Miami has many neighborhoods to explore; if you are willing to pay for transportation, you can travel to one of Miami’s many beautiful beaches or explore other areas like Little Havana. However, if you are only staying in Miami for a short time (a day or less) before a cruise, like we did when we went on the Symphony of the Seas, you may want to stay close by to your hotel or the port. If you are staying in the downtown area (which we recommend), there are plenty of things to do that are within walking distance!
Bayside Marketplace
Bayside Marketplace is one of the great things to do in Miami before a cruise! It is an open air shopping mall with restaurants. As one of the most visited attractions in Miami, it is certainly tourist-friendly and one can book various boat rides or bus tours that depart from the Marketplace. So if you want to hop on a tour to explore Miami before your cruise, you can find a number of options there.
Food
Bayside Marketplace has many food choices. There are quite a few sit-down options ranging from chains like Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Hooters, or Hard Rock Cafe to more local restaurants like Tradewinds Bar and Grill or Los Ranchos Steakhouse.
One can also find quick food stands that sell empanadas, churros, fresh fruit popsicles, ice cream, and more. There is also a food court, which offers free samples! You could probably fill up on samples alone if you circled around the food court a few times. Moreover, there are several bars like the Mojito Bar or The Other Daiquiri Bar if you are looking for a cocktail.
Before our cruise, we ended up getting burgers from Hamburguesa for lunch, and then later returned to get a fresh fruit popsicle at Wonderfruits! After the cruise, we returned and decided to try the Florida staple, Hooters. We got the famous wings and they were actually delicious!
Nightlife
Having visited both around lunch time and in the evening, we were surprised to find that it was much busier at night! I was worried about walking over at night but there were more people out than earlier in the day, and we saw several police bike patrols. I felt even safer at night!
At night, the Marketplace has a very fun vibe. You can go salsa dancing, get a drink, browse in the many shops, grab a bite, or just sit by the water. Overall, one of the great things to do in Miami before a cruise!
Museums
Museum of Art and Design at Miami Dade College
The Museum of Art and Design is part of Miami Dade College, but is housed in a National Historic Landmark, the Freedom Tower. Even if you don’t visit the museum, walk by and look at the building! It was based after the Giralda Cathedral Bell Tower in Seville, Spain. The building served as the headquarters for Cuban refugees arriving in the US in the 1960s and 70s, and it is often referred to as the “Ellis Island of the South.” Thus the name, Freedom Tower.
The museum itself displays work from contemporary visual artists, either emerging or already established. It is open Wednesday-Sundays. Admission for adults is $12 and kids under 12 get in for free.
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
If you are traveling with kids, the Frost Museum of Science is a great stop! They have a planetarium, an aquarium, exhibitions, and several interactive labs and experiences. There are lots of fun, hands-on activities that are great for kids and adults.
You can take timed brain teaser challenges, go to a laser light planetarium show, or watch hammerhead sharks swim by you! It’s a higher admission than other museums on our list (Admission is roughly $30 per adult and $21 for kids. Children 2 and under are free), but offers things to do for hours!
Pérez Art Museum
During our time in Miami, we visited the Pérez Art Museum. Every second Saturday, there is free admission and we lucked out that we were there on a such a day! It is a contemporary art museum and has some changing exhibitions. When we visited, there was an exhibit about the the anniversary of the 1980s “Pink Island Project” in Miami by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
The museum’s architecture was our favorite part; it was a gorgeous building. They also have a beautiful “portico” area in the back, located right on the water and looks out to the Port of Miami.
The Pérez Art Museum has some artwork and seating on the portico, designed to be “Instagram-worthy” and is a great photo spot. If you don’t visit on their free Saturday, admission is $16 per adult and $12 for college students and children (kids 6 and under are free).
Parks
Maurice A. Ferré Park/Museum Park
The Maurice A. Ferré Park is also known as Museum Park; this is because the Frost Museum of Science and the Pérez Art Museum are located in it. Ferré Park offers free yoga classes and has a Flying Trapeze school! It is adjacent to the water and a gorgeous spot!
Bayfront Park
Located right next to our hotel, the Intercontinental, we walked through Bayfront Park to get to Biscayne Marketplace. The park offers free yoga classes and outdoor movie screenings and plays. It also hosts various festivals throughout the year. There is a memorial to the Challenger space shuttle in the park as well.
American Airlines Arena
If you are willing to spend some more money, the American Airlines Arena is also a nearby attraction. It is great for sports or music fans! It is the home arena for the Miami Heat basketball team. The arena is also the site of many other types of entertainment; this ranges from Jennifer Lopez or Twenty One Pilots concerts to Disney on Ice. You can buy tickets to Heat games as cheap as $70.
One Comment
Pingback: