This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2017. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
Miami is one of the most visited cities in the US.
With over 15 million annual visitors, I feared that the city would be a touristy sell-out and that I’d feel claustrophobic in the crowded streets.
Despite the fact that it was a little touristy and had a slightly trashy nightclub scene, Miami had a certain beachy charm that flowed throughout the city. The vibe was relaxed and the weather was nice, even in the winter. I’ll admit it – I kind of liked Miami.
We didn’t have a lot of time in Miami, but it was fairly easy to see the main attractions in a day. If you’re heading to Florida anytime soon, here’s how to spend one perfect day in Miami.
Quick summary:
Only one day in Miami? This itinerary covers the best things to do in Miami including South Beach, the Art Deco District, Wynwood’s street art, and Little Havana’s Cuban culture, plus options for bike rides, and food tours.
Recommended tours:
🚲 South Beach Bicycle Tour – Explore Miami Beach’s history and landmarks while cycling its iconic beachfront pathways.
🎨 Wynwood Buggies Street Art Tour – Ride through the Wynwood Arts District by golf cart and discover top murals.
🏛️ South Beach Art Deco Walking Tour – Learn the stories behind Miami’s most famous Art Deco buildings on Ocean Drive.
🌮 Little Havana Food & Culture Tour – Sample Cuban dishes and discover local traditions along Calle Ocho.
🐊 Everglades VIP Airboat Tour from Miami – Race through the wetlands on a guided airboat adventure with easy round-trip pickup.
Where to stay in Miami
🛏️ We stayed at The Meridian Hotel (part of the Urbanica Hotels group), which sits in a quiet pocket of South Beach just a few blocks back from the shoreline.
The location was ideal for a short Miami stay. Because it’s not directly on the beachfront, the price tag is far more reasonable than the big-name resorts lining Ocean Drive.
The hotel itself has a surprisingly lovely pool area tucked behind the building, plus a great coffee and breakfast spot onsite. Our room felt fresh and bright, and the whole property had that “new boutique hotel” feel where everything works and nothing feels dated.
If you want to stay in the South Beach area without paying beachfront prices, The Meridian Hotel is a solid pick.
Best time to visit Miami
Miami is warm year-round, but December to April is the sweet spot for sightseeing — sunny days, mild humidity, and comfortable beach weather. We visited in December, and it was a perfectly pleasant break from the winter chill in New York City.
This is also peak tourist season, so do expect higher prices near South Beach. Summer (June–September) is hot, humid, and rainy, but good for budget travellers as prices are lower. Hurricane season officially runs from June to November, so check forecasts if you’re visiting during these months.
How to get around Miami
We didn’t have a car to use when we were in Miami, but we ended up catching Ubers around the whole time because the public transport system is not great and Ubers are cheap. Miami’s attractions are quite a distance apart, so renting a car would be appropriate if you’re planning on moving around the city.
One day in Miami itinerary:
South Beach – Start your day in Miami here
South Beach is where most people stay when they visit Miami. This famous beach is where you’ll find those iconic colourful beach structures where the lifeguards hang out.
I know from experience that the most popular beach is often overrated, but I honestly loved South Beach. It wasn’t too busy, and I really enjoyed chilling on the sand and watching people surfing, paddle-boarding, jogging, and generally enjoying the pleasant December weather.
My favourite activity in Miami was riding bicycles along the concrete boardwalk at South Beach. The boardwalk starts at South Pointe Pier and follows the shoreline up to Miami Beach. We used free bikes from our hotel near South Beach, but you can also rent bicycles or use the Citibike bike share program.
🚲 If you want to learn about the history of the area while you’re roaming the beach, you can do a South Beach Bicycle Tour.
Explore the Art Deco District on your Miami day trip
I’m a huge fan of Art Deco architecture. It might be because I have a background in graphic design, but I just can’t help but love the grandeur and glamour that comes along with this architectural style.
The Art Deco district lines Ocean Drive along South Beach. Most of the buildings in this historic district are just a few stories tall and have strangely charming combination of 1930s Art Deco and bright neon lights.
🏛️ If you want to learn about each of these unique buildings, try a South Beach Art Deco Walking Tour.
This area is also where you’ll find a whole bunch of nightclubs and beach bars. It can be rather trashy, but if that’s your thing, then by all means go back at night time, purchase some overpriced drinks, and listen to blaring club music until the early hours.
Discover Wynwood’s street art – A must on any Miami itinerary
The Wynwood art district is a former warehouse/industrial area turned art hub. I’m obsessed with seeking out street art when I travel to any new city, so I really loved this place! Literally every large wall, garage door, and fence was smothered in amazing art.
Wynwood Walls is the center of all the art hype and was established in 2009 as an outdoor art museum. It starts on NW 2nd Ave between 25th and 26th street, and takes you between the buildings and into some galleries.
🎨 If you want a guide to show you the art pieces in this area, hop on a Wynwood Buggies Street Art Tour where you can explore the area by golf cart!
There are also plenty of places to eat and drink around this area, so grab lunch here if you can. We demolished an awesome veggie burger at BND Burger and had a killer cold brew at Panther Coffee. I also heard that Wynwood Brewing Co has some pretty great craft beers.
Visit Little Havana – Cuban culture in the heart of Miami
If you’ve seen the movie Scarface, then you’ll known that Miami has a huge Cuban influence, mostly due to an influx of migrants in the years following the Cuban revolution in 1959. These people brought much of their Cuban culture along with them and infused it into the city of Miami.
🌮 Jump on a Little Havana Food and Culture Tour to visit local eateries and sample authentic Cuban food and local Miami snacks.
Little Havana is the hub of Cuban culture. Start at Maximo Gomez Park as this is where you’ll see the stereotypical old men smoking cigars, playing dominoes or chess, and talking about Fidel Castro.
On the sidewalk lining SW 8th St, you’ll find the Calle Ocho Walk of Fame, which is much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame except that it features the names of Latin stars and famous personalities.
If you’re keen to buy a cigar, go to the Little Havana Cigar Factory. This store had a massive amount of choice – we ended up going with a $10 cigar from the Dominican Republic, which as per our new tradition, we smoked directly after the countdown to New Year.
As for dinner suggestions, I can’t really help much because Cuban food is not at all vegetarian friendly. We wandered up and down the main street twice, checked our options on Yelp, and ended up settling on Old’s Havana – a Cuban restaurant that sold Yuca Fries (it was the only thing we could eat!).
Everglades day trip from Miami (if you have more time)
If you have more than one day in Miami, a trip to the Everglades National Park is absolutely worth adding to your itinerary. The Everglades is one of the most unique ecosystems in the US — a vast expanse of slow-moving “river of grass” filled with alligators, turtles, wading birds, mangroves, and sawgrass marshes. It’s wild, swampy, and totally unlike the beaches and nightlife of Miami.
The most popular way to experience the Everglades is on an airboat tour, where you glide across the shallow wetlands and spot wildlife as your guide explains how the ecosystem works. Most tours include educational stops, scenic lookouts, and opportunities to see alligators up close (safely!).
🐊 If you won’t have a car, the easiest option is to book a Everglades VIP Airboat Tour from Miami, which takes care of transport, park entry, and your airboat ride.
👉 Read more: If you want more details on where to go, what to expect, and the best tours, check out my full guide to visiting Everglades National Park.
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