When looking for things to do near Miami for the whole family, you will come across many Miami excursions. It is one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world and, therefore, there is a lot of touring companies vying for your money. However, no one has the patience to read about every experience to be had when researching what is there to do in Miami.
Instead, we have taken the liberty to narrow down your search to nine of the best things to do near Miami on your Florida vacation. Don’t let companies who don’t treat you as a valued customer waste your precious time in one of the United States’ most traveled destinations. Read on to guarantee your experience is the best it can be!
Top 9 Things to do Near Miami
There are a bunch of things to do near Miami but which ones are worth your time? We breakdown all our favorite Miami excursions below:
1. Day trips to the Bahamas Swimming Pigs
Little piglet in a water at beach on Exuma island Bahamas.
In 2018, over 6.62 million people visited Pig Island to grab a photo and swim with these adorable pigs in the Caribbean. A large majority of the visitors were day-trippers from Florida just like yourself.
And now, with the ability to hop on a private plane tour of the Bahamas, you will have more time than ever to get to know these cute swimming pigs.
But there is more to our well-rated Staniel Cay day trips than just swimming with pigs. Below are some of the exotic attractions you can expect to encounter as you island hop around the Bahamas most remote locations:
- Swimming with Sharks at Compass Cay
- Spotting endangered iguanas at Bitter Guana Cay
- Adventure into the setting of a James Bond film
- Hunt down the best sandbars of the region
- Have a drink at the same bar as Sean Connery and many other celebrities
. . . and much more!
Join our swimming pigs tours to Pig Beach and hang out with the lovable Exuma pigs in the Bahamas for the day. An excursion to the Bahamas is one of the most popular things to do near Miami.
Bahamas Air Tours offers Staniel Cay Day trips to the Swimming Pigs from Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
2. Miami excursions to the Everglades
Kayak through mangrove forests at Everglades National Park.
Take a tour of the Everglades via a multitude of ways. You can ride an airboat over the swampy lands. You can fly across Everglades National Park in a helicopter. Or, for adrenaline junkies, you can kayak across the tropical wetland’s crocodile-infested waters.
The Everglades are one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world and biologists continue to find new species every day. Miami is less than an hour away from the entrance to the park making it a great base to explore this park as deeply as you can.
The Everglades will forever be one of the top things to do in Miami Florida because you can’t experience a place like it anywhere on the planet. Check out all of these fun things to do near Miami.
3. Take a trip to West Palm Beach
Palm Beach is an upscale tourist destination with the popular Worth Avenue full of boutique, glitzy galleries and restaurants.
The Flagler Museum at West Palm Beach is one of the great things to do near Miami Florida.
While there, you must check out the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum where you can find antique furnishings and famous paintings inside the railroad tycoon’s multi-million dollar Gilded Age estate.
Palm Beach is one of the best things to do in Miami for couples because of its romantic sunsets, quaint atmosphere, and relaxing beaches.
4. Tour the Venice of America
Fort Lauderdale isn’t known as the “Venice of America” for no good reason. More than 300 miles of canals weave its way through the city and greater municipal area.
You can tour the canals by a multitude of ways but everyone’s favorite seems to be the Las Olas Gondolas which may be the closest to Venice, Italy you can get.
Canal view in Fort Lauderdale; the Venice of America.
Spend the afternoon floating down the canals and seeing the best and most richest homes in Fort Lauderdale. There are plenty of tourist stops on the tour and you are even served complimentary snacks and drinks in your private cabin.
It makes for a great day underneath the Florida sunshine and is one of the most romantic things to do in Miami for couples (or, at least, within shouting distance of Miami).
5. Road trip overseas highways to Key West Florida
About three and a half hours south of Miami is the furthest point of southern latitude in the contiguous United States, Key West. Rent a car and go on a classic road trip down Highway 1, one of the world’s most scenic and innovative routes to the Florida Keys.
Aerial image of the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys.
The Florida Keys are a collection of islands in the southernmost point of Florida — even south of the peninsula. A road trip down the overseas bridge to Key West makes for one of the best things to do near Miami if you have the time.
The Strait of Florida is known for having serene shades of blue water, gorgeous white sands, and incredible coral reefs waiting for you to explore with a snorkel and mask. So, don’t wait. Jump right in!
6. Venture to Orlando’s famous Theme Parks
Orlando, just a short few hour trip from Miami, is known as the “Theme Park Capital of the World”. Even as an adult, there is something to be excited about these world-class theme parks. Below are some of our favorite parks in the city:
- Walt Disney World Resorts
- Universal Studios Resort
- Disney’s Magic Kingdom
- Universal’s Adventure Island
- Legoland Orlando
- SeaWorld Orlando
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Epcot Orlando Theme Park
. . . the list goes on and on, but you get the gist.
The world-renowned theme parks of Orlando are only one of the most memorable things to do near Miami. There are plenty of other Miami excursions waiting for you all around the ultra sensational city.
7. Race around Daytona International Speedway
The annual NASCAR Daytona 500, one of the most internationally acclaimed races in the sport, takes place at Daytona International Speedway and is kind of an oasis to fans of NASCAR series.
Inside the speedway is a museum that takes you through the history of the race and of the sport with tons of artifacts and memorabilia collected over the 60-plus years the race has been put on.
A ride around the track at Daytona when you don’t know what is there to do in Miami is the perfect solution.
8. Watch the world go by at South Beach
South Beach is unlike any place you have ever been. It is a general rule — if you want to be seen, South Beach is the place to go. You will find people from all walks of life going about their day in Miami’s most sensationalized place.
From swimsuit models to street performers to snack and art vendors — this is the place to be in Miami and it is inevitable that you will end up here on a few occasions over the course of your stay in the City of Palms because it is one of the busiest things to do near Miami.
You can find many of the top things to do in Miami Beach on our guide to top things to do in Miami Florida so you can be prepared for your family getaway.
9. Take a Helicopter Tour of Miami’s Skyline
A helicopter tour of the glitzy Miami skyline is one of the best things to do in Miami Beach. Rides from a decent touring company will usually last between 45 minutes and an hour long.
Book Your Miami to Bahamas Day Trip with Bahamas Air Tours
Flying on a Miami to Bahamas day trip is one of the trendier tourist activities in Miami today. The introduction of private flights at a mid-range consumer rate has got people packing their daybags and hopping aboard a one day cruise to Bahamas on the most luxurious experience of their life.
Our Bahamas day trips by plane on a Florida to Bahamas swimming with pigs Bahamas excursion is one of the most underrated things to do near Miami. Book a mini flights to Bahamas vacation Exuma day trips package and experience what life in the out islands of the Bahamas is really like. Climb aboard our Bahamas air charter on a day trip to Bahamas you won’t soon forget.
Get our FREE Bahamas Guidebook
Discover the Bahamas Out Islands
With beautifully illustrated maps and informative destination guides.
Download the Guidebook
