30 Things to Do in Miami for Kids
Are you planning a Miami vacation and looking for the best things to do in Miami for kids? Don’t worry, Miami may have a reputation for nightlife, but it’s also a very family-friendly vacation destination in Florida.
Miami is a great place for families to visit. Its vibrant culture and gorgeous beaches are sure to provide plenty of fun for everyone. With plenty of outdoor activities like snorkeling, swimming, and fishing, your family can enjoy the best of what Florida has to offer.
There is also a wide variety of restaurants and shopping options available, so you can always find something to do. With its beautiful weather and exciting atmosphere, Miami is the perfect place for a family vacation.
Renting a car in Miami
Unless you drive yourself to Miami, you’ll need a rental car! If you decide to rent a car during your Florida vacation, I recommend renting a car from Discount USA Car Rental. You can pick up your car in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or any airport you fly into in Florida.
Discount USA Car Rental offers the lowest rates through all the major companies; there is no payment due upfront (you pay when you pick up the car), and cancelation is free.
If you love cheap rental cars, I bet you love cheap flights too. You can sign up for Going alerts for free!
Things to Do in Miami for Kids
Here are some of the best things to do in Miami for kids and the best things to do with kids in Fort Lauderdale, listed in no particular order.
You may also want to check out some things to do nearby if you feel like taking a day trip: 30 things to do from Miami to Key West, the 25 Best East Florida Beaches, and the Ultimate List of Florida Lighthouses.
1. Visit the Miami Children’s Museum
During a trip to South Florida, no family will want to skip visiting the Miami Children’s Museum. This massive museum has lots of interactive exhibits.
Don’t worry about missing the Miami Children’s Museum; it definitely stands out!
2. Wander Around Matheson Hammock Park
The best place to visit in Coral Gables is Matheson Hammock Park. One of the best things to do at this park is swim in the man-made atoll pool. Palm trees surround the pool, creating a picture-perfect setting.
3. Get Outside at Oleta River State Park
This state park is about a half-hour drive from Downtown Miami. It is a great place to go mountain biking. There are more than 10 miles of bike trails to choose from.
Other activities in the park include fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, and walking. This is one of the best places to see dolphins, manatees, and great blue herons. Fun fact: did you know that Florida has 175 state parks?
5. Learn at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
This science museum can be found inside Museum Park in Downtown Miami. Amongst all the science exhibits are a planetarium and a three-level aquarium.
You can travel to outer space, visit sharks, and perform a few science experiments during your visit.
6. See the Wynwood Walls
Wynwood Walls is an outdoor museum. The walls are all covered with colorful murals. This is one of the free things to do in Miami for kids.
If your kids are interested in rock climbing, head into Wynwood Rock Climbing. Training classes are available for all ages. So, no worries if this is your first time hitting the rock climbing wall!
7. Have Fun at South Pointe Park
South Pointe Park is a must-visit destination in Miami for families. This park has a playground, splash pad, and a pier you can walk along. Stand on the pier to watch the cruise ships pass by.
8. Check out Star Island
If you are lucky, you can drive around Star Island during your vacation in Miami. This is a gated community, and guards do not usually allow you to drive around. You can also take a boat tour for an even better look and find out which celebrities own the homes.
One of the many luxury mansions on Star Island.
9. Avoid the Miami Seaquarium
At Florida Travel with Kids, we avoid recommending activities with certain captive animals, particularly whales and dolphins. We prefer seeing animals in their natural habitat or at a rescue or sanctuary.
We do not recommend the seaquarium due to its captive dolphins and an orca whale that is kept in the smallest tank in North America. You can read more about the disturbing history of the Seaquarium here.
10. Visit the Gold Coast Railroad Museum
The Gold Coast Railroad Museum will be a hit with any train lover. There are more than 40 rail cars inside this museum. You will also find a model train display.
11. Zoo Miami
The largest zoo in Florida is Zoo Miami. This zoo has a different approach to how they care for their animals. Instead of placing them all in cages, the wild animals can roam in their geographic territory. So, while we typically do not recommend visiting zoos, this is not one of the worst.
All the animals from Asia live in the Asia region. Africa’s animals live in the African region. As long as the animals would normally live together peacefully in the wild, they live together at this zoo.
12. Animal sanctuaries near Miami
If you’d like to avoid zoos altogether, here are some alternatives:
13. Take an Airboat Tour of the Florida Everglades
Airboat rides can be a lot of fun in Everglades National Park. Miccosukee Airboats are not too far from Miami. While out on the airboat, you can learn more about American Indian life. Plus, you can spot the alligators that live in the water there. You may even find a few baby alligators.
Sawgrass Recreation Park is another option when you are considering airboat tours in the Everglades. An airboat ride is fun for the whole family!
We recommend a 60-minute tour with Banana Joe Tours.
14. Head to the Beach
There are quite a few pristine beaches in Miami. A couple of those beaches are better for families. During the day, South Beach can be a great place to swim and run along the shoreline. If you stop by Mango’s Tropical Cafe, you can listen to live music while grabbing a drink.
At the northern end of Miami Beach, you will find North Beach, Oceanside Park. And Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park has a beach. That beach is near Key Biscayne.
The lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is also on the Ultimate List of Florida Lighthouses.
Other wonderful beaches in Miami include Sunny Isles Beach and the beach in Crandon Park.
15. Experience Some Culture in Little Havana
Different cultures can be found everywhere in Miami. The entire family will devour all the Cuban food. However, it will be the ice cream at Azucar Ice Cream Company that everyone will really want. Imagine eating flavors like orange blossom almond, sweet plantain, and Cuban vanilla.
You can enjoy a walking and food tour.
One of the best times to visit Little Havana is during the Calle Ocho Festival. This festival is held every year during the month of March.
16. Take a Ride on the Miami Trolley
The best way to see the sights in Miami is to ride on the Miami Trolley. These trolleys are hop on and hop off. So, you can get off at any attraction and catch the next trolley later.
17. Get a Few Laughs at Monkey Jungle
Pathways are fenced-in all around at Monkey Jungle. These fences allow the monkeys to run and swing beside, and even over, people who are walking around.
This is a great way to watch monkeys live their best life. The monkeys get to be wild, yet you see their antics up close.
18. Go Swimming at the Venetian Pool
The Venetian Pool is about a 20-minute drive from Miami. This pool is located in Coral Gables. It is one of the most beautiful swimming pools in the world.
The entire pool is fed spring water from an underground spring. The freshwater pool features grottos and waterfalls.
Visiting this pool in Coral Gables during the summer is best. The freshwater seems to be colder all year long. You will have a better chance of swimming in slightly warm water during the summer.
19. Explore Pinecrest Gardens
Pinecrest Gardens used to be where Parrot Jungle was located. This destination is now a tropical garden and a petting zoo. You will even see exotic birds during your visit.
20. Have a Blast at FunDimension
FunDimension features arcade games, laser tag, bungee jumping, and bumper cars. This is a great activity for a rainy day.
21. Explore Jungle Island
Jungle Island is also called Watson Island. One of the best things to do at Jungle Island is explore the Treewalk Village. Although, kids of all ages will fall in love with the climbing wall.
You can participate in numerous animal encounters at Jungle Island. Consider visiting with a flamingo or jumping around like a lemur before spending time with one.
22. Get Splashed at Tidal Cove
Tidal Cove is a water park that is located at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort. Guests can access this water park for free and everyone else needs to purchase day passes.
Your day at Tidal Cove can be spent on the water slides or in the aquatic playground. There is a lazy river for those times you need to relax.
23. Catch a Florida Panthers Hockey Game
There are quite a few sports teams based in Miami. You can easily catch a Florida Panthers hockey game during your vacation in Miami. If you miss hockey season, there’s always Miami Marlins baseball, Miami Heat basketball, and Miami Dolphins football.
24. Visit Santa’s Enchanted Forest – Tropical Park
If you want to head to an amusement park in Miami, Santa’s Enchanted Forest awaits you. This is the largest holiday theme park in the world.
25. Visit the Berry Farms
A trip to Berry Farms must be made between December and May. During your visit, you can take a guided tour of the farm. The kids can play on the bounce pad or tackle the obstacle course.
This is one of the best outdoor activities for kids in the Miami area. Don’t miss the best strawberry farms in Florida for similar activities.
26. Go Shopping at Bayside Marketplace
The kids will love picking out souvenirs while shopping at Bayside Marketplace. This outdoor shopping area is on Biscayne Boulevard. It is right next to Biscayne Bay.
It is the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon on the calm water in Miami.
27. Go Shopping at Coconut Grove
Coconut Grove is another fabulous shopping center in Miami. You can all wander along CocoWalk to shop or grab a bite to eat.
28. Explore Flamingo Gardens
Plenty of places to run around and play with your family in Miami. Flamingo Gardens is the perfect place to chill out and relax after all that running around.
These botanical gardens are also a wildlife sanctuary. As you wander around, you will see flamingos, panthers, alligators, otters, and peacocks.
29. Go Snorkeling Near Coral Reefs
One of the top things to do for older kids in Miami is snorkeling near the coral reefs. There are quite a few places you can check out for this adventure.
I recommend starting with the Half Moon Shipwreck in Key Biscayne. You may want to try snorkeling at Biscayne National Park. Since about 95% of this park is underwater, you should find some great places to snorkel.
30. Visit the Turtle Hospital in Marathon
We know that most guides for things to do in Miami for kids will contain recommendations for things like the Seaquarium, zoo, or Lion Country Safari. However, as mentioned above, we like recommending places that do good for the animals and release them back into the wild – if possible.
One of the best places to see sea turtles in Florida is the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. Guests are invited to take a guided educational tour of the hospital facilities and the sea turtle rehabilitation area.
If you love sea turtles, check out the 10 best places to see sea turtles in Florida.
Things to do in Miami for kids
I hope you enjoyed this guide of things to do in Miami for kids. Did your favorite family-friendly Miami activities make the list? If not, share them with us in the comments!
More things to do in Florida
If you enjoyed this post with things to do in Miami for kids, you might also enjoy:
- The 40 best places to eat in Key West Florida
- 35 Things to Do in Key West with Kids
- The best Gulf Beaches in Florida
- The best place to find sharks teeth in Florida
We also have many posts about Orlando, theme parks, Key West, etc. If it’s about Florida, you can find it here! If you have any special requests for blog posts, let us know in the comments.
About Florida Travel With Kids
Florida Travel with Kids was started by a family who loves to travel the state of Florida with kids! This site will help you explore the fun state of Florida and all of the kid-friendly activities you’ll find here.
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