Knauss Berry Farm when open and grab one of its famous cinnamon buns. 

Virginia Key and Key Biscayne

This area of Miami is over a causeway and largely removed from the hustle and bustle of Miami Beach. Head directly to the Miami Seaquarium to see wildlife shows, aquarium tanks, swim with dolphins, or just roam and see what touch tanks you happen upon. After the aquarium, head to lunch at either of these waterfront restaurants on Virginia Key—Salt Waterfront or Rusty Pelican. If you prefer to continue on to Key Biscayne, enjoy lunch at the retro diner Donut Gallery.

If you prefer to spend a day at the beach on Key Biscayne, then Crandon Beach Park is your place to stop. This beach park has kayaks and kiteboards available for rent, nature tours, cabana rentals, a tennis center, golf course, and two miles of beach that is consistently named one of the top 10 beaches in the United States.