With so many interactive and adventurous activities available, Miami is the perfect family vacation destination. Whether just visiting or a Florida resident, you’ll soon discover that Miami is brimming with unique experiences, cultural adventures, and memorable moments for whole family.
To help you navigate and explore our family-friendly city, Acqualina has created a Multi-Generational Family App that offers an expert list of excursions, featured recommendations and more. Below is a snapshot of must-do activities, download our app for many more!
1. Miami MetroZoo
Due to Miami’s tropical climate, this zoo allows a wide variety of animals hailing from Asia, Australia, and Africa to feel right at home. One of the first free-range zoos in the country, the exhibits are entirely cage-less. Grouped according to geographical territory, the animals that live peacefully together in the wild are also placed together in exhibits here. When looking across the African plains, for instance, you will see animals co-mingling much as you would on a safari. The more than 100 exhibits at Miami MetroZoo represent 500 species, 40 of which are endangered.
2. Miami Children’s Museum
The Miami Children’s Museum offers children the opportunity to explore their imaginations through educational play. With innovative exhibits that create a miniature world, kids can practice everyday skills ranging from banking to grocery shopping as well as learning new skills such as creating a newscast or recording music. For the more active children, there is a sand castle with a slide, rock climbing wall, and water play areas. You can even board a replica cruise ship for a little limbo dancing.
3. Jungle Island
Set on 22 acres of rainforest filled with streams, waterfalls, and more than one thousand different species of exotic tropical birds, plants, and animals, Jungle Island offers visitors a fun and educational opportunity to get an up-close look at tropical birds in replicas of their natural habitats. Jungle Island also includes a petting zoo, trained bird show, and wildlife habitat for young animal lovers to explore.
4. Everglades
With 1.5 million acres of swamp, saw-grass prairies and sub-tropical jungles, Everglades National Park is one of the most unusual public parks in the United States. Located on the southern tip of Florida, the park is home to 14 rare and endangered species, including the American Crocodile, the Florida Panther and the West Indian Manatee. A large portion of the park is primitive, explored only by adventurists and researchers – but visitors have ample opportunity to walk, camp and canoe through the flat and watery park that is also known as “the river of grass.”
5. Miami Seaquarium
Sharks, manatees, alligators, turtles, dolphins, and killer whales come together to entertain, educate, and often splash the crowds that visit them. If you’re interested in getting better acquainted with one of man’s favorite mammals, Miami Seaquarium gives you the opportunity to put on a wetsuit and jump into Dolphin Harbor. As a “Dolphin Odyssey” guest, you’ll learn how to trade kisses, hugs, rubs and even dance with the dolphins—then catch a ride across the pool.
6. Oleta State Park
The perfect place for outdoor family activities, Oleta State Park offers mountain bike trails, canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, and paddle boarding. While visiting, be sure to check out the wetlands, mangroves, and hammocks along with the native wildlife and newly created fish nurseries.
7. Fairchild Botanical Gardens
A wonderful place to relax and spend the day with your family, Fairchild Gardens also makes sure learning is at the center of everything they do. Their “Lets Explore at Fairchild (LEAF)” program for children and families consists of themed activities ensuring that kids receive a broad botanical learning experience. Taught by Fairchild staff and trained volunteers, children have the option of rotating through various stations where they can work with crafts, play science-themed games, complete fun and educational worksheets, participate in planting activities, and work as scientists in the Fairchild labs. LEAF is included with the Garden admission.