Things To See in Miami: One-Day Miami Itinerary
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We found plenty of things to see in Miami before our cruise. Our one-day in Miami Itinerary has plenty of the best things to see in Miami.
Things To See in Miami Before a Cruise: (Jump To)
After a COVID-related cancellation of our journey to South America, we booked a last-minute cruise out of Miami through the Panama Canal (read more about that cruise here). We arrived a day early so we could check out Miami. Ideally, a visit to Miami would be a few more days, but alas, one day was what we had to work with.
We arrived at the airport the evening prior, where we picked up our rental car. We decided to rent a car for just 24 hours to help us get around Miami. Our hotel was located in Ft. Lauderdale which is further from Miami than you would think, so a car was mandatory.
Up early we knocked out our pre-cruise COVID PCR tests, grabbed breakfast sammies at the cafe across from our hotel, and were on the road by 10 AM.
Zoo Miami
Our first stop is Zoo Miami. The zoo is one of the largest in the United States and is home to over 3,000 animals across 500 species. The zoo is unique because of its geographical location. Since it’s so far south the tropical Florida climate allows the zoo to have some interesting animals from tropical regions of the world.
The zoo has a few family rides for an upcharge including a carousel and a riverboat ride. There are also swan paddle boats available to rent in the large zoo pond.
Adult tickets are reasonable at about USD$23, with discounts for kids under 13, seniors, and active military. Parking is free.
Don’t miss the spectacular Atlantic Forest exhibit featuring the animals of the Brazilian Rainforest. There’s also an interesting bat exhibit with bats flying over your head in clear plastic tubes. You can also get up close and personal with a giant croc.
We wrapped up our time at the zoo in about three hours.
Little Havana Walking Tour
Next up was a self-guided walking tour of Little Havana. The area of note is Calle Ocho (aka 8th Street) between 13th Avenue and 19th Avenue. The street is lined with shops, restaurants, and bars of interest. There are also loads of chicken statues with various theming.
We made sure to grab an ice cream from the famous Azcuar Ice Cream Company. They have all your favorite ice cream flavors plus a rotating menu of signature flavors like cuatro leches (four milks cake), mulatica (cinnamon oatmeal cookie), and café con leche (Cuban coffee & Oreo).
Little Havana is also the obvious stop for dinner. We dined at El Cristo Restaurant. It was affordable, delicious, and with huge portions. Our outdoor table kept us in the action of the busy Little Havana street. I went with the Cuban sampler plate so I wouldn’t have to decide on just one dish.
As the sun set on Miami, we got back into the rental car to our final destination for the day.
South Beach
In another time, we would book a trip to Miami and spend the entire time here in the electric South Beach. Days would be spent soaking in the sun on the beach, and evenings would be spent enjoying the nightlife. However, that was not the trip we were on.
The sun was fully set by the time we made our way to South Beach. This was by design. I most wanted to see the beach at night when the Art Deco architecture was lit up by neon lights. We took a casual stroll down Ocean Drive. The street was closed off to cars, so it was delightfully easy to walk around taking in the neon glow.
Along the route, we stopped to see the iconic Versace Mansion, lit in purple lights.
After 90 casual minutes, we decided it was time to head back north to our hotel to get a good night's sleep before the cruise departure the next day.
Things to See in Miami:
Zoo Miami
Little Havana
Calle Ocho
Azcuar Ice Cream Company
El Cristo Restaurant
South Beach
Ocean Drive
Versace Mansion
