If you need to escape Miami’s constant motion, consider a green day in one of the country’s largest tropical botanical gardens. A butterfly grove,…
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Miami
Beautiful beaches and art deco delights are just some of Miami’s many charms – there's also the blazing nightlife, tropical gardens, lively arts scene and sizzling cuisine.
Architectural Jewel Box
Even if there was no beach, Miami would still have undeniable allure. The gorgeous 1930s hotels lining Ocean Dr are part of the world’s greatest collection of art deco buildings. Tropical motifs, whimsical nautical elements and those iconic pastel shades create a cinematic backdrop for exploring the streets of Miami Beach. Of course, you don’t have to see these architectural beauties at arm’s length. Lavishly restored, Miami’s art deco and mid-century modern hotels are also the playground for locals and out-of-towners alike, with sunny poolside terraces, artfully designed dining rooms and plush nightclubs.
Creativity, Miami Style
Chalk it up to Miami’s diverse population, or perhaps its love of always being on the cutting edge. Whatever the reason, creativity is one of the great hallmarks of this city. From art and design to global cuisine, Miami remains ever on the search for bold new ideas, which manifest themselves in surprising ways. You’ll find brilliantly inventive chefs blending Eastern and Western cooking styles, sustainably designed buildings inspired by South Florida ecosystems and open-air galleries where museum-quality artwork covers once-derelict warehouses. The one constant in Miami is its uncanny ability to astonish.
Nights in the City
When the sun sets and the brilliant colors of a South Florida sunset fill the sky, that’s when the best part of the day begins for Miami’s party people. By moonlight, all the magic of the city unfolds, in its salsa-filled dance halls, swanky candlelit lounges, and rooftop bars with sweeping views over Biscayne Bay and the glittering city skyline. While there’s plenty of bling on display, Miami has something for all, from backyard bars full of indie rockers to hidden dens of debauchery concealed behind neon-lit taco stands.
The Great Outdoors
Few cities are as blessed as Miami when it comes to natural beauty. White sandy beaches are lapped by teal waters – perfect for sunrise strolls along peaceful stretches of Mid-Beach to scenic paddles in search of manatees off Virginia Key. You can look for colorful bird species while walking the trails of Oleta River State Park, or go to any of the tropical gardens across the city. With year-round sunshine, and a love for celebration, the open air is also where Miami’s biggest parties unfold – whether at massive music and dance festivals or the neighborhood fiestas that pack Miami’s calendar.
Explore Miami
- Fairchild Tropical Garden
If you need to escape Miami’s constant motion, consider a green day in one of the country’s largest tropical botanical gardens. A butterfly grove,…
- Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
If you don’t make it to the Florida Keys, come to this park for a taste of their unique island ecosystems. The 494-acre space is a tangled clot of…
- Biltmore Hotel
In the most opulent neighborhood of one of the showiest cities in the world, the Biltmore is the greatest of the grand hotels of the American Jazz Age. If…
- Bayfront Park
Few American parks can claim to front such a lovely stretch of turquoise as Biscayne Bay, but Miamians are lucky like that. Noted artist and landscape…
- Máximo Gómez Park
Just five minutes from Memorial Boulevard Park, which honors a number of Cuban heroes, Máximo Gómez is the big beating heart of Miami's Little Havana…
- Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
If you want to see something that is 'very Miami', this is it – lush, big, over the top, a patchwork of all that a rich US businessman might want to show…
- HistoryMiami
South Florida – a land of escaped slaves, guerrilla Native Americans, gangsters, land grabbers, pirates, tourists, drug dealers and alligators – has a…
- Pérez Art Museum Miami
One of Miami's most impressive spaces, designed by Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron, integrates tropical foliage, glass, concrete and wood – a melding…
- Wolfsonian-FIU
Visit this excellent design museum early in your stay to put the aesthetics of Miami Beach into context. It’s one thing to see how wealth, leisure and the…

Featured Story
Top 9 beaches in Miami
5 min read — Published Feb 11, 2021
Lonely Planet EditorsWriter
Perpetually linked with a glamorous South Florida lifestyle, Miami has some of the state's best beaches. These are our favorites.
Latest Stories from Miami
Planning Toolkit
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Ways to maximize the fun without spending a dime on your next great adventure.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Miami.
See
Fairchild Tropical Garden
If you need to escape Miami’s constant motion, consider a green day in one of the country’s largest tropical botanical gardens. A butterfly grove,…
See
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
If you don’t make it to the Florida Keys, come to this park for a taste of their unique island ecosystems. The 494-acre space is a tangled clot of…
See
Biltmore Hotel
In the most opulent neighborhood of one of the showiest cities in the world, the Biltmore is the greatest of the grand hotels of the American Jazz Age. If…
See
Bayfront Park
Few American parks can claim to front such a lovely stretch of turquoise as Biscayne Bay, but Miamians are lucky like that. Noted artist and landscape…
See
Máximo Gómez Park
Just five minutes from Memorial Boulevard Park, which honors a number of Cuban heroes, Máximo Gómez is the big beating heart of Miami's Little Havana…
See
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
If you want to see something that is 'very Miami', this is it – lush, big, over the top, a patchwork of all that a rich US businessman might want to show…
See
HistoryMiami
South Florida – a land of escaped slaves, guerrilla Native Americans, gangsters, land grabbers, pirates, tourists, drug dealers and alligators – has a…
See
Pérez Art Museum Miami
One of Miami's most impressive spaces, designed by Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron, integrates tropical foliage, glass, concrete and wood – a melding…
See
Wolfsonian-FIU
Visit this excellent design museum early in your stay to put the aesthetics of Miami Beach into context. It’s one thing to see how wealth, leisure and the…