Plan the Ultimate Guys' Weekend in Miami

A weekend in Greater Miami and Miami Beach makes for a perfect guys’ trip, where you can hang on the beach, watch every pro sport and enjoy some of the world’s best nightlife. If you’re looking for some inspiration to get your trip out of the group chat, here’s an easy guide featuring some of the best things to do in Miami.

Best Hotels for a Weekend in Miami

South Beach

When trying to figure out the best hotel for a bachelor party in Miami, the first thing to consider is your weekend agenda. If it’s a relax-at-the-beach kind of trip, consider the Marriott Stanton South Beach, in the South of Fifth neighborhood. It sits directly on the sand, a short walk from bars, restaurants and all the best things to do in Miami Beach. Waiter service at your beach chairs is a bonus, too. 

For something in the heart of South Beach, check out the UNFRAMED Autograph Collection, which boasts one of the coolest rooftop pools and restaurants in Miami at Vilebrequin La Plage. For a luxury hotel in South Beach, the 1 Hotel offers unparalleled panoramic views of the beach and the city. 

Wynwood

If you’re coming to experience art and culture – with a little nightlife thrown in – Wynwood is the move. The Arlo Wynwood brings you close to all the best things to do in Wynwood, with indoor murals and weekly DJ parties at the rooftop pool. The Moxy Miami Wynwood is the best Wynwood hotel for food lovers, with Brooklyn Chophouse and Sparrow Italia on site, perfect for your guys’ group dinners.

Brickell and Downtown Miami

For buzzy city energy, Brickell is the place to be. Staying at EAST Miami gives you easy access to Sugar, Miami’s most iconic rooftop bar with views from the Everglades to the Atlantic Ocean. Another luxury hotel near Brickell sits across the Miami River in Downtown Miami at the Kimpton EPIC Miami. It’s home to Miami’s outpost of Zuma, a contemporary Japanese restaurant serving up delicious eats and stellar views.

If you’re in town for sports, you’ll want to stay close to the action. The Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami is across the street from the Kaseya Center, home of the Miami HEAT. It has a 2-story gym with picturesque views, so everyone can get their workout in. The Elser is also where you’ll find ViceVersa, one of Miami’s best cocktail bars famous for its Neapolitan pizzas.

Little Havana

For those headed to Miami Marlins baseball games, check out the Rover Hotel, a Little Havana boutique hotel that's only about a mile from loanDepot park. 

Miami Lakes

If you’re here to watch the Miami Dolphins or Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium, check out the Miami Lakes Hotel on Main. It’s in the heart of downtown Miami Lakes, less than 20 minutes from the stadium, with restaurants, shops, movies and a golf course when you’re not at the game.

Fun Things To Do in Miami During the Day

Fishing and Boating

Some of the best things to do in the destination are on the water, and our sunny days offer plenty of opportunities. Deep-sea fishing combines elements of competition and sportsmanship with epic days on the ocean, and you can book charters through several companies. Top Gun at Crandon Marina in Key Biscayne, Miss Britt Sportfishing Charters at Grove Harbour Marina in Coconut Grove and Bouncer’s Dusky 33 in Miami Beach are all excellent operations.

Having your own boat is a guaranteed way to make your weekend more exciting. Boatsetter rents fully staffed boats from private owners, ideal for half- and full-day trips. You can also try GetMyBoat, which does much of the same thing. For large-party group cruises, head to Bayside Marketplace, which has several cruises that depart daily.

Jet Skiing

No guys’ trip to Miami is complete without a few turns on a jet ski. Jet-Ski Tours of Miami at Bentley Bay Marina in Miami Beach offers guided tours. If you want to speed around on your own, BouYah Watersports works in conjunction with some of Miami Beach’s biggest hotels and has locations at Miami Beach Marina and Lummus Park.

Golfing

Are the guys in your group avid golfers? Miami offers some of the best public courses in America. The most convenient will probably be the Miami Beach Golf Club on Alton Road or Crandon Golf in Key Biscayne. For more fun and less golf, check out TopGolf in Miami Gardens, where your private driving bay comes with servers who keep the food and drinks coming.

Water Park

If you want to live like a bunch of kids again, head to Tidal Cove, a luxury water park at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura with a full bar and day cabanas. There’s also a FlowRider® to try some surfing, and waterslide lines so short you can ride them nonstop until you get tired.

Best Places To Eat in Miami

Any self-respecting Miami bachelor party includes at least 1 dinner at a steakhouse. At the Korean steakhouse COTE Miami in the Miami Design District, your server will cook rare cuts of premium meat on a grill in the middle of your table. For a more traditional steakhouse experience, Prime 112 is a South Beach icon and specializes in large groups. For upscale meats, check out The Wagyu Bar in Coral Gables, where every cut is super-premium.

Not every meal can be a special occasion, so you’ll want to hit some more casual places, too. In South Beach, Monty’s Sunset is a great place for seafood sandwiches and fried appetizers – plus views over Biscayne Bay all the way to the Downtown Miami skyline. Throughout the destination, Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is a home-grown Mexican chain that’s perfect for post-beach tacos and margaritas. Flanigan’s is a local legend for beer, wings and rib rolls, and a souvenir green plastic cup will give you an iconic memento. 

For barbecue, Drinking Pig BBQ in Coconut Grove is a local favorite, with a swanky cocktail lounge next door at Mae’s Room for after-dinner drinks. In South Miami, La Traila BBQ mixes Texas style with Latin-American ingredients.

The Best in Miami Nightlife

Nightclubs and Bars

Miami gained worldwide fame as a nightlife destination, thanks in large part to its vibrant mega-clubs where people dance until dawn to some of the best DJs in the world. Those are still part of the experience at places like Club Space in Downtown Miami, where you can stay from Saturday night well into the following afternoon. Across the street, E11even is a nightclub and cabaret that frequently features A-list artists playing sets after 2 a.m.

But Miami’s nightlife has evolved from just nightclubs. Those into cocktail bars should make a point to visit Broken Shaker in Mid Beach. Here bartenders craft drinks from the on-site herb garden that guests can sip under a banyan tree in the Freehand Miami hotel’s courtyard. Nearby, Sweet Liberty is a favorite among both locals and visitors, thanks in large part to its epic burger that hits just right after a long night. 

Bar Shishi in the new Rivani building off Lincoln Road is the spot for Japanese whiskey and cocktails, the creation of ice-carving master, Kevin Lee. If bourbon is more your thing, Batch Gastropub in Brickell has one of the best bourbon selections in Miami.

Dive bar enthusiasts should make a point to spend at least 1 night at Mac’s Club Deuce, a landmark that recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. The crowd is a true cross section of South Beach, where you’ll find low-key celebrities sitting next to local barflies, paying in cash and shooting pool between drinks.

Breweries

The best breweries in Miami might take a little driving, but are always worth the trip. Out in Doral, Tripping Animals Brewing makes award-winning sours in colorful cartoonish cans, while The Tank Brewing Co. is the spot for games, bands and other beer-related festivities. Up in North Miami, Lost City Brewing has gained acclaim for its coconut cream ale and Oleta River IPA. Lincoln’s Beard Brewing & Cocktails in Westchester has regular live bands (and serves a solid cocktail menu, too).

Fun Activities in Miami for Adults

There are things you can do here that you can’t do anywhere else, like taking a swamp walk in Everglades National Park in Homestead or an airboat ride at Miccosukee Airboats, about 40 miles west of Downtown Miami. Immerse yourself in Cuban culture along Calle Ocho in Little Havana, hitting the bevy of cigar factories that line the street. Stop in and grab a fresh-rolled stogie off the table, then post up with a Cuba Libre at a table outside. Casa Habano near Southwest 17th Avenue is an ideal place to start. You’ll of course want to grab at least 1 drink at Ball & Chain, a historic nightclub from the mid-1930s that’s been restored to look like it did in the mid-century.

For a little high-excitement poker and gaming, hit Casino Miami near Miami International Airport. During certain times of year, the casino hosts live jai-alai, the fastest game on earth you can also wager on. For live horse racing, Gulfstream Park hosts races year-round, featuring some of the top thoroughbreds in America. You can wager on live races or hit the casino and bet simulcast races from around the world.