Miami Design Preservation League: Art Deco Walking Tour
Located on the beach on Ocean Drive, smack dab in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco District, the Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center is where architecture enthusiasts can pop in and learn more about the iconic, colorful buildings that give this neighborhood its personality. While just looking up and admiring the glamorous geometric details and chrome accents is enough for some people, the Miami Design Preservation League offers daily walking tours of the neighborhood. Tour guides are passionate about their field, and aren't shy about putting visitors through an advanced crash course in Art Deco history.
Wynwood Walls
Known as Miami's most Instagrammed place, this outdoor "gallery" is a cornucopia of artwork by graffiti artists and muralists that's a nice foil to Miami's museums. And this can be a quick stop. It'll only take about twenty minutes to hit all the art at Wynwood Walls, including murals by Shepard Fairey (the artist who designed Obama's "Hope" poster).
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Spanning nearly 84 acres, the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden is filled with tropical plants, flowers, and trees, including extremely rare species like the petticoat palm. Every square inch of the facility has been thoughtfully designed and constructed, making it easy to navigate. The best way to see a little of everything, though, is by hopping aboard one of the 45-minute tram tours, which run year-round on the hour. Don't miss the Wings of the Tropics exhibition, where 40 species of butterflies engage in a colorful display of acrobatics all around you
Therapy-IV Deep Sea Fishing
Sure, the water in Miami is pretty to gaze at from your lounge chair. But give yourself a real experience and hop aboard Captain Stan Saffan's 58-foot sportfish boat, with his crew for a day (or half-day) of deep-sea fishing. It’s not just any old tourist who decides that spending a day at sea fishing for marlin, sailfish, or hammerhead sharks qualifies as a good time. So if you’re paired with a couple of strangers, it’s safe to assume you’ll have at least a love of the ocean in common.