Pastel-colored houses, white sandy beaches, summer vibes. When you hear the name “Miami”, each of us has a very specific image in his head.
Numerous movies, series and music videos have been shot here, because the scenery is very special. A perfect blend of American lifestyle and Caribbean flair – that’s Miami.
Miami is divided into two parts. While in “Miami Beach” you can enjoy the cinematic lifestyle, the “Miami” district offers a colorful mix. Here, cultures from all over the world clash in their communities, so that you can almost immerse yourself in another country during your visit.
The perfect morning in Miami Beach starts with a leisurely stroll along the South Pointe Park Pier. In the shade of the surrounding trees, you can breathe in the sea air while watching the wide sea and the local fishermen.
South Pointe Park Pier is the lowest point and therefore the beginning of the actual “Miami Beach” beach. Of course, it is also beautiful here throughout the day and worth a visit at any time.
Fancy a mile-long white sandy beach with houses in typical Miami style in the background? Then South Beach is the perfect place for you. Even if you don’t feel like swimming, you shouldn’t miss a walk on the world famous beach.
Here you have the possibility to rent one of the numerous sunbeds or just stretch out your beach towel and enjoy the warm rays of the sun.
Also on the “Miami Beach” beach every few hundred meters there are colorful Lifeguard Towers. The special thing about them is that the original ones were destroyed in 1992 during Hurricane Andrew. After that new Lifeguard Towers were built.
To make them a feast for the eyes, numerous designers were commissioned to create them. Now you can enjoy colorful Lifeguard Hats in special design every few hundred meters.
Definitely the most famous street in all of Miami. Numerous houses, hotels and restaurants in Art Deco style made this street famous. The fact that it is located right next to the South Beach makes it even more attractive.
Here you can find a great offer to drink or eat something and enjoy the view. Of course, because of the high popularity, the prices are correspondingly very high. Already one street further it becomes a lot cheaper, but then also with a somewhat less beautiful sight.
Almost directly neighboring Ocean Drive is Española Way. The special thing here is already visible at first sight. On both sides of the street, a wide variety of restaurants greet visitors and invite them into a Latino world. Española Way is relatively short and therefore clearly arranged with a very special charm.
Even though you’re in Miami, you often have situations where you can immerse yourself in a whole other world. This is the case in Little Havana, for example.
Miami is home to many communities and here you are diving into the Cuban world. So much so that many local people don’t know a word of English, which we found surprising and fascinating at the same time.
Our highlight was the Domino Club. The interesting thing here is that membership is only possible from the age of 50, which makes the sight on site very special. Many elderly people enjoy the warm weather and play several rounds of dominoes sheltered in the shade. On some days, especially during events, the Domini Club is open to all guests. On these days you can show your skills on the spot.
Btw, In Little Havana even McDonald’s is designed in colorful Latin American design.
Also directly in Little Havana is the almost inconspicuous Calle Ocho Walk of Fame. Similar to the one in Los Angeles, numerous stars and starlets from the Latin American community are honored here.
In our own experience, it was not that easy to find the stars on the ground. However, the locals were happy to help us find them. For your better orientations, the stars are located on the same side as the Domino Club.
The oldest part of Miami is the area around Coconut Area. Nowadays you will find here a prosperous area with beautiful yachts and modern skyscrapers.
It is one of the most beautiful areas in Miami and presents itself a little different than the typical image of Miami that you know from television.
In many areas of Miami, you have the option of getting on a trolley and being driven around the area. We found it to be a very exciting experience.
In addition, it is free and the trollies are built in a classic style. So it’s perfect to just hop on the next trolley and be driven around. And if you don’t have a specific destination, you can just take it for a spin.
We love this street art street! Miami is generally a colorful city. But in at Wynwood Walls it becomes even more colorful. On every corner there are countless graffiti and street art, which brings visitors to marvel.
Here you can easily spend several hours and will always come across new works of art that you have not seen before. Here you also have the opportunity to visit the museum of the same name or the Graffiti Museum. But if you don’t want to spend money on it, you’ll see more than enough street art in the surrounding area.
The Bayside Marketplace in Miami is the perfect place to unwind, enjoy culinary delights, play games and shop for souvenirs for your loved ones while enjoying the ambience of the marina. Here you will find almost 70 stores and 30 restaurants, so everyone will find something to suit their own taste.
Would you like a little adventure? In Everglades you have the opportunity to marvel at the wild life directly on site. Over 200’000 alligators live here and you can experience them up close.
There are over 1.5 million alligators in Florida! 🤯
During a ride with the airboat you can see the fascinating predators right in front of your nose. Sometimes they are so close that you have to move a little bit further inside the airboat to feel safer.
Afterwards you also have the possibility to watch an alligator show and learn more about the alligators.
Miami is accessible via different routes depending on where you arrive from. If you arrive from far or even outside the United States, you will most probably arrive via Miami International Airport.
If you are already in the States, and you don’t mind losing some more time for your trip and want to save a little, you can easily get to Miami by AMTRAK train.
The trains, are very comfortable, spacious and have a toilet. You can choose from Coach, which is a cheaper option and has very comfortable, large reclining seats with a footrest, or bedroom, with a comfortable bed that will surely let you sleep through the journey.
To get around Miami in the best way, you can choose between two options. Either you take the local bus, or you decide to call an Uber or Lyft.
The second option is of course a bit more expensive, in our experience the bus connections in Miami take half an eternity and most of the time you don’t have the time to wait that long.
If you decide to use Uber or Lyft, we recommend that you use both apps and always compare them. We were able to save quite a bit most of the time, as the two companies understandably compete with each other. In most cases, Lyft was cheaper for us. The dollars you save are better spent elsewhere.
For public transportation, we recommend to use the App Citymapper.
You will find most and probably the best hotels in the Miami Beach area. This is definitely the most touristy area in all of Miami.
We stayed at La Villa Azul in Little Havana and found the area to be pleasant. Here, the accommodations are usually much cheaper and even if you have to pay Uber or Lyft daily to get around, you’ll probably still get away cheaper.
Miami is a popular destination all year round. Depending on what you are traveling to Miami for, different months are ideal for you. Some more and some a little less.
Spring is the ideal season for Miami. It is warm enough, the humidity is not yet too high and the rainy season has not started. Summer in Miami is very hot, humidity is high and it rains almost every day.
Fall is probably the quietest season to visit Miami and Winter is practically the peak season, which also means that the prices are higher than usual.
Most passport holders will need to apply for the ESTA form. This will give you the permission to stay up to 90 days in USA.
The prices are per person, except for the accommodation and Taxi, which we rent for 2 people.
Accommodation: $108 / night
Restaurant: $19 – $25 / meal
Pleasure: $5 – $28 / event
Taxi: $8 – $19 / ride
Activity: $50 / event
