Miami is the capital of Latin America that happens to be in the United States. In a single day you can have a cafecito in Little Havana, walk past 1930s Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, swim in warm Atlantic water, look at street art in Wynwood and dance until 4 am. It is also the gateway to the Everglades and the Florida Keys.
Things to do in Miami
South Beach & the Art Deco District
Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue hold the world’s largest concentration of Art Deco buildings, more than 800 of them, in pink, mint and lemon. The Art Deco Welcome Center runs walking tours. Then cross Lummus Park to the beach and its lifeguard towers.
The quietest stretch of sand is south of 5th Street, at South Pointe Park.
See tours and tickets partner linkLittle Havana
Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) is the heart of Cuban Miami: domino players at Máximo Gómez Park, cigar rollers, fruit stands, live salsa at the Ball & Chain. Order a cafecito at a ventanita — a street window — like everyone else.
See tours and tickets partner linkWynwood Walls
Former warehouses covered in murals by artists from around the world. The Wynwood Walls themselves charge admission; the streets around them are a free open-air gallery, with breweries and galleries.
4Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
A 1916 Italian Renaissance-style villa on Biscayne Bay, with formal gardens and a stone barge in the water. A surprise in Miami and a peaceful morning.
See tours and tickets partner link5Key Biscayne
Across the Rickenbacker Causeway: Crandon Park’s calm beach for families, and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park with its 1825 lighthouse at the tip.
6Everglades airboat ride
An hour west, the “river of grass” and its alligators. The best way to see it is in the national park itself — the Shark Valley tram or the Anhinga Trail — with an airboat ride just outside the park boundary. See our Everglades guide.
See tours and tickets partner link
When to go, and hurricane season
December to April is dry, sunny and in the high 70s °F (25°C): perfect, and peak season, with Art Basel in December and spring break in March. May and late October are good compromises. June to November is hot and humid with daily afternoon storms, and the Atlantic hurricane season peaks from mid-August to early October.
Getting around
You do not need a car in South Beach: walk, take the free trolleys or ride-hail. A car is useful for the Everglades and essential for the Keys. Parking in Miami Beach is expensive; many hotels charge $40–$60 a night.
Where to stay in Miami
Choose between the beach (Miami Beach is a separate city on a barrier island) and the mainland’s downtown and Brickell.
Our 2 hotel picks in Miami
Photos, facilities and tips →Not sure which area? Compare Miami’s neighbourhoods for a first stay.
Luxury$$$$The Betsy Hotel
South Beach, on the quiet north end of Ocean Drive
A 1942 boutique hotel on the quiet end of Ocean Drive, with a rooftop pool, nightly jazz and the beach across the street.
Boutique$$$$Hotel Croydon
Mid-Beach, Miami Beach
An Art Deco boutique hotel in Mid-Beach, a block from the sand, with a courtyard pool and a rooftop deck.
South Beach
$$$$Best for: first-timers, nightlife
Art Deco hotels by the sand and the city’s nightlife. Noisy on Ocean Drive; choose a block or two inland or south of 5th Street for calm.
Hotels in South Beach partner linkMid-Beach & North Beach
$$$$Best for: resorts, families
Big beachfront resorts and calmer beaches, 10–20 minutes north of South Beach.
Hotels in Mid-Beach & North Beach partner linkBrickell & Downtown
$$$$Best for: city stays, value
Glass towers with rooftop pools, restaurants, the free Metromover, close to Little Havana and Wynwood.
Hotels in Brickell & Downtown partner linkCoconut Grove
$$$$Best for: a quiet base
Leafy and laid-back on the bay, near Vizcaya.
Hotels in Coconut Grove partner linkWhere to eat
Cuban sandwiches, stone crabs in season (October to May), Peruvian ceviche and Haitian griot.
Versailles
Little Havana
The mirrored Cuban institution where exiles have debated politics since 1971. Cuban sandwich and croquetas.
$
Joe’s Stone Crab
South Beach
Stone crab claws with mustard sauce since 1913, open in crab season. The take-away counter is cheaper.
$$$$
Sanguich de Miami
Little Havana
Cuban sandwiches made with house-cured ham and bread pressed to order.
$
Café La Trova
Little Havana
A cantinero bar with live Cuban music and some of the best daiquiris in town.
$$
Weather in Miami by month
Compare every destination month by month in the when-to-go explorer.
Miami: your questions
What is the best time to visit Miami?
December to April for dry, sunny weather. Prices drop and humidity rises from May; hurricane season runs June to November.
Is Miami Beach the same as Miami?
No. Miami Beach is a separate city on a barrier island, connected to Miami by causeways. South Beach is its southern end.
How many days do you need in Miami?
Three days for South Beach, Little Havana, Wynwood and a bay or beach day. Add one for the Everglades.
Can you do the Florida Keys as a day trip from Miami?
Key Largo, yes. Key West is 3 h 30 each way without stops; it deserves at least one night. See our Overseas Highway road trip.
Is Miami expensive?
Hotels in Miami Beach are, especially in winter and during Art Basel. Food can be cheap in Little Havana and the mainland neighborhoods.
Written by Kylian Dev · Last reviewed October 21, 2026. Prices are in US dollars, before sales tax.