Miami in 1 Day: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit
Seeing Miami in a day sounds like you'll be rushing around, but you can make the most of your time if you plan your tour in advance.
Miami at night | ©Mack Male
There is plenty to see and do in Miami, one of the most visited cities in the United States and one that has inspired so many series and movies. If you're only in the city for a day, don't be discouraged, because you'll be able to see the most important attractions and appreciate much of its cosmopolitan spirit.
If you want to do some practical and complete sightseeing, the best thing to do is to book a full bus tour of the city so that you don't miss anything of the city during the time you have available. But if you prefer to get to know each of the essential areas on foot or by car, take note of the following recommendations:
Get to know Miami Beach's most famous beach
I suggest you start your day almost in the south of the island at South Beach, one of the must-see places on your visit. You can walk this route (it takes no more than 20 minutes), from 5th Street to 15th Street, heading north. Once you get to 15th Street you can head to Ocean Drive, the next point on the itinerary, but I'll tell you more about that later. And, take note! because if you like yoga on this beach by getting your reservation in advance, what better way to start your day?
You can also rent a bike or take a Segway tour of South Beach. But the best option, to make the most of your time, is to rent a car for the day.
How to get there
From downtown Miami you can take the Metrobus or the Metrorail, which will take you to Miami Beach in about 30 minutes. If you're coming from Miami International Airport it will take you 22 minutes to get to Miami Beach by car or 28 minutes by bus.
Take an Art Deco tour of Ocean Drive Avenue
Ocean Drive is the most famous avenue in Miami Beach, where you can see a lot of Art Deco buildings. It runs parallel to South Beach, two blocks from the beach, with buildings constructed between 1920 and 1945. If you are interested in getting to know the modern art that this city has to offer, we recommend you take an exclusive Art Deco and gastronomic tour of Miami.
If you simply want to make it part of your day and then continue on to other areas of the city, it is advisable to walk from 15th to 6th St, where you can see the most representative buildings of this style: the Park Central, Colony, Waldorf Towers, Breakwater, Edison, Art Deco District Welcome Center, Victor, Leslie, Carlyle, Crescent and Mc Alpin hotels. In these buildings you will see colourful details, pastel tones, rounded shapes, mouldings and, if you go at night, the characteristic neon lights on the buildings.
Practical information
- Location: in the heart of Miami.
- Duration: approx. 2 hours.
- Entry fee: approx. 35 euros.
See the houses of celebrities in Biscayne Bay
Before you leave South Beach and head to downtown Miami, you can take a short trip to one of the most typical activities the city has to offer: see the luxurious celebrity homes of Biscayne Bay, which comprises several islands by booking a cruise around them, or you can also do it by road.
The closest island is Star Island, which is a 4-minute drive, 8-minute bike ride or 15-minute bus ride from South Beach's 5th Street. If you choose to explore Miami by bike, you can book your tour in advance, it will be a super fun adventure.
The other most popular islands are Palm Island and Hibiscus Island and all of them are man-made islands and these houses belong to famous celebrities such as Shakira, Gloria Stefan, Madonna, Will Smith, Ricky Martin and even Al Capone. Many of these mansions were also used in films such as The Adams Family- you'll love it!
Practical information for the boat tour
- Location: all boats depart from Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami.
- Duration: the approximate duration is 90 min.
- Ticket price: 30€ approx.
Relax in the Ichimura Miami-Japan Garden
On your way to Downtown Miami you can stop at the Ichimura Miami-Japan Garden and stroll through its beautiful and peaceful gardens to relax for a few moments before heading into the city.
Ichimura Japanese Park is located on Watson Island, a 4-minute drive from Palm Island along the MacArthur Causeway.
It's a small park with ponds and sculptures, where you can relax and get in touch with nature. It will only take you about 20 minutes to explore.
Ichimura Miami-Japan Garden
- Location: 1101 MacArthur Causeway, Miami, FL 33132, USA
- Hours: Daily from 9 am to 5 pm
- Admission: Free of charge.
Visit the Miami Children's Museum
An interesting option near Miami Beach, if you are travelling with children, is the Miami Children's Museum.
There you will find 17 exhibition halls with interactive proposals for children to have fun and learn while playing. It is located on Watson Island, very close to Ichimura Japanese Park.
Practical information
Tickets can only be purchased on their website. They consist of a 2-hour visit to the Museum in the following time blocks: 10am to 12pm, 1pm to 3pm or 4pm to 6pm.
- Location: 980 MacArthur Causeway
- Ticket price: around 20 euros.
Enjoy contemporary art at the Perez Art Museum
Just a few minutes' drive from the Children's Museum, or from the Ichimura Japanese Garden, you can visit the Pérez Art Museum, Miami's premier museum of contemporary art.
The Pérez Art Museum opened in 1984 and exhibits nearly 2000 works by artists from various parts of the Americas, Europe and Asia. It is located in Maurice A. Ferré Park in downtown Miami. If you take the bus, it will take you about 20 minutes to get there from Watson Island.
Useful information about the museum
- Location: 1103 Biscayne Blvd
- Admission: about $16
- Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 6pm. Thursdays from 11am to 9pm. Friday from 11am to 6pm.
See Miami from above on the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel
About 8 minutes by car from the Pérez Art Museum, or 19 minutes by bus, is the Bayside Marketplace, a popular shopping centre in the city that you probably won't be able to walk around during your day trip to Miami.
What you can do is get an incredible view of the city by riding the 60-metre high Ferris wheel in the park area.
From the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel you'll have a privileged view of downtown Miami, Bayfront Park and Biscayne Bay. A ride on the Wheel takes between 12 and 15 minutes.
The Bayside Marketplace is located in downtown Miami next to Biscayne Bay, and next to Miami's famous American Airlines Arena.
With more than 150 shops, restaurants, bars, ice cream parlours and terraces, and thanks to its location by the sea, it has become a typical Miami promenade.
Useful information about the promenade
- Location: 401 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132, USA
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 1pm to 10pm. Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon to 10 p.m.
- Ticket price: around $17. Tickets can be purchased on their website.
Get to know Miami's famous Little Havana
This is one of the most peculiar and famous neighbourhoods in Miami, and its streets breathe Cuban air wherever you go. Little Havana was formed by a series of immigrants fleeing the Castro regime in search of a better life and the result was a large Latino community that today numbers approximately 50,000 people, mostly Cubans.
Calle Ocho is the centre of the neighbourhood where you will find artisans making handmade cigars, bars with live Cuban music that awaken the desire to dance or a strong aroma of coffee that invites you to try the famous Cuban espresso which is said to be sweet and potent in flavour? Right on this same street, you will find its walk of fame, with stars of Cuban artists.
You can also visit its most emblematic monuments such as the Teatro de la Torre and the Bay of Pigs Memorial, or the Máximo Gómez Park where you can see what daily life is like for older Cubans playing a game of dominoes or chess. A very charming and different walk that you will love, and which you can take with a complete tour if you buy your tickets in advance.
Practical information
- Location: Little Havana
- Duration: approx. two hours.
- Ticket price: approx. 74 euros.
Ride an airboat in the Everglades Natural Park
Another of the city's most popular tourist activities is riding an airboat. You're sure to have seen it many times on TV travel and entertainment programmes. Touring the Everglades National Park in one of these machines will take you a few hours, but if you're organised, you'll have time to visit the rest of the city on a bus tour for which you can buy your tickets in advance.
An unforgettable experience where you'll get a close-up view of the area' s wildlife as you pass through the largest wetland in the United States with a wide variety of vegetation. You'll meet all kinds of rare species that inhabit the area such as the famous American alligators or the Florida panther, an impressive tour for animal and nature lovers and you can book your tickets now!
Practical information
- Location: shuttle service to and from the hotel
- Duration: approx. 5 hours
- Ticket price: approx. 29 euros
Tour downtown Miami: Downtown
You can't leave Miami without visiting its downtown area, home to some of the tallest skyscrapers in the city and in Florida. One of them is the famous Miami Tower, 191 metres tall, 47 stories and three semi-circular levels, which you're sure to recognise from a movie.
Brickell Avenue is the place to go when it comes to seeing tall buildings. As with any downtown, Downtown is home to shopping malls, museums, bars, restaurants, museums and parks.
If you have enough time you can also head to Lincoln Street, which is Miami's main pedestrian street, lined with shops, art galleries and restaurants.
Distances
From the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel, it's a 4-minute drive to the Miami Tower and from there it's a 7-minute drive to Brickell Avenue.
Traveller Tip
Take a free tour of Downtown by taking the Metromover or the Citywide Free Trolley.
Getting around Miami
If you're on a tight budget, the best way to get around Miami in a day is to rent a car. You'll probably have to pay for parking as it's not always easy to park in tourist areas.
Another option is to take an Uber or Lyft, but remember that you must have their apps installed on your phone beforehand in order to hire their services.
In addition to the Metrobus lines, there are free means of transport in Miami with which you can get around different areas of the city throughout the day and quickly, such as the Metromover and the citywide Free Trolley.
Remember that you can also rent a bike, or take a guided bike tour of Miami or a Segway tour. Both are very practical ways of getting around the city, as in addition to having a great time, you'll be accompanied at all times by a guide who will explain every detail you see along the way.
Metromover
This is a kind of elevated tram that you can use to get around the city centre free of charge. It has 3 lines that cover different routes. If you're looking for a quick look around Downtown, it's ideal.
Check out the routes on their website.
Citywide Free Trolley
To get around Miami Beach for free, you can take these buses that look like old train cars. They operate from 8am to 11pm every day and run every 30 minutes. Check their official website for all the information about their routes, frequency and timetables.