Family-Friendly Pre- or Post-Cruise Itinerary

Next time you take a cruise from Miami, add a day or two to your itinerary and enjoy some family-friendly things to do in Greater Miami & Miami Beach. Here’s our guide to plan a half-day, full-day or two-day adventure near PortMiami that the whole family will enjoy.

Half-Day Itinerary

Morning: Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science

Open 365 days a year, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science has a campus-like setting in Downtown Miami with a 3D planetarium, an immersive "Power of Science" exhibit and a 31-foot-wide oculus lens that looks into a three-story aquarium filled with sharks, jellyfish and sea creatures from key South Florida aquatic areas. 

After you’ve explored what’s underwater, turn your attention to the skies – "Feathers to the Stars" explores animal, human and space flight and the inventors who pioneered flight and space exploration. 

Grab a soda and a snack between buildings at Food@Science and stop by the Science Store on the way out to buy exhibition-themed souvenirs, books, toys and t-shirts.

Lunch: Bayside Marketplace

Next, go to Bayside Marketplace for lunch and shopping right on Biscayne Bay. Get burgers at Hard Rock Cafe, Cuban sandwiches at Sanguich or fresh-caught seafood at LandShark Bar & Grill. Follow it up with a sweet treat at Häagen-Dazs, Mammamia Gelato Italiano or Skoops. 

Do some shopping, but before you leave, take a ride on Skyviews Miami, a Ferris wheel with air-conditioned gondolas and idyllic views of the water and the Downtown Miami skyline from 200 feet up above.

Full-Day Itinerary

Morning and Lunch: Pérez Art Museum Miami

Wake up and head to Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) in Maurice A. Ferré Park in Downtown Miami and explore nearly 3,000 pieces of 20th- and 21st-century art. Drawing from Miami’s cultural diversity, PAMM’s collections primarily focus on art by artists from the African diaspora, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Wander through the outdoor Mary M. and Sash A. Spencer Sculpture Garden and check out large-scale sculptures by creators such as Anthony Caro, Gonzálo Fonseca and Edgar Negret. 

There is a regular calendar of rotating exhibits, art events for all ages, tours, lectures and creative workshops, so be sure to check PAMM's online calendar of events for specific information.

Before you leave, take the kids to lunch at Verde, where you can sit outside in a covered area overlooking Biscayne Bay. This restaurant and bar whips up a locally-inspired menu with plates such as butternut squash and chorizo arancini and lavender pavlova with a blackberry compote for adults and the Verde burger and Margherita pizza for the young ones.

Afternoon: Bayfront Park

About a mile away, Bayfront Park – right on Biscayne Bay – has 32 acres with multiple green spaces, a man-made waterfall, a waterfront promenade, a fountain, a tropical rock garden and an amphitheater. 

Your kids will love playing at the Lee & Tina Hills Playground, which has a pirate ship, slides, bouncers, climbing areas and fun play sculptures in various sea shapes, while parents might want to take advantage of free yoga on the lawn. 

History and space buffs won’t want to miss The Challenger Memorial, a 100-foot white pipe tower dedicated to the seven astronauts lost in the 1986 Challenger explosion. 

There are also statues of Christopher Columbus, Miami founder Julia Tuttle and other important historical figures.

Evening: Brickell City Centre

End your day at the four-level Brickell City Centre shopping, dining and entertainment complex in Brickell. Enjoy a lobster roll at Luke’s Lobster or inventive sushi, Asian and Latin fusion at Miami favorite Pubbelly Sushi. 

Catch a meal and a movie at the luxurious CMX movie theater, where you can watch the latest releases while relaxing in leather recliners and enjoying straight-to-your-chair food and beverage service.

Two-Day Itinerary

Day 1

Morning: Miami Children’s Museum

Children of all ages can have fun learning at Miami Children’s Museum, located off the MacArthur Causeway on Watson Island. Its interactive bilingual exhibits and educational programs about art, culture, health, science and more are designed to inspire children to play, learn, imagine and create. 

Check out the Construction Zone, where different building stations teach kids how real construction works, or the six-foot Bank of America piggy bank, where they can learn about financial literacy and how to make change. 

The museum also hosts several events and special programs, like Sensory Friendly Saturday for children with sensory challenges on the second Saturday of each month or the in-house theater troupe that puts on short, 15-30-minute performances that introduce kids to theater and help develop their creativity, empathy and social, emotional and problem-solving skills.

Lunch: Monty’s Sunset

Since you’re already on the causeway, keep going toward Miami Beach for lunch at Monty’s Sunset on the docks of Miami Beach Marina. Modeled after an island tiki bar, this bayfront restaurant is popular for its locally caught seafood, casual Caribbean vibes, live music and tropical cocktails. Start with conch fritters and nachos for everyone to share, order kid-friendly lunch items, then enjoy the popular raw bar. Think Florida stone crabs, jumbo shrimp, and oysters and clams on the half shell. Don’t leave without ordering Monty’s famous Key lime pie, a South Florida staple.

Afternoon: South Pointe Park

Spend the afternoon at South Pointe Park at the southernmost tip of South Beach, enjoying its pristine beach, waterfront promenade, biking, walking and Instagram-worthy views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Downtown Miami skyline and boats sailing past Fisher Island. 

Kids will love splashing in the motion-activated water playground, reading a book under shaded trees or running around with the dog in the off-leash dog park. 

Join the locals gathering on South Pointe Pier to fish, or rent a lounger on the sand from Boucher Brothers at the nearby Marriott Stanton South Beach, for a great beach day.

Enjoy a taste of classic Cuban flavors at Havana 1957 on Espanola Way

Evening: Havana 1957 Cuban Cuisine and Española Way

You can’t visit Miami without having great Cuban food, and you can get it at Havana 1957 on Española Way in South Beach. At this restaurant and bar lined with relics from 1950s Cuba, order classic Cuban dishes with an inventive twist. 

Try the green plantains stuffed with ropa vieja or shrimp, truffle yuca fries, guacamole topped with pork masitas or stewed ground beef with criolla tomato sauce, raisins and Spanish olives. There’s a kids menu with simple Cuban fare, like vaca frita and ham croquetas, as well as American staples like chicken nuggets, sliders and French fries.

After dinner, wander down palm tree-lined Española Way, a pedestrian-only street designed to look like a romantic Mediterranean village. Here, sidewalk cafes spill out onto the street, while live music and flamenco and salsa dancers keep the energy high. It’s a truly unique experience and a great place to spend some time before turning in for the night.

Day 2

Morning: Boat Tour

Get a different kind of Miami cruising experience when you catch a boat tour of Biscayne Bay from the marina at Bayside Marketplace. Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures offers 45-minute speedboat sightseeing tours that will take you around Miami Beach, Fisher Island and Star Island. 

The popular bilingual, 90-minute Millionaire’s Row sightseeing cruise by Island Queen Cruises & Tours out of Miamarina at Bayside is a narrated tour of those same islands with a focus on the famous celebrity homes.

Afternoon to Evening: Street Art, Interactive Experiences & Great Food

Nearby Wynwood became famous for its street art in the early 2000s, and now it’s a full-blown haven for aspiring painters, innovators, creatives and graffiti artists. Start your artsy afternoon at the world-renowned Wynwood Walls, six buildings featuring murals by top graffiti artists and muralists. 

About a mile and a half away, the whole family will be amazed at Superblue Miami, an immersive art experience that wows guests with indoor exhibits like a mirrored labyrinth and a room that will envelop you in light.

Finish your day with dinner at Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen in Wynwood followed by a sweet treat at Morelia Gourmet Paletas. Ice cream fans of all ages will love its artisanal, made-to-order Mexican popsicles (or “paletas”) that come in more than one-million flavor combinations. 

If the kids are craving something else, explore more of Wynwood's great restaurants.

Need more ideas? Check out these family-friendly things to do in Miami.