Carved in two by the Miami River, Downtown Miami is the cultural and historic heart of the “Magic City”. It was settled by European Americans in the early 19th century and flourished with the arrival of the Florida East Coast Railway in the 1890s. Today, it is one of the most populous downtown areas in the United States and home to everything from cultural and sporting venues to waterfront parks.
Things to do in Downtown
Coincide your visit to Downtown Miami with a performance at the Adrienne Arsht Center, which was constructed in the early 2000s on the site of an Art Deco-style department store. Designed by Cesar Pelli, it features three main venues - an opera house, a concert hall and a studio theatre. The Adrienne Arsht Center is a short walk from the contemporary exhibitions of the Perez Art Museum.
Travelling with kids? Don’t miss the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science, which is packed with hands-on and interactive exhibits. You can learn about the history of flight and the wonders of our solar system before getting up close to scientific instruments used in different fields. The museum also features a planetarium and an aquarium filled with species native to South Florida.
Hugging the waterfront is Bayfront Park, a popular green space with palm-lined walking trails, a children’s playground and an outdoor amphitheatre. You can pay your respects at the Dade County War Memorial, admire the “Challenger” sculpture and see the statue depicting Julia Tuttle, a businesswoman who once owned the land on which Downtown Miami was built.
Getting around Downtown
Miami International Airport is around 15 minutes’ drive from Downtown Miami and has flights to destinations across the globe. Inter-city trains connect to the Miami Central railway station while both trams and buses travel throughout the Downtown area.