Miami Family Things to Do
Miami has often been thought of as a singles hot-spot, full of nightlife and clubbing, late night partying. But a Miami vacation is also for a family with children of all ages. From its welcoming beaches to family-friendly resorts, Miami is the perfect place for parents and kids to enjoy their vacation both together and on their own.
Kid Friendly Accommodations
When you choose accommodations for your Miami vacation, keep in mind that several resorts cater to families with young children and teenagers. Often, hotels in every price category will offer joining rooms for parents and teens. The Lowe’s Miami Beach offers a program for teens called an, “Edu-cation” in which teens get a culinary arts experience. This exciting program allows teens to learn to plan and prepare for parties in style, design food, and take lessons with top chefs. The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne has a neat program called, “Ritz Kids”. While parents pamper themselves with an Everglades Grass body wrap or tennis lessons their tykes enjoy their own supervised pool and spa. The Four Seasons hotel offers popcorn, cotton candy, video games and arts and crafts to entertain their tweener guests. Moderately priced suite hotels have family friendly “living rooms” in which to relax, share souvenirs and recount the day’s events.
Water Fun
Once families on a Miami vacation venture beyond their hotel or resort they’ll find plenty of exciting activities to enjoy together. Why not start on the beach? Families with tweens and teens will enjoy renting a catamaran, jet ski, or kayak. Slower-paced fun would include catching rays or catching fish. Parents of tykes will appreciate the safe, shallow lagoons of Matheson Hammock where toddlers can splash and squeal to their heart’s content. Young elementary kids will like trying their hand flying a kite. Want to spend more time swimming, but maybe not on the beach? Visit the famous Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. Filled only with spring water, it’s safe for kids’ delicate skins.
Naturally Gifted
Get a feel for natural Florida while visiting Everglades National Park, the third largest park in the National Park system. You can take a self- or ranger-guided tour to view the one-of-a-kind plants and endangered animals. If your family stops in Flamingo to admire the famous pink birds, make sure you only take the plastic ones home for your lawn! Biscayne National Park is almost completely aquatic, in keeping with the environment around it. Kids of all ages love the glass bottomed boat tours and watching the delightful dolphins and manatees is sure to lift everyone’s mood.
For those with an academic bent, be sure to visit the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium. Littler ones might prefer the Miami Children’s Museum with its many hands-on exhibits including a mini cruise ship - perfect for Miami! Teens will like exploring Coconut Grove.
Riding High
Florida is famous world over for its amusement parks, and while visitors most often think of Orlando first a Miami vacation includes some thrilling, and unusual, family attractions. Parrot Jungle Island is an 18 acre, interactive theme park with a parrot show, petting zone, and serpentarium. Parents will wax nostalgic when visiting the “Flipper” show at Seaquarium. Their kids will thrill while swimming with dolphins or feeding the sharks – not at the same time! Metrozoo allows visitors to take a virtual jeep tour. Teens want something a bit more exciting? Thriller Miami offers powerboat tours, 45 minutes rides that will leave your teens breathless and with something to brag about (besides a great tan!) when they get back home.