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

Have A Plan For Every Part Of Your Miami Family Vacation

By Mary Luz Mejia | Published on September 12, 2023

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 an easy day trip of the entire downtown area located minutes from the Miami port. Plan your itinerary around the best things to do before you go on a cruise out of Miami — whether your family includes kids, teens, or more adults — remember to pack your sense of city adventure.

1. Get Interactive At The Miami Children'S Museum

Experts say play is one of the best ways to get kids to learn, and that theory holds true at the Miami Children's Museum. Here, visitors of all ages are encouraged to create and interact with exhibits including hands-on mixed media arts, theater, music, a glass lab, and dance reflecting the city's multicultural communities. Designed to instill a lifelong love of learning, this is one of the most kid-friendly places in Miami.

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 sealife 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.

But, 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 perfect family things to do in Miami.

3. Behold Street Art At The Wynwood Walls

Visit the Wynwood Walls 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, as well as a local brewery crawl for beer enthusiasts.

4. Catch A Game At Loandepot Park

If it's baseball season, then catching a Miami Marlins game is 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 $1 per children's ticket or have a winning Wednesday and catch some ball with the fam with the four for $44 nights.

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

Everglades National Park is a protected World Heritage Site as well as a biosphere reserve, and is 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 — it's 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. In its 80^th year, 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). If you or 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 jungle, and 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's warmer climes have attracted many famous faces over the years, but 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.

Enjoy this and so much more on a cruise from Miami.