Tourist Information

Miami hosts a wide variety of literary, artistic, and creative activities that draw cultural tourists as well as those who enjoy the beauty of the beaches, the architecture, and the tropical landscape. Here are a collection of ideas of things you might do during your visit to Miami and South Florida.

Culture

If you want to learn more about Miami culture, art and history, a great place to start are the dozens of museums and historical places around Miami-Dade County. Start at the exquisite collection of historic and contemporary artwork at Lowe Art Museum on UM’s main campus, and then explore the many programs and events each place has to offer.

Museums

Historic Sites

Performing Arts

Get Outside!

Here are some ideas to get outside and enjoy South Florida.

Learn about nature

The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, a short ride from campus, gives you an education in the locally documented botanical specimens, an eyeful of beautiful horticultural displays, as well as a taste of the classic landscape design by William Lyman Phillips. You can combine this with a trip to the Matheson Hammock Park, with a lovely lagoon and also spot to rent paddleboards or kayaks in a calm inlet of the ocean.  There is also a nice upscale restaurant in the park, the Red Fish Grill.

Stroll through a pastel-and-graffiti explosion of urban art

If you want a more urban outdoor experience, visit the Wynwood District, Miami's "creative and cultural hub." There is plentiful public art, including the famous Wynwood Walls, as well as galleries, restaurants, bars, and shops.

Take a dip at the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables

The Venetian Pool is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been open since 1924. It was built from an old coral rock quarry. Inspired by the Venetian Lagoon in Venice, Italy, the pool has Venetian style-bridge and classic mooring posts. People love the waterfalls, the coral rock caves, and general atmosphere of a truly unique South Florida spot.

Go to the beaches

There are no shortages of beach options here. Everyone has their favorites from Fort Lauderdale down to the Keys, but South Beach in on the island of Miami Beach is a popular option. For a quieter scene, you could try Crandon Park on Key Biscayne.

Take an educational outdoor walking tour

In downtown Miami, the Miami Center for Architecture & Design offers a two-hour walking tour of downtown Miami's best historic buildings. Also, in Miami Beach, the Miami Design Preservation League regularly offers 90-minute walking tour of the Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, and Mimi Modern (MiMo) architectural styles.

Go fishing, snorkeling, or scuba diving in the Keys

There are so many great parks and natural areas of the Keys to explore. At Dry Tortugas National Park, you can explore the area on the park’s ferry or use our own boat. Fish for the day, go snorkeling, or maybe even explore the pentagon-shaped Fort Jefferson. At John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, you have 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. People love to explore the coral reef, go scuba diving, or tour the area by glass-bottom boats.

Watch a Major League Baseball Game

The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team, with a handsome stadium not too far from campus. Around the time of the IATUL conference, there will be home games for the Miami Marlins baseball team, with the Marlins hosting the San Francisco Giants June 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and the Washington Nationals on June 7th, 8th, and 9th. June schedule.  Note that the stadium has a retractable roof, so this may or may not count as an outdoor activity.

Explore the Everglades

The Everglades is another great place to explore, with activities like hiking, camping, kayaking, biking, birding, and of course looking for alligators.