I was in Miami for the last few days visiting some friends and discovering all there is to do in this tropical city. From lying on South Beach to enjoying the art déco architecture in Ocean Drive or being scared with alligators at the Everglades National Park, learn more about what to see in Miami in 3 days.
What to expect from Miami
Basic facts
Miami is one of the world’s most popular vacation spots, with trendy nightlife, beaches, art galleries and world-class hotels. It is also the cultural, economic and financial center of South Florida in the United States as well as one of the most populated cities in the country. Finally, Miami is known for being home to many of the rich and famous, especially singers.
Weather
The climate in Miami is tropical, with pleasantly warm winters and long and muggy summers. The high season (from December to May) is warm and dry, whereas the summer (going from June to September) is hot and humid. There may be hurricanes between June and November. When we visited in April, the weather was warm and humid although we also experienced a flash tropical storm. Ladies, watch your hair if it’s wavy like mine!
Transportation
Regarding how to get around Miami, I found the public transportation was pretty bad compared to the one in Washington DC as there weren’t many options. Actually, our friends living there shared a car. If you’re visiting Miami as a tourist, I would recommend booking a guided tour (we did so on Friday with the Miami Tour Company, see below for details) or a car so you can move freely from point A to point B.
What to see in Miami in 3 days
We spent three full days in Miami (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) after arriving there on Thursday evening from Washington DC. Here’s a list of the places we visited during our stay and the activities I would recommend:
- Ocean Drive
- Holocaust Memorial
- Coconut Grove
- Coral Gables
- Little Havana
- Everglades National Park
- Wynwood Art District
- Take a bus and boat tour!
- South Beach
After being welcomed by our Miami friends at the airport on Thursday night, our first stop was Lincoln Road, the quintessential shopping street in the South Beach area.
Ocean Drive
On Friday we booked a tour of Miami and the Everglades, with a bus by the Miami Tour Company that stopped at each site of interest. We started the sightseeing passing by Ocean Drive, the famous street of bars, clubs and restaurants that overlooks South Beach.
The beach promenade in South Beach is filled with beautiful art déco buildings and is the perfect spot for people watching.
Holocaust Memorial
Up next was the Holocaust Memorial, an impressive monument commemorating Nazi barbarism against Jews during World War II. The Memorial consists of a huge bronze arm that represents the last breath of a dying person. It is covered by figures of victims, and surrounded by a pond. I was surprised to learn that Miami is home to one of the world’s largest populations of Holocaust survivors.
Coconut Grove
We continued our tour by heading to the Coconut Grove area. Formerly a legendary hippie mecca, it is currently a quiet shopping area. In this neighborhood you can also find a community of Bahamas descendants, the Plymouth Congregational Church and the famous Charlotte Jane Memorial Park Cemetery where Michael Jackson shot his video clip ‘Thriller’. Finally, we passed by the Vizcaya mansion, an opulent winter residence built in 1916 and open to the public.
Coral Gables
The next stop in our tour was the elegant Coral Gables area. The major highlights there included the majestic Biltmore Hotel, which hosted guests such as Al Capone or the Dukes of Windsor during the twenties, and the dreamy Venetian Pool, an impressive pool open to the public and built in 1923.
Welcome to the Venetian Pool 
The Venetian Pool was the dreamiest pool I’ve ever seen
Little Havana
We continued our journey to Little Havana, the second homeland of Cuban immigrants since the 1960s. The atmosphere reflects the Cuban atmosphere, especially its popular Calle Ocho. You will see plenty of souvenir and cigar shops, as well as many expats playing domino in public parks.
Everglades National Park
In the afternoon we went to the Everglades National Park, a park of marshy lands and dangerous inhabitants: the crocodiles. The tour was great because we were able to visit the park by air boat thanks to the Gator Park and enjoy a show with crocodiles. This park protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, the American crocodile and the elusive Florida panther.
Wynwood Art District
To wrap up our Friday, we watched the sunset at a bar by the bay, strolled through the Wynwood Art District and dined in Little Havana (see details below).
Take a bus and boat tour!
On Saturday, we headed to the Bayside Marketplace, a lively place with restaurants and shops close to the port of Miami. From there, we embarked on the “rich & famous boat tour” by Miami Aqua Tours. We spent an hour and a half admiring some of the most impressive mansions in town, from Julio Iglesias or Shakira to George Clooney and Pitbull. Most mansions are concentrated in Star, Palm and Hibiscus Island, but the most exclusive of all is Fisher Island, accessible only by boat.
South Beach
In the afternoon, we went to the beach in South Beach. Although we could take a dip in the warm tropical waters, the joy didn’t last long. A sudden tropical storm hit us and it started raining cats and dogs. By the time we managed to get back home, we were all soaked. The good thing is we ended up chilling at the pool and the jacuzzi, so it wasn’t that bad after all. At night, we went partying to Ocean Drive.
Pouring rain in Miami 
We ended up at the pool after the storm
During our last day in Miami, we pretty much chilled by strolling down Lincoln Road and trying North Beach, although the weather didn’t allow us to do much.
Where to eat & drink in Miami
Miami has plenty of food options, from Cuban delicacies to other Caribbean specialties and much more. Here’s a list of the places we ate at during our 3-day stay in town.
- Pizza Rustica: we came here for dinner upon arrival on Thursday night. Located on Lincoln Road, the food was decent but nothing outstanding.
- Shuckers Bar & Grill: this waterfront grill is ideally situated on the island of North Bay Village in the heart of Biscayne Bay. We came here for a drink while we watched the sunset.
- Versailles: this Cuban restaurant is a pilgrimage site in Little Havana for Cubans and tourists alike. Great service and authentic Cuban cuisine.
- Van Dyke: we brunched in this location in the Miami Beach area on Saturday morning. Standard quality.
- Mango’s: this café serving also as a nightclub is located on Ocean Drive and offers good entertainment options, including Latin music shows.
I hope you enjoyed this post about what you can see in Miami in 3 days. Feel free to leave a comment below!
