Hialeah Guide

Cuban culture defines Hialeah, which is located just northwest of Downtown Miami. It’s woven into the fabric of the neighborhood's cafeterias, murals and long-running family restaurants. Getting to Hialeah from most parts of Miami is easy, and the neighborhood's walkable areas and hidden gems make it well worth the trip.

Hialeah Park Casino

Hialeah Park Casino is one of the city’s most historic locations. It opened in January 1925 as a thoroughbred racetrack and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Architects took inspiration from Europe for the design. The walking ring resembles Longchamp, the terraces are inspired by a casino in Monte Carlo, and the staircases look like those at Ascot and Deauville. Famous horses including Seabiscuit, Citation and Seattle Slew all ran here. Winston Churchill visited the track in 1946, describing it as extraordinary.

Hialeah Park’s famous flamingos are a big part of its story. In 1934, the park's owner brought the first flock from Cuba. The lake where they now live has been a designated National Audubon Bird Sanctuary ever since.

Today, Hialeah Park is a casino that draws visitors to a gaming floor with more than 850 slot machines, electronic blackjack and roulette, and a simulcast room that shows thoroughbred races from around the country, including the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. On the casino floor, Vicky Bakery serves Cuban pastries and cafecito. Legends Sports Bar operates upstairs in the poker room. The Flamingo Lounge hosts live music and entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights, and the Fountain Terrace offers outdoor seating next to the valet.

Art and Culture

The Leah Arts District in East Hialeah has grown into one of the city’s most interesting creative neighborhoods. More than 30 murals cover walls in the area centered around East 15th Street and East 10th Avenue. Many were painted by artists who made a name for themselves in popular art neighborhoods like Wynwood.

Adjacent to the district, Flamingo Plaza is a 256,000-square-foot shopping center recognized for its cluster of thrift stores with Red White & Blue Thrift Store serving as the anchor. A short drive away, Don Quijote Plaza features a 28-foot sculpture of the literary character by local artist Ramon Pedraza. The piece, titled Oda a la Libertad, depicts the character riding a flamingo and is found among benches and greenery.

Garden of the Arts is a free, open-air museum featuring murals and sculptures along paved paths. The Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment hosts free rotating exhibits. The complex includes an amphitheater and event halls that accommodate hundreds of guests. It features the only rooftop terrace in Hialeah, providing views of the city skyline.

Parks and Water Parks

McDonald Water Park draws families for swimming and splashing from April to October. The 17-acre complex includes a wave pool, a 1,000-foot lazy river with a cave waterfall, a splash pad for young children and covered pavilions available for private rental.

Amelia Earhart Park covers 515 acres with five lakes, making it one of the area’s largest water-based parks. Inside the park, the Bill Graham Farm Village gives children a hands-on look at the agricultural history of the region, built around replica farm structures. Tom Sawyer's Play Island is a fully accessible fort-style playground designed for children ages 2 to 12, with climbers, slides, balance beams, swings and musical instruments.

The Miami Watersports Complex offers cable wakeboarding, wake-surfing, waterskiing, knee boarding, and paddle boarding, with equipment rentals. Mountain bike trails are open from sunrise to sunset year-round, with options for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders. Genesis Mountain Bike Rentals is open at the park on weekends. Even your four-legged friend can get in on the action with a fenced Bark Park that includes a section for small dogs. Entrance is free.

Adjacent to the park, The Yards at Amelia has eight indoor pickleball courts and a tennis court, along with a rotating lineup of food trucks in its backyard space.

Where to Eat

Cuban cuisine is the standard in this neighborhood, with several standout restaurants. La Viña Aragon is a cash-only spot that stays open late and serves generous portions. The vaca frita is a top choice. Get it with yuca and mojo. For breakfast, Breadman Bakery prepares Cuban classics like croquetas, pastelitos and Cuban sandwiches. Its Nutella pastelito and corn-and-cheese croqueta make it stand out from other bakeries on the block.

Morro Castle is a neighborhood staple known for its fritas, Cuban-style burgers with patties made of ground beef mixed with pork, topped with crispy julienne potatoes on a Cuban roll. Also on the menu: vaca frita with yuca and mojo, along with a unique Elena Ruz sandwich prepared with ham instead of turkey. You may see lines form for golden churros and thick traditional hot chocolate.

Polo Norte Hialeah has been a staple in the neighborhood since 1992. The Busquet family, who arrived from Cuba in the Mariel Boatlift, opened it as an ice cream parlor before creating a menu around their Cuban pizza. The guava-and-cheese and sweet plantain pies have drawn regulars from across Miami for three decades, along with the Caribbean-style ice cream flavors like mamey and guava.

Hills Cafe opened as a revival of the Beverly Hills Café, a beloved Miami restaurant that closed after 43 years. The loaded salads return with the original dressings alongside the beloved honey-yeast rolls, a half-pound burger and a triple-decker Hills Club sandwich.

You would be remiss not to try a bocadito de helado while visiting Hialeah, and the place to go is Tio Colo. Its popular Cuban ice cream sandwiches are layered with sponge cake in flavors like mantecado, guava and dulce de leche made fresh daily. Tio Colo’s Cuban pizza, meanwhile, features a thick, crispy-edged crust with a slightly sweet sauce. It’s available in personal sizes.

Beyond Cuban cuisine, La Fresa Francesa serves a French-inspired menu that still reflects its neighborhood roots, like its foie gras pastelito. Nearby, Shima is a casual sushi staple, where rolls float to diners on small boats in the center of the restaurant. It is a no-reservations spot that's also memorable.

Shopping and Entertainment

Westland Mall has been a Hialeah shopping destination since 1971. Macy's and JCPenney remain the anchor stores, with dozens of other retailers. El Patio Live serves Cuban food and offers a full bar and a kids' menu. Other mall favorites include Outback Steakhouse, Chili's and IHOP.

The AMC Hialeah 12 movie theater is steps from the mall with D-BOX and RealD 3D formats.