Recently I was in Miami, Florida for my first time ever! I flew into the city because it was where I was catching my cruise to the Dominican Republic, and to be honest, I wasn’t really sure what my impression would be of the city. I had traveled to Florida a million times before to visit family, but had never made it to Miami specifically and I was never really impressed with Florida in the past because I just didn’t find that there was anything to it that stood out to me. But Miami seemed to be more my pace.
There seemed to be so much to do in Miami, and for once it was a part of Florida that didn’t make me feel like I was visiting a state that only consisted of senior citizens and retired Canadians. I was only there for a full day in total (half day on my way there and half day on my way back) but I still had a chance to see a bit of what the city had to offer.
Here is my recommended one day itinerary for those short on time in the city of Miami.
Street Art
When you arrive in Miami, head to Wynwood Walls, an outdoor destination featuring colourful street murals by artists from around the globe. Entry inside to this park area is free, but the street art expands well beyond this gated area. Down each street and around every corner, you’ll find street art. Look up, look down, look all around—I’ve never seen so much incredible street art in one condensed area.
Stop for an iced coffee at Panther Coffee while you’re there exploring and then head back to the downtown area. Be careful because if you wonder out of the Wyndwood area, you’ll soon hit industrial and quite sketchy territory. I wasn’t alone and it was the middle of the day, yet I still felt a bit on edge.
Seafood
Next head to Cvi.Chi for some snacks. I had read about this place on a few different blogs and it was pretty delicious. We tried some of the sharing platters so we could try a variety of different ceviche’s they had to offer, and they lived up to the hype! The restaurant has plenty of seating and an awesome patio too.
Art Deco District & South Beach
After your belly is full of seafood, head towards the Art Deco District. This area is located along South Beach and is a colourful playground. There are several restaurants, bars, and shops to stop in, but the buildings themselves feel like you’ve taken a step back in time to the funky, retro era. This district is said to be the largest concentration of architecture from the 1920s and 30s in the world and is a photographer’s heaven. The buildings are splashed with pastel and bright colours and you almost feel like you’re on a movie set.
After you are done exploring the fantastic architecture, head down to the beach for some fun in the sun, which no Florida visit would be complete without. The beach is huge, and there are a few snack shacks along the beach for you to refuel or hydrate.
Little Havana
If you still have some time to kill and are looking for something else to do other than spend the rest of your day on the beach, Little Havana is a popular destination which is home to many Cuban immigrants and is filled with great restaurants, festivals, music and shops.
There are lots of things to do in Miami and you could truly be entertained well beyond one day, but realizing that often people are passing through this city due to its major port, sometimes you only have a short time to explore.
Do you have any Miami favourites that people NEED to know about? Share below in the comments!
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