8 Best Family Things to Do in Miami

The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is an interactive science museum, planetarium, and aquarium with a variety of exhibits. The facility has 6 levels of exhibits with rooftop observation decks, urban gardens, and telescopes for stargazing. You’ll find a wide range of science-focused exhibits, including exhibits on aviation, the human body, the physics of light, and the biodiversity in Florida. The Gulf Stream Aquarium is one of the museum’s most popular attractions and offers 3 levels of ocean exhibits. There’s an open water tank with sharks and stingrays, coral reefs, beach ecosystems, mangroves, tropical environments, and an exhibit dedicated exclusively to the aquatic environments of South Florida. The museum is just 10 minutes from downtown.

FunDimension is a kid-focused entertainment center with dynamic games and activities for families. The center features an indoor playground, bumper cars, virtual reality, arcade games, laser tag, rock climbing, a 7D theater, and more. For adults, FunDimension has a bar and restaurant area with dining, craft beer, and wine for adult socialization while the kids play. Adults can also take advantage of the lounge area, which has seating, WiFi, and televisions with sports and entertainment, so you can relax while the kids enjoy the attractions. Find FunDimension just 15 minutes from downtown Miami.

The Miami Children’s Museum is an interactive learning museum that features programs, materials, and exhibits designed to inspire curiosity and creativity in kids. Geared toward all ages, the museum encourages playing, learning, imagination, and creativity with a variety of unique exhibits. When you visit, you’ll experience an art exhibit, a music studio with massive instruments, a multisensory room, a re-created cruise ship, a fitness area, and more. Some of the ways these exhibits encourage learning and curiosity include role-playing, such as taking care of stuffed animals with toy veterinary tools in the Pet Central zone, or traveling through the ocean virtually in Ocean Odyssey. The museum is 3.6 miles from downtown via Biscayne Blvd Way.

The Venetian Pool is a great place to take the kids to swim and sunbathe, especially with features like waterfalls and cave-like grottos. This elegant aquatic facility is built within a coral rock quarry, and the pool is naturally fed from spring water in an underground aquifer that is drained and refilled each day during the season. For adults, the Venetian Pool features loggias, porticos, palm trees, a bridge, and various lookout points to see spectacular views of the City of Coral Gables. The pool is about a 22-minute drive from downtown Miami.

The expansive Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park offers numerous historic sites, as well as recreational opportunities both in the water and on land. The park has a long stretch of Atlantic beachfront for swimming, snorkeling, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. On land, you can camp, picnic, bike, hike, or spot wildlife. For historic interest, the park features a visitor center and museum with interpretive exhibits. You could also visit the Cape Florida Light, the oldest structure in Greater Miami, and the historical marker on the site of the National Underground Railroad Network. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is a half-hour drive from downtown Miami.

Wynwood Walls is a unique urban graffiti museum that features over 35 original murals and sculptures from world-renowned artists that shaped the urban art scene. The art and atmosphere here make a great outing for the whole family. Another highlight is the GGA gallery, a dynamic public space that showcases over 100 renowned street artists. The gallery hosts group and solo shows that feature current, emerging, and past Wynwood Walls artists. The museum also has a gift shop and guided tours to learn more about the collection and its impact on society. You can find it about 16 minutes from downtown.

Matheson Hammock Park is a beachfront park with a manmade atoll pool for swimming and sunbathing. The atoll pool is flushed with the tides of Biscayne Bay, keeping it clean, sparkling, and safe for young children to play and swim. If you want a little more activity, the area is popular for kiteboarding, and you’ll find equipment rentals nearby. Other park amenities include a snack bar and restaurant, a nearby marina, picnic areas, and nature trails to enjoy the scenery. The park is in Coral Gables, about 30 mins from downtown Miami.

Safari Edventure is a fun animal park that offers interactive wildlife experiences for the whole family. The park is home to over 100 species of wildlife from all over the world, including native wildlife from Australia, North America, Africa, and Asia. When you visit, you can have unique and memorable experiences like holding an alligator, petting a sloth, playing with wolves, and hugging a kangaroo. The park also has a sunken rainforest garden and butterfly and hummingbird gardens to explore. Safari Edventure is located in Homestead, about an hour's drive from downtown Miami.