Miami 7-day itinerary

Start early on South Beach — the sunrise over the Atlantic paints the sky pink and gold. Walk from South Pointe Pier north past the Art Deco lifeguard stands, each painted in different pastel color schemes. The beach is quiet before 9am — joggers, yoga groups, and early swimmers. Breakfast at Big Pink on Collins — oversized diner plates and pancake stacks ($14). Or grab a cafecito and pastelito ($2) from any Cuban ventanita on Washington Avenue.

Walk the Art Deco Historic District — the world's largest concentration of 1920s–40s architecture. The Art Deco Welcome Center on Ocean Drive has guided tours ($30) at 10:30am, but the self-guided walk is free. Focus on Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue for the best preserved buildings. Espanola Way (14th–15th Streets) is a hidden Mediterranean village with pink stucco and string lights. Lunch at Havana 1957 on Espanola Way — Cuban sandwiches ($14) on a vine-covered terrace.

Ocean Drive at night is sensory overload — neon signs, bass from every restaurant, and a parade of people and exotic cars. Start at The Broken Shaker at the Freehand Miami — a courtyard cocktail bar consistently ranked among the world's best (drinks $14–18). Walk Lincoln Road Mall for open-air dining. For dancing, Mango's Tropical Cafe has live Latin music (no cover before 11pm). Serious clubbers: LIV at the Fontainebleau ($40–80 cover, dress code enforced).

Uber to Wynwood — Miami's art district where every warehouse wall is a world-class mural. Wynwood Walls ($12) is the curated centerpiece. Outside, NW 2nd Avenue from 21st to 29th Street is a free open-air gallery. Grab coffee at Panther Coffee ($5–7) — the roastery that kickstarted the neighborhood. Browse Wynwood Marketplace (weekends) for local designers and food vendors. The neighborhood changes constantly — new murals appear weekly.

Walk north to the Design District — Miami's luxury fashion and art quarter. The Institute of Contemporary Art Miami (free) has rotating world-class exhibitions. Browse the open-air architecture — the Buckminster Fuller dome, the pink facade of the Museum Garage, and the palm tree court at Palm Court. Lunch at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink ($18–28 mains) for farm-to-table American. Or the Salty Donut ($6 gourmet doughnuts) back in Wynwood.

Wynwood transforms at night — bars and restaurants spill onto the sidewalks. Gramps is a dive bar with a backyard, DJs, and $5 beers. Shots is a bustling cocktail bar with house-infused shots. For food, KYU does wood-fired Asian-inspired BBQ ($18–32) — the Korean fried chicken is legendary. Then walk to Edgewater for drinks at Mama Tried — a honky-tonk bar on Biscayne Boulevard with live country music and $6 whiskey.

Head to Little Havana on SW 8th Street. Watch domino players at Maximo Gomez Park. Walk past cigar shops where hand-rollers work in the window — Los Pinareños Fruteria has fresh tropical fruit shakes ($4). Stop at Azucar Ice Cream for their "Abuela Maria" flavor ($5). Lunch at El Exquisito — ropa vieja, black beans, and maduros ($14–18). End with cafecito ($1) from Versailles' ventanita. The whole strip between 12th and 17th Avenues is a living Cuban cultural experience.

Drive south to Coconut Grove — Miami's oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens ($25) is a 1916 Italian Renaissance villa on Biscayne Bay with formal gardens, grottos, and stunning bay views. Then walk CocoWalk — a recently revamped outdoor shopping and dining center. The neighborhood has a bohemian village feel with banyan trees, independent shops, and waterfront parks. Grab a smoothie at Dirt Juice Bar ($9–12).

Watch the sunset from the Coconut Grove waterfront — Peacock Park and the sailing club marina have gorgeous bay views. Dinner at Lulu in the Grove for modern American with seasonal produce ($22–34 mains) or keep it casual at LoKal — a craft beer bar with locally-sourced burgers ($16–18) and 24 rotating taps. The Grove nightlife is more relaxed than South Beach — Barracuda Taphouse, Taurus, and Sandbar are all walkable neighborhood spots.

Cross the Rickenbacker Causeway ($2.25 toll) to Key Biscayne. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park ($8/vehicle) has one of America's best beaches — calm turquoise water, white sand, and the 1825 Cape Florida Lighthouse. Climb the lighthouse ($3 tour) for panoramic views. Rent bikes ($25/day) to ride the island's flat palm-lined paths. Crandon Park Beach (free) on the north end has calmer family-friendly water. Pack snorkeling gear — the seawall has surprising marine life.

Head to Coral Gables — "The City Beautiful" with Mediterranean Revival architecture and banyan-lined boulevards. Swim at the Venetian Pool ($18) — a freshwater pool carved from a coral rock quarry in 1924, fed by natural springs. It's the most beautiful public pool in America. Then drive Coral Way past the Biltmore Hotel (free to walk through the lobby — a 315-foot tower modeled after the Giralda in Seville). Lunch on Miracle Mile at Threefold Cafe ($14–18).

Head to Brickell — Miami's financial district turned nightlife hub. Happy hour at Sugar rooftop bar at the EAST Hotel — 40th-floor Biscayne Bay views and cocktails ($16–20). Mary Brickell Village has a concentration of restaurants and bars. Blackbird Ordinary is a dark speakeasy with craft cocktails ($14) and DJs. The Wharf on the Miami River has waterfront drinks and food trucks. Baby Jane does natural wines and small plates in an airy space.

Drive 45 minutes southwest to Everglades National Park ($30 per vehicle, valid 7 days). Start at the Shark Valley Visitor Center and rent bikes ($10.50/hour) for the 15-mile paved loop trail through sawgrass prairie — you'll see alligators, turtles, herons, and potentially the endangered snail kite. The observation tower at the loop's halfway point gives 360-degree views of the River of Grass. Alternatively, take the tram tour ($28.50, 2 hours) with a park ranger guide.

Exit the park and take an airboat tour from one of the operators on Tamiami Trail (US 41) — Coopertown Airboats or Everglades Safari Park ($28–35 for 40 minutes). The flat-bottomed boats skim over the sawgrass at speed, then slow down for alligator spotting. Guides know where the big gators hang out. The adjacent alligator farms let you hold baby gators for photos. Lunch at Robert Is Here fruit stand ($5–10 smoothies and milkshakes) in Homestead — a legendary Florida roadside stand.

On the drive back through Homestead, stop at Knaus Berry Farm (seasonal, Nov–Apr) for legendary sticky buns ($1.50 each, cash only) and fresh strawberry milkshakes — the line is always long but moves fast. Or visit Coral Castle ($18) — a mysterious sculpture garden carved from coral by a single Latvian immigrant. Return to Miami for a low-key evening — dinner at La Sandwicherie on 14th Street in SoBe for French-style pressed sandwiches ($10–14) eaten standing at the counter.

Head north of South Beach to quieter Surfside and North Beach — less scene, more genuine beach culture. The sand is just as beautiful with a fraction of the crowds. Walk the boardwalk from 72nd to 87th Street — local joggers, fishermen, and retirees instead of Instagram influencers. Breakfast at Josh's Deli in Surfside — Jewish deli fare with smoked fish platters ($18) and egg sandwiches ($12). The surf break at North Beach is the best in Miami for beginners.

Head inland to Little Haiti — a vibrant Caribbean neighborhood with colorful buildings, botanical shops, and incredible Haitian food. Chez Le Bebe is the local institution — griot (fried pork), rice and beans, and plantains for $12–15. Visit the Little Haiti Cultural Complex (free) for art and events. Then nearby Little River — an emerging gallery district with Emerson Dorsch gallery, Nina Johnson, and Spinello Projects (all free). The neighborhood has great coffee at Per Sé.

Midtown Miami is a compact area of restaurants and bars between Wynwood and the Design District. 1-800-Lucky is an Asian food hall with 8 vendors — ramen, Thai, bao buns, all under $15. Then bar-hop along NE 1st Avenue — The Anderson is a lush garden bar with tiki drinks ($14), Boxelder is a craft beer spot with 24 taps, and Grails has sneaker culture meets sports bar vibes. For late night, the clubs on South Beach don't peak until 1–2am.

One last morning on the sand. If you haven't tried it, rent paddleboard from a stand on the beach ($25/hour) — the calm morning water at South Beach is perfect for beginners. Or return to your favorite beach — Key Biscayne for calm water, South Beach for people-watching, or North Beach for solitude. Stop at La Colada Gourmet on Collins for a final Cuban coffee ($2) and guava pastry. Rinse off and start packing.

Final food mission: head to Versailles Restaurant on Calle Ocho for a proper sit-down Cuban lunch — the ropa vieja, tostones, and black beans ($16–20) are the definitive Miami meal. Pick up guava paste and Cuban coffee beans as souvenirs. Or if you haven't visited, the Perez Art Museum Miami ($16) on Biscayne Boulevard has stunning contemporary art and harbor views from its hanging garden terraces.

For your final Miami evening, watch the sunset from South Pointe Park — cruise ships departing, pelicans diving, and the South Beach skyline glowing pink. Farewell dinner at Juvia on Lincoln Road — a rooftop restaurant blending Japanese, Peruvian, and French cuisine ($25–45 mains) with 360-degree views. Or keep it real with one last stone crab from Joe's (Oct–May). Toast to Miami with a final mojito — you'll be planning your return before the plane takes off.