It’s easy to get stuck in your routine. Break your weekly schedule and take some time to remember you live where they vacation.

Day after day of living in a place that looks like paradise, you may forget just how beautiful it is. You start to take your walk for coffee under palm trees for granted. You forget that elsewhere you can’t just jump in the car and be at the beach in fifteen minutes. The near-perfect weather year round just starts to feel like being outside – you may even complain that you don’t have to wear a sweater in mid-January. Stop and smell the roses, and turn a regular weekend in Miami into a memorable vacation-like experience by exploring the attractions and taking advantage of all that Miami has to offer.

There are some serious perks to living in a vacation playground, but it’s easy to forget that in just half an hour you can hop aboard an airboat and explore a totally unique subtropical wilderness complete with gators and monster fish.

How long has it been since you checked out some of the educational attractions like Vizcaya Museum and Gardens or the Seaquarium? Have you been back to the Everglades since your fourth grade field trip? Did you know there’s an archaeological and historical preserve at the edge of Biscayne Bay called the Deering Estate and that the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere is in Miami Beach?

Take some time and remember what makes this city so special. Get back in touch with the unique nature that South Floridians take for granted. Here’s what to do to live like a tourist. Don’t let them have all the fun.

Spend A Day A Different Way

Spend a day doing something a little out of the ordinary, like lounging at Venetian Pool. This Venetian-style lagoon in Coral Gables feels like you’ve taken a trip to some quaint European town where synchronized swimming and getting sun are the only priorities. While you’re there, swim across the lagoon and explore the caves in the deep end.

The Fruit & Spice Park is a must for any local Miami foodie. Get a quick education on exotic fruits, herbs, spices and more at the Fruit & Spice Park in Homestead. Walk around the grounds and taste any fruit that you find on the floor or take a tour and let an expert fill you in on all there is to know about what we can grow around here. While you’re in the Redlands check out the Schnebly Redlands Winery & Brewery. This is one of Miami’s best kept-secrets. Stop by for a wine tasting where you can sample unique concoctions like lychee, mango and passion fruit wines, all made with local produce. If you still have some time and energy left, head over to Coral Castle Museum where a five-foot tall, one hundred pound man named Ed Leedskalnin built structures that have baffled scientists for years. He built an ode to an ex-love out of coral rock boulders that weigh up to several dozen tons – each! The legend is that Ed built these giant coral structures single handedly.

On and Under The Water

Don’t stop your exploration with land activities; everyone around here knows that the real attractions are on and under the water.

If you regularly go out on the boat, consider exploring a lesser-known beach or take the dogs over to Haulover for their dog-friendly days. If you’re a beachgoer, check out all the options for spending a day aboard a boat. There are loads of places to rent or charter a boat for the day, including Crandon Park Marina. Try a different kind of boating and learn to sail at Shake-A-Leg Miami or take a cruise on a sailing catamaran with Flyer Catamaran Excursions.

For a real taste of what the tourists do, climb aboard a Duck Tour South Beach and take a tour of the city by land and sea in this amphibious vessel.

You’ve probably already spotted the water sport craze that’s swept the city – standup paddleboarding. SUP has become a popular new way to explore the water. Stand on an oversized board that resembles a surfboard, and paddle around the mangroves or shoreline. There are even paddleboard yoga classes for the ultra-adventurous and well-balanced.

Did you know that Miami’s Biscayne National Park is almost entirely underwater? Get out your dusty snorkel and mask and check out all the mysterious creatures that live beneath that clear blue ocean you’re always driving right past.

The Show Must Go On

Modern dance, flamenco, ballet, musical theater, new works on the stage, independent film, foreign film, art – just pick the one you know the least about and dive into the world of arts and culture in Miami.

There’s always a Friday night show that will both entertain and engage you.

With state-of-the-art venues, like the Adrienne Arsht Center For The Performing Arts and mega-arenas like the FTX Airlines Arena, Miami is attracting some of the biggest and best names in entertainment to our venues.

It’s not all big stars and big bills in Miami. Check out some of the smaller venues and more independent scenes that are thriving, like the Miami Light Project, Ballet Flamenco La Rosa and GableStage.

If you’ve never seen the Miami City Ballet in action, or if you have, now is the time to watch these top-notch, world-class ballerinas leap, twirl and glide. This critically acclaimed company has dancers from around the world who have relocated to Miami specifically to perform for this premiere ballet.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg; a few ideas that are outside the ordinary dinner and a movie routine. Explore more things to do, and check out our Temptations for monthly specials.