See Miami like a local

see miami Likea o ca

Family-friendly activities abound in Greater Miami and the Beaches

Miami continues to outpace other destinations with its cosmopolitan flair, cultural cachet and lively entertainment landscape. Yet Miami remains the family-friendly destination it always was, offering a never-ending array of activities and lodging options that are as budgetminded as they are appealing to both kids and parents. Traveling as a family will add a whole other dimension to your visit and will be your VIP pass to experience Miami like a true local.

Liquid Assets

It may be the financial and technological capital of the Americas, but Miami is equally famous for its amazing beaches. To find one, just head east. Public beaches stretch along the sandy shores of southernmost Miami Beach, running through North Beach and Surfside and beyond that, Bal Harbour, Haulover Park and Sunny Isles Beach.

In addition to warm ocean waters for swimming and abundant sand for building castles, many beaches offer activities like volleyball, bicycle and walking trails, and water sports equipment rentals. Haulover Park, for one, invites families to go fly a kite, offering a huge selection of kites, windsocks and wind spinners with prices starting at just $5.

For the little ones or novice swimmers, try the beaches at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, where an offshore sandbar tames the crashing surf and a vintage carousel operates every weekend as part of a family amusement center. Similarly, Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables is home to a gentle, man-made atoll pool for safe swimming and splashing.

Some beaches in Greater Miami feature concession stands, while restaurants are usually steps away. But to maximize your time under the sun, why not picnic right on the beach? Markets, delis and grocery stores are convenient to most beach areas, and the kids will love it.

Greater Miami’s public beaches are free, but some oceanside parks and recreation areas with beaches may charge a small entrance or parking fee.

Still, you don’t even have to go to the beach to enjoy the water. There are plenty of public pools and water-play areas throughout Greater Miami, most offering low-cost entrance fees and featuring such kid-centric attractions as water slides, water cannons and sprays, splash fountains and shallow areas for tots.

Parks and Recreation

Greater Miami may be a bustling metropolis, but maintaining our lush tropical landscape is very much a priority. Parks and green spaces are everywhere, including two amazing national treasures — Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park.

A free shuttle takes visitors to the parks from downtown Homestead, in the heart of South Miami-Dade, from November through April.

In addition to these two national parks, Miami offers access to Dry Tortugas National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.

Greater Miami and the Beaches is among the few destinations that literally have something for everyone.

Regional and neighborhood parks are criss-crossed by walking paths, bikeways and nature trails and feature everything from vita courses to golf courses. Some even offer baseball and softball fields, sand volleyball and tennis courts.

Many parks are free, though some — including the national and state parks — do charge nominal entrance fees along with moderate charges for things like boat or equipment rentals. For the 2015-16 school year, fourth graders from anywhere in the United States can sign up for free admission (families included) to America's national parks.

Cultural Connections

Miami’s high-quality cultural experiences aren’t necessarily high priced. The visual arts are magic in the Magic City, with museums that maintain international standards of artistic excellence while keeping admission fees modest and welcoming. A number of venues offer free or reduced admission on a regular basis along with special kid-themed artistic programming. At the Pérez Art Museum Miami, for example, admission is waived every second Saturday of the month, with artmaking, family-friendly tours and guest artists on the agenda.

Set in Downtown Miami’s Museum Park, the Pérez Art Museum will be joined in 2016 by the spectacular new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, which is relocating from its longtime Coconut Grove location.

In addition to local museums, Greater Miami’s theaters and performance groups make culture more affordable by offering less expensive matinee shows and frequent forays into the community, including free productions in parks, on the beach or at public library branches.

Florida Grand Opera, for one, performs more than 100 community events every season, featuring talent from the opera’s Young Artist Program. Similarly, the acclaimed Miami City Ballet runs a Ballet for Young People program, with free tickets to special ballets that are relatable to children and families.

Main Events

Greater Miami’s many art-themed events and festivals also keep families in mind; among them, the legendary Coconut Grove Arts Festival, which is free for children 12 and under and features a recreational arts section complete with bungee trampolines, bounce houses, tower slides and obstacle courses.

But the fun doesn’t stop there in partyloving Greater Miami, whose rare blend of cultural expression and diversity is on display at festivals, fiestas and feasts all year long. Most are free and open to the public, including Art Deco Weekend, which celebrates South Beach’s signature architectural style with live music and dance, vintage collectibles and guided tours while keeping kids happy with their own playground of arts, crafts, sports, magic shows and theater.

Read all about it: Downtown Miami’s Miami Book Fair International is free for kids 12 and under and includes literacy and learning activities for children and teens during Generation Genius Days. Meanwhile, other events — such as mango and chocolate festivals at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden — are included in the admission price of the venue.

But the biggest, and possibly the happiest, free festival of them all has to be Calle Ocho, known as the world’s largest street party, which spans more than 20 city blocks in Little Havana every March, filling them with musical stages, folkloric sites and food from all over the Americas.

So much more is waiting for families visiting Greater Miami, including an amazing lineup of fascinating attractions to suit any interest and budget. Check them out at AmazingMiamiAttractions.com.