Your Trip to Miami: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Best Beaches Hikes Near Miami Museums in Miami Theater in Miami Live Music Venues Shopping Guide Must-Try Food Top Restaurants Bars & Nightclubs Breweries in Miami Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Miami International Airport Guide Best Hotels Neighborhoods to Know Driving in Miami Public Transportation 48-Hour Itinerary Best Day Trips From Miami Top Things to Do Free Things to Do Things to Do With Kids Your Trip to Miami: The Complete Guide close Overview United States Florida Miami 20 Top Things to Do With Kids in Miami, Florida By Renee Chapple Renee Chapple Renee Chapple is a small business owner who writes articles about visiting south Florida. She has been a Miami resident since 2001. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 05/16/19 Share Pin Email Miami may have the reputation of being a nightlife capital with sizzling nightclubs and bars teeming with party people, but it also is a mecca for kids. The beaches are an obvious kid-friendly top spot. Add to that the multitude of other child-friendly activities—museums, a fanciful castle, a Renaissance villa, a spring-fed pool, animal parks—that make Miami an amazing spot to enjoy a family vacation. There is so much to do, that you might even consider buying a Go Miami Card which can save you up to half off of many of the gate prices. 01 of 20 Commune With Animals at the Zoo Sandra Leidholdt/Getty Images View Map Address 12400 SW 152nd St, Miami, FL 33177, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-251-0400 Web Visit website Zoo Miami is fast becoming one of the best zoos in the nation. Its climate allows it to keep a wide variety of animals from Asia, Australia, and Africa like no other zoo in the country. One of the first free-range zoos in the country, the exhibits are entirely cageless. Animals are grouped according to their geographic territory and animals that live together peacefully in the wild are placed in exhibits together. 02 of 20 Have Fun at the Children's Museum Rudy Sulgan/Getty Images View Map Address 980 MacArthur Causeway, Miami, FL 33132-1604, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-373-5437 Web Visit website The Miami Children's Museum is a must-see destination. The museum's motto is "Play, Learn, Imagine, Create." The motto shines through in the wide variety of interactive exhibits that allow children to explore everything from a supermarket to a television studio. Children pick up valuable lessons along the way. 03 of 20 See Tropical Birds on Jungle Island TripSavvy / Jamie Ditaranto View Map Address 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-400-7000 Web Visit website Jungle Island, formerly known as Parrot Jungle, was relocated near Miami Beach and offers visitors a fun, educational opportunity to get an up-close look at tropical birds in replicas of their natural habitats. The attraction routinely hosts field trips and offers frequent educational programs. There's more than Parrots at Jungle Island. Learn about reptiles, monkeys, tigers, and more. For the thrill-seeker, there is a wind tunnel where you can practice your flying skills, an escape room, and an exciting zip line adventure. 04 of 20 Learn About Sealife at the Seaquarium Lonely Planet/Getty Images View Map Address 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-361-5705 Web Visit website The Miami Seaquarium is located in the heart of the tourist area between downtown Miami and Miami Beach. The Seaquarium features an outdoor aquarium show with dolphins and Lolita, the killer whale, as well as exhibits of sea turtles, seals, sea lions, and manatees. There are touch tanks, dolphin encounters, and a natural mangrove forest you can walk through. And when you need a rest, there are several dining and snack areas in the park. Continue to 5 of 20 below. 05 of 20 Hit the Beach TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre Miami’s beaches offer a great opportunity to get some exercise or just enjoy some time in the sun. Children can make sand castles and splash in the low tide pools atBill Baggs Cape Florida State Park or run away from the crashing waves in South Beach. 06 of 20 Visit the Everglades Stefanie Grewel/Getty Images View Map Address 40001 State Hwy 9336, Homestead, FL 33034, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-242-7700 Web Visit website With 1.5 million acres of swamps, saw-grass prairies, and sub-tropical jungles, Everglades National Park is one of the most unusual public parks in the United States. Located on the southern tip of Florida, the park is home to 14 rare and endangered species, including the American crocodile, the Florida panther, and the West Indian manatee. A large portion of the park is primitive, explored only by adventurists and researchers—but visitors have ample opportunity to walk, camp, fish, and canoe. 07 of 20 Explore the World of Science TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre View Map Address 1101 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-434-9600 Web Visit website The $305 million Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science facility is located in Museum Park in downtown Miami. You're bound to find a learning adventure for the whole family. The museum features a three-level aquarium with a 31-foot-wide clear oculus to view of sharks and South Florida reef fish. A 250-seat planetarium takes visitors into outer space and beneath the ocean with 3-D projection. 08 of 20 Laugh in Monkey Jungle Monkey Jungle View Map Address 14805 SW 216th St, Miami, FL 33170, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-235-1611 Web Visit website "Where the humans are caged and the monkeys run wild" is Monkey Jungle's motto. This park in southern Miami-Dade County allows humans to walk through carefully constructed wire pathways while many species of primates scamper above your head, swing through trees, and interact with each other in ways difficult to observe in captivity. Keep your eyes open; you never know what's hanging above you. Continue to 9 of 20 below. 09 of 20 Visit Coral Castle Psyberartist/Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0 View Map Address 28655 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL 33033, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-248-6345 Web Visit website Tour an enchanting sculpture garden in Homestead, just south of Miami, carved out of limestone. From 1923 to 1951, one man single-handedly made a 1,100-ton coral rock castle. Today you can do a self-guided tour with audio stands along the way or take a docent-guided tour of the property. 10 of 20 Explore the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre View Map Address 3251 S Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33129, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-250-9133 Web Visit website Historic Attractions 4.8 For children who are captivated by the opulence of a world that could create Beauty and the Beast, the fairy-tale architecture of Vizcaya, a waterfront Italian Renaissance-style villa, will capture the imagination. You can tour the house and children will want to try to get lost in hedge maze labyrinth. The Discover Vizcaya audio tour is an educational way to learn about Vizcaya’s history and native plants in the gardens. The museum also offers a series of monthly Family Programs that are free to the public with museum admission. 11 of 20 Swim in the Venetian Pool Matt Kieffer/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 View Map Address 2701 De Soto Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33134, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-460-5306 Web Visit website Venetian Pool in Coral Gables is perhaps one of the most beautiful swimming pools in the world. The freshwater pool formed in a coral rock quarry is fed by an underground spring. It is complete with waterfalls and cave-like grottos. Go when it's hot since the water has a tendency to be cold. Built in the 1920s, it had been a place to see and be seen. Movie stars like Esther Williams and Johnny Weissmuller of Tarzan fame regularly stopped by to enjoy the swimming, gondolas, and orchestras. 12 of 20 Learn Miami History TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre View Map Address 101 W Flagler St, Miami, FL 33130, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-375-1492 Web Visit website HistoryMiami offers an array of exhibits, featuring the 10,000 years of history that has transpired in Miami. The museum offers family fun days with crafts, music, and storytelling the second Saturday of every month. You can also join one of 30 coach, boat cruise, and eco-walking tours to explore the waterways, neighborhoods, architecture, and history of Miami. Learn about and explore Little Havana or check out the interesting history of Stiltsville, where a series of colorful wooden houses were built on the flats of Biscayne Bay inside Biscayne National Park. Continue to 13 of 20 below. 13 of 20 Take in a Show TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre View Map Address 1300 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-949-6722 Web Visit website The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts is known for bringing Broadway shows to Miami. While some of those shows are great for kids, there are special children's performances like puppet shows and kid-friendly musicals. During the summer, the Arsht center brings older kids together for Camp Broadway, a theater camp for children ages 10 to 17. 14 of 20 Climb a Lighthouse TripSavvy / Jamie Ditaranto At the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on the southern tip of Key Biscayne, you'll find beautiful sandy beaches with picnic facilities, kayaking, and opportunities to explore nature. Kids will love climbing up the stairs to the top of the 65-foot tall Cape Florida Lighthouse, the oldest standing structure in the greater Miami area. 15 of 20 See the Colorful Murals TripSavvy / Kristjan Veski View Map Address 266 NW 26th St, Miami, FL 33127, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-576-3334 Web Visit website At Wynwood Walls, kids will get inspired by the colorful murals. It's a free outdoor museum with over 80,000 square feet of wall art by well-known muralists and plenty of parklike setting for stretching your legs. After enjoying the murals, stop by the Wynwood Kitchen & Bar where you can sit outside and share some Latin-inspired small plates with the kids. 16 of 20 Play at Pinecrest Gardens y Ebyabe/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0 View Map Address 11000 SW 57th Ave, Pinecrest, FL 33156, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-669-6990 Web Visit website Plant Moms 4.2 Pinecrest Gardens was once the location of Parrot Jungle but it's now a park with tropical landscaping, a playground, a petting zoo, and a water playground. The gardens hosts events like concerts, farmer’s markets and outdoor movie nights. Families will get the most out of the gardens by springing for a Splash 'N Play Pass so bring swimsuits for the little ones. Continue to 17 of 20 below. 17 of 20 Ride the Trolley TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre The Miami Trolley is a fun way to get to know the area without wearing out the smallest children in your group, especially if you are visiting for the first time. The free trolleys run until 11 p.m. and take you to many Miami attractions. It's a hop-on, hop-off type of adventure the kids will love. The Trolly Tracker on their website can tell you what the wait will be for the trolley at any particular stop. 18 of 20 Take a Duck Tour Tour Miami on land and in the water without leaving the tour vehicle. Duck Tours South Beach runs amphibious vehicles for a fun 90-minute tour. On the tour, you'll see (and dip into) Biscayne Bay, find out about Miami history, and ride by some celebrity homes. 19 of 20 Soak in the Culture of Little Havana TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre View Map Address Miami, FL 33142, USA Get directions Miami is a multi-cultural city and the best place to enjoy the Latin scene is in Little Havana. Older kids will love the colorful art and everyone will enjoy Cuban food. El Jardin, an outdoor food court between 15th and 16th Avenues, is a great place to have a family-friendly lunch. On Calle Ocho (8th street) between 17th and 12th Avenues, stroll by the art galleries, enjoy some casual dining, and take in a fun festival like the Calle Ocho Festival. Pro tip: Artsy kiddos will love the vibrant mural painted outside of the Cafeteria Guardabarrenco and you can treat the whole family with exotic ice cream flavors at Azucar Ice Cream Company. 20 of 20 Learn Native History miroslav_1/Getty Images View Map Address Mile Marker 36, US-41, Miami, FL 33194, USA Get directions Phone +1 305-480-1924 Web Visit website At Miccosukee Indian Village, kids will learn about the Miccosukee tribe by seeing the museum's artifacts and exhibits, seeing authentic crafts, and trying Native foods. There are also airboat rides that take you through the Everglades to an Indian camp and a safe "alligator encounter." The tribe hosts the annual Miccosukee Indian Arts and Crafts Festival, annually in late December. Enjoy the arts as well as Native American dancers including hoop dancers. 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