What to Do in Miami: Neighborhoods, Museums, Food, Cruises, Beaches, Shopping and More

Miami has one of the busiest cruise terminals in the world, and taking a cruise is a classic choice for travelers visiting the city. Options start at 3 nights and USD 199 per person, making a cruise even more convenient than a hotel when you consider that it includes all meals with an all-inclusive system, entertainment, countless activities, and stops at different ports before returning to the city.

The Norwegian Getaway has restaurants, Kids Clubs divided by age, a spa, an Aqua Park with 5 water slides reaching 17 stories high, 2 pools and 4 hot tubs, a Kids Aqua Park, the largest ropes course at sea, 5 ziplines over the ocean, Basketball and a Tennis Court, a gym, duty-free shops, a theater with Broadway-style musicals and shows, bars with live bands and stand-up comedy, lounges with live music and much more.

The cruise sails to Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. In addition to its idyllic beach and large pool with a swim-up bar and included buffet, a revolutionary water park opened in the Caribbean in early September.

Great Tides Waterpark is a large water park with 19 slides. Tidal Tower features the world's first Nautilus in a 52-meter-high tower; Cliffside Cove has jumps from platforms up to four and a half meters above the water, the highest in the Caribbean; Wandering River is a 240-meter lazy river where the current carries you along in an inner tube, passing a swim-up bar and an immersive cave; and there is an interactive children's area with a giant bucket, mini slides and water games.

The buffet is included with admission, which passengers can purchase through the Norwegian app, and there are also food trucks offering gourmet options. Norwegian Getaway also stops in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, which has a picturesque downtown and beautiful beaches.

The tip: the private Great Tides cabanas, which accommodate up to six people and offer direct access to Tidal Tower, sell out quickly, so it is best to reserve them as soon as the cruise is confirmed.

Where: Cruise Terminal, PortMiami.

Miami Beach is not just South Beach, even though it is the best-known postcard image, with its beach, lifeguards and calm Atlantic waters, and Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road as its iconic avenues to explore from end to end.

This is also where you'll find the Art Deco Historic District, between 5th and 23rd streets, home to the world's largest concentration of Art Deco architecture, and Española Way, its most picturesque spot for outdoor dining.

A little farther north, Mid-Beach has a different architectural style, the postwar MiMo (Miami Modern) style, with hotels such as the Fontainebleau. And North Beach is the quieter, less touristy part of the island, ideal for those looking for a beach without as much activity.

The tip: the Water Taxi crosses Biscayne Bay for free between Miami Beach and Downtown in about 20 minutes, Monday through Friday.

Where: Miami Beach (South Beach, between 5th and 23rd St; Mid-Beach, between 23rd and 63rd St; North Beach, north of 63rd).

This used to be an industrial neighborhood and is now an open-air museum: its walls are covered with murals by artists from around the world that can be viewed for free, and there are design shops and street-food markets.

Wynwood Walls, the heart of the circuit, has more than 40 murals by leading urban artists such as Shepard Fairey and Os Gemeos. Much of it can be seen from the street, while admission is required only for the interior area.

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The tip: the Miami Trolley runs for free to Wynwood from Downtown, so you don't need a car or Uber to explore it.

Where: Wynwood, Miami (Wynwood Walls, NW 2nd Ave).

Little Havana is one of the world's best-known Cuban enclaves, and its heart is Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street), with bars, restaurants and live Cuban music shows. This is where you'll find Máximo Gómez Park, better known as Domino Park, where locals have been playing dominoes since early in the day, as well as the Calle Ocho Walk of Fame, with stars dedicated to figures from Latin culture.

The neighborhood also has cafés where you can try a strong Cuban coffee. March is the best month to visit because it is when the Calle Ocho Music Festival, the largest Hispanic street festival in the United States, takes place, attracting more than one million visitors.

The tip: it is recommended to explore the area during the day.

Where: Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street), Little Havana, Miami.

Coral Gables is a planned urban area, with streets laid out in the 1920s by developer George Merrick. It is an upscale neighborhood with shops aimed at a discerning clientele, particularly around Miracle Mile, where you'll find jewelry stores, bridal shops and good restaurants.

This is also home to Venetian Pool, a public swimming pool carved out of a coral quarry in the 1920s, with waterfalls and artificial caves, as well as Books & Books, a neighborhood classic.

The tip: Venetian Pool is one of the few pools in the country listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it remains open to the public year-round.

Where: Miracle Mile, Coral Gables.

East of Coral Gables is Coconut Grove, one of Miami's oldest neighborhoods. It has plenty of greenery, bay views and a bohemian atmosphere. Among its best-known spots are CocoWalk, an open-air shopping center, and Peacock Park, right by the water.

This is also where you'll find the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a 1922 Italian-style villa with European antiques and ten hectares of gardens leading down to the water, including a coral-stone barge that is one of the most photographed images in Miami. It is open Wednesday through Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and general admission costs USD 25.

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The tip: children under 5 enter Vizcaya for free, and there is a Metrorail station (Vizcaya) just a few meters from the entrance.

Where: Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, 3251 S Miami Ave, Coconut Grove.

Miami has museums to suit almost every interest. In Museum Park, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) showcases Latin American, Caribbean and African diaspora art in a building designed by Herzog & de Meuron, with hanging gardens. In the Design District, ICA Miami offers free admission every day of the year.

In Allapattah, the Rubell Museum displays more than 7,200 works by artists such as Basquiat and Kusama. For a more interactive experience, the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science combines a three-level aquarium with a planetarium. And at the HistoryMiami Museum, visitors can explore more than 13,000 archaeological and historical objects connected to the region.

The tip: the Go City Pass provides access to several of these museums and other attractions with savings of up to 50% compared with individual admission prices, and it is worth considering if you're planning to visit three or more places.

Where: PAMM, 1103 Biscayne Blvd; ICA Miami, Design District; Rubell Museum, 1100 NW 23rd St, Allapattah; Frost Science, 1101 Biscayne Blvd; HistoryMiami, 101 W Flagler St.

In April 2026, Nu Stadium opened inside Miami Freedom Park: the new home of Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators. You can take a behind-the-scenes tour that includes the players' tunnel, locker room and an Experience Center featuring a replica of Messi's Ballon d'Or. It is also possible to buy a ticket to watch the GOAT play.

For basketball fans, the Kaseya Center, in Downtown on the bay, is home to the Miami Heat, three-time NBA champions (2006, 2012 and 2013), with a capacity of 19,600 people and its own stadium tour.

The tip: Nu Stadium tours are booked online and often sell out quickly on game days, so it is worth checking availability before planning the rest of your day.

Where: 1000 Stadium Dr, Miami; 601 Biscayne Blvd, Downtown.

Besides South Beach, Miami has beaches with very different characteristics. In Key Biscayne, Crandon Park Beach has a shallow-water lagoon, a picnic area, and kayak and bicycle rentals. Oleta River State Park is the city's most natural beach, surrounded by mangroves.

Matheson Hammock Beach has an artificial lagoon protected from the waves by the ocean's flow. Haulover Beach is wide and peaceful, with a park next door, and also has a nude beach section, the only legal one in Miami-Dade, at the northern end.

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The tip: the lagoon at Matheson Hammock is the calmest of them all, with almost no waves, which is why it is preferred by those traveling with babies or young children.

Where: Crandon Park Beach, Key Biscayne; Oleta River State Park, North Miami; Matheson Hammock Beach, Coral Gables; Haulover Beach, Sunny Isles.

This open-air shopping and dining area on the bay, right in Downtown, has shops, bars and live music. It is also the departure point for some of Miami's best-known boat tours. The Millionaire's Row Sightseeing Cruise, operated by Island Queen Cruises, takes 90 minutes to tour Star, Palm and Fisher islands, with narration in English and Spanish about celebrity homes, including those of Gloria Estefan and Shaquille O'Neal, as well as the former home of Al Capone.

Bayside is also Stop 1 on the Big Bus, the double-decker sightseeing tour that covers South Beach, Wynwood and Little Havana. Next door, Bayfront Park has playgrounds, interactive fountains and green space overlooking the water.

The tip: Millionaire's Row tickets cost around USD 35 per adult and can be purchased at the Island Queen kiosks inside Bayside, with no advance reservation required.

Where: Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Blvd, Downtown Miami.

Everglades National Park is the largest natural park in the United States, and airboat excursions offer the chance to see alligators, giant turtles and exotic birds in their natural habitat. Nearby, Everglades Alligator Farm welcomed Biscuits and Bagel, two baby capybaras that have joined Waffles, Pancake and Mrs. Butterworth, its most beloved residents, this year.

The tip: the Go City Pass also includes an airboat ride through the Everglades, so it is worth adding it to the museum package if you are going to use the pass anyway.

Where: Everglades National Park; Everglades Alligator Farm.

There are two very popular outlet malls among Argentines looking to shop in Miami, as prices on well-known brands can be particularly attractive. Dolphin Mall is close to the airport and Miami, making it convenient both during a layover and from the city. It has major brands, luggage storage from USD 3 and an IKEA store next door.

Sawgrass Mills, meanwhile, is larger but also farther from Miami. In addition to major brands, it has a Target store. Both have free parking, and shoppers can purchase a coupon book at the Customer Service desk. For luxury shopping, Brickell City Centre brings together premium brands such as Richard Mille, Rolex and Porsche Design beneath the Climate Ribbon, a 14,000-square-meter steel-and-glass roof that cools the open-air walkways with the sea breeze and has become one of the city's most iconic photo spots.

The tip: it is best to go on a weekday as soon as the stores open, especially to Sawgrass. It gets much busier as the day goes on, and even a full day may not be enough to explore the entire complex.

Where: Brickell City Centre, 701 S Miami Ave; Sawgrass Mills, Sunrise; Dolphin Mall, 11401 NW 12th St.

Every Miami neighborhood has its own nightlife scene. South Beach is home to the best-known clubs and the biggest party atmosphere. Brickell has rooftops such as Sugar, on the 40th floor of the EAST Miami hotel (inside Brickell City Centre), which is the city's most photographed.

Wynwood is the more relaxed and accessible option, with Coyo Taco, known for its Mexican flavors, among the busiest spots during both the day and night. Club Space, in Downtown, is one of the few clubs in the world licensed to operate 24 hours a day.

The tip: Miami nightclubs don't fill up until after midnight, so it is common to head to a rooftop early for drinks before going out.

Where: South Beach; Sugar, Brickell City Centre; Coyo Taco, Wynwood; Ball & Chain, Calle Ocho; Club Space, Downtown.

Where to stay: it depends on the type of trip you're planning.

• South Beach/Miami Beach: The choice for those who want the beach and nightlife just steps from their hotel, although it tends to be an expensive and noisy area.
• Brickell: A convenient base for getting around Downtown without relying on a car, with skyscrapers, restaurants and the Miami River in the background. We stayed at the Novotel Miami Brickell, which has 275 rooms, its own restaurant and a rooftop pool. La Vista Rooftop Bar and Lounge overlooks the skyline and bay. It is one block from a Metromover station, making it ideal for exploring the city for free. Booking link
• Sunny Isles: Farther north, it is an alternative with quiet beaches and more affordable prices, ideal for families.
• Coconut Grove: The greenest and quietest option, a little farther from downtown.

Getting around Miami:

• Uber and Lyft: Ride-hailing apps that operate throughout the city and are the simplest option.
• Renting a car: Worth considering if your plans include the outlets, exploring outlying neighborhoods or visiting nearby cities such as Fort Lauderdale, or going to the Everglades.
• Waymo: Google's self-driving, driverless car service can be requested through the official app and covers Brickell, Wynwood, the Design District and Coral Gables. It is a novel option to try in Miami.
• Big Bus: A double-decker hop-on hop-off bus that departs every 30 minutes from Bayside and includes one hour of bike rental in Miami Beach.
• Free transportation: The Metromover (elevated train through Downtown, Brickell and the Arts District), Trolley (Wynwood, Little Havana and Miami Beach) and Water Taxi (between Miami Beach and Downtown, Monday through Friday) operate throughout the city. Their real-time schedules can be checked on the Transit app.

Food:

• Low budget: La Sandwicherie (South Beach) or Versailles (Little Havana, the city's classic Cuban restaurant) cost around USD 10–20 per person.
• Mid-range: Yardbird Southern Table & Bar (South Beach) or Ball & Chain (Little Havana, with live music included), USD 30–60.
• High budget: Joe's Stone Crab (South Beach, October through May) or COTE Miami (Design District, Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse), from USD 100 per person.

Documentation:

• Travelers from Argentina to the United States need a valid passport and a valid U.S. visa.

With this complete guide to Miami, you're ready to plan your next trip to a unique city in the United States that has much more to offer than its stereotypes suggest and deserves a chance to be discovered.