Living here

Things to do in South Florida

Where locals actually eat, shop, take the kids and spend a Saturday — from Miami-Dade to Martin County. Filter by who is coming with you, what day it is and what you feel like spending.

41 ideas
Arts & CultureFree

Oolite Arts

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Artist studios, residencies and free exhibitions on Lincoln Road — Miami Beach's home-grown art engine.

WeekdaysWeekendsAges 15-17
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Arts & CultureFree

Faena Art

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Commissioned installations and beachfront projects in the Faena District, free to walk through.

WeekdaysWeekendsAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Bars & Nightlife$$$

South Beach — Ocean Drive & Collins

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Art Deco hotel bars, rooftop lounges and late clubs. Ride-share; parking and traffic are the real cost.

EveningsWeekends
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Shopping$$

Lincoln Road Mall

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Pedestrian promenade of shops and sidewalk cafés, a farmers market on Sundays and street performers at night.

WeekendsEveningsAges 0-4Ages 5-9Ages 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here Directions
Sports & Events$$$

Art Basel Miami Beach & satellite fairs

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Early December turns the whole region into galleries, parties and pop-ups for a week.

SeasonalAges 15-17
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Dining$$

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Upscale Southern comfort food chain known for its fried chicken and biscuits.

WeekdaysWeekendsEveningsAges 5-9Ages 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Dining$$$

Barton G. The Restaurant

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Theatrical fine dining known for over-the-top presentations like cotton-candy foie gras.

EveningsAges 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Dining$$$

Cecconi's Miami Beach

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Venetian-Italian restaurant in the Soho Beach House, popular for weekend brunch.

WeekdaysWeekendsEveningsAges 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Dining$

La Sandwicherie

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Late-night French sandwich window steps from the beach, a South Beach institution since 1988.

WeekdaysWeekendsEveningsAges 0-4Ages 5-9Ages 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Bars & Nightlife$$$

SkyBar Miami

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Multi-room poolside and garden lounge at the Shore Club, a longtime South Beach nightlife staple.

Evenings
Homes near here Directions
Bars & Nightlife$$$

Employees Only Miami

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Prohibition-style speakeasy cocktail bar behind a psychic-reader storefront on Washington Ave.

Evenings
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Bars & Nightlife$$$

The Regent Cocktail Club

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

1930s-style supper-club lounge inside the South Beach Hotel with nightly live jazz.

Evenings
Homes near here Directions
Shopping$$

Española Way Village

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Mediterranean-style pedestrian block near South Beach with small boutiques, art and sidewalk cafés.

WeekdaysWeekendsEveningsAges 15-17
Homes near here Directions
Shopping$

Lincoln Road Farmers Market

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Sunday morning market along Lincoln Road with produce, flowers and juice stands.

WeekendsAges 0-4Ages 5-9Ages 10-14
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AttractionsFree

Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Powerful outdoor memorial sculpture and garden honoring Holocaust victims, free admission.

WeekdaysWeekendsAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$$$

The Fillmore Miami Beach

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Historic Art Deco theater on Washington Avenue hosting concerts, comedy and touring shows.

EveningsWeekendsAges 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$$

New World Center

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Frank Gehry-designed home of the New World Symphony — indoor concerts or free simulcasts on the outdoor lawn.

EveningsWeekendsSeasonalAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$$

Colony Theatre

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Restored 1935 Art Deco theater on Lincoln Road staging plays, dance and cabaret.

EveningsWeekendsAges 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$$$

Miami City Ballet

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Nationally ranked ballet company based on Lincoln Road, performing classic and contemporary works.

EveningsWeekendsSeasonalAges 5-9Ages 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$$

New World Symphony Orchestra

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

America's orchestral academy for young musicians, with a full season of concerts at New World Center.

EveningsWeekendsAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$$

The Bass

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Contemporary art museum in a 1930s Art Deco building on the Miami Beach Collins Park cultural campus.

WeekdaysWeekendsRainy dayAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$$

The Wolfsonian–FIU

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Design, propaganda and decorative arts from 1850–1945 in a restored storage-warehouse building on Washington Avenue.

WeekdaysWeekendsRainy dayAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Arts & Culture$

Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Restored 1936 synagogue on South Beach telling the history of Jewish life in Florida.

WeekdaysWeekendsRainy dayAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Outdoors & Beaches$

Haulover Beach Park

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Ocean beach with a marina, jetty fishing spot and a separate clothing-optional section to the north.

WeekdaysWeekendsAges 5-9Ages 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Outdoors & BeachesFree

South Pointe Park

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Waterfront park at the tip of South Beach with a pier, splash pad and views of cruise ships.

WeekdaysWeekendsEveningsAges 0-4Ages 5-9Ages 10-14
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Outdoors & BeachesFree

Miami Beach Boardwalk

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Elevated oceanfront boardwalk stretching from South Beach to 46th Street, great for walking and biking.

WeekdaysWeekendsEveningsAges 0-4Ages 5-9Ages 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Outdoors & Beaches$

Oleta and Greynolds Park

North Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Historic park with a landmark stone mound, mangrove canoe trail and picnic groves.

WeekdaysWeekendsAges 0-4Ages 5-9Ages 10-14
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Sports & Events$$

Miami International Boat Show

Miami · Miami-Dade

Massive boat and marine-gear show at the Miami Beach Convention Center and Marine Stadium each February.

WeekendsSeasonalAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Sports & Events$$

Miami Billfish Tournament

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Long-running offshore fishing tournament staged from South Beach marinas each spring.

WeekendsSeasonalAges 10-14Ages 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site
Sports & Events$$$

South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Miami Beach · Miami-Dade

Celebrity-chef tastings, dinners and demos across Miami Beach every February.

EveningsWeekendsSeasonalAges 15-17
Homes near here DirectionsOfficial site

How a week usually looks here

Weekdays

Beaches and parks are nearly empty before noon, museums are quiet, and restaurants that need a month's notice on Saturday will seat you at 6pm on a Tuesday. Libraries run free story times for little ones, and breweries do trivia midweek.

Weekends

Green markets and art fairs on Saturday mornings, boats out by ten, dinner on Las Olas or Atlantic Avenue, and live music downtown. Book attractions online the night before — walk-up lines are the only real hassle.

Season (November–April)

Everything doubles: polo in Wellington, the Kravis and Broward Center seasons, street art fairs, the boat show in autumn and Art Basel in early December. Traffic and reservations get tighter, so plan ahead.

Summer & rainy afternoons

Storms usually pass in an hour. Keep an indoor backup on the list — a science museum, an indoor mall, a go-kart park — and swim in the morning, not at three in the afternoon.

Choosing between neighborhoods? Where you land decides how much of this you actually do on a weeknight. Compare the areas, look up schools or ask me what a normal week looks like in the area you're considering.

Hours, prices and seasonal dates change — check the venue before you drive. Tell me if a favorite spot is missing and I'll add it.