Miami in 5 Days

Miami in 5 Days

In a city with as many indoor intrigues and outdoor oases as Miami, you risk seeing half of everything or all of nothing. So use the itineraries below to keep you on track as you explore both the famous sights and those off the beaten path.

Day 1: Relax & Rejuvenate, South Beach Style

Recover from a nerve-jangling travel day with a little beach time. Grab a good book, find a strand of sand that calls your name, and catch some rays on South Beach. Later, shake the sand out of your suit and stretch your legs on a guided or self-guided tour of the Art Deco District, letting the candy-colored hotels get you properly jazzed for a return trip later in the evening. Peeking at those dinner menus will entice you back to one of the hotels on Collins Avenue for dinner -- maybe Blue Door at the Delano, Nemo's, or Nobu (Be sure to reserve in advance for Miami's top tables). Worried that you don't have the proper duds for South Beach (or just want an excuse to go shopping)? Hit Collins Avenue between 6th and 8th streets, or the shops along Lincoln Road Mall, before you head to dinner. The South Beach crowd eats late anyway.

Day 2: Villa Vizcaya & Little Havana

Start the day with a tour of luscious Villa Vizcaya in Coconut Grove, followed by an outdoor lunch-with-a-view at our local favorite, Scotty's Landing. Head north to Little Havana to soak up the rich tapestry of Miami's Cuban culture. Check out the scene at Máximo Gomez Park (known locally as Domino Park), visit a cigar factory, browse a botanica (a spiritual kind of drugstore selling statues of saints, herbal preparations, candles, and other Afro-Cuban religious items), and buy fresh fruit from a sidewalk vendor. Sample arroz con pollo (chicken and yellow rice) at a Cuban restaurant, or refuel with a quick cafecito, a potent local espresso. If it's the last Friday of the month, head over to 8th Street and 15th Avenue for Cultural Fridays, a nighttime, arts-flavored block party. Follow the beat to a salsa club or other live-music venue, and party 'til somebody says, "Geez, how did it get so late?"

Day 3: Outdoor Fun on Key Biscayne

On Day 3, sleep late and then get your beach gear together for a trip to Key Biscayne. (Stop at a deli for a take-out lunch before you go.) Just before the William T. Powell Bridge, pull off to take windsurfing lessons or just enjoy the tranquility of this laid-back slice of Miami. Keep driving, and you'll hit Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Pick your pleasure here: You can rent a bike or a kayak, or sign up for a deep-sea sport-fishing charter at Crandon Marina. Another enticing option: A sunset sail so you can see the famed "Moon over Miami" and feel the gentle Gulf breezes on your sun-kissed cheeks. (We'd skip the cheesy gambling cruises; too full of frenzied tourists trying too hard to have a good time.) If you've still got energy to burn, hit a nightspot or two in South Beach, Coconut Grove, or Coral Gables.

Day 4: Coral Gables Highlights

Head over to Coral Gables to take in the eye-popping display of 1920s Mediterranean-revival architecture in the neighborhoods surrounding the city center. (Coolest place to stop for a drink: the Biltmore Hotel, a local landmark.) Follow the arch of banyan trees to the Miracle Mile, a pleasant mix of shops and galleries that's worth a peek if you're into shopping. Next, head to the Venetian Pool, a municipal pool sculpted from a rock quarry to resemble an Italian village. (File it under "quirky but cool" and definitely a must-see.) Grab a bite in town, and spend the heat of the afternoon in the verdant oasis of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Head back to your hotel via Coconut Grove. As night falls, the village starts jumping, especially around mall magnets like CocoWalk and the Streets of Mayfair.

Day 5: Explore Downtown

If you haven't seen it yet, take in the chilling 40-foot Holocaust Memorial, set behind the Miami Beach Convention Center. Then, head east to the Bass Museum of Art, a Mayan-inspired temple filled with European art. Keep the artsy theme going with a visit to the Miami Art Museum (MAM), where the focus is on contemporary works. Head to up-and-coming Brickell Village for lunch; it's a relaxed area with shops and restaurants between the Miami River and Downtown. Come evening, take in a performance at the new Carnival Center for the Performing Arts. Shut out of theater tickets? No worries -- the bayfront should still be going strong. Join the throng over at Bayside Marketplace or the nightspots at the dazzling high-tech AmericanAirlines Arena.

Got a Little More Time (or more energy than the average traveler)?

Hit Collins Avenue to explore monolithic MiMo (Miami Moderne) tourist hotels such as the Fontainebleau Hilton and Eden Roc. Each has more restaurants, pools, and activities than many American towns. From here you're more than halfway to Bal Harbour, home of the most smoking names in retail. Wear the numbers off your credit cards (or simply enjoy ogling the goods) at Chanel, Tiffany & Co., Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and other fashionista favorites. That evening, return to South Beach for dinner and a walk up Washington Avenue, down Collins and back up Ocean Drive to return to your favorite deco hotel, for nightclubbing or (if you planned ahead) a luscious treatment at one of South Beach's most decadent spas.