Fun For Families In Homestead And Florida City

About 35 miles south of Downtown Miami, a different pace awaits in Homestead and Florida City. This more rural swath of South Dade is known for its working farms, unique natural surroundings and local charms, making it ideal for families looking for fun things to do in Miami beyond the usual city sightseeing.

From hands-on animal encounters and colorful tropical fruit stands to parks, historic museums, NASCAR racing and even a real-life castle, these Homestead and Florida City tourist attractions offer something for curious and adventurous families of all ages.

Coral Castle Museum & Sculpture Garden

A visit to Coral Castle Museum & Sculpture Garden is one of the most unique things to do in Homestead. Built by hand over 28 years by a single man, Ed Leedskalnin, this collection of more than 30 coral rock structures – weighing 1,100 tons, collectively – continues to stun visitors today. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, it has a functioning sundial, intricately-carved furniture and a massive, nine-ton gate that opens with the touch of a finger.

The story behind the castle, created as a tribute to Ed’s long-lost love, Agnes, adds another layer of intrigue. Ed was only five feet tall, weighed 100 pounds and did most of the work at night, by lantern light, all without any modern tools. How? No one knows. Daily guided tours run at the top of every hour from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the last tour starting at 6 p.m.

Fruit & Spice Park

On a beautiful day, Fruit & Spice Park offers a great family activity in Homestead Miami that lets kids run around and burn off energy while learning about Miami’s unique climate. Spread across 37 acres, it has over 500 varieties of exotic fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs and nuts, including 180 types of mangoes, 70 species of bamboo, 40 banana varieties, 15 kinds of jackfruit trees, an herb and vegetable garden and shady banana groves.

Collections of rare trees from around the world are organized geographically, and there’s always a calendar of daily and annual events – including the popular Redland International Orchid Festival, which takes place every October. Let your family explore at their own pace, eat fallen fruit (a favorite for kids) or hop on a tour and find out why South Florida’s subtropical climate allows so many different types of plants to thrive all year long.

Knaus Berry Farm

A seasonal stop worth planning around, Knaus Berry Farm is a longtime local favorite and a staple of the South Dade fruit market scene. Open from November through May, it’s known for its homemade strawberry milkshakes, U-pick strawberries and tomatoes, local produce and, of course, its world-famous hot and gooey cinnamon rolls. Lines can wrap around the block, especially on weekends, but the experience is part of the appeal – and a memorable one for families.

South Dade Park

If you’re looking for low-key, active things to do in Florida City and Homestead (or just a way to kill time between activities and keep the kids outside), head to South Dade Park. There’s a skate park, tennis and basketball courts, a walking trail, soccer field, fitness zone, and playground with a ship that children can climb.

Have fun with the whole family when you swim in Helen Sands Pool, jump around on splash pads, get soaked by waterfall palm trees, go down water slides or take swim and water aerobics classes at the on-site South Dade Aquatic Center.

Homestead-Miami Speedway

For something completely different, head to Homestead-Miami Speedway – one of the most exciting Homestead tourist attractions. Along with major NASCAR races, including NASCAR Championship Weekend, the track hosts year-round programming with over 200 events.

During Fast Lane Fridays, drivers can race their own street-legal cars on the actual track. Or, if you need even more speed, try a NASCAR Racing Experience and go on ride-alongs or get behind the wheel of a race car yourself. Anyone 18 or older with a valid driver’s license can drive, and all passengers must be at least nine years old.

The Cybrarium

Take a break from agricultural Miami and explore the high-tech world inside The Cybrarium. Added to Downtown Homestead in 2021, this modern digital library combines technology, creativity and education for an immersive, entertaining learning experience with dedicated areas for different interests and age groups.

In addition to multilingual books, audiobooks, DVDs, public laptops, free Wi-Fi, study rooms and flexible program spaces, The Cybrarium has a children’s theater, a Steampunk-themed lounge, a virtual reality cube and a Makerspace where you can use 3D printers, sewing machines and Cricut Maker cutting machines, or sign up for creative workshops.

The whole family will enjoy feasting their eyes on Book Mountain, an interactive sculpture that reaches two floors into the ceiling-height solar system, a metaphor for the wonders found in the pages of a book.

Robert Is Here Fruit Stand and Farm

While in Homestead, a trip to Robert Is Here Fruit Stand and Farm is a must. A roadside fruit stand opened in 1959, today, Robert Is Here is known for its exotic fruits and vegetables and much more. It sells hundreds of varieties of produce primarily grown in Homestead, from lettuce, onions, tomatoes and zucchini to the more rare dragon fruit, sapodilla, eggfruit and giant jackfruit.

Order a smoothie or milkshake (it’s made from any fruit they have in store), or buy dips, jams, cookies and other locally crafted delights. Here, parents can easily turn a quick stop into a longer break. Out back, kids will find a petting zoo with goats, tortoises, parrots, rabbits and an ostrich, as well as vintage tractors, sunflower fields and picnic tables where they can enjoy their treats.

Florida Pioneer Museum

The Florida Pioneer Museum chronicles the history of South Dade from its founding through 1945. Spread across 21 acres, the museum has 12 of the area’s original buildings, from a one-room schoolhouse, a general store and Trilby Train Depot to blacksmith and woodworking shops and a restored 1860s Overstreet House.

The Overstreet House looks like it would have back then, with a butter churn, weaving machines, a wood-burning oven and even pots once used to boil water to wash clothes. Tools and artifacts from early settlers can be found throughout the buildings, as well as photographs showing how Florida’s first pioneers built homes, worked the fields and more.

Everglades Alligator Farm

No visit to Homestead and Florida City is complete without experiencing the nearby Everglades – and alligators. At Everglades Alligator Farm, you and the kids can attend daily alligator shows, ride an airboat through alligator-ridden swamps (it’s their natural habitat) and even experience alligator “encounters” where you can hold or feed one yourself. The famous 14-foot “Grandpa” gator, who once called this farm home, is mounted on a wall. Take a picture with him to see how big he really was.

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