Things to Do in Miami

First, South Beach + Ocean Drive Art Deco District (free, 24/7) — 7-mile beach + 800+ Art Deco buildings (1930-40s) + pink + turquoise + mint + Versace Mansion 1930 + 1.5h walking tour. Sunset #1. Second, Wynwood Walls + Wynwood Arts District (Walls $15) — 2009 Tony Goldman + 80+ global artists + 70+ galleries + container streets. Free walking + gallery walk. Third, Little Havana + Calle Ocho (free + cigars + meals $20-50) — 8th Street + 1960 Cuban immigrants + Café Versailles 1971 colada + Maximo Gomez Park dominoes + March 2nd Sunday Calle Ocho Festival 1M people. Fourth, Everglades National Park airboat ($35 entry + $25-75 airboat) — UNESCO 1979 + 6,500km² America's only tropical national park + alligators + manatees + Coopertown Airboats 1945. November-April #1 (summer mosquitos + heat). Fifth, Vizcaya Museum + Gardens ($25) — 1916 Italian Renaissance villa + 70 rooms + 10-acre gardens + honeymoon/wedding #1 + Biscayne Bay direct. 3 days = ①②③④⑤ core, 5 days add Art Deco Welcome Center walking tour ($35, 1.5h) + Lincoln Road Mall (1.5km pedestrian) + Bayfront Park + Bayside Marketplace (free, Biscayne Bay direct) + Key Biscayne + Bill Baggs State Park (1825 lighthouse), 7 days add Key West overnight (3.5h drive, Mallory Square sunset, Southernmost Point, Hemingway House) + Biscayne Bay kayak or boat cruises + Star Island celebrity mansions + Coral Gables palm streets.

Ocean Drive Art Deco District (free, 24/7, Instagram #1, 1930-40s 800+ buildings). South Beach 7-mile beach + dunes + lifeguards #1 (free). Lincoln Road Mall (1.5km pedestrian + free, 1957 Morris Lapidus design). Wynwood Walls exterior + Wynwood Arts District walking (70+ galleries free, Walls interior only $15). Little Havana + Calle Ocho walking (cigars + dominoes + Cuban culture free). Maximo Gomez Park (Domino Park, free, 1976, Calle Ocho elderly #1). Bayfront Park + Bayside Marketplace (free, Biscayne Bay direct). Versace Mansion exterior (Ocean Drive, 1930, free). Holocaust Memorial (Miami Beach, free, 1990, Sand Ranck Brewer sculpture). Pérez Art Museum (PAMM) free entry (first Saturday of month). Vizcaya Gardens (exterior only free). Key Biscayne beaches (free, Bill Baggs $8 separate). Crandon Park (free, Key Biscayne). North Beach Bandshell free concerts (every Sunday 18:00). South Pointe Park (South Beach south end, free, ocean direct + sunrise #1). March 'Ultra Music Festival' (Bayfront Park, last weekend March, tickets $400+) + March 'Calle Ocho Festival' (2nd Sunday March, free, 1M people, world's largest Latino) + December 'Art Basel Miami Beach' (1st weekend Dec, tickets $65+, main fair plus free satellite exhibits many) + May 'Memorial Day Weekend' (South Beach club season #1, free beach).

Conclusion: November-April (dry season + winter) #1. 22-28°C + barely rain + beach + hotels 1.5-2x + Korean winter escape best. May-October (wet season + summer) 28-33°C + 80%+ humidity + daily afternoon thunderstorms 30-60 min + June-November hurricane season + hotels 30-40% cheaper. Nov-April vs May-Oct — flights + hotels more expensive Nov-April + best conditions + May-Oct value + heat + hurricanes. March 'Ultra Music Festival' (last weekend March, Bayfront Park, EDM #1, tickets $400+). March 'Calle Ocho Festival' (2nd Sunday March, 1M people, free, world's largest Latino festival). May 'Memorial Day Weekend' (South Beach club season #1, last Monday May). November 'Miami Book Fair' (2nd week Nov, America's #1 book fair). December 'Art Basel Miami Beach' (1st weekend Dec, world's #1 art fair, 80K + satellite exhibits 200+). December 'Orange Bowl' (Dec 30, NCAA football, 1935). January 'South Beach Wine & Food Festival' (last week Jan, America's #1 food festival). Korean holidays: Korean New Year (late Jan/Feb) flights ₩1,200,000-₩2,000,000 (ICN no direct to MIA, NYC/LA/Dallas connect 16-20h). Korean Liberation Day (Aug 15) ₩1,500,000-₩2,200,000 (wet + hurricane + expensive). Korean Chuseok (mid-Sept) ₩1,400,000-₩2,000,000 (hurricane season + heat). Year-end (Dec 25-Jan 2) ₩2,000,000-₩2,800,000 (Art Basel + Christmas). Best value 2nd-3rd week Sept (hurricane season + value) + 1st week May (wet season starts + ₩1,100,000-₩1,500,000).

#1 South Pointe Park (South Beach south end, free, 24/7) — ocean direct + sunrise + sunset + family #1 free. #2 Ocean Drive + Lummus Park (free, 24/7, 1h before sunset #1) — Art Deco + palms + beach + sunset. #3 Rooftop Bar full set — Sugar Rooftop (40th floor + Brickell + drinks $20-30) + 1306 Miami (downtown + drinks $15-25) + Juvia Penthouse (Lincoln Road + drinks $20-30). #4 Skyrise Miami (downtown, 1,000ft #1 tower, $60, 2026 completion) X — currently 360 Miami (near Brickell City Centre, value drinks). #5 Bayfront Park + American Airlines Arena (free, 24/7) — Biscayne Bay direct + sunset + skyline. #6 Key Biscayne + Bill Baggs Lighthouse (15-min drive, $8) — Florida turquoise + sunset + 1825 lighthouse + family #1. #7 Coconut Grove + CocoWalk (free + walking) — Biscayne Bay + marina + value + sunset. #8 Wynwood night + graffiti light-up (free + post-sunset) — Walls + galleries + clubs + until dawn. Sunset times Dec-Jan 17:30 + Jun-Jul 20:15 + Sept 19:30. Jun-Nov hurricane season + post-sunset 30-min golden hour. May-Oct daily afternoon thunderstorms 30-60 min + 1h before sunset avoid.

Miami has May-October daily afternoon thunderstorms 30-60 min + June-November hurricane season + July-Sept heat 33-38°C + humidity 90%+ — indoor alternatives critical. First, museum full set — Pérez Art Museum (PAMM, $16, first Saturday free, 2013 new) + Frost Science Museum ($30, planetarium + aquarium) + HistoryMiami ($10, Miami 250 years + Cuban immigrants) + Bass Museum of Art (Miami Beach, $15, contemporary) + Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach (free) all-day. Second, Vizcaya Museum + Gardens ($25, indoor 70 rooms + outdoor gardens, 1916 Renaissance villa) — family + honeymoon #1. Third, Wynwood Walls exterior + Wynwood Marketplace + 70+ galleries (semi-indoor + umbrella OK + $15 Walls interior). Fourth, Michelin lunch — Joe's Stone Crab (★, 1913 + South Beach, $80-150) + Hutong (China + Brickell, $60-120) + L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (★★, Michelin + Design District, $200+) + COTE Miami (★, Korean BBQ + Design District, $120-180). Fifth, Magnificent Mile-style shopping — Bal Harbour Shops (luxury, 1965, America's #1 luxury shopping by sales) + Brickell City Centre (downtown, indoor) + Miami Design District (130+ luxury stores). Sixth, Wynwood Marketplace (2018, food hall + containers + music + indoor + umbrella OK). Seventh, Bayside Marketplace (1987, Bayfront Park, 150 stores + food court + indoor). Eighth, Calle Ocho night + Cuban casino (El Pub + Domino Park + Versailles café + indoor + live music).

Miami Seaquarium ($45, kids $35, Virginia Key) #1 — 1955 + dolphins + orcas + manatees + family #1. Second, Frost Science Museum ($30, kids $22, 2017 new) — penguins + aquarium + planetarium + outdoor rooftop + family #1. Third, Zoo Miami ($25, kids $20, Miami suburb, 30-min drive, America's 6th largest zoo, 1948) — family + value #1. Fourth, Jungle Island ($50, kids $40, MacArthur Causeway) — family + animals + activities. Fifth, Vizcaya Museum + Gardens (kids free under 6, $25, 1916 villa + 70 rooms + gardens). Sixth, Bayfront Park + Bayside Marketplace (free, 150 stores + food court + family + free #1). Seventh, Crandon Park Beach (Key Biscayne, free, lifeguards, family #1 beach). Eighth, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park (Key Biscayne, $8, 1825 lighthouse + beach). Ninth, Phillip and Patricia Frost Art Museum (FIU, free, family #1 + value). Hotels: Fontainebleau Miami Beach ($400-800, family + pool + beach) / Eden Roc Miami Beach ($400-700, family + pool) / Loews Miami Beach ($500-900, family + pool + beach + honeymoon). Stroller — Miami 99% flat + Uber + Metro + Trolley (free trolley + multiple routes + 24/7) + car seat mandatory under 8. South Beach + Wynwood tram + trolley free #1.

1 day = South Beach + downtown combo. 9 AM South Pointe Park sunrise + beach (free, 1h). 10:30 AM Ocean Drive Art Deco walking + Versace Mansion (free, 1.5h) + Lincoln Road Mall. 12 PM lunch News Café (Ocean Drive, 1988, $25-40) or Joe's Stone Crab (★, 1913, $80-150). 2 PM Bayfront Park + Bayside Marketplace (free, 1h) + Skyrise Miami (downtown, $60, 1h) or Brickell City Centre (shopping). 4 PM Wynwood Walls + Wynwood Arts District walking ($15, 2h, 70+ galleries). 6 PM Little Havana + Calle Ocho walking (free, 1.5h) + Café Versailles colada ($6-10) + Maximo Gomez Park dominoes. 7:30 PM dinner Joe's Stone Crab (no reservations + queue 1h + $80-150) or Versailles Cuban + Bayside Marketplace value. 9 PM South Beach clubs (LIV + Story + E11even + drinks $20-30) or hotel. Day 2 add: 9:30 AM Everglades National Park airboat (1.5h drive, $35 + $50, half day, alligators + manatees + avoid heat morning) or Vizcaya Museum + Gardens ($25, 2h) + Coconut Grove ($+, 2h). 6 PM Key Biscayne + Bill Baggs Lighthouse ($8, sunset, 1.5h) or Key West overnight (3.5h drive, Mallory Square sunset). 10 PM return. Key: Uber + rental car #1 (Miami car society + Metro NOT + Trolley free South Beach + Wynwood only). Stay = South Beach (Faena + Setai + 1Hotel) or Brickell (Mandarin Oriental + EAST Miami + financial + night view).

First, ESTA visa — Korean passport ESTA (eVisa, online $21, 2-year multi-entry visa-free 90 days). Apply ESTA + approval (72 hours) before booking flight. Second, tipping required — US tipping culture #1 + restaurants 15-20% + hotel room service $2-5 + Uber X (in-app). Third, Spanish — Miami English + Spanish nearly equal (50%+ Latino) + Little Havana + Hialeah 100% Spanish + 'Hola' + 'Gracias' + 'Por favor' three words friendly. Fourth, mostly cashless — Visa + Mastercard + Apple Pay + Google Pay everywhere. Travel Wallet / Travel Log + DON'T withdraw USD. Fifth, Florida tax — Miami Sales Tax 7% + hotel Bed Tax 13% auto-added + groceries tax-free (super) + restaurants + receipts separate. Sixth, hurricane + wet — Jun-Nov hurricane season + Sept peak + May-Oct daily afternoon thunderstorms 30-60 min (umbrella + raincoat mandatory). Check weather + NHC (National Hurricane Center). Seventh, safety — Liberty City + Overtown + Little Haiti parts avoid at night. South Beach + Brickell + Coral Gables + Coconut Grove + Wynwood (day) + Design District 99% safe. South Beach Ocean Drive night #1 + Wynwood night clubs safe. Eighth, driving + Uber — Miami car society (Metro small coverage) + Uber #1 + rental car $70-120/day + city parking $30-50/day. Car seat mandatory under 8. Ninth, NO Korean — English city 80% + tourist sites 99% + local restaurants 60% + Little Havana 30% (Spanish) + Doral + Hialeah (Cuban). 'Thank you' + 'Excuse me' + 'Sorry' + 'Please' four words. Tenth, beach etiquette — South Beach nude NOT (Haulover Beach nude + 30-min drive separate) + selfie sticks NOT + some beaches no alcohol + drugs punishment #1 (cocaine + marijuana NOT legal in Florida).