Fun things to do with kids Miami. Still trying to find fun things to do with your kids in the summer? Whether you live in or traveling to the South Florida area, finding kids’ activities can sometimes be daunting. As a local Miami mom and business owner, on a weekly basis, I have the task of finding activities for my little six years old!
Here is a list of our favorite things to do with kids in Miami.
On a side note, if you are not a local resident, try booking a kid-friendly hotel. Fontainebleau Miami Beach has been a family favorite for years, featuring eight pools, many of them shallow for little ones. Loews Miami Beach and the Ritz-Carlton South Beach also offer family amenities such as kids clubs, toy libraries, and suites for larger families. Hotel Victor in South Beach as well as Casa Victoria are also local favorites.
- Zoo Miami—South Miami
You may have been to the zoo at home a million times with the kids, but Zoo Miami is the only subtropical zoo in the continental United States and therefore offers a variety of species often not seen in other American zoos. It occupies nearly 750 acres and is home to more than 3,000 animals. You’ll see elephants, rhinos and hippos, gorillas, vipers, crocs, and so much more. Ride the monorail to exhibits, hit the splash pad on hot days, or take a twirl on the carousel to round out your day.
- Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science—Downtown Miami
This 250,000-square-foot museum is composed of four buildings. In the North and West wings, kids can check out exhibitions such as Da Vinci—Inventions, which presents life-sized machines imagined by Leonardo da Vinci, and then they can do some designing of their own in an engineering lab. The STEM-campus also includes a planetarium and aquarium.
- Seaquarium—Virginia Key
Aquatic animal lovers will appreciate swimming with seals and dolphins, interacting with penguins, and investigating touch pools at the Miami Seaquarium. There are also flamingos, sea turtles, sea lions, manatees—even a killer whale. The Sea Trek Reef Encounter lets visitors walk along a 300,000-gallon tropical reef in a special underwater helmet. Out of water, there’s a pirate playground for kids to explore.
- South Pointe Park—South Pointe Miami Beach
Head south of South Beach to check out this park’s shaded playground and splash pad. Kids might also enjoy watching the big cruise ships pass by as they leave port.
- Miami Children’s Museum—Watson Island
The Miami Children’s Museum has all the exciting elements of a typical kids museum but with fun local touches, including a cruise ship exhibit, marine tanks demonstrating South Florida wildlife, and plenty of outdoor options. Walk through an interactive piggy bank to learn about money, apply the elements of art in a maker space, put your body to the test with virtual sports in the health and wellness center, and more.
- Airboat in Everglades National Park
Take advantage of Miami’s proximity to the Everglades National Park with a semi-private or private airboat ride through the preserve’s sawgrass mangroves. The airboat skims over just six inches of water, propelled by an airplane engine. Spend at least an hour touring the wetlands while spotting alligators, birds, and turtles along the way. Hotel transfers are available.
This isn’t your average public pool; it’s the only swimming pool included in the National Register of Historic Places. It also gets drained and refreshed daily from artesian wells. Families with kids ages 3 and up can relax amid the beauty of the Mediterranean architecture. (Kids under 3 are not allowed.) Swim under a bridge, sidle up to a waterfall, and explore a water cave.
- Matheson Hammock Park—Coral Gables
This toddler-friendly beach just south of downtown has no waves. It’s actually a man-made atoll pool, so kids can splash and wade in the water to their heart’s content on this circular sandy beach! There are nature trails to explore and a snack bar and restaurant housed in a building made of coral.
- Safari Edventure—Homestead
This small animal sanctuary and educational facility cares for at least 100 different species and lets you get hands-on with more than a dozen animals. Kids can hold a gator, snuggle a sloth, pet a kangaroo, and more. Most animals were rescued or rehabilitated, or born to parents who were.
- Sporting events
Depending on the season, sports fans can buy tickets to watch a number of professional teams play, including the Miami Dolphins (football), Miami Heat (basketball), Miami Marlins (baseball), and Florida Panthers (hockey). The University of Miami also has many exciting teams to watch.
