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Top 21 Fun Things To Do In Miami Beach With Kids When You Are In A Family Vacation

When traveling with children, it’s hard to think of vacationing in Florida beyond the mega theme parks in Orlando. However, the Sunshine State offers numerous destinations for families, from Tallahassee to the Keys, as well as one of our favorite cities: Miami.

Miami offers beach weather for most of the year and moderate temperatures for the rest, so it receives visitors fleeing northern climates throughout the year. But there is more than the beach to entertain children in this fashionable place in South Florida.

You will find a lot of outdoor activities, from boating and swimming pools to fun platforms and parks to walk around. Top notch museums, animal encounters and even the best sports teams offer families endless options, and do not forget Miami’s proximity to the Everglades.

Favorite 21 Things To Do in Miami Beach with Kids

Top 21 Fun Things To Do In Miami Beach With Kids

Begin your adventure in Miami by booking a hotel for children. Fontainebleau Miami Beach has been a family favorite for years, with eight pools, many of them shallow for the little ones. Loews Miami Beach and the Ritz-Carlton South Beach also offer family services such as children’s clubs, toy libraries and suites for larger families. The Victor Hotel in South Beach is another option recommended by a Florida native, as well as by the Victoria Orchid House.

Things To Do In Miami Beach With Kids

If you are heading to Miami for a cruise, you can choose to arrive a day early to avoid delays in travel that may cause you to lose your boat. Choose a couple of suggestions from our list to entertain the children while waiting to leave.

1. Zoo Miami – South Miami Heights

You may have been to the zoo at home a million times with children, but the Miami Zoo is the only subtropical zoo in the continental United States and, therefore, offers a variety of species that are often not seen in other American zoos.

It occupies almost 750 acres and houses more than 3,000 animals. You’ll see elephants, rhinos and hippos, gorillas, snakes, crocodiles and much more. Ride the monorail to display, press the splash pad on hot days or take a spin on the carousel to complete your day.

2. Phillip Science Museum and Patricia Frost – Downtown

This 250,000 square foot museum consists of four buildings. In the north and west wings, children can see exhibitions such as Da Vinci – Inventions, which presents life-size machines imagined by Leonardo da Vinci, and then can design their own in an engineering laboratory. The STEM campus also includes a planetarium and an aquarium.

3. Seaquarium – Cayo Virginia

Seaquarium – Cayo Virginia Miami Beach

Water animal lovers will appreciate swimming with seals and dolphins, interacting with penguins and researching contact pools at the Miami Seaquarium. There are also flamingos, sea turtles, sea lions, manatees, even a killer whale.

The Sea Trek Reef Encounter allows visitors to walk along a 300,000-gallon tropical reef in a special underwater hull. Outside the water, there is a pirate playground for children to explore.

4. Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures – Downtown

Stroll through the waters of Miami on a 55-foot catamaran, reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Depending on your route, you’ll pass through places like South Beach, Fisher Island, the Cape Florida Lighthouse and Stiltsville, a group of wooden houses built on stilts in the middle of Biscayne Bay. Public visits last between 45 and 75 minutes and allow children over 3 years of age to travel on board.

5. Flamingo Park – Miami Beach

There is a lot to keep the family active in this park of more than 30 acres. The children’s splash area is a great attraction, with a zero-entry pool, water mushrooms and a water play structure with tire swings, slides and many fountains. Landlords can see a separate dry play area and a climbing wall.

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6. South Pointe Park – South Pointe

Head south to South Beach to see the playground in the shade and the splash pad in this park Children can also enjoy watching the big cruise ships leave the harbor.

7. Lincoln Road Mall – Miami Beach

Stroll through this popular pedestrian street and go to stores, including Havaianas to buy a new pair of flip flops and books and books to pick up reading material or activity books for your return flight. Spend a Sunday to find fresh fruit and other treats at the farmers market.

8. Key Biscayne

Crandon Park is a picturesque 2 mile beach with calm waters for children, rental cabins, a playground for the beach, a family entertainment center with a carousel and a skating rink, and a natural center.

Head south to Bill Baggs State Park in Cape Florida for more beach time, hiking, bike rentals and a lighthouse tour. Children of 42 inches or more can climb the 112 steps to the top of the historic Cape Florida Lighthouse for panoramic views.

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9. Ocean Drive-South Beach

Ocean Drive South Beach Miami
Ocean Drive South Beach Miami

Walk through this famous Art Deco strip of hotels and restaurants to enjoy the culture of Miami. Children will enjoy the colorful buildings and neon signs on one side and Lummus Park on the other. The park has a playground and a muscle beach to fascinate. Just across the park, the ocean calls.

10. Children’s Museum of Miami-Watson Island

The Miami Children’s Museum has all the exciting elements of a typical children’s museum, but with fun local touches, including a cruise ship exhibit, marine tanks that demonstrate the wildlife of South Florida and many outdoor options.

Walk through an interactive piggy bank to learn about money, apply the elements of art in a space creator, test your body with virtual sports at the health and wellness center, and more.

11. Isla de la Selva – Watson Island

Enjoy a tropical environment as you approach animals such as sloths, parrots, lemurs, kangaroos and orangutans. There is a zoo, playgrounds and live shows for the whole family.

Additional attractions include a 600-foot zip line, a SuperFlight experience that allows you to float in the open air through a wind tunnel, and an escape room in the jungle cabin.

12. Airboat in Everglades

Take advantage of Miami’s proximity to the Everglades National Park with a semi-private or private boat ride in the air through the sawdust mangroves. The air boat slides on only six inches of water, powered by an airplane engine. Spend at least an hour touring the wetlands while watching alligators, birds and turtles along the way. Transfers to the hotel are available.

13. Miccosukee Indian Village – Everglades

Just west of the city, this Native American town is fun for all ages. Take a guided tour, see demonstrations and explore exhibits that teach about the history and culture of the tribe.

But the real attraction is the spectacle of the alligators, where a man of the tribe fights without fear against an alligator from 7 to 9 feet. Airboat rides are also offered.

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14. Spun Candy – Midtown

Treat your taste for a trip to this divine store. In addition to trying hand-made candy and popsicles, get hands-on cooking experience in a workshop for children or families to learn the science and art behind the making of sweets.

15. The little Havana

The Little Havana
The Little Havana

Immerse the family in Cuban culture with a walk down Calle Ocho (8th Street) between avenues 17 and 12. Make a stop for lunch in Versailles, then head to Azucar Ice Cream Company for one or two tablespoons of unusual flavor, like the sweet banana or the coconut flan.

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16. Barton G. – Miami Beach

Although the food can be a little exotic and expensive for dining with children, do not miss the excellent desserts on offer at Barton G. Try Marie Antoinette’s Head, with a cotton candy piping, and Carnival Fun Cakes: funnel cakes combined With a mini shooting gallery on the plate.

17. Lee and Tina Hills PlayGround in Bayfront Park – Downtown

This ocean-themed playground in the center of the city has a structure of boat games, gorillas, slides and more. The cornerstone, however, is a wave wall with large figures of encrusted sea creatures. There is also a flying trapeze school nearby for over 6 years.

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18. Wynwood Arts District

Visit Wynwood Walls, an outdoor art gallery with large, often colorful murals. Then head over to the nearby Morelia Gourmet Paletas to enjoy a handmade Mexican ice pop.

19. FunDimension – Wynwood

Spend that rainy or over-hot day at the 15,000-square-foot family entertainment center, FunDimension, which features a three-story indoor play area, 7D theater, bungee jumping, laser tag and illuminated spinning crash carts. Children can also enjoy the fact that the “Zero” video from Imagine Dragons was recorded here.

20. Coconut Grove

Visit the CocoWalk Spanish-style outdoor mall for a bite to eat or watch a movie and ice cream. Then head to Peacock Park, where children can tackle two play structures and enjoy the waterfront views dotted with numerous boats. You may also like to get in the car that runs through the neighborhood.

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21. Safari Edventure – Princeton

This small animal sanctuary and educational facilities cares for at least 100 different species and allows you to have direct contact with more than a dozen animals. Children can hold a crocodile, cuddle a sloth, pet a kangaroo and more. Most of the animals were rescued or rehabilitated, or were born to parents who were.

These are the top most 21 attractive things to do in Miami beach with kids.