9 Must-Dos & Sees attractions when in Miami

Miami, the magic city, is like many big cities in the United States: it has quite a handful of attractions that one must visit when traveling to the Sunny city. Below is a list of must-do and must-see attractions and activities that we recommend for the visiting traveler to feel like a Miami local.

Drink Cuban Coffee

image by animalvegetable

Cuban Coffee is pretty much a staple morning, lunch, and after dinner drink in ‘the 305′ (Miami area code). Obviously, brought to us by our 90 mile expatriates, the Cuban espresso is what you’ll find in pretty much every restaurant in Miami. But to get an authentic experience we recommend hitting up the Cafes that have walk-thru service in front of their establishments. It might be an intimidating experience for those who don’t speak Spanish but it’s one not to miss. Here’s a How-To on How-To buy a Cuban Coffee in Miami; where you’ll also find that there’s not only an espresso but a colada (perfect for a group of people; small shots of coffee that are very powerful).

Eat at Versailles

image by Sifu Renka

You’ll come to find when driving down Miami streets that there’s a plethora of Cuban restaurants. Which one to choose? Well, to make it easier for you we’ve come up with a Must-Do restaurant that one must eat while visiting Miami: Versailles. It has good food (read the reviews) and it’s a Miami landmark. Located on Calle Ocho (8th Street), this restaurant is multi-tiered; it has been ground zero for the Cuban-American exile community in South Florida. And it has been a gathering point for anti-Castro protesters. Plus, it also has a walk-thru window for that Cuban Coffee you must order!

Catch a show at the Adrienne Arsht

image by Justo’s Photography

Yes, it might not be NYC but Miami’s newest venue hosts a number of Broadway hits that entertain and make locals and tourists giggle with glee. The Adrienne Arsht architecture enhances the Miami landscape with its geometrical angles. Sitting right on Biscayne Boulevard, walking distance from downtown, the venue, finally brings a cultural vein to Miami. Time your visit right and attend a Broadway show without the Broadway price; your special someone will think it is dreamy of you…awww, the cheesiness.

Watch The Heat Play

Image by Johnny Shaw

Enjoy basketball? Like Dwayne Wade? Well, welcome to Wade county (officially Miami-Dade County). Basketball is probably the most popular sporting event that Miamians attend or talk about. The American Airlines arena is The Heat’s venue when playing home games. It’s a must-attend when visiting Miami; you get to share with locals a game and high-priced beer, and if you like HOT Dancers, then you’re in for a treat.

Sunbathe Nude

image by maxwelld (candids)

If you’ve been to Miami or going to Miami, the one thing on your mind is most likely the Beach. South Beach has a variety of things to do/see/eat/drink for every walk of life. But you’re not ‘Miami’ if you’re not witnessing or participating in one of the free activities Men (and Women) enjoy doing while lounging on the beach…staring or trying not to stare at the bodacious views of topless women that litter the beach. And if you’re the type to throw caution to the wind and don’t like tan lines please feel free to take that top off — many of the beach-goers will thank you.

Take a walk during gallery walk in Miami Design District

image by ruben i

A great way to see an area is to visit it during a festival, or, catering to this blurb: a gallery night. Miami Design District is the new, booming area of Miami; the influx of artists, galleries, posh design boutiques started popping up and reformed the once-ghetto to the vibrant, young, hip district it is now. And you can visit the area with free food and booze during its monthly Gallery Walk. Every second Saturday of the month galleries open their doors and uncork bottles of wine to welcome art enthusiasts — so if you like art and/or like free libations this is a must-do.

Grab a beer in Coconut Grove

image by ASurroca

Grabbing beer at a local spot may be tough, in say a city like Boston that is overrun by bars and leaves the tourist dumbstruck, but in Miami, a good place to hang out for some beer drinking is Coconut Grove – a small quiet town in Miami, which doesn’t have much but a handful of bars, restaurants and…that’s about it (kinda dead most of the times). But on Thursday, and on certain festivals, the place get packed! Thursdays are college nights, so you’ll see alot of drunk frat guys passed out or getting naked. The bars are your typical draft houses with you typical beer, nothing fancy, just good times, just like this bar!

Visit Vizcaya or Get married there

image by WPBT

Take some time from your shopping and your sleeping around on South Beach to learn a little about an agricultural industrialist named James Deering, who built the water-side landmark North Italian sixteenth-century style house, now museum, Vizcaya. This luxurious historic site has hosted many important and influential people from around the world like Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II, President Ronald Reagan, and King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain, and even you! You can also rent the place for a wedding or party. Great place to visit and imagine your royalty.

Drive down Coral Way in Coral Gables

image by Guillermo Esteves

One of the best scenic views while moving in Miami is possibly driving down Coral Way in the Coral Gables area (or Almeria Ave., which is the photo above). This strip of awesomeness will escape you from the daily trudge of traffic and will let your mind explore the Banyan trees that canopy the streets in the Gables.

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