Miami Beach, Florida: Fun, Food & Culture

1. Art Deco Historic District

The Art Deco Historic District is an area in South Beach that harkens back to a bygone era with some of the most beautifully preserved Art Deco architecture in the world, including hotels you can stay at. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the district is home to over 900 historic buildings in the Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, and MiMo (Miami Modern) styles of architecture.

Candy-colored and pastel-hued buildings have stunning Art Deco design elements like porthole windows, sleek curves, ship-like railings, shiny chrome, sleek curves, glass blocks, and gleaming terrazzo floors.

The Miami Design Preservation League hosts guided walking tours of the district, exploring the history of the buildings, including Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace’s mansion on Ocean Drive. You'll be right next to the the beach.

1001 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139, Phone: 305-672-2014, Map

2. Miami Beach Botanical Garden

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a beautifully maintained 2.6-acre urban green space that features an array of native Florida plants and trees, a Japanese Garden, plant nursery, and an event plaza.

Founded in 1962 and later renovated by South Florida landscape architect Raymond Jungles, the gardens feature meandering pathways, water gardens with fountains and ponds, a wetland with mangrove, a native garden, and bio-swale, and a pretty, Japanese Garden.

Species that can be seen in the garden home include palms, cycads, orchids, and bromeliads, and visitors can purchase young plants at the plant nursery. A Great Lawn and event plaza can be hired for special events and celebrations, and nighttime lights add a romantic touch to an evening at the gardens.

2000 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139, Phone: 305-673-7256, Map

3. The Betsy South Beach

The Betsy sits along Ocean Drive, at the quiet end with a convenient location. This pet-friendly hotel has 130 luxury rooms and suites.

Inside, you will find marble bathrooms, walnut floors, and luxury furnishings. Bathrooms have elegant walk-in showers.

Other standard amenities include soft linens, bathrobes, chairs with desks, Simmons mattresses, makeup mirrors, baby alpaca bed throws, feather and hypoallergenic pillows, HD TVs, full-length mirrors, and curated guest libraries.

You can also choose accommodations with a balcony. Upgrade to a suite for nearly twice the space, including a separate entertaining area or living room with a sofa bed. Multi-room suites are also available, with the ability to accommodate as many as 14 guests.

The resort fee covers beach umbrellas, towels, and chairs, along with local calls, New York Times online access, welcome beverages, the 24-hour fitness center access, local calls, docent art tours, arts and culture programming, live jazz performances, and rooftop sunrise yoga. The rooftop pool offers 360-degree views, perfect for admiring all that Miami Beach has to offer. There is also an orb-shaped sky bridge that is public art yet useful. Guests can also enjoy valet parking. Dine at LT Steak & Seafood or The Alley for trattoria classics.

1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, Phone: 305-531-6100

4. The Wolfsonian - Florida International University

The Wolfsonian–Florida International University, also known as the Wolfsonian-FIU, can be found in the heart of the Art Deco District of Miami Beach in Florida and boasts an incredible collection of art and design. The museum, library and research center has been a division of the Florida International University for the past 15 years and features two collections of around 180,000 pieces from the height of the Industrial Revolution in 1885 and the end of the Second World War in 1945.

The collection spans a range of media from industrial-design objects, ceramics, and furniture to textiles works in glass, rare books and periodicals, and paintings.

1001 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, Phone: 305-531-1001, Map

5. Art Basel

Art Basel is a privately owned and managed international art fair that is staged annually in certain cities around the world that was established to showcase local artists’ works and develop art programs. The show is staged in the founding city of Basel in Switzerland, as well as Miami Beach in Florida, and Hong Kong.

Art Basel Miami Beach collaborates with leading art galleries and institutions from North America, Asia, Europe, and Latin America to showcase an array of Modern and contemporary artworks from both renowned and emerging artists.

Art Basel , Art Basel U.S. Corp., 236 West 30th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10001

6. Flamingo Park

Flamingo Park is a 36-acre park in the heart of South Beach that offers a wealth of outdoor activities and recreation for all ages. The park features an aquatic center with an outdoor eight-lane lap swimming pool and a water playground for young children, as well as basketball courts, handball and racquetball courts, a tennis center, and a baseball stadium.

Other sports facilities in the park include a football field and a running track, a soccer field, a softball field, and a playground with a rock-climbing wall and a vintage 1950s train for little ones. The park has designated areas that can be rented for special celebrations.

Flamingo Park, 1200 Meridian Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, Phone: 305-673-7779

7. Bass Museum of Art

The Bass Museum of Art is a world-renowned contemporary art museum with a permanent collection of artworks ranging from the 7th century to the present. Housed in a beautifully preserved 1930s Russell Pancoast-designed Art Deco building on Collins Avenue, the Bass was founded in 1964 after Miami Beach residents John and Johanna Bass donated their private collection of artworks and sculptures.

The Bass museum features a comprehensive collection of works, including European paintings and sculptures from the 15th century, textiles and tapestries dating back to the 7th century, Asian and Caribbean art, and the history of pre- and postwar design in Miami Beach. The museum also has a sculpture garden and hosts an array of art-related events, films, and lectures throughout the year.

2100 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, Phone: 305-673-7530

8. New World Symphony

The New World Symphony is an orchestral academy that provides professional training to young musicians and prepares gifted graduates for leadership roles in orchestras around the world. Established in 1987, the New World Symphony is based in the awe-inspiring and architecturally significant Frank Gehry-designed building in South Beach and offers a range of leadership programs for emerging musicians.

The New World Symphony also presents a calendar of performances throughout the year, including shows presented by the Symphony’s students and performances helmed by visiting conductors. Performances can be enjoyed in the intimate, 756-seat main hall of the New World Center, or under the stars at the Miami Beach SoundScape Park, which boasts a 7,000 square foot projection wall that feeds the indoor performances for the public to enjoy for free.

500 17th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139