What to do and see in Miami?

I'm thinking of going to Miami at the end of January for 10 days. What do you recommend I see, where to stay, etc.? I'm open to all suggestions. Thanks! Corinne

Do you really want to stay in Miami for 10 days?

I’d recommend not just sticking to Miami—rent a car and take at least a short road trip during your 10 days. Quick outline:

Days 1 and 2: Explore Miami a bit, then Day 3: Head to the Keys, go snorkeling around Key Largo, and if possible, make it to Key West for the evening Day 4: Key West Day 5: Return via Shark Valley for some biking with alligators, Stop along Route 41 toward Naples for an airboat ride, Drive to Naples for the night. Day 6: Naples Day 7: Sanibel and Captiva. Day 8: Return to Miami Beach Days 9 and 10: Miami Beach

Needs polishing... Personally, one day in Miami Beach is enough for me 😉 I’d have gone via Miami one way and returned via Orlando to see Florida’s rivers too.

But everyone has their own aspirations and tastes.

Hi there, and thanks for your reply! I’ll be traveling with a friend who doesn’t like driving, so we’ll get around by bus, Uber, etc. But we still plan to explore—Everglades, Key West, and so on. Is it worth heading to Orlando for Cape Canaveral, Disneyland, etc.? We’re open to sleeping a few nights elsewhere if needed, not necessarily 10 nights in Miami. Thanks!

The United States is best explored by car. Traffic is pretty easy to navigate. For visiting the Everglades and Key West, I wouldn’t recommend taking the bus. You’ll waste endless time, and you won’t be able to stop whenever you want. Besides, I’m not even sure if there are buses that go all the way to Everglades National Park. And with Uber—first, it’s not exactly around the corner (about an hour each way). Plus, I don’t think you’ll find an Uber on-site to get back. Also, a national park is meant to be explored by car, not on foot. In my opinion, you should reconsider your decision not to rent a car. Otherwise, you’ll have to book organized tours. Which I also don’t recommend. There’s nothing like having your own car and exploring on your own..

The U.S. is best explored by car.

For visiting the Everglades and Key West, I wouldn’t recommend taking the bus. You’ll waste endless time, and you won’t be able to stop whenever you want.

True, between Miami and Key West by bus, it’s over five hours. By car, it’s at least 3.5 hours.

Hi Corinne,

I agree with @Usafan about how tough it is to visit the USA (and Florida) without a car.

To answer your questions: - Miami is still worth 2 to 3 days max (Art Deco District and the beach, Venetian Pool, Villa Vizcaya, Wynwood). Personally, I didn’t find anything interesting in Little Havana and even less in Little Haiti (sketchy). - Up north, near Fort Lauderdale, there’s a big outlet mall at Sawgrass Mills—I think there are buses from Miami. - Cape Canaveral is definitely worth a visit, even if you’re not a huge space or tech fan. It’s varied and so iconic! - Orlando is really just for theme parks. It depends on whether you like them or not—there’s something for everyone. - To the west, the white-sand beaches (Naples, and others) are gorgeous. The city of Sarasota is worth a day trip.

Thanks for the info! I visited NASA in Houston and loved it. I’m thinking it might be similar… though my friend isn’t really into the visit 😅

I visited NASA in Houston, I loved it, I thought it might be similar.

No, not at all. I’ve done both, and Cape Canaveral is way more interesting and diverse (even though you’ll find a space rocket in both).

Hi there, I’m sharing a few thoughts here on whether it’s worth leaving Miami and, if so, using a car. For Key West, I think it’s manageable if you can find a bus to get there. Personally, I didn’t find the other Keys particularly exciting, but I enjoyed spending some time walking around Key West. In Miami, two days are great: the beach and the Art Deco District, and I *loved* Wynwood. If you like street art, it’s an amazing neighborhood (don’t just stick to Wynwood Walls, which is the touristy, paid version—explore the whole area). We spent the day there and could’ve stayed longer.

A tip for your 10-day trip if you’re not a fan of driving: rent a car just for the Everglades (which are really impossible to do without one) or even Cape Canaveral (you can’t stay overnight, so you’ll need to handle the round trip from your hotel or apartment). For other outings, you might manage with public transport (like Key West or even Fort Lauderdale). In terms of what’s worth it, we really liked St. Augustine (a historic city, though quite touristy), but it’s further north. Fort Lauderdale has less to offer, but there’s the beach.

No opinion on Disney parks or others—I haven’t tried them.

Hi there,

Generally, without a car in the U.S., you’ll end up spending a lot of time on transportation and waiting around, with wait times ranging from 30 minutes to an hour since public transit isn’t a priority for governments. Outside of New York City and maybe San Francisco, a car is pretty much essential in the U.S. But if a car isn’t an option for you, you’ll just need to be patient and persistent.

There’s a new train connecting Miami to Orlando that seems pretty good. It’s like a TGV and is called "Brightline."

Good luck!

Thanks for the info

I lived in Miami for 3 months and wanted to get around a bit, but there weren’t many bus departures, so as mentioned earlier, it’s highly recommended to rent a car. Just the Greyhound bus station alone is far from Miami Beach