Whether you are a full-time resident, a snowbird, or just visiting the area, Miami is a southern hot spot. Full of culture, fantastic restaurants, and fun things to do, the party doesn’t ever stop in Miami. Check out my top five favorite things to do when visiting my former stomping grounds of Miami, Florida.
Zoo Miami
Easily one of the top zoos in the south, if not the country, Zoo Miami is fun for children of all ages. Formerly the Miami MetroZoo, the mainstay of Miami residents for more than 20 years has been renamed Zoo Miami. The animals at Zoo Miami aren’t necessarily confined to the usual cages. Their habitats are enclosed, but natural, so that they have room to roam, and are in an environment similar to the one they would be in in the wild. Zoo Miami also allows visitors to interact with the animals, whether that is feeding a giraffe, or for the braver of heart, riding a camel. Those are experiences that are hard to find anywhere in this country, and make Zoo Miami unique.
If you get tired of walking, six-person pedal bikes are available for rent, and will get you from one end of the zoo to the other with much less effort, or take a ride on the monorail. The kids will love the playground, and when it gets hot in the summer, misters throughout the zoo will help to cool you off, or join the kids at the splash pad.
I spent a lot of childhood weekends at this zoo, back when it was the Miami MetroZoo in the 80’s. It was wonderful back then, and has only gotten better. I have lived in San Diego, and been to their world-class zoo numerous times. While Zoo Miami isn’t the San Diego Zoo, it is definitely in the same class. It is a must-see for any trip to Miami.
You can’t visit Miami without going to the beach! After all, it’s what Miami is known for. Technically, Miami Beach is an entirely separate city from Miami proper, on a chain of barrier islands outside Biscayne Bay. The area known as South Beach is the southernmost part of Miami Beach.
Miami Beach is where you’ll find the Art Deco Historic District, the largest collection of architecture in the Art Deco style in the world. Ocean Drive will look familiar to “Scarface” fans. South Beach has been made popular by celebrities, who flocked to the area after “Miami Vice” made it popular. It’s where Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian filmed the Miami installment of the Kardashian series of shows, and the place that Will Smith rapped about in his hit song, “Miami.” Temperatures on the beach rarely dip lower than the 60’s at night, making it a great place to visit in the winter, when you need to get out of the doldrums of the north.
Little Havana
There was mass immigration to the U.S. from Cuba in the 1960s, following the Communist revolution. Most of those immigrants came through Miami, and many settled here. A high concentration of Cubans ended up in one place, now dubbed “Little Havana.” This area is now home to more than just Cubans, as many immigrants from other Caribbean and Latin American countries have chosen to stay in Little Havana. Little Havana isn’t sparkly and pretty like some other parts of Miami, but you don’t come here for the glitz and glamour, you come here for the culture.
Many residents speak no English at all, although you’ll probably be able to get by on a limited amount of Spanish. You don’t want to miss “Viernes Culturales”, a block party held in Little Havan on Calle Ocho (eighth street) on the last Friday night of each month. If you’re in Miami in March, make it a point to visit Little Havana with the millions of other people for the Calle Ocho Festival.
AmericanAirlines Arena
The AmericanAirlines Arena was built in the late 90’s to replace the Miami Arena. During basketball season, the Miami Heat play here, but in between games, the AmericanAirlines Arena doesn’t sit empty. It’s been home to the Latin Grammy Awards, the MTV Video Music Awards, WWE events, UFC events, and concerts for everyone from Britney Spears to Celine Dion. In 2011, superstars like Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga will have concerts there. If you are visiting the area for a major event, it’s likely the event is happening here. It’s a beautiful arena, and many Miami residents, mostly Miami Heat fans, were happy to have a much nicer place to see basketball games and concerts, instead of the rundown Miami Arena.
Downtown Miami
During the day, Downtown Miami is where all of the business takes place. You don’t want to come downtown during the day, though, unless you’re wheeling and dealing in the Central Business District. Downtown Miami at night has always been the place to see and be seen. With tons of restaurants, bars, and clubs, the area gets really hopping when the sun goes down.
The Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center is located here, and it’s where you can catch an opera, symphony performance, or ballet. Freedom Tower is also downtown. In it’s heyday in the 60’s, this building was where Cubans immigrating to the United States to get away from Fidel Castro were processed. It’s now a museum, and worth a visit if you are in the area. Downtown is also where you’ll find Bayfront Park (where there are free yoga classes, a flying trapeze school, and it is the host of the DWNTWN Miami Concert Series the second Friday each month) and Bicentennial Park (host to big concerts like the Warped Tour.)
So, whether you’re visiting for a concert, the culture, or just to lie on the beach and soak up some rays, keep in mind these top 5 things to do in Miami, from a former resident, and yearly visitor.
