5 Unique Things To Do in Miami
If you visit Miami you’re almost certain to spend a lot of time on the beach. It’s probably the first thing that comes into your head when you hear the city’s name. Draped around the Biscayne Bay and its low-lying islands, Miami’s miles of glittering white sand are pretty hard to miss, and with year-round sunshine there’s rarely a compelling reason to stay away. So, whether your ideal beach activity is a lazy day’s sunbathing, a peaceful morning jog or a lively round of volleyball, you won’t need much help from us finding a place to do it.
But this colorful city is so much more than a great place to get a tan. Enjoy the spectacular beaches – but don’t miss out on our favourite things to do in Miami, and why not study English at the same time?
1. Go salsa dancing in Little Havana
Miami has been the unofficial capital of Cuban-American culture since the 1960s. There’s no better place in the USA to sip a mojito or a café cortado, snack on tapas or pick up some Latin dance steps. At the Ball and Chain you can show off your moves and soak up local history at the same time – founded in the 1930s, this club hosted greats such as Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, Count Basie. Today the famous Pineapple Stage offers live music every night of the week, with free Salsa classes very Thursday from 9pm.
2. View the amazing street art at Wynwood Walls
Once a run-down industrial district full of graffiti-covered abandoned warehouses, Wynwood is now one of the world’s most impressive (and instagrammable) collections of street art. Some iconic murals have remained unchanged for years, but others change every few months, so it’s always worth going back. Wandering among over 40 huge, colorful murals by artists from around the world has to be one of the best things you can do in Miami for free any day, and every second Saturday the area bursts into life with DJs, food trucks, market stalls and pop up bars hosting the most artistic block party you’ll ever find.
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3. Watch the wildlife of the Everglades
A short drive from Miami will take you to this vast tropical wilderness of mangrove swamps and pinelands. Glide across the grassy water in an airboat and look out for incredible creatures like alligators, turtles and the Florida panther.
4. Take a boat out to Stiltsville
A mile out from the shores of Biscayne Bay these pastel-colored wooden houses seem to hover above the shallow water. The first stilt houses were built in the 1930s to dodge anti-gambling laws and for decades operated as off-shore nightclubs. After being battered by decades of storms the buildings are awaiting restoration and so, sadly, you can no longer step onto their verandas for a drink or a game of poker, but they’re still an incredible view and a monument to Miami’s mischievous, fun-loving history.
5. Swim at the Venetian Pool
Miami’s Coral Gables district is nicknamed “the City Beautiful”, so perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that the area wouldn’t settle for an ordinary public swimming pool. Created out of an abandoned quarry in the 1920s, the Venetian Pool is an otherworldly artificial lagoon with grottos, waterfalls, bridges and fountains. And it’s only a few blocks away from our Miami English school.
