The Miami guide

Real neighborhoods, real places. No sponsorships in this guide — every pick is independent.

The postcard, but better at 7am

South Beach

The city's open-air gallery

Rooftops and skyline money

Calle Ocho, cafecito, dominoes

Banyan shade and bay breezes

The calm-water island

Luxury storefronts, free art

Mediterranean calm

The full list behind the neighborhood guides and your trip recommendations.

Versailles$15–$30
The Cuban institution since 1971. Ropa vieja, cafecito at the ventanita, and history on every wall.
Joe's Stone Crab$60–$120
A 110-year-old Miami Beach ritual. Stone crab season runs October to May — get the mustard sauce.
Komodo$70–$140
Three floors of see-and-be-seen Asian dining. The Peking duck and the people-watching both deliver.
Mandolin Aegean Bistro$50–$90
A bougainvillea-covered 1940s house serving Greek and Turkish plates. The most romantic patio in Miami.
Zak the Baker$12–$25
Kosher bakery café with Miami's best sourdough. The shakshuka and a loaf to go is the move.
La Mar by Gastón Acurio$70–$130
Peruvian fine dining on the Mandarin Oriental waterfront. Cebiche with a skyline view.
Boia De$60–$110
A tiny Michelin-starred counter in a strip mall. Book weeks ahead; order the beef tartare.

E11EVEN$40–$200+
The 24/7 ultraclub. Arrive after 1am, expect aerial performers, and don't plan anything before noon.
Sugar$20–$40 a drink
40th-floor rooftop with palm trees and the best sunset-to-skyline transition in the city.
Ball & Chain$15–$30
Live salsa, mojitos and a pineapple-shaped stage running since 1935. Thursday nights go off.
Lagniappe$10–$25
Backyard wine garden with live jazz every night. Pick a bottle at the counter, find a string-lit table.
Club Space$30–$100
Legendary techno temple with a sunrise terrace. The marathon sets are the whole point.

Wynwood Walls$12
The outdoor museum that turned a warehouse district into a landmark. Go before 11am for empty photos.
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens$25
A 1916 Italianate villa on Biscayne Bay. The gardens at golden hour are Miami's best-kept photo spot.
Pérez Art Museum Miami$18
Hanging gardens, contemporary art and a waterfront terrace. Free on the second Saturday each month.
Bayside MarketplaceFree to wander
Open-air market on the marina. Touristy, yes — but the boat tours leave from here for a reason.
Venetian Pool$21
A spring-fed public pool carved from a 1924 coral quarry, with waterfalls and grottoes.

South Pointe Park & PierFree
Sunrise pier, cruise ships gliding past, and the wide quiet end of South Beach. Best at 7am.
Crandon Park Beach$7 parking
Calm, shallow, palm-lined water with real parking. The family beach locals actually drive to.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park$8 per vehicle
A 1825 lighthouse, nature trails and a beach that regularly ranks among America's best.

The trip builder picks from these neighborhoods and places based on your answers.