Miami, Florida, is a Miami-Dade town on the Jupiter-to-Key West coast. This guide covers 27 beaches, parks and attractions, 44 places to eat and 89 upcoming events, kept current from official sources. Top picks: Everglades NP — Shark Valley, Off-beach dog swims and Garcia's Seafood Grille. One of the activities is free. Nearest towns: Miami Beach (4.3 mi) and Key Biscayne (5.2 mi).

Last updated September 7, 2026. Events refresh daily; places are hand-picked and re-checked monthly.

Miami proper is the mainland: Wynwood's murals, Little Havana's cafecito windows, Brickell's rooftop bars and the Kaseya Center on the bay. Heat and Marlins games, Inter Miami at the new Freedom Park stadium and the Arsht Center give it the deepest events calendar on the coast.

For the live version of everything below, open the Miami page: things to do · events · where to eat.

Beaches & Parks in Miami

  • Everglades NP — Shark Valley (Tamiami Trail, 25 mi west of Miami) — 15-mi paved loop to a 65-ft tower: tram $34, bike rental $27, or bring your own. Wait for mid/late Nov when the dry season concentrates gators along the canal. Price: $35/car (7 days) · Dogs: leashed (loop road only).
  • Off-beach dog swims (Various) — Snyder Park dog lake (FTL), Canine Cove at South County Regional Park (West Boca), Lake Ida Dog Park (Delray), Amelia Earhart Bark Park dog pools (Hialeah), Perrine Wayside (Palmetto Bay). Dogs: yes.
  • Surf lessons (Deerfield Beach and others) — Island Water Sports runs FREE group lessons every Saturday 7–9 am at Deerfield Pier (register online, gear included). Also Ocean Magic and Blueline (Jupiter), EZride and Living Water (Broward), South Beach Surf Lessons (Miami). Price: Private ~$75–120.
  • Dog parks with water (Various) — Snyder Park dog lake (FTL), Canine Cove (West Boca), Lake Ida (Delray), Amelia Earhart Bark Park pools (Hialeah). Dogs: yes.
  • Dog hangouts (Various) — LauderAle, Yeasty Brews, Saltwater, Civil Society, Grandview Public Market, The Oasis Wynwood, Lagniappe, Yellow Green market, LOOP market, Aventura Mall, Gulfstream Village, Wynwood streets, Worth Ave, Design District, Coconut Grove. Dogs: yes.
  • Fall dog events (Various) — Fairchild Dog Dates (monthly), Riverwalk 'Mutts & Martinis' / Hound Halloween (Oct), LOOP Pooch Parade, Delray Howl-O-Ween (late Oct), Wynwood Halloween dog costume contest, Humane Society of Broward Walk for the Animals (typically Nov). Check goriverwalk.com, bringfido.com/event and Eventbrite as dates post. Dogs: yes.

Attractions & Activities in Miami

  • Neptune Memorial Reef & Key Biscayne reefs (Miami / Key Biscayne) — Underwater 'Atlantis' cemetery-reef in 40 ft via Tarpoon Lagoon or Divers Paradise (Crandon Marina; also shallow snorkel trips). Price: ~$90–110.
  • Cable wake parks (Deerfield / Hialeah / WPB) — Ski Rixen (Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield — the original US cable park, Wibit aqua park), Miami Watersports Complex (Amelia Earhart Park), Shark Wake Park (Okeeheelee, WPB). Price: $50–60/2 hr.
  • Sailing lessons (Fort Lauderdale / Miami / Palm Beach) — Fort Lauderdale Community Sailing / LYC (basic keelboat, Wednesday-night racing), Blue Water Sailing School (Bahia Mar; ASA liveaboard courses incl. Bahamas passages — Nov is prime), Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Palm Beach Sailing Club.
  • Fishing — mullet run and sailfish season (Jupiter to Miami) — Sept–Oct mullet run: snook, tarpon and sharks blitzing bait off every pier and inlet (Anglin's, Juno, Deerfield, Pompano, Dania piers, $5–7; Juno Pier allows leashed dogs). November: sailfish season opens with the first fronts — Jupiter/Palm Beach is 'Sailfish Alley.' Drift boats (Sailfish Marina, Lady Pamela II, Kelley/Reward Fleet); private half-day ~$700–1,000. Price: Drift boats ~$60–80/person.
  • Island Queen Cruises (Bayside Marketplace, Miami) — 90-min Star Island / Millionaire's Row bay cruise. Price: ~$30 (Groupon ~$25).
  • Balearia ferry to Bimini (Port Everglades & Miami) — Fast ferry ~2 hr each way, roughly Wed/Fri/Sun; passport required. Snorkel the Sapona wreck and Radio Beach. Book November for the smoothest crossings. Price: Day trip from ~$199 round trip · Dogs: no.
  • Pérez Art Museum (PAMM) & Frost Science (Downtown Miami) — PAMM free first Thursdays and second Saturdays; bayfront Verde restaurant. Leashed dogs OK on the Museum Park lawn. Price: PAMM $18, Frost $33 · Dogs: no (inside).
  • Wynwood Walls & Museum of Graffiti (Wynwood) — The surrounding streets are free, mural-covered and very dog-friendly. Price: Walls ~$12 · Dogs: yes (streets).
  • Rubell Museum & ICA Miami (Allapattah / Design District) — Blue-chip contemporary. Price: Rubell $15, ICA free · Dogs: no.
  • Zoo Miami (South Miami-Dade) — Largest zoo in Florida, cageless; Zoo Boo last weekend of Oct. Price: $30 · Dogs: no.
  • Cultural tours (Miami / FTL / Delray / Boca / WPB) — MDPL Art Deco walking tour (daily 10:30 am, ~$35), HistoryMiami walking/boat tours (Little Havana, MiMo, cemeteries; $30–60), Miami Culinary Tours (Little Havana, Wynwood; $65–90), Craft Food Tours (FTL, Delray, Boca, WPB; ~$65–75), Wynwood golf-cart graffiti tours (~$35–50, often dog-friendly).

Shopping & Markets in Miami

  • Coconut Grove Organic Market (Miami) — Saturdays 10–7 Outdoors and dog-friendly on a leash unless noted. Dogs: leashed.
  • Miami Design District (Miami) — Dior to Hermès, public art, ICA; open-air. Dogs: yes.
  • Wynwood (Miami) — Indie boutiques, sneaker shops, weekend Wynwood Marketplace. Dogs: yes (outdoor).
  • Brickell City Centre (Miami) — Open-air multi-level; Saks, Casa Tua Cucina food hall. Dogs: yes (common areas).
  • CocoWalk / Coconut Grove (Miami) — Open-air; Saturday organic market; the most dog-forward neighborhood in Miami. Dogs: yes.
  • Dadeland & Dolphin Mall (Kendall / Sweetwater) — Big enclosed malls (Dolphin has Bass Pro, D&B, CineBistro). Dogs: no.

At Night in Miami

  • Thrills and rainy-day options (Various) — Helicopter tours from FTL Executive ($150–350), hot-air balloons over Wellington ($250–300, season resumes Oct–Nov), Skydive Miami, iFLY Davie, Xtreme Action Park & K1 Speed (FTL), Topgolf, PopStroke Delray (dog-friendly outdoors), escape rooms, axe throwing, Publix Aprons and Sur La Table cooking classes, salsa lessons at Ball & Chain or Salsa Craze (FTL).
  • Comedy clubs (Doral / Dania Beach / WPB) — Miami Improv, Dania Beach Improv, Palm Beach Improv — rotating weekly headliners, posted 3–4 weeks out.
  • Jai-alai (Casino Miami / Magic City) — Live pro jai-alai has returned; fall calendars not posted online — call ahead.
  • Miami FC (USL Championship) (Pitbull Stadium, Miami) — Regular season through late Oct; check miamifc.com for Sept–Oct home dates.

Free things to do in Miami

Nothing here charges admission (parking may).

  • Rubell Museum & ICA Miami — Blue-chip contemporary.

Miami with kids

  • Zoo Miami — Largest zoo in Florida, cageless; Zoo Boo last weekend of Oct.

Where to eat in Miami

Waterfront

  • Garcia's Seafood Grille (Miami River) — Fish market + dock. Family fish house since 1966; fried snapper, smoked fish dip. $$ · dog-friendly patio.
  • Casablanca Seafood Bar (Miami River) — Fish-market casual. Whole fried snapper, cheap for the view. $$.
  • Kiki on the River (Miami River) — Greek party. Mykonos long lunches, DJs, table energy. $$$$.
  • Seaspice (Miami River) — Glam brasserie. Yachts docking; see-and-be-seen. $$$$.
  • Zuma (Downtown Miami (EPIC)) — Japanese izakaya, river terrace. The bayfront brunch is legendary. $$$$.
  • Amara at Paraiso (Edgewater) — Latin-coastal. Michael Schwartz; Biscayne Bay sunsets. $$$$.
  • Cantina La Veinte (Brickell) — Upscale Mexican. Bayfront; mezcal and moles. $$$$.

Brunch & Breakfast

  • The Oasis Wynwood (Wynwood) — Outdoor food hall. Dogs OK. $ · dog-friendly patio.
  • 1-800-Lucky (Wynwood) — Asian food hall courtyard. $.
  • Julia & Henry's (Downtown Miami) — Food hall. $$.
  • The Citadel (Little River) — Rooftop food hall. $$.
  • Coffee near home (Coral Ridge / FTL / Miami) — Brewed Awakenings (Coral Ridge), Wells and Circle House (FTL), Pura Vida patios (multiple), Panther Coffee (Miami). $.

Casual & Family

  • Versailles (Little Havana) — The world's most famous Cuban restaurant; ventanita cafecito. $.
  • Komodo (Brickell) — Grutman treehouse scene. $$$$.
  • Swan (Design District) — Garden brunch. $$$$.
  • Gekko (Brickell) — Bad Bunny's Japanese steakhouse. $$$$$.
  • Sexy Fish (Brickell) — Damien Hirst art, Gehry ceiling. $$$$.
  • Café La Trova (Little Havana) — James Beard-nominated cantineros, live music, Michelle Bernstein food. $$$.
  • Ball & Chain (Little Havana) — 1935 live-salsa bar; dog-friendly back patio. $$ · dog-friendly patio.
  • KYU (Wynwood) — Wood-fired Asian. $$$.
  • Uchi (Wynwood) — Sushi, Sake Social happy hour. $$$$.
  • Sunny's Steakhouse (Little River) — Open-air steaks and martinis in a garden — Miami's coolest steakhouse. $$$$ · book ahead.
  • Lagniappe (MiMo / Edgewater) — Courtyard wine bar with live music nightly. Pick a bottle and a cheese board inside, then sit in the backyard under string lights. Dogs welcome in the yard. A must. $$ · dog-friendly patio.
  • Little Havana counter crawl (Little Havana) — La Camaronera, Sanguich, Enriqueta's, El Palacio de los Jugos, Azucar. Stand-up pan con minuta (fried snapper sandwich, tail on), Cubano, pan con bistec, juices and pan con lechón by the pound, ice cream — then Ball & Chain or Café La Trova. $.
  • Bakery pilgrimages (Wynwood / MiMo / Coral Gables / WPB) — Zak the Baker, El Bagel (cult line), aioli, Bachour. $.
  • Truluck's (Boca Raton / Fort Lauderdale / Brickell) — Own fishery. Strong stone crab; mediums are the best value — ask if they are fresh that day. $$$$.
  • Also strong for stone crab (Fort Lauderdale / Miami River) — Rustic Inn, Garcia's, Kelly's Landing. Mediums are the best value; ask if they are fresh that day. $$–$$$.

Date Night

  • L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon ★★ (Design District) — French counter. The only two-star in South Florida; theatrical counter, flawless classics. $$$$$ · book ahead.
  • Boia De ★ (Little Haiti) — Italian-ish, 20 seats. Funky wine, outrageous pastas. $$$ · book ahead.
  • Cote ★ (Design District) — Korean steakhouse. Butcher's Feast; loud and fun date night. $$$$ · book ahead.
  • Elcielo ★ (Brickell) — Colombian avant-garde. The chocotherapy course (you wash your hands in chocolate). $$$$$.
  • Hiden ★ (Wynwood) — Omakase, 8 seats. Hidden behind a taco shop; door code by text. $$$$$ · book ahead.
  • Le Jardinier ★ (Design District) — Vegetable-forward French. Elegant garden room. $$$$.
  • Ogawa ★ (Little River) — Omakase, 10 seats. Two-hour edomae progression; arguably the best sushi in Florida. $$$$$ · book ahead.
  • Tâm Tâm (Downtown Miami) — Vietnamese drinking food, natural wine.
  • Sanguich de Miami (Little Havana) — Best Cubano in town.
  • Mandolin Aegean Bistro (Buena Vista, Miami) — Whitewashed Greek courtyard.
  • Michael's Genuine (Design District) — The restaurant that started that scene.

Bars & Nightlife

  • Sugar (EAST Miami, Brickell (40th fl)) — Asian small plates in a lush garden — Miami's classic. $$$.
  • Area 31 (Kimpton EPIC, Downtown Miami) — Sustainable seafood, bay views, breakfast to dinner. $$$.
  • Astra (Wynwood) — Greek-island Mediterranean, sunset terrace. $$$.
  • The Rooftop by Klaw (Edgewater (historic Women's Club)) — King crab and steaks over Biscayne Bay. $$$$.
  • Wynwood Brewing / J. Wakefield / Veza Sur / La Tropical (Wynwood) — Brewery. Walkable brewery crawl. $ · dog-friendly patio.
  • Lincoln's Beard / Unbranded / Tripping Animals (Miami (Bird Rd / Hialeah / Doral)) — Brewery. Unbranded has a big warehouse yard. $ · dog-friendly patio.

What's on in Miami

The next 10 events on the Miami calendar (dates are America/New_York; confirm with the organizer before you go):

  • Damaged Goods: Labor Day Party — Mon, Sep 7 · E11EVEN Miami · Concerts & Live Music. Miami DJ and producer Damaged Goods brings a genre-spanning electronic set to E11EVEN M.
  • Live Jazz: Tal Cohen and The Ball & Chain Trio — Mon, Sep 7 – Mon, Sep 28 · Ball & Chain · Concerts & Live Music. Pianist Tal Cohen brings modern jazz, Middle Eastern melodic influences and rhythmic improvisation.
  • Marlins vs Mets (3-game series) — Mon, Sep 7 – Wed, Sep 9 · loanDepot park · Sports. Sept 7 1:10 · Sept 8 & 9 6:40 pm Tickets from ~$15.
  • Miami Marlins vs. New York Mets — Mon, Sep 7 – Wed, Sep 9 · Miami Marlins · Sports. The Miami Marlins are back in action for a three-game battle against their division rivals.
  • Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival — Mon, Sep 7 – Sat, Sep 12 · Multiple venues in Miami and Miami Beach · Festivals & Markets. Three decades of Brazilian cinema come into focus through premieres, competitive screenings and more.
  • Labor Day Community Celebration — Mon, Sep 7 · Griffing Park · Festivals & Markets. Water slides, music, food and family activities fill an afternoon gathering at Griffing Park.
  • Labor Day Weekend at the Deering Estate — Mon, Sep 7 · Deering Estate · Festivals & Markets. A long weekend at Deering Estate offers time outdoors by Biscayne Bay, guided tours and fun.
  • Orange Blossom Classic Official Weekend Parties — Mon, Sep 7 · Multiple locations in Wynwood and Miami Gardens · Festivals & Markets. Nightlife, a game-day gathering and a closing brunch are all part of this vibrant weekend.
  • Pop Air: Art is Inflatable — Mon, Sep 7 – Sun, Sep 27 · Mana Wynwood · Festivals & Markets. An immersive exhibition of large-scale inflatable artworks transforms the Mana Wynwood space.
  • Marlins vs Dodgers (3-game series) — Fri, Sep 11 – Sun, Sep 13 · loanDepot park · Sports. Sept 11 7:10 · Sept 12 4:10 · Sept 13 1:40 Tickets from ~$15.

See the full list, refreshed daily: Miami.

Getting there and planning your day

Miami sits at 25.762, -80.192 in Miami-Dade. Parking rules, beach access and permits are on the City of Miami site; the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau calendar lists county-wide festivals; check the National Weather Service Miami – South Florida forecast before a beach or boat day (summer storms build after 2 pm); snorkelers and anglers should read the NOAA tides: Virginia Key, Biscayne Bay; Miami-Dade Transit (Metrorail, Metromover, buses) is the car-free way in; the official Everglades National Park (National Park Service) page has hours and entry fees.

Nearby towns

Each has its own page in this guide:

Official sources and further reading

We link to primary sources so you can verify hours, fees and dates:

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