While Miami is known for its bottle service club nights and boutique shopping, there is a way to explore this city without even spending a dime. Miami has so many free activities on offer that you’ll cover the culture, the beach life and the nightlife without reaching for your wallet once. So if you’re on a tight budget but want to take a trip, Miami and is a great option.
Here’s our top picks of the free things to do in Miami:
First stop: Beach
With almost year-round sunshine, the obvious free thing to do in Miami is to hit the beach. There’s the sun worshipper hotspot South Beach, giving miles and miles of pure white sand. Nicknamed SoBe, this beach is picture perfect and one of the most well-known in the world. Lummus Park is the backdrop to so many famous films and TV shows like ‘Miami Beach’ and ‘Miami Vice’ so a great place for star spotting, as well as taking a dip. And South Pointe Park Pier offers great views of the Miami skyline, a picturesque fishing pier and modern art sculpture spotting, as well as benches and lounges to chill on. For more ideas of where to lay your beach towel for the day, check out our guide to the Best Beaches in Miami.
For South Beach:
Beach Loop (Blue) Route, Stop: Lincoln Road
For Lummus Park Beach:
Beach Loop (Blue) Route, Stop: South Beach 1
For South Pointe Park Pier:
Beach Loop (Blue) Route, Stop: Shops at 5th & Alton
A guide through the Art Deco District
Miami is a poster for Art Deco architecture, and there’s a whole district of it waiting to be explored. The largest collection in the world, even if you’re not excited by architecture you’ll enjoy wandering the colourful and beautiful buildings. During a time when Miami was facing a decline, the construction of these buildings between 1923 and 1943 contributed to the resurrection of this city, today making them significant to Miami’s identity. So one of the free things to do in Miami that gives you an insight into its history – and the perfect backdrop for your selfies.
Red Loop Route, Stop: Ocean Drive
Spot the street art
Miami took its neglected garment-manufacturing district from the 1970s and transformed it into the trendy art district that it is today. Wynwood is a unique area that could pass as an outdoor museum. At every turn you’ll find huge colourful murals painted by some of the world’s most talented street artists. And to add to the hipster vibe there’s now craft breweries, art galleries and trendy cafes to enjoy. While spotting the street art is a fun free thing to do in Miami, we can’t promise you won’t be tempted to stop for a drink…
Red Loop Route, Stop: Wynwood Walls
Listen to live jazz
If jazz is your genre and you’re budget is tight, you don’t have to miss out in Miami. On the last Friday of every month, head to the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami at 8pm for a free outdoor concert on the plaza. Then every third Thursday of the month, enjoy an arty evening at the Art, Wine and Jazz night from 5:30pm at the Novotel Miami Brickell. Your night of dancing sorted and an absolutely free thing to do in Miami.
Step into Cuba
Stepping into Little Havana on Calle Ocho is like journeying to Cuba. Spend a few hours in Maximo Gomex Park, also known as Domino Park, where locals gather to drink cortado, roll cigars and play a game or two of chess. Calle Ocho has its very own Walk of Fame where Latin American celebrities are celebrated, with the most famous being the salsa singer Celia Cruz. And on the last Friday of every month, this street comes alive for Viernes Cultural. Translating as ‘Cultural Friday’ locals like to show the world exactly what it means to be Cuban through a night of festivities.
So there you have our simply-must list of free things to do in Miami. And now that you’ve managed to save so much money, why not splash out on a Big Bus tour and see all the city’s sights in style. With stops by all the landmarks and attractions Miami is famous for, you can hop off and explore wherever you choose. For more inspiration on how to fill the rest of your time in this cultural city, check out our guide to the Fun Things to do in Miami.
