The Perfect 3 Days In Miami Itinerary

Last Updated on 9th July 2023

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Located almost at the very southern tip of Florida, Miami is one of the most sought-after destinations in the United States. With beaches galore, an abundance of sunshine and an eclectic food and nightlife scene; Miami is a place that is on many people’s USA bucket list.

However, over the years I’d heard mixed reviews from people who had been there, with some saying they absolutely loved it and some saying they would happily never return.

Therefore, I wasn’t really sure what to expect when Matt suggested we head there after our 5-day stint at Universal Studios Florida, but after spending three days/nights in Miami and Miami Beach, I’m absolutely sold on this beautiful sunshine city and it’s actually one of my favourite places in America so far!

In my guide below, I’m sharing my 3-day Miami itinerary, full of the 25 best things to see, do and eat in Miami and Miami Beach. If you’ve got a trip planned to ‘The Magic City’ (named due to the incredibly rapid expansion that transformed it into a city almost overnight), I’ve got you covered with the very best things to do in Miami for an action-packed three-day itinerary.

3 days in Miami itinerary summary

• Spend some time in South Beach
• Check out the Art Deco District
• Party on Ocean Drive
• Cycle to Downtown Miami
• Shop and dine on Lincoln Road
• Enjoy the views from South Pointe Park Pier
• Explore Bayside Marketplace
• Admire the art and murals at Wynwood Walls
• Eat the best steak at Ole Ole Steakhouse

Where to stay in Miami – 3 days in Miami itinerary

Miami certainly isn’t a very cheap place to stay and it’s actually the most expensive place we’ve stayed on our American road trip so far!

We always try and find the most affordable place on Booking.com, but we put filters in such as at least a 6* rating (we usually do an 8* rating in most other places around the world, but the places to stay in America are just far too expensive for that!), a private room/bathroom, free Wi-Fi and usually air-conditioning as well. We then sort by cheapest first and see what comes up!

In Miami, the cheapest place we could find (that fit our filters and expectations) was the SoBeNY The Variety Hotel in Miami Beach. We paid $477 (£351 at the time of booking in February 2022) for just three nights. In some places in Asia such as Cambodia and Vietnam, we didn’t even pay that for one month, so you can see just how expensive it is!

SoBeNY The Variety Hotel was a nice enough place to stay and because we’ve used Booking.com so much over the years, we’ve now reached the ‘Genius Level 3’ status which means we benefit from room upgrades and discounts. We received a room upgrade at this hotel, but they gave us a room with four bunk beds instead of a double bed (I think this place used to be more of a hostel than a hotel as it still has very hostel vibes such as a common area and bunk beds and lockers in the rooms), which was fine but I would have preferred just a double room if they’d had any left!

Book a stay in Downtown Miami or Miami Beach

Booking.com

South Beach Miami – 3 days in Miami itinerary

Of course, it depends on where you’re staying in Miami as to where you’ll start your itinerary, but as we were staying in South Beach, I’m going to start this 3-day Miami itinerary there!

I absolutely loved staying in Miami Beach and while it feels very glam and full of fit, toned almost-celebrities, I really enjoyed the vibe here – way more than I thought I would!

Spend some time on South Beach – Miami bucket list

Arguably the number one thing to do on South Beach is to actually spend some time on the beach itself. Despite my many stints at staying on islands around the world over the years (including Koh Lanta and Phuket in Thailand, Bali, Nusa Penida and the Gili Islands in Indonesia and El Nido, Coron and Bohol in the Philippines, plus many more), I’m not actually that much of a beach-goer.

I do, however, thoroughly love a walk along the beach and dipping my feet in the ocean, especially on a particularly hot day and Miami’s South Beach offers ample opportunity to do just that.

It’s also a great place to people-watch or simply spend a leisurely afternoon unwinding on the sand or taking a dip in the refreshing ocean to cool off.

Top tip: be sure to visit South Beach for sunset at least one evening during your stay in Miami; those dusky pink and blue hues are breathtaking!

Enjoy the architecture in the Art Deco District

Located within the South Beach neighbourhood, with a lot of the buildings residing on the infamous Ocean Drive, Miami’s Art Deco District cannot be missed.

From swanky hotels to cool bars and assorted apartment blocks kitted out in the cool and retro Art Deco style, this part of Miami Beach is fab if you love cool and quirky buildings. If you want to learn more about the history of the awesome architecture, you can take a tour of the Art Deco District in Miami Beach.

Fun fact: the city of Miami is known to have the highest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world.

Party on Ocean Drive – things to do in Miami for adults

If you’re looking for a night of partying while you’re in Miami then Ocean Drive is the place you want to be.

This lengthy road runs parallel to the beach for approximately 1.5 miles, right next to Lummus Park and the very aptly named Muscle Beach. It’s positively teeming with swanky hotels, fancy cocktail bars and expensive nightclubs, so if you’re in the mood for getting a little spendy while sipping on lush cocktails in the sun, Ocean Drive can provide you with exactly that.

We didn’t actually go “out-out” on Ocean Drive as it felt very exclusive and a bit too expensive for our liking, but we walked down the “strip” on our first evening to check it all out and it’s got such a great atmosphere, so even if you don’t want to get your drink on, I’d still highly recommend taking a stroll down the street to people-watch once the sun has gone down.

Hire a bike and ride to Downtown Miami

Hiring a bike as a first-time visitor to any city is a surefire way to explore a new place to help you get your bearings, especially if you’re only there for a short period of time.

While I’m very aware of this fact, I usually always try and avoid renting bikes in a new city whenever Matt suggests doing so as I’m not a very confident rider and it’s not an activity that I overly enjoy; I much prefer walking.

However, I gave in while we were in Miami and we hired bicycles in Downtown Miami one evening at sunset and cycled all the way back to South Beach where we were staying. I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed doing this and best of all, hiring a bike in Miami is pretty cheap! Miami offers a bike-sharing program, Citi Bike, and a half-hour rental is only $5.30 (approximately £3.90).

It’s only a 20-minute ride from the start of the Venetian Causeway Bridge in Miami City to South Beach, so it’s the perfect activity to enjoy at sunset as you cycle right along the water over the bridge.

Shop and dine on Lincoln Road

Our hotel, SoBeNY The Variety, was just a 15-minute walk from Lincoln Road so we spent a lot of time walking down there as it was a fun way to get to South Beach.

Lincoln Road is home to dozens of shops, bars and restaurants, most of which have an al fresco dining experience, which is always one of my favourite ways to eat whenever I’m in a hot place! There’s an abundance of choices to suit every dietary requirement, preference and budget, although you will likely find most places offering fairly expensive dishes.

Even if you don’t plan to eat on Lincoln Road, it’s still worth a wander down as it’s full of beautiful palm trees and it has such a lovely vibe once the sun starts to set.

Check out the views from South Pointe Park Pier – Miami travel guide for first-time visitors

South Pointe Park Pier, located right next to South Beach at the southernmost tip of Miami Beach island is a great place to take in views of the ocean, beach and surrounding city skyline.

It’s a totally free thing to do in Miami and the views you’ll enjoy from the end of the pier are truly stunning!

Watch out for lizards!

This isn’t something to “do” as such, more just be aware of! One thing I didn’t realise before visiting Miami was that there would be a tonne of lizards everywhere!

From teeny, tiny geckos to giant lizards that are practically dragons, you’ll likely spot many a creature as you walk through the parks or along the waterfront near the harbour.

Downtown Miami & Wynwood – 3 days in Miami itinerary

In Downtown Miami, you’ll find the city’s skyscrapers (although don’t be expecting New York-style giants, they’re much smaller in comparison!), as well as plenty of fancy hotels, luxury restaurants and designer stores aplenty.

I didn’t feel like there was a tonne of things to do in Miami city and I definitely preferred South Beach, but it’s still a great place in Miami to explore for a few hours and there are some true gems to be discovered.

Explore Bayside Marketplace

One thing that truly shocked me about Miami is that everything looks so close together on Google Maps, yet when you’re actually there, everything is much further away than it seems!

This was the case with Bayside Marketplace in Downtown Miami. When we arrived in Downtown Miami after walking over the Venetian Causeway Bridge on our second full day in Miami and we’d planned to head to Bayside Marketplace, I assumed it would take around 10 minutes to walk there. It turns out that it’s actually almost half an hour to Bayside once you get over the bridge, so if you’re not a fan of walking too much, I’d suggest hiring bicycles for the full day or jumping in an Uber!

Once you do arrive at Bayside Marketplace, however, you’ll be treated to wonderful views of the marina, the beautiful Bayfront Park and the actual shops inside Bayside as well.

There are so many places to eat and drink inside Bayside Marketplace, plus tonnes of shops where you can pick up designer goods, as well as souvenirs and gifts. It’s a great place to spend an hour or two and on an evening, you’ll likely be treated to live performances by bands on the waterfront.

Admire the art at Wynwood Walls – 3 days in Miami itinerary

The neighbourhood of Wynwood isn’t actually in Downtown Miami, it’s about a 45-minute walk from Bayside Marketplace or a 10-minute drive.

The former industrial hub that was once home to car shops and warehouses is now one of the greatest and coolest cultural hubs in the city of Miami.

At its centre, the Wynwood Walls welcomes art lovers and culture-seekers to explore over 200 works of art in the form of graffiti works and huge murals.

Just a few years ago, you could explore the whole area of Wynwood Walls in its entirety completely for free, but a huge section of it is now gated off with a paid-for entry ticket required to see all the walls properly. Tickets cost $12 for adults.

However, unless you’re really eager to go and see every single piece of art up close and personal, I really don’t think you need to pay to go inside the gated perimeter at Wynwood Walls. The whole area of Wynwood boasts incredible murals and huge wall art everywhere you look, so you can see a vast majority of it for free.

Ride the Metromover – best free things to do in Miami

If you’re looking to travel around Downtown Miami for free and quickly, then look no further than the very cool and ultra-modern Metromover. Operating seven days a week and covering a vast majority of the Downtown and Brickell areas of the city, the Metromover is almost like a rollercoaster in that it operates on tracks above the streets of the city without a driver.

We used it to travel from Brickell City Center to Bayside Marketplace and it was quick, efficient and best of all, completely free!

Take a ride on the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel

Just like any Ferris Wheel in any city around the world, Miami’s Skyviews Observation Wheel offers tremendous views of the marina, Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami.

This particular observation wheel, however, was probably the quickest one I’ve ever seen as it only lasts 12-15 minutes, compared to the iconic London Eye, for example, which is at least half an hour per ride.

It is a great way to see more of Miami from the “air” and it’s usually open 365 days a year (Covid restrictions permitting). Tickets cost $17.06 for adults and $14.92 for children aged 4 to 11.

Shop at Brickell City Center

If you’re in the city for shopping purposes, Brickell City Center is the place you want to be. Home to dozens of designer stores, plenty of restaurants, including world-class dining experiences and even a VIP Cinema Experience, Brickell City Center covers an area of three city blocks across four levels and is anchored by a 107,000 square foot Saks Fifth Avenue department store!

I’m not one for shopping so we didn’t really browse many stores inside the shopping centre, but we did enjoy a few sweet treats, more on that below…

Best places to eat in Miami/South Beach – best things to do in Miami

The food we ate in Miami is probably some of the very best we’ve eaten on our American road trip so far. From wonderful Mexican food to one of the best steak dishes I’ve ever had in my entire life; when eating in Miami, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Panizza Bistro – best places for breakfast in Miami

Panizza Bistro is a tiny little Argentinian cafe in Miami Beach that was just around the corner from our hotel that served up hearty breakfast dishes and the yummiest empanadas. With influences from Buenos Aires, Italy and Spain, the food at Panizza Bistro is great for a light breakfast, mid-day snacks or as a hearty meal to set you up for the day.

We ordered two empanadas each (beef, pepperoni pizza, steak and chicken) and they were absolutely heavenly, with the Argentinian steak and red wine one being our favourite. We also ordered a Miga ham and cheese sandwich each and it was a great little meal to start our day with.

They also had a tonne of scrumptious-looking pastries on display as well which I would have happily eaten if most of them hadn’t contained nuts (I can’t often eat nutty things due to Matt’s severe hazelnut and peanut allergy!).

• Empanadas: $3.55
• Miga sandwich: $2.50

Apple A Day Cafe – 3 days in Miami itinerary

We ate at Apple A Day Cafe on our last morning in Miami Beach and if you’re a fan of vegan, veggie and just generally healthy foods, you’ll love this place!

I had a tuna sandwich that was served with some kind of chickpea soup (I was a huge fan of the sandwich, not so much the chickpea soup!) and Matt had a cream cheese bagel and a smoothie. We’re not particularly very good at eating super healthy, so even though we didn’t pick the healthiest things on the menu, it still felt relatively good to be eating something that wasn’t smothered in cheese and dripping in fat!

• Smoothie: $6
• Tuna melt sandwich: $12.99
• Bagel: $5

Sandwich Qbano South Beach

You’ll find a lot of Cuban influences in Miami and one of the very best parts about that is the delicious food on offer! A Cuban sandwich from Sandwich Qbano is one of the best things we ate in Miami.

The sandwich consisted of roast pork, ham, mayo, Swiss cheese and a special homemade sauce and it was absolutely delightful! We ordered the Combo so it came with cheesy nachos and a drink and the 14″ sandwich was more than enough for us to share at lunch.

• Cuban sandwich combo: $18 (incl tax)

Ole Ole Steakhouse – the best steak in Miami Beach

I’m going to start by saying that I had one of the best cuts of meat at Ole Ole Steakhouse in Miami Beach.

This 4.9* rated restaurant from over 6,700 Google reviews is undoubtedly one of the best places to eat in Miami. It’s certainly not very cheap and it was by far the most expensive meal we had in Miami and one of the most expensive meals we’ve had during our entire time in America so far, but as a one-off treat, it’s so worth it!

Matt and I ordered the 3lb Basic Picadas sharing platter for two which came with churrasco, picanha, pork ribs, chorizo, chicken drumsticks and was served with chimichurri sauce and romesco sauce.

Every single thing on the platter was truly delightful but the picanha cut of meat was genuinely one of the tastiest, juiciest and most succulent pieces of meat I’ve ever had. We also ordered a side of fries to go with the meat platter which was probably my least favourite part of the meal, but they were a welcome addition to all the meat.

• Basic Picadas 3lb sharing platter: $59.85 for two people
• French fries: $5

Taquiza – the best tacos in Miami

If you’re looking for the best tacos in Miami, look no further than Taquiza; a gorgeous place to eat with the yummiest Mexican food and such a great vibe!

When the food was first brought to our table, I was convinced I was going to hate it as everything was black like it had been burnt to a crisp, but I soon learned that this is one of Taquiza’s specialities and just one bite of the food made my apprehensions melt away.

We ordered the totopos which are Taquiza’s speciality dish; Taquiza describes these as “original thick-pressed organic masa corn chips, hand-torn and fried to order”. They’re also black which makes them look so cool and while I seriously expected them to taste ridiculously burnt, they didn’t at all and they were really surprisingly yummy!

I then ordered a carnitas taco which was pulled pork and onion (and topped with cilantro but I immediately took this out because I absolutely hate the stuff!) and it was probably the best taco I’ve had in my entire life! The pork was sensationally juicy and paired with the onion, it was just all sorts of delightfulness for my tastebuds!

Matt went for the pollo (chicken) taco which came with spring onion, cilantro and salsa verde. I wasn’t a big fan of this one, but that’s because I despise cilantro. Matt said it was really tasty but that my carnitas taco was much better!

To finish off, we ordered the churros which I absolutely adored and as it was Matt’s first time trying churros, he couldn’t believe how tasty they were! The churros were paired with a rich, chocolatey dipping sauce and I could have honestly eaten a dozen of these!

• Totopos: $7
• Chicken taco: $4.5 
• Slow cooked pork: $4.5
• Churros: $6

Dulce Vida Mexican – 3 days in Miami itinerary

We ate at Dulce Vida Mexican on our first night in Miami Beach and we just wanted some quick, easy and tasty Mexican food and that’s exactly what we got!

I had the Mexican loaded fries with steak and Matt opted for the steak nachos. It wasn’t the most ground-breaking Mexican food I’ve ever had, but it certainly filled a spot and I’d happily eat there again.

• Mexican fries with steak: $12
• Steak nachos: $12

Le Roy René

Le Roy René is a sweet treat store located within Brickell City Center and as soon as we walked past the shop window, my interest was instantly piqued when I saw they had giant ice cream macarons.

I’m such a sucker for macarons (my favourites are from The Plaza Food Hall in New York City!) and when paired with ice cream to make an outrageously heavenly dessert, I couldn’t say no!

At $9.10 for a macaron ice cream sandwich, it’s certainly not a cheap dessert place, but the caramel chocolate chunk one we had was positively scrumptious and if they weren’t so expensive, I could have happily bought many more!

Fat Tuesday – best daiquiris in Miami

It wasn’t until I saw a Fat Tuesday franchise in America for the first time that I realised the insanely popular Mardi Gras festival literally translates to ‘Fat Tuesday’!

Unlike the iconic parade, however, Fat Tuesday in Miami (and all over the US) is a chain that sells fancy frozen cocktails in an array of different-sized drinking receptacles. They’re famed for their 190 Octane®, a delightful orange-flavoured frozen cocktail (which is the one we went for), plus a vast assortment of other delectable flavours.

You can find Fat Tuesday inside Bayside Marketplace and you can enjoy sipping your insanely refreshing frozen cocktail while enjoying the views over the marina.

Bonus best things to do in Miami

• Everglades National Park
• Check out Little Havana
• Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
• Take a Seaplane tour
• Zoo Miami

When is the best time to visit Miami? – 3 days in Miami itinerary

We visited Miami at the beginning of February and despite being in the winter months, the average daily temperatures were around 22ºC and 25ºC. However, the winter months in Florida are usually considered to be the peak months to visit, so you can expect things to be more expensive than at other times of the year.

Spring is a pretty good time to visit Miami and it’s probably best to avoid visiting between June and November as this is usually the height of hurricane season. Of course, there’s nothing really stopping you from travelling during hurricane season (weather permitting, obviously), but if you do decide to travel then, make sure you have travel insurance in place in case anything goes wrong.

How long should I spend in Miami?

We spent three days in Miami and I think that’s a really good amount of time to see and do as much as possible in both Downtown Miami and Miami Beach.

Of course, if you’re intending to spend some proper downtime relaxing on the beach or partying away on a night, I’d probably recommend going for 5-7 days, but I think you could probably do most things in three days or so.

Is Miami safe for tourists? – 3 days in Miami itinerary

Miami can sometimes get a bit of a bad rep for not being the safest place for tourists, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all.

Of course, like anywhere in the world, there are some parts of Miami that you should try and stay away from that are known to be a bit “dodgy”, but if you stay in the main areas designed for tourists such as South Beach and Downtown Miami, you should be totally fine. As ever, just keep your wits about you and ensure you’re following safety precautions while on holiday and you’ll have a whale of a time!

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Have you ever been to Miami? Is it somewhere you’d like to visit one day? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.