Apps can be an extremely useful tool while you’re planning a vacation and once you’re on the ground. From the minute you touch down at Miami International Airport through small tasks like avoiding tickets and paying for metered parking or picking the tastiest place to have a burger or a Cuban sandwich near you at any given moment; it’s the modern traveler’s way to depend on the help of a few trusty apps.
Of course you can start with Google and the map app of your choice, but there are a few local apps that you’ll need along the way. Take a moment in advance of your trip and familiarize yourself these handy mobile apps that can get you, sometimes literally, across Miami.
Miami Beach Information
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
The Miami Beach information app zooms into the oceanfront city and allows you to grab the scoop on the Art Deco District, Lincoln Road, and of course, the beach. It also introduces users to the best attractions, museums and hotels across the island. If you find yourself hungry on Miami Beach, check this app first for exclusive deals and ideas for where to go nearby, the robust directory of businesses should be a help to anyone deciding where to eat, stay, spend an afternoon, or go out dancing. Find events, deals, things to do and even directions from your exact location to your next Miami Beach experience.
Cost: Free
City of Miami Trolley
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
The City of Miami Trolley links together the areas between Coconut Grove and Little Haiti, with plenty to see and do from the northernmost point to the southernmost point, you can spend a day using the air-conditioned trolley as your primary transit with the help of the app. This free service makes stops roughly every 15 - 20 minutes at each pick up point. Use the app to confirm that the route you’re trying to hop aboard is being serviced, to track the trolleys in real time and to plan your route.
Cost: Free
Miami International Airport: MIA
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
Traveling can be stressful. Take a bit of the stress away when you download Miami International Airport’s app in advance to help you navigate this large and busy international travel hub. The app can help with anything from detailed directions to restaurant and shopping recommendations, walking time estimates so that you can enjoy the many shops and restaurants on the premises and still leave enough time to walk to your gate. You can also track your flight, receive updates on your baggage carousel, and chat with M.I.A., the chatbot assistant available to help you sort out any other questions that may arise. Perhaps the best feature of all is the Mobile Passport Control available to U.S. and Canadian citizen visitors who are clearing customs at M.I.A.
Cost: Free
Parking Apps
Miami Beach Parking App
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
There are two parking apps you should download if you plan on driving and parking in Miami. In some areas you’ll need the app, in others, you can use it as a convenient way to skip digging in your bag for spare change to pay the parking meter. Pay By Phone is used widely across Miami, the signs to park are prominently displayed on posts near parking spots with clear instructions, but if you already have the app downloaded, you’ll be a step ahead of the game. On Miami Beach they use the Miami Beach Parking App which has the added perk of showing you available spots in real time in lots and garages.
Cost: Free
Localeur
Download the iPhone app
Localeur has been guiding visitors in the right direction to do as the locals do for a few years now. They’ve partnered with plugged-in Miami residents to share their recommendations for a truly local experience by eating and exploring. Whether it’s the recommended placed to share a pizza, top independent boutiques or the best live music venues, all of the recommendations feature locally-owned venues for an only-in-Miami experience.
Cost: Free
Ride Freebee
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
Freebee slowly rolled out a presence in many of Miami’s areas and flipped transportation habits around, for the better. This free service, now in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Miami Lakes, Brickell, Pinecrest, Doral and parts of City of Miami and Miami Beach is an electric on-demand service within the neighborhoods to minimize short car trips and make getting around within the designated districts easy. Download the app and call a Freebee that will come directly to your destination to get you, while you’re on the look out for the small electric vehicle with a few rows of seating, browse their app for local deals and specials offered exclusively to Freebee users.
Cost: Free
City of Miami Beach Parks and Recreation
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
Plan a day of outdoor activities including swimming, golfing and tennis with the help of Miami Beach’s dedicated City of Miami Beach Parks and Recreation App. In addition to providing a map interface with perfectly navigable directions, the app is useful for finding park hours and noting any special regulations. Use it to pick the park closest to you for a jolt of green space or beach in your day or to explore a park in an area that’s new to you.
Cost: Free
Miami-Dade Transit Tracker
Download iPhone app
Download the Android app
With the Miami-Dade Transit Tracker app, you can plan a trip, select favorite stops, estimate times of arrival, and trace what attractions are within walking distance of each stop. It’s also useful for knowing which stops have escalators, elevators and other amenities. Use it to plan your travel on the Metrorail, Metrobus and Metromover whether you’re exploring the Brickell and Downtown area, shopping at Dadeland Mall or using it to get to or from the airport. You’ll never stress commuting on public transportation again when know you where your train is and when it’s arriving at your stop in real time.
Cost: Free
Miami Map and Walks
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
So often, we walk right by history without even knowing it. Thanks to this app you can decode a bit of the history of Miami whether you’re on an intentional history walk or just walking a few blocks to get to your next destination. The app includes themed walking tours in history-rich areas like Coconut Grove and South Beach and also newer areas like Wynwood and the Design District. Select a particular region of Miami and trace your steps from one landmark to the next. Each location features images and historical facts. The app allows you to add your own image to each location as you stop from one spot and move on to the next. The map also highlights exactly where you are for easy navigation.
Cost: Free
Wynwood Tour Guide
Download the iPhone app
Download the Android app
The Wynwood Arts District offers a seemingly endless swirl of graffiti and mural art across a neighborhood filled with galleries, shops, restaurants and more. The neighborhood has a hip factor replete with locally owned coffee shops and bars. The Wynwood Tour Guide app is useful not only for navigating Wynwood, but also for spotting landmark, must-see artworks. This is particularly useful because Wynwood is thought of as a giant outdoor museum but the art can be much harder to credit without the typical explanations you’d see alongside a display in a museum. Download this app and give credit where credit is due in one of Miami’s coolest neighborhood.
Cost: Free
Read More:
Getting To and From Miami International Airport
How To Tackle Miami's Public Transportation
Unexpected And Adventurous Things to Do In Miami
Wynwood's Arts & Culture Scene