MIAMI
Residence Inn by Marriott Miami Beach South Beach
United States
TRIP OVERVIEW
Day 1 – Española Way · Holocaust Memorial · Art Deco District · South Pointe Park · Pérez Art Museum Miami
Day 2 – Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Day 3 – Little Havana · Vizcaya Museum and Gardens · Wynwood Walls · Venetian Pool
Day 4 – Fairchild Tropical · Bayfront Park · Freedom Tower · Frost Museum · The Barnacle
Day 5 – Ancient Spanish Monastery · Rubell Museum · The Bass · Wolfsonian–FIU
Day 1
1. Española Way~45 min
A two-block Mediterranean-revival promenade staged in 1925 as a historic Spanish village — pastel stucco façades, clay-tile roofs, and wrought-iron balconies. Pedestrianized since 2017, it is now an open-air strip of sidewalk cafés, tapas terraces, and live music, perfect for a slow wander and a bite.
Open 24/7
2. Holocaust Memorial~45 min
Kenneth Treister's Sculpture of Love and Anguish — a 42-foot bronze arm rising from a reflecting pool, ringed by nearly 100 figures climbing toward it. Opened in 1990, it is one of the most powerful public memorials in the United States and a quietly moving way to begin a South Beach day.
3. Art Deco District~1 hr
The largest concentration of 1920s–30s Art Deco architecture in the world — some 800 protected buildings along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue. Tropical Deco mixes pastel façades, nautical curves, neon, and shade-casting eyebrows. Listed on the National Register since 1979.
Open 24/7
4. South Pointe Park~1 hr
The 17-acre green tip of South Beach, where Government Cut meets the Atlantic. A waterfront promenade, a wooden boardwalk over the last natural dune, and an unobstructed view of cruise ships threading the channel make this the best free vantage point on the island — ideal at golden hour.
Daily 6:00am - 10:00pm
5. Pérez Art Museum Miami~1 hr 30 min
Miami's modern and contemporary art museum, opened in 2013 in a Herzog & de Meuron building on the downtown waterfront. Hanging gardens by Patrick Blanc cascade from the overhanging roof; rotating exhibitions of international 20th- and 21st-century art fill the galleries above the Biscayne Bay terrace.
Tuesday - Sunday 11:00am - 6:00pm · Thursday 11:00am - 9:00pm
Closed Monday
Day 2
1. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park~1 hr 30 min
A barrier island at the southern tip of Key Biscayne, anchored by the Cape Florida Lighthouse — built in 1825, torched by Seminole warriors in 1836, and now the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. A path runs the length of the island to the lighthouse base and sweeping views over Biscayne Bay.
Day 3
1. Little Havana~1 hr 30 min
The cultural heart of Cuban Miami, centered on Calle Ocho — SW 8th Street. Cigar rollers, ventanita coffee windows, fruit stands, and salsa drift between the storefronts; at Domino Park elders slap tiles under the trees. A living streetscape best explored on foot, café con leche in hand.
Open 24/7
2. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens~1 hr 30 min
An Italian Renaissance-style villa built in 1916 as the winter estate of industrialist James Deering, set on Biscayne Bay. Ten acres of formal gardens, fountains, and a stone barge breakwater surround a house furnished with European antiques. A National Historic Landmark and the most photographed garden in the city.
3. Wynwood Walls~1 hr 30 min
An open-air museum of large-scale street art founded in 2009 by developer Tony Goldman to turn Wynwood's blank warehouse walls into a curated outdoor gallery. Today it holds 40-plus murals and a dozen sculptures by international artists, the anchor of Miami's most colorful neighborhood.
Daily 10:30am - 6:30pm
4. Venetian Pool~1 hr
A 1923 public pool carved from a coral rock quarry in Coral Gables — cascading waterfalls, palm-shaded porticos, a Venetian bridge, and a spring-fed lagoon holding 820,000 gallons. One of the few public pools on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tuesday - Friday 11:00am - 5:30pm · Saturday - Sunday 10:00am - 4:30pm
Closed Monday
Day 4
1. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden~1 hr 30 min
An 83-acre garden in south Coral Gables with the largest palm collection in the continental United States — over 2,600 species across lakes, vine pergolas, a sunken garden, and a rain forest. Founded in 1938 by the plant explorer who introduced mangoes and nectarines to American agriculture.
Daily 9:30am - 4:30pm
45 min walk
2. Bayfront Park~45 min
A 32-acre waterfront park on Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami. A promenade with unobstructed views of the skyline runs its full length. The park holds the Torch of Friendship — a 1960 monument to Latin American relations — and a Space Shuttle Challenger memorial at the water's edge.
Daily 7:00am - 11:00pm
3. Freedom Tower~1 hr
A 1925 Mediterranean Revival tower on Biscayne Boulevard modeled after the Giralda in Seville. Repurposed from 1962 to 1974 to process 650,000 Cuban exiles — called "the Ellis Island of the South." A National Historic Landmark housing the Museum of Art and Design at Miami Dade College.
Wednesday - Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm
Closed Monday & Tuesday
4. Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science~2 hr
A science museum in Museum Park on the downtown waterfront. The centrepiece is a 500,000-gallon aquarium with a cylindrical oculus lens where sharks and rays pass overhead. A full-dome 8K planetarium crowns the tower. Other wings cover the Everglades, aviation, and human biology.
Monday - Thursday 10:00am - 5:00pm · Friday - Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm
5. The Barnacle Historic State Park~1 hr
Miami-Dade's oldest house in its original location, built in 1891 by Coconut Grove pioneer Ralph Munroe. He raised the structure onto new walls in 1908 to double its height without disturbing a board. The 5-acre grounds include old-growth tropical hammock, the original boathouse, and direct access to Biscayne Bay.
Friday - Wednesday 9:00am - 5:00pm
Closed Thursday
Cash Only
Ranger-led house tours depart at 10:00am · 10 max
Day 5
1. Ancient Spanish Monastery~1 hr 15 min
A Cistercian monastery from 12th-century Spain, dismantled by William Randolph Hearst and shipped to New York in 11,000 crates. Two developers reassembled it in North Miami Beach — what Time called "the biggest jigsaw puzzle in history." The carved limestone cloister and ribbed vaulting survive unchanged.
Monday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:30pm · Sunday 11:00am - 4:30pm
Cash Only
2. Rubell Museum~1 hr 30 min
One of the world's largest private contemporary art museums, in a converted DEA warehouse in Allapattah. The Rubell family has collected since the 1960s: 7,400 works by over 1,000 artists across 40 raw-walled galleries. Basquiat, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, and Yayoi Kusama are permanently on view.
Wednesday - Thursday 11:30am - 5:30pm · Friday - Saturday 11:30am - 7:30pm · Sunday 11:30am - 5:30pm
Closed Monday & Tuesday
No pictures available.
3. The Bass~1 hr 30 min
Miami Beach's fine arts museum in Collins Park — a 1930 Art Deco civic building expanded by Arata Isozaki and renovated in 2017. The permanent collection spans 15th-century Old Masters to contemporary international art. Collins Park fills with large-scale installations during Art Basel each December.
Wednesday - Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Closed Monday & Tuesday
4. Wolfsonian–FIU~1 hr 15 min
A research museum on propaganda and design from 1885 to 1945. The 180,000-object collection spans furniture, industrial design, posters, and rare books from Europe and the United States — exploring how everyday objects shaped political consciousness. Housed in a 1927 Spanish Renaissance building on Washington Avenue.
Wednesday - Thursday 10:00am - 6:00pm · Friday 10:00am - 9:00pm · Saturday - Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm
Closed Monday & Tuesday
Cash Only
Weekly Closures
Museums & Pools · Closed Monday
Art Museums & Historic Sites · Closed Monday – Tuesday
Historic State Parks · Closed Thursday
Tours
Viator
Led by trained MDPL guides who use the buildings to tell the story of Miami Beach; the ticket includes the Art Deco Museum. The definitive way to read the district's architecture.
1 hr 30 min · small group
A culinary and cultural walk through Calle Ocho — Cuban coffee, croquetas, guava pastries, cigars, and live salsa along the neighborhood's most storied blocks.
2 hr 30 min · small group
4–5 hour small-group day trip to the Everglades — airboat ride through sawgrass marshes, wildlife-park walk, gator show, and round-trip transport in an air-conditioned van. One of Miami's most popular half-day excursions. 14 max.
4 hr 30 min · 14 max
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One-hour electric golf cart tour of Wynwood's open-air mural district — the guide drives while explaining the artists and stories behind the walls, giving you the full neighbourhood context without the walking. 7 max per cart.
1 hr · 7 max
80-minute narrated boat cruise along Biscayne Bay — views of the Downtown Miami skyline, Millionaire's Row on Star Island, and the celebrity mansions of Palm Island, with commentary from a local captain.
1 hr 20 min · Group
GetYourGuide
Three-hour guided walk through Wynwood's open-air mural district with five food tastings — tacos, pizza, latin-fusion, tropical sandwiches, and dessert — plus certified-guide access inside the Wynwood Walls Museum.
3 hr · 15 max
12-hour small-group day trip to Key West — scenic drive over the Seven Mile Bridge, free time in Old Town, Mallory Square, Duval Street, and Southernmost Point, with 14 max.
12 hr · 14 max
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4.5-hour Everglades excursion in a premium air-conditioned vehicle — 30-minute airboat ride through the sawgrass, wildlife encounter, and guided nature walk at a boutique eco-park. 14 max per group.
4 hr 30 min · 14 max
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Two-hour intimate small-group boat tour of Biscayne Bay — Star Island celebrity mansions, the Downtown skyline, Fisher Island, and an exclusive pass by the historic Stiltsville houses standing above open water in the national park. 6 max.
2 hr · 6 max
TripAdvisor
One-hour airboat ride through the River of Grass on the Tamiami Trail — gators, birds, and sawgrass flats in a tiny group of five, with a naturalist guide calling out wildlife along the way.
1 hr · 5 max
2.5-hour small-group food and culture walk through South Beach — tastings at a Cuban bakery, Jewish deli, gelato spot, and craft cocktail bar, with Art Deco architecture commentary woven throughout. 14 max.
2 hr 30 min · 14 max
2.5-hour small-group tour of the Design District — gallery visits, street-art spotting, and tastings at three high-concept restaurants, with a guide who explains the district's transformation from warehouse zone to luxury cultural hub. 16 max.
2 hr 30 min · 16 max
Cappuccino
Suite Habana · 4.8 · 730+ reviews
Cuban café con leche and pastelitos at a walk-up window two blocks off Lincoln Road.
Daily 7:00am - 3:00pm
La Vie Belle Boutique Café & Cuisine · 4.9 · 1380+ reviews
All-day breakfast café in the Iberostar Waves lobby, espresso and full plates.
Daily 7:00am - 5:00pm
Restaurants Near Hotel
Yardbird Table & Bar · 4.6 · 6903+ reviews
Southern comfort food — fried chicken and biscuits, deep bourbon list.
Daily 11:00am - 10:00pm
Downtown Restaurants
Zuma · 4.3 · 2740+ reviews
Modern Japanese izakaya — robata grill, sushi counter, riverfront terrace.
Daily 12:00pm - 3:00pm · 6:00pm - 11:00pm
Komodo · 4.5 · 8842+ reviews
Three-story Southeast-Asian dining room — Peking duck, Brickell scene.
Daily 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Dining Areas
Little Havana · Calle Ocho
Wynwood
Local Tastes
Cuban Sandwich
Roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard pressed on Cuban bread — Miami's defining handheld, perfected by the city's Cuban exile community.
Frita Cubana
A Cuban-style burger — seasoned beef patty with a paprika kick, topped with a tangle of crisp shoestring fries on a soft roll.
Abuela María
The signature Little Havana ice cream — vanilla swirled with guava, cream cheese, and crushed María cookies. A frozen take on a Cuban dessert classic.
Food Delivery
Uber Eats
Foreign number: accepted. — it uses the same Uber account, so the SMS code reaches foreign carriers and Google or Apple sign-in works without one.
Miami's most popular delivery app, with exceptional coverage across South Beach, Brickell, Wynwood and Coconut Grove. Strong on beach-area restaurants and Latin cuisine; late-night delivery runs until 3:00am in South Beach. Estimated delivery times are typically 25–40 minutes from South Beach.
DoorDash
Foreign number: accepted — SMS delivery can be slower on a foreign number, but sign-up works.
Solid coverage across the Miami metro, including South Beach, Little Havana and Coral Gables. Restaurant selection overlaps heavily with Uber Eats but fees can differ; worth checking both for the same order. Delivery windows average 30–45 minutes in the South Beach area.
Grubhub
Foreign number: not accepted. — the sign-up form only takes a US number, so no code is ever sent to a foreign phone.
Coverage is thinner than Uber Eats or DoorDash in Miami but serviceable in Brickell and downtown. Only worth setting up with a US phone number; Uber Eats or DoorDash cover the same ground without one.
Shows, Performances & Concerts
New World Center — New World Symphony
Frank Gehry's glass concert hall, home of the New World Symphony — free WALLCAST nights project concerts onto the park wall outside.
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
South Florida's flagship performing-arts campus — home seasons of Florida Grand Opera and Miami City Ballet plus touring Broadway.
Getting Around
Uber
Foreign number: accepted. — the SMS code reaches foreign carriers, and Google or Apple sign-in works without one.
Miami's dominant rideshare platform, available across South Beach, Brickell and Coconut Grove. Surge pricing is common during Art Basel, South Beach Wine & Food Festival and weekend nights on Ocean Drive; a South Beach to Brickell run is usually 20–30 minutes.
Lyft
Foreign number: not accepted. — Lyft's own help says the number must be a US, Canadian or Puerto Rican one, and the code is texted only to that number.
Available throughout Miami and a reliable Uber alternative. Driver supply is thinner than Uber in outer neighbourhoods but comparable in South Beach and Brickell. Prices are generally similar; check both apps during peak times.
Train Stations Near Hotel
Brightline MiamiCentral
Brightline → Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Orlando.
Day Trips by Train
Fort Lauderdale · 30 min
Brightline's express trains run nonstop to Fort Lauderdale in 30 minutes. Stroll Las Olas Boulevard, ride a water taxi through the canal city, and walk the wide Atlantic beachfront promenade.
book at: Omio
West Palm Beach · 1 hr 15 min
Brightline reaches West Palm Beach in 75 minutes. Browse Clematis Street and Rosemary Square, then cross the bridge to Palm Beach for Worth Avenue and the Flagler-era mansions.
book at: Omio
Pickleball
Flamingo Park · Outdoor
6 free outdoor courts with shade and lights; no reservation needed
Daily 8:00am - 10:00pm
Michelin Restaurants
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
French haute cuisine at a counter — the only two-star room in Florida.
Stubborn Seed
Inventive New American tasting menu from Jeremy Ford; holds a Green Star too.
Cote Miami
Korean steakhouse — tableside dry-aged beef and a butcher's-feast tasting.
Le Jardinier
Refined, vegetable-forward French cooking in a garden-like dining room.
Boia De
Italian-leaning New American small plates from a cult neighborhood kitchen.
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Worth Knowing
Postcards from the Magic City
Miami reads as one long argument between preservation and reinvention, and you can trace it in a single morning. Española Way and the Art Deco district only exist because Barbara Capitman threw herself in front of the wrecking ball in the late 1970s — the same instinct that, decades later, turned Wynwood's dead warehouse walls into the most-photographed art in the city. Two neighborhoods, two generations, the same refusal to let Miami be ordinary.
The water keeps showing up as the quiet headliner. South Pointe Park sits at Government Cut watching cruise ships thread the channel; Vizcaya was built facing Biscayne Bay with a stone barge moored offshore purely as a view. Bookend your two days at the water's edge — golden hour at South Pointe, late afternoon in Vizcaya's gardens — and the city's whole personality clicks into place.
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