9 Family-Friendly Things To Do In Miami Before A Cruise

Sun, sand, palm trees, art, food and culture — there are so many family-friendly things to do in Miami, you'll likely want to give yourself a few extra days! With city transportation like the Metromover, you can take an easy day trip and explore the entire downtown area. Plan your itinerary around these nine best things to do before you go on a cruise out of Miami for families that include kids, teens or young adults.

Key Takeaways

● Miami is often thought of as a buzzy hub for young adults, partygoers and beach lovers. Little do travelers know that this city is equally entertaining for groups, with many things to do in Miami with kids.

● Explore the colorful murals of Wynwood Walls, splash around at the Miami Children's Museum, meet animals at Zoo Miami, relax on the family-friendly sands of South Beach’s Lummus Park and enjoy hands-on science exhibits at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.

● With so much to do, the best Miami family vacation plan to suit all ages requires a fair itinerary mix of indoor, outdoor, cultural and water-based activities.

● The best ways to get around Miami with children include rental cars, the Metromover, rideshare and the trolley system.

1. Get Interactive At The Miami Children'S Museum

2. Walk With The Animals At Zoo Miami

Miami offers an array of family-friendly activities, and one must-visit destination is the Frost Museum of Science, Aquarium and Planetarium. The aquarium is a marvel in itself, showcasing an array of sea life such as stingrays, sharks and colorful fish species. The planetarium offers a range of shows and presentations that cater to all ages and interests, making it an engaging experience for the whole family.

If you're looking for an adventure in the wild, Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens (also known as Zoo Miami) is an excellent choice. Take a walk on the wild side and encounter a giraffe up close by participating in one of the feeding sessions. You can also meet a zookeeper or have a close encounter with a giant tortoise.

The Zoo offers something for everyone, including younger children who can enjoy the rides and burn off some energy in the kids' zone. Your kids will also love meeting the Zoo Squad characters, making Zoo Miami one of the most memorable family things to do in Miami.

3. Behold Street Art At The Wynwood Walls

Stop by the Wynwood Walls, one of the best places to visit in Miami with family, for a truly unique art-inspired family day. Created in 2009 by the late property legend Tony Goldman, the Wynwood Walls is an outdoor museum featuring murals created by street artists from Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States.

Leave your mark by joining an official street art experience, where you'll gain insights into graffiti culture, learn techniques from a local pro and even take home a souvenir spray can. It's thirsty work, and luckily, Wynwood has a host of eateries to choose from, plus a local brewery crawl for beer enthusiasts.

4. Catch A Game At Loandepot Park

During baseball season, catch a Miami Marlins game; one of the best family-friendly activities in Miami. Check out the boys of summer as they get their bats cracking and run the bases. Hit a home run by ordering up a food and wine pairing or participate in Beerfest, which gives you pregame access to the park two hours in advance as you sample your way through local and international brews.

Bring the kids on a Monday night and pay for a special discounted children's ticket, or have a winning Wednesday and catch some ball with the fam

5. Heed The Call Of The Wild At Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park is a protected World Heritage Site and a biosphere reserve. It’s immensely important for the survival of many local (and in some cases, endangered) species. The manatee, the source of many a mermaid fable, the American crocodile and the very rare Florida panther all inhabit this park.

Take a two-hour tram tour or, if you're feeling active, rent a kayak or bicycle (children's bikes are also available), so the whole family can ride on one of the many trails. There are also three official providers of Everglade airboat tours located along U.S. Highway 41 — making this an experience not to be missed.

6. Visit Tropical Birds And More At Jungle Island

If you're looking for a wild experience without leaving the urban comfort of Miami, then look no further than Jungle Island, a cozy zoo located close to bustling South Beach. The zoo contains a collection of rare animals from around the globe, including rare twin orangutans, colorful birds and even the world's only trained cassowary (a spectacularly helmeted bird from Papua New Guinea).

When the kids are looking to get up close and personal with some of these fantastic beasts, then bookings for encounters with lemurs, sloths and flamingos are all up for grabs.

7. Get Active At Crandon Park

Family-friendly things to do in Miami can hardly come more suited to a variety of interests than those found in Crandon Park. This park offers pristine beaches, a nature center and a tennis center. Its famous golf course is surrounded by vividly hued mangroves and a jungle. The seventh hole is known as one of the greatest holes in golf.

If you're feeling the heat, you can opt for a cabana rental or simply cool off in the azure waters, which also offer up a variety of fishing and diving options.

8. Admire Art Deco And Take In The Symphony In South Beach

No visit to Miami is complete without a stop at iconic South Beach. With its array of Art Deco buildings and restaurants, it should be on your list of things to do before going on a cruise. Daytime visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll down Lincoln Road Mall, an open-air pedestrian strip spanning a number of city blocks.

Amble casually as you window-shop and cool off with a gourmet ice cream. For a spot of classical music and technology, head to the nearby New World Symphony's SoundScape Park, stake your blanket out on the lawn and let state-of-the-art visual and audio technology on the massive 7,000-square-foot projection wall wash over you

9. Walk Through A European-Style Mansion At Villa Vizcaya

Florida and its warmer climes have attracted many famous faces over the years. Very few have left as stunning a legacy as James Deering, the agricultural entrepreneur who built his majestic Villa Vizcaya with strong Venetian and Italian Renaissance influences.

Now a museum, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens offer stunning multi-level gardens, grottoes and a whole mansion to admire, providing a calming respite right in the heart of Miami's Coconut Grove.

Other Family-Friendly Outings and Ideas

We’re all about equipping you with enough of the most useful information and great family vacation ideas for cruises. So, take notes of the guiding advice below before you cruise:

● Best indoor activities: Some of the best Miami indoor venues for families and kids include Miami Children’s Museum, Planet Kids Indoor Playground and the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.

● Best outdoor activities: Miami attractions for families like Jungle Island and Lummus Park feature prominently on many outdoor-focused lists for this cheery destination.

● Best cultural experiences: Wynwood Walls, HistoryMiami Museum, Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) and Miccosukee Indian Village make for culturally rich family-friendly adventures when vacationing in Miami.

● Best water-based activities: Crandon Park Beach, the Miami Seaquarium and Oleta River State Park are must-sees for families who love being around the water.

● Miami’s best family-friendly areas: Since Miami’s fame and allure don’t just center around nightlife and adults-only fun, consider prioritizing South Beach, Coconut Grove, downtown Miami and Brickell to enjoy a family-centered Miami vacation.

● Getting around Miami with kids: Alternate between walking to nearby venues, taking the Metromover, using the trolley system and car rentals or rideshare to get to locations a bit further away from your accommodation or main activity base. Remember to pack your sense of city adventure

There you have it for what to do with kids in Miami! Enjoy these activities and so much more on a cruise from Miami. Scan our Florida port list to plan the perfect trip for you and your family.

Cruise to Miami With the Family