Miami is to Florida what New York City is to New York. If that doesn’t make sense, please read on to fully understand. With an area spanning 55 square miles, the City of Miami is known as the cultural and financial center of the state of Florida. The City of Miami is the only city in the U.S to be founded by a woman and had gotten its name from a tribe called The Mayaimi that lived there in the 17th century. Miami is also a humungous tourist hub raking in close to 14 million tourists each year and one of the reasons for us to feature this city in our list of best things to do with kids in Miami.
For the sun lovers out there, Miami is known to be the hottest location in the whole of US during summer. Notably, sunscreen was invented right here in Miami by pharmacist, Benjamin Green. Now that you’re familiar with Miami, let’s get down to what exactly rakes in tourists each year to the City of Miami.
Even though the beaches are the focus in films when it comes to Miami, there is plenty to do here other than visiting beaches and sunbathing (for those looking for a tan) and this write up aims to help with exactly that.
Beaches and Parks
Miami is famous for its beaches and we feel that it is necessary to mention the best beach spots to visit in the City of Miami. Note that most beaches here are also parks and vice versa.
South Beach
One of the most popular places to go to is the South Beach in Miami. A part of Miami Beach, South Beach is with interesting people doing even more interesting things. From surfing, to skating to roller-blading, you can and will see it all. Famous celebrities make this beach a point of visit regularly meaning you could easily find your favorite actor or actress catching some sun.
Photoshoots are also a common sight with many people finding this the perfect place to show off results from the gym, be it men or women. Watching people becomes a huge past time here so if you’re into that, well then this beach would be perfect. Although there isn’t much to do here in terms of activities for kids or adults, a beach is a beach and this is a pretty decent pick.
South Pointe Park
Spanning 17 acres, this a beach as well as a park making it a top spot for kids and adults to have fun and spend some quality time. The urban park features a restaurant and also includes a kid park meaning your kid is bound to have a good time. South Pointe Park also includes a dog park and outdoor showers making this a very wholesome beach/park experience.
The park is well maintained and has a wide selection of facilities. The baseball fields are one of the main highlights here in South Pointe Park and the place even has batting cages.
Crandon Park
Another major urban park in Miami is Crandon Park located in Key Biscayne. Covering an area of around 809 acres, this park is definitely one of the peaceful parks to visit with your kids if the city seems to be getting to you. The park opened in 1947 and has about two miles worth of beach that’s part of the Atlantic Ocean.
The park also has a causeway which gives park visitors’ access to the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park and the village of Key Biscayne. The park includes a golf course, a marina and a tennis center. It also includes a family amusement center, a nature center and picnic shelters to make this a perfect getaway for families. Guided tours are available for the Bear Cut Preserve which is a designated Environment Study Center.
Matheson Hammock Park
It looks like Miami is filled with amazing urban parks because this park has caught our eyes for a number of reasons. The park opened in 1930 and spans an area of 630 acres nearing Coral Gables.
The park has a man-made atoll pool which allows for visitors to have a quiet bath. The pool gets flushed and cleaned naturally with the help of the tidal action of the Biscayne Bay. The park also has a snack bar and a restaurant made into a building made of coral stone along with nature trails and few picnic pavilions. The park also has boat launch ramps, wetslips and a fishing tackle shops for those interested.
Grapeland Water Park
What makes for a fun spot to relax, beat the heat and spend some quality time with your loved ones better than a water park. The Grapeland Water Park in Miami an ideal sport to visit with kids with its many water slides and exciting water rides.
The art exhibits found here are designed by local artist Romero Britto and since this park stretches over 13 acres, there is space for everyone and anyone. Some of the main attractions here are the Buccaneer River Ride, the Pirate’s Plunge, Shipwreck Island and The Captain’s Lagoon.
The water park also provides swimming lessons for children and adults and houses a snack bar. The main restaurants here include Catch of the Day, Cane Fire Grille, Sabor Latino and the Champions Sports Bar. With the amount of eateries here, the exciting and fun water rides and the pleasant nature of the park, this is definitely one of the most fun things to do in Miami with kids.
Pricing
- Adults: $15
- Child: $7
- Miami-Dade County residents: $12
Timing
- Mon-Fri: Closed
- Sat-sun: 10am-4:45pm
Oleta River State Park
This 1000 acre state park opened in 1986 and has become a wonderful place to have fun with friends and family. The main feature of this park is the mouth of the Oleta River. The river does not exist anymore but is still a very popular area for canoeing.
Many sports event are conducted here including triathlons and other extreme sports events. Another main feature of this park is that it boasts of the best wilderness trails in the country, making this truly a wonderful place to visit with kids in Miami. The river is inhabited by waterbirds, dolphins and manatees.
Zoos
Safari Edventure
With over 100 wildlife species, Safari Edventure is definitely one of the top places to go to in Miami with kids. The place boasts of having wildlife from 5 continents. The animals here include Kangaroos, sloths, various kinds of wolves, alligators and scorpions to name a few. Safari Edventure is a private non-profit and hence do not charge an entrance free but rather has yearly and daily admission charges which are mentioned below.
The area spans about 5 acres and offers activities and experiences that the kids are going to love. The sunken rainforest garden and the hummingbird as well as butterfly gardens are the highlight exhibits at Safari Edventure.
The zoo also houses an organic garden with plants, spices and herbs which adds to the fascinating nature of this zoo. With the large variety of flora and fauna found here, Safari Edventure is definitely a must visit spot with kids in Miami.
Pricing
- Adults: $18
- Children (4-12): $15
- Children (3 and under): FREE
Timing
- Wed-Sun: 10am-5pm
Zoo Miami
Zoo Miami is one of the oldest and largest zoos in Florida. Spanning an area of about 750 acres, the zoo is home to more than 3000 animals of different species of which 40 are classified as endangered. The zoo has its fair share of trees too with over 1000 species of flora. The weather in Miami allows for the housing of animals and plants from different parts of the world. Zoo Miami has activities for people of all ages and mainly children.
Feeding giraffes, rhinos, camels, giant tortoise and parrots are a main attraction for everyone and anyone. River rides, the monorail, the wildlife carousel and pedal boats are few of the rides available to add to the experience.
The zoo also has a character meet and greet guaranteed to give the kids the excitement they want. The park also features waterplay areas, splash pad and jungle journey playground that are tailored specifically to keep the kids busy.
Pricing
- Adult (13+): $22.95
- Child (3-12): $18.95
- Child (2 and under): FREE
Timing
- Daily: 10am-5pm
Miami Seaquarium
Located in Biscayne Bay and spanning an area of close to 40 acres, the Miami Seaquarium is definitely on our list of fun places to go with kids in Miami. The Seaquarium features touch pools that give visitors a chance to submerge hands and touch cleaner fish, bamboo sharks and invertebrates. The Dolphin Odyssey and the Dolphin Encounter are classics and bound to bring a smile onto every kid’s face.
The Seal Swim gives visitors to swim with a seal for close to 15 min, after which they are allowed to take part in a fun session with the seal. The penguin encounter and Sea Trek Reef encounter are also fun filled activities to be part of at the Miami Seaquarium and just few of the many activities that one can take part in when visiting this attraction.
Pricing
- Price varies from event to event. Visit here for more info
Timing
- Daily: 10am-6pm
Museums
Miami Children’s Museum
This museum is non-profit education institution that was started and designed to enrich children and meet their needs in a fun and exciting new way. The museum aims to help children learn in a new fun way thereby unlocking their true potential and has been functional since 1983, and even being named as the “Best Museum In Miami” by the Miami New Times.
The facility accommodates close to 17 galleries, a pre-school, charter school, an educational gift shop and an auditorium that can seat about 200 people. It also houses a Subway restaurant for the hungry folk.
The exhibits here include a construction zone, bank, castle of dreams, pet central, sketch aquarium and a health and wellness center to name a few. The museum houses more than 15 exhibits in total making what was just mentioned, the tip of the iceberg. All of these feature exhibits make this place one of the most interesting kid’s attractions in Miami.
Pricing
- General Admission: $20
- Florida residents: $15
Timing
- Daily: 10am-6pm
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
This museum is located in Downtown Miami and is a world-class science museum that encourages both adults and kids to look beyond what they see right in front of them. The exhibits all aim to open up the human mind and to show visitors what could be lying out there in wait for mankind.
The planetarium comes equipped with a 3D 8K visual system and also houses a 3 level aquarium. The exhibits include the previously mentioned planetarium that can hold 250 people and has a 8K projection, the aquarium which shows Florida’s aquatic ecosystem, the Batchelor Foundation Gallery and the Design Lab to name a few.
Pricing
- Adults: $30
- Child (3-11): $21
- Child (2 and under): FREE
- Members: FREE
Timing
- Daily: 9:30am-6pm
Malls
You don’t always have to DO something. Sometimes, the most fun you can have with your kids would be just good old window shopping and the fact that it is free, makes it all the more economic.
Drop by a mall, walk around till your legs hurt and then maybe get a little rest at the food court and grab a bite to eat. So here are a couple of our top picks.
Dolphin Mall
Owned and developed by Taubman Centers, Dolphin Mall spans an area of 1,400,000 square feet and is one of the largest retail malls in Miami. The mall has two floors and is filled with brands from all over the world such as Forever 21, H&M, The Cheesecake Factory and Victoria’s Secret to name a few of the anchor tenants.
The mall had been downsized from 2,200,000 square feet and now has a 19-screen Cobb Theatre compared to the 28-screen it had. The mall also housed a roller coaster earlier which doesn’t any more. The mall still counts for a fun place to visit with kids in Miami.
Pricing
- Free entry
Timing
- Mon-Sat: 10am-9:30pm
- Sun: 11am-8pm
- For more info check out the official website at www.shopdolphinmall.com
Aventura Mall
The Aventura mall falls a bit short in terms of area compared to Dolphin Mall it does not by any means fall short in anything else. With around 1.2 million square feet spread across three stories Aventura Mall houses over 300 stores and close to 50 eateries. The mall also features a museum style exhibition which is part of the Arts Aventura Mall program and showcases about 20 quality exhibits.
The mall houses world famous brands such as Burberry, Gucci, Disney and Louis Vuitton to name a few. One of the main exhibits is the Aventura Slide tower that stands tall at a height of 93 feet and was done by Carsten Holler.
Pricing
- Free entry
Timing
- Mon-Sat: 10am-9:30pm
- Sun: 12pm-8pm
- For more info check out the official website at www.aventuramall.com
Bayside Marketplace
If you aren’t too happy about having to window shop inside a building and want a change, then, Bayside Marketplace is the place to go. This is a 2 story shopping center that is open air and located in Downtown Miami.
Unlike traditional malls that might get monotonous after about 1 hour of shopping, the Bayside Marketplace offers much more variety in the form of live music, restaurants and hosting family events. With over 120 stores, this is no small place and can easily keep you and your kids engaged and excited for a decent amount of time
Pricing
- Free entry
Timing
- Mon-Thu: 10am-10pm
- Fri-Sat: 10am-11pm
- Sun: 11am-9pm
- For more info visit the official site at www.baysidemarketplace.com
Fun and games
Gecko ParX
This could easily be the best thing to do with kids in Miami. If you’ve got a kid whose energy levels are off the charts, then we highly suggest you make a trip to Gecko ParX here in Miami. The area spans an area of 40,000 square feet and includes an arcade, a trampoline basketball court as well as dodgeball courts and a slackline.
Gecko ParX also has a ropes course, a soft play area and a ninja and parkour connected course and even rock climbing. It is the complete indoor experience to give your kids the best time they could possibly have. This indoor park also has the provision to hold birthday parties, corporate functions and similar events.
Pricing
- Prices vary and can be checked out at http://geckoparx.com/tickets/
Timing
- Wed: 3pm–9pm
- Thu: 12pm–9pm
- Fri: 9am–10pm
- Sat: 10am–10pm
- Sun: 10am–8:30pm
- Mon: 9am–10pm
- For more info visit the official site at www.geckoparx.com
FunDimension
This is another indoor entertainment center guaranteed to bring a smile on the faces of the kids. A lot of thought and imagination has gone into designing the place to make sure the place is inclusive to both kids and adults so that nobody feels left out. The place also houses a food court, coffee bistro and a beer and wine parlour which makes it a perfect sport to bring everyone too.
The main attractions here include the Bungy Dome, Laser Tag, Indoor Playground, Spin Zone and an arcade. Fun Dimension also features an XD Theatre that gives viewers a total immersive experience while watching a 3D fantasy world. All in all, this place seems to be the perfect spot to have some fun with your kids.
Pricing
- Varies as per attraction.
Timing
- Sun-Mon: 10am-9pm
- Tue-Thu: 11am-8pm
- Fri: 11am-11pm
- Sat: 10am-11pm
- Find more info at www.fundimensionusa.com
Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures
What better way to see Miami than through the water and what better way to travel through water than with a speedboat. The Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures aim to do just by providing people with the chance to see the Miami skyline on an off-shore adventure that lasts 45min.
The tour takes you past Star Island, Miami Beach and Fisher Island and even South Beach where visitors can appreciate the Art Deco unit. Considering that the place is filled with celebrities, don’t be surprised if you manage to spot a few along the tour. This is definitely a fun way to see Miami from a different perspective while enjoying yourself with your kids.
Pricing
- Adults (12+): $38
- Children (3-11): $24
Timing
- Daily: 11am-5pm
Wynwood Walls
If you’re into street art or if that’s something that interests the kids, then make sure to visit Wynwood Walls. The place has grown exponentially since when it was first established in 2009 and I now home to street art from the world’s best street artists. Urban Graffiti doesn’t get better than this and the place is open to all free of charge.
The place has become so iconic and has inspired street graffiti all over Wynwood and even Miami to a large extent. It has come to be known as an open air museum nowadays with over 40 amazing murals created by world renowned street artists. Wynwood Doors, a 176 feet gate and Wynwood gardens opened recently (from around 2010) and has made this place a definite spot on our list of free things to do in Miami with kids.
Pricing
- Free entry
Timing
- Mon-Thu: 10:30am-11:30pm
- Fri-Sat: 10:30am-12am
- Sun: 10:30am-8pm
- Get more info by checking them out at www.thewynwoodwalls.com