Create the Perfect Miami Itinerary For Families (One Day in Miami!)
Are you planning a cruise or a trip to Florida? Do you have an extra day to play and want to spend one day in Miami? Perfect! You are in the right spot! Let’s create a Miami itinerary.
There are so many fun things to do in Miami you can easily create a 1 day Miami itinerary. In fact, I am about to give you so many options that you can create a Miami itinerary for 3,4, or 5 days.
In this post, we are going to focus on planning a perfect 1 day in Miami vacation.
The activities I am going to list are great family options for things to do for kids in Miami. However, they can be easily adapted to a girl’s trip to Miami, a couples trip, or a solo trip to Miami. We will begin by giving you your options followed by creating a one day in Miami itinerary!
Let’s create a Miami itinerary!
If you want to save this information for later be sure to pin this to Pinterest.
This post may include affiliate links (including Amazon) that will give me a commission at no additional charge to you.
1. Tidal Cove Water Park at the JW Turnberry Marriott
One of the best things to do for kids in Miami is visit the Tidal Cove Water Park located at the JW Turnberry Marriott. We stayed here on our Miami family vacation and can honestly say it is one of the best family resorts in Miami. Your admission to Tidal Cove is included in your resort stay.
If you only have one day in Miami and cannot stay the night at the JW, you can buy a day pass to Tidal Cove.
Admission
Adults and Children: Starting at $55
Tidal Cove Includes:
- 7 Slides
- Lazy River
- Flow Rider
- 2 pools
- Hot Tubs
- Splash Zone
A day pass is great but if you have more time I highly recommend adding a resort stay. We loved adding this to our Miami Itinerary!
2. Speedboat Sight Seeing Tour of Miami
Speed boat rides are awesome! These boats are fast and fun. It is also a great way to see some of the highlights of Miami.
Admission
Adults: $40
Children: $30
The Tours Includes:
- Views of the Art Deco Mansion on South Beach
- Celebrity Homes on Fisher Island and Star Island
- Cruise along Miami Beach
- Learn History and see City Skyline
If you want to include this activity in your 1-day in Miami book ahead. It is easy to book a Speed boat tour.
3. Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Hop-on hop-off bus tours are one of the best ways to explore a city. This would be a great way to see Miami in a day because it allows you to go at your own pace. You can hop on and off at different spots that interest you.
Admission
Adults: $44
Children: $35
This Tour Includes:
- Little Havana
- Coconut Grove
- South Beach
You can also add on a 1.5-hour boat ride to see the Mansions and Biscayne Bay. This is a fun way to get around and see the sights.
4. Everglades Air Boat Tour
Many people take a day trip to Miami with the purpose of seeing the Everglades. An airboat tour is one of the most popular ways to see the Everglades.
Our Experience
There are many many different companies. The Everglades are huge! We did an airboat tour near Miami and it was fun. However, what I learned is that the deeper you go into the Everglades the better the tours because you will see more wildlife. Usually, these cost a little more money but are so worth it.
The tours are located outside of the Everglades National Park area.
5. Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park is different than an Airboat Tour. There are 4 visitor centers. We went to an area that is very close to Miami called Shark Valley. The Shark Valley Everglades National Park has a 15-mile loop with an observation tower.
Admission
- $30 entrance fee
Tours (Additional Cost)
- Tram Tour
- Bike Rentals
- Hike
This was my favorite thing we did in Miami! If I had one day in Miami I would do this! It takes about 3-4 hours to fully enjoy this area if you do a tram tour. The tram tour is 2 hours. This activity will take about half a day.
6. Miami Zoo
If you love visiting zoos, Miami Zoo is one to check out. It is the 5th largest in the United States. It has also been voted one of the top 10 zoo’s in the United States.
Admission
Adults: $22.95
Children: $18.95
Miami zoo is a fun thing to do for kids in Miami! You can book your zoo tickets ahead of time.
7. Beach Day
If the first thing you think about in Miami is the beach then you might want to spend your entire day in Miami having fun playing in the ocean and enjoying the sand. Miami Beach is a family-friendly beach in Miami. South Beach may not be suited for children as dress is optional.
Activities at Miami Beach and South Beach
There are lots of watersports and fun activities including tours you can do near Miami Beach. Let’s take a look and see which Miami family activities interest you.
Chair Rental
If your number one goal at the beach is to relax, you will want to rent a chair. There are chairs available to rent at South Beach.
Rent a Boat
Renting a boat is a great way to spend a day in Miami Beach. There are private rentals available for an hourly fee.
Rent Bikes
If cruising around enjoying the view of the ocean by bike is on your list. You should rent bikes at Miami Beach.
Golf Cart Tour
A golf cart tour of both South Beach and Miami Beach is a great way to get a lay of the land. You may want to book this early in the morning so you can do more water activities in the afternoon.
Rollerblade Rental
Another fun activity at Miami Beach is to rent some rollerblades. You can cruise along the ocean taking in the views. Rollerblade rentals are available at both South Beach and Miami Beach.
Parasail in Miami
Parasailing is a fun Miami family activity. You should book a time to parasail ahead of time.
8. Biscayne National Park
If you are a national park fan you will love to spend a day in Miami exploring Biscayne Bay and Biscayne Bay National Park.
Things to Do at Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay National Park protects coral reefs. Most of the park is best observed underwater! Let’s explore all the fun things to do on Biscayne Bay.
Rent Jet Skis
Biscayne Bay is a great place to rent some jet skis and explore.
Sailing
Another popular thing to do on Biscayne Bay is going on a sailing tour. This bay is beautiful and sailing around is a great way to observe it.
Paddle Board
Biscayne Bay is perfect for paddleboarding. Renting paddle boards is a fun way to explore the bay.
Sightseeing Cruise
Want to take it easy? A great way to see Miami in a day is a sightseeing cruise. I love going on fun cruises with a good narrator! I usually learn so much!
Kayak Rental
Another option is to Kayak around Biscayne Bay! This is an inexpensive way to explore Biscayne Bay.
Wow, as you can see you can easily spend one day in Miami exploring this area doing multiple activities!
9. Shop with Teens
One thing I noticed about Miami was how posh it was. Everything is high class!
Aventura Mall
My daughter and I stopped by Aventura Mall and it was a cool experience. There are so many fun high-end stores. We loved walking around! If you want a break from the ocean head for this air-conditioned fashion paradise.
10. Miami WaterSports
We have mentioned lots of fun watersport activities in Miami but if you are looking for a great place to rent from Miami Watersports is your place. The prices are very reasonable.
Miami Watersports Rentals
11. Pirate Adventure Sightseeing Tour
The Pirate Adventure sightseeing tour is a great activity for kids in Miami. This was one of our top choices on our Miami family vacation.
This adventure looks like one of the best things to do for kids in Miami. Our little kids love pirates. We didn’t have enough time to do it so you will have to let me know if you think it is worth it!
Admission
Adults: $30
Children: $20
This would be a fun attraction to add to your Miami itinerary!
12. Segway Tour
Another way to tour Miami in a day is by going on a Segway Tour. This is a fun way to see some of the best sights.
Segway Tour Includes:
- Art Deco District
- South Beach Neighborhood
- Biscayne Bay
- Miami River
Admission
Adults: $75
13. Professional Family Photo's on the Beach
Miami is gorgeous! You could easily start your morning off with a beautiful sunrise photo session on the beach. It is easy to hire a professional photographer. Hiring a professional is nice because they know the area and the best spots for photos.
Capture the Memories
This would be a great thing to include on your Miami itinerary even if you only have one day in Miami! Catching the memories is important.
14. Monument Flagger Island
A fun activity for your Miami itinerary is a half-day tour to Monument Island. This is another one of the fun things to do for kids in Miami. Basically, because there is a giant tramp to play on once you arrive at the island.
This Adventure Includes:
- Catamaran Ride to Island
- Relax on Beach
- Kayaking
- Paddle Board
- Giant Trampoline
- Water Mats
Where to Stay in Miami?
If you are only in Miami for a day you might not need a place to stay. If you do, I have a few suggestions. These hotels are very nice and family-friendly. There are even some Miami hotels with rooftop pools!
Most Popular Places to Stay in Miami
- JW Turnberry Marriott Resort and Spa
- Lowes Miami Beach
- Trump International Beach Resort
- Acqualina Resort and Spa on the Beach
- Fontainebleau
One Day in Miami Itinerary
I want to give you a few Miami itinerary options. If you only have one day in Miami you can pick from one of the following. If you want to create a 4 day Miami itinerary or more, this is easily adaptable.
Miami Itinerary Option 1 – Resort Stay
4:00 pm Check into the JW Turnberry Marriot Resort and Spa (Enjoy Tidal Cove before bed)
Morning
Wake up and spend all morning at the Tidal Cove Water Park. Enjoy the slides, flow rider and relax at the resort.
Afternoon
If you like golf the JW has a golf course to enjoy. If not across the street from the JW is the Aventura Mall. It is incredible!
Evening
After you check out of the hotel (you can enjoy the water park all day after you check out) head to the beach for a few hours before sunset. If you have time book a water sports activity!
Other Resorts
I used the JW Marriott as an example. There are so many nice resorts in Miami to choose from. You could easily find one that offers great amenities. The JW is not on Miami Beach so you might want to look for a resort to relax in near the beach.
Miami Itinerary Option 2 – Miami Beach or South Beach
Morning
Afternoon
Relax and play on the beach. When you are ready rent a boat or take a sightseeing speed boat cruise.
Evening
To end your night enjoy a golf cart ride around town.
Miami Itinerary Option 3 – Everglades
Visit the Everglades and book an Airboat Tour. These two Miami activities that I suggest will take you pretty much the entire day.
Explore Everglades National Park
You can explore one of the four Everglades National Park visitor centers or more if you have time. You can devote your entire day in Maimi to the Everglades.
Miami Itinerary Option 4 – Biscayne Bay and Airboat Ride
Biscayne Bay is a place you can easily spend one day in Maimi. However, in this Miami itinerary option, we will allocate the morning to Biscayne Bay and the afternoon to the Everglades.
Morning
Visit the Biscayne Bay National Park Visitor Center. Start your morning off by renting a paddleboard or kayak. Snorkel around the area. If you want to rent jet skis or go on a Biscayne Bay boat tour you could add that as well.
Afternoon
If you really want to do an Airboat tour book it for later in the day. This way you can enjoy both Biscayne Bay and a little part of the Everglades. We did the Holiday Park Airboat Tour which is close to Miami.
Miami Itinerary Option 5 – Zoo and Boat Tour
Morning
If you love the zoo, hit the zoo in the morning and enjoy all the animals. You can spend a good part of your morning and early afternoon at the zoo.
Afternoon/Evening
After the zoo head towards the ocean for one of the following activities: a Pirate Adventure, sightseeing or speed boat cruise, or head out to monument island.
Create Your Miami Itinerary
If you only have one day in Miami you can choose any of the options and go for it. If you have longer this can easily be converted to a 4 or 5-day Miami itinerary.
There are so many things to do in Miami you will have a blast. Decide what Miami activities you want to do and start planning!
Are you Ready to Create a One Day in Miami Itinerary?
I hope this helps you plan your one-day in Miami itinerary! There are so many fun things to do in Miami! We actually played in Miami before and after our first cruise. It was fun exploring this city.
What are you going to add to your Miami itinerary? Let us know in the comments!
Facebook Community
If you have any questions join my Facebook Travel Community. You can ask any questions you have about upcoming trips and everyone is happy to help you plan your trip. I also try to give exclusive travel deals that companies send me. It is a great group to join!
Great guide! I especially love going to the beach in Miami and checking out the architecture in South Beach. An Everglades Air Boat Tour also sounds like a ton of fun!
It was a lot of fun! I highly recommend going!
This is a great article! A lot of choices and many details given! Miami looks so cool! I hope one day I will visit! I would love to spend as much time as possible on a boat and of course to the beach! The Everglades look also amazing!
Thank you for sharing
There is so much to see and do! It is a fun vacation spot!
I have not yet been to Everglades National Park, but I REALLY want to go! It is on my list.
It is so worth it! We loved Shark Valley!
One day I hope to get to Miami and I want to do the trip into the Everglades. Thanks for the tip to go deeper to see more. That’s awesome!
For sure! It was really amazing! But it still scares me!
The Biscayne National Park looks like a lot of fun to explore!
I am going to do it the next time we go back to Miami!
We use to think hop-on hop-off were lame, until we actually TRIED one! Now we love them! You get to see so much and learn so much you wouldn’t have otherwise! Between that and walking, it’s the best way to see a city.
I agree! I love that you can get from place to place so easily!
I’m been to Miami many times, but typically just stay in South Beach on the beach. So many cool things to do so you can create your own one-day itinerary for Miami.
For sure there are so many cool things to explore!
Miami is great. We love staying at the JW Turnberry for the golf or the Kimpton in Brickell. So many things to do and see.
We loved the JW turnberry! It was amazing!
So many things to do in Miami! I love getting yo know a city by riding the hop on/hop off buses.
Me too! I am planning on doing one in NYC.
Miami sounds like such a fun place to visit! I’d love to fly into Miami and go to the Everglades and Key West, so I’ll keep these other things to do in mind while I’m there!
We did go out to Key West too! So beautiful!
I would love to explore & enjoy some good food in Little Havana! Thanks for sharing some amazing Miami tips!
I need to try the food there too! We didn’t have time on our last trip!
What an amazing itinerary, including the prices of each item, was amazing and well noted. Our adventures in Miami have only taken us to the outskirts of the city. We hope to venture back again, and all of the suggestions for one day in Miami will keep us busy.
For sure there is so much to do in Miami!
There is so much to do in this Miami Itinerary! I have been to Miami several times but usually just go to Little Havana, eat good food and hop on a cruise! Now that my sister lives there, Ill be spending more time so this Miami Itinerary will be so helpful!
That is fun! I need to go to Little Havana and eat.
I lived there for years and worked at Zoo Miami. It is so fun reading about Miami from a visitor’s perspective! There are a few ‘tours’ on the list like the pirate one that I wouldn’t mind doing when we go back to visit at some point 🙂
I was impressed with Miami.. I loved looking at all the amazing cars. It looked very affluent in the areas we were at.