Top things to do in Miami Beach Florida
When you imagine Miami, you think blue skies, warm weather and beautiful beaches and I wasn’t disappointed when I landed it was very hot and sunny. I hadn’t done any research for this trip and no idea of the things to do in Miami Beach.
I had flown that morning from Cuba, a distance of 210 miles as the crow flies. Unfortunately when I flew there wasn’t any commercial flights between Cuba and Miami meaning I had to fly via Panama, a distance of 2,100 miles and taking a total of 7 and a half hours.
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How to get to Miami Beach
When I landed I hopped on the airport bus (this goes from the bus terminal and drops off all the way down Miami Beach, its less than $5 return and runs every 30 mins) to get to my hostel in Miami beach.
I had booked SoBe Hostel which is towards the bottom of Miami beach, a few blocks from the sea, a great place that offered breakfast AND an evening meal for about $30 a night. It was a big party hostel that offered nightly excursions to the clubs around, but as I had just partied for a month in Cuba, I spent my 2 nights there recovering!!
The next morning after a sleep in, and my only full day in Miami, I decided to go check out the beach. It was amazing despite being a bit windy and a lot of seaweed near the shore, brought in by the rough seas.
Miami is one of the up and coming destinations in the US and becoming more popular each year and a place that needs to be included in any Florida roadtrips. It is also close enough to Everglades National Park for you to visit as a day trip.
Take a Duck Tour
The Duck Tour in Miami Beach, takes you to all the main places to see in Miami South Beach by land and water. This is great fun and a great way to spend a couple of hours and find out some interesting facts about Miami’s South Beach.
Sunbathe on Miami Beach
Take some time to relax on the beautiful beaches located in Miami Beach and swim in the warm sea.
Walk along the Boardwalk
The boardwalk in Miami Beach goes for 40 blocks along the beach and is a beautiful place to walk and people watch.
Walk the Art Deco district of South Beach on a guided tour
Within Miami beach there are over 800 art deco landmarks that you can visit that date back to the 1920’s. If you take a tour then you will learn about the history of art deco in Miami Beach and the history behind some of the buildings. It is beautiful to walk around in this district but even better when you get the history of the buildings too.
After a bit of sunbathing, I decided it was time for a late lunch so I headed to Ocean Drive, this is a district with beautiful art deco buildings and flash cars, clearly out of my price range for lunch but worth a walk down. Its 15 blocks long and a beautiful walk, on the way back I stopped in one of the many parks lining the beach and chilled before heading back to the hostel for my free dinner of spag bol.
I spent the evening chatting and watching my roommates getting ready for their night on the town. Tonight it was a club a few blocks away, but I was driving the next day and still tired from Cuba!! So it was on with the eyemask and earplugs. Couldn’t wait for the drive down to Key West the following day.
Where to stay in Miami Beach
Miami Beach is full of hotels and hostels so it is easy to find somewhere to stay depending on the area you want to stay in.
South Beach
Budget
Sobe Hostel – This is a great hostel, friendly staff. It has a bar and breakfast is included. There are also options for dinner in the bar too. The hostel has a shared kitchen and there are options of dorm rooms and private rooms.
Mid-range
Casa Boutique Hotel – Located in the Art Deco district of South Beach this hotel is located a short walk from the beach. The hotel is modern and was free wifi throughout and a continental breakfast is included. Click here for more information and pricing.
Luxury
Loews Miami Beach Hotel – This hotel is located right on the beach and has a beautiful outdoor pool and hot tub. It also has a spa and 6 restaurants and fitness centre. Click here for more information and pricing.
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The art deco district is nice, isn’t it? I found Miami Beach a bit too party central for my tastes, but I suppose it’s all optional. Really I preferred Miami city to the beach.
That’s a long trip to get from Cuba. I met a woman who said she used to pay the men with speedboats to take her to Cuba and back from Miami (she was American so couldn’t get stamped). Not that I’m recommending that of course.
I took the cheapest option, which was also the longest!! As I am from the UK no problem on the stamp part and not sure I could of coped getting a speed boat there, but hey if you want to visit and aren’t allowed!!
I’ve never been in Miami, although (as everywhere in the world) it’s on my list. Those paradisiacal beaches, good vibes and music..seems to be the best place to travel and relax next to the ocean or as an starting point for all Florida’s adventures and theme parks.
I’ll definitely reconsider it and turn it into one of my top 10 trips to do before I turn 30!
Loved the vibe at Miami Beach!! I was there in summer and it was really super hot!! Water was warm as well, but it was enjoyable! ? Glad it didn’t fall short of your expectations!
I haven’t been to Miami in over 30 years! Although I’m too old for the party scene, I would enjoy the art deco architecture (and the beach of course!). 🙂
I went to Miami when I was on the crew (rowing) team in college. We spent a lot of time rowing of course, but also had time to enjoy the beaches and nightlife. You have some good practical information here about the costs of traveling in Miami.
That certainly is a long way to get there! Would have been quicker to swim lol. I was in Miami a few years ago for a very brief time but THe Hubs was not a big fan. To be fair though the cruise we took from there was pretty awesome ?
The beach looks nice and less crowded. Should be a great time to relax and not be bothered by noise and people. Hoping in a cruise from Miami is also an option to explore other places nearby.
Ooh Miami beach looks so pretty! I’m really jealous of the weather as I’m currently sat in my room in the (rainy) UK! Glad that you had a lovely time!
I have spent last December in Cuba too, but before I left I booked myslef a few days in Varadero, just to relax and be by the sea. Miami beach looks like a great beach to do this too. Did you arrive there mid December? I remember that in Cuba there were a few days in mid December when it rained quite a lot, when the warm air front hit the cold one. But then the weather got really nice again 🙂
I was in Cuba the whole of november, left around the 29th of november to Miami. We had quite a bit of rain in November too 🙂