DISCOVER MIAMI | thegoldendoorgroup

LIFE IN MIAMI THE BEST THINGS TO DO

WOLFSONIAN- ART

Whether it’s browsing modern-day artifacts or perusing mid-century propaganda, visitors exploring the Wolfsonian-FIU’s permanent and traveling exhibitions learn about the myriad ways art and design have helped shape the contemporary world. The Art Deco era building also houses youth programs, and admission is free every Friday from 6 to 9 pm.

BOANICAL GARDEN

The 62-year-old, 2.6-acre urban garden underwent a facelift in 2011 and has since become a popular spot for visitors and locals alike to escape the city's bustle. It hosts a variety of yoga and meditation classes, orchid exchanges, horticultural seminars and live music events on the weekends. Native Florida plants include bromeliads, palms and cycads, but there's also a Japanese garden and wetland with mangrove and pond apple trees.

THE LINCOLN ROAD MALL

One of the country’s first pedestrian malls, Lincoln Road is continuously overrun with tourists in search of the quintessential South Beach shopping experience. To wit, it makes for fantastic people-watching if you’re a local. Expect a ton of sidewalk cafes and restaurants, public art installations, big brand stores and a Sunday sidewalk market stocked with fresh produce, vintage furnishings and more.

OCEAN DRIVE

Bear with us here: Ocean Drive is fun. The touristy strip gets a bad wrap for its overpriced drinks (hello, $65 margarita) and we wouldn’t really advocate eating or drinking at one of the sidewalk cafes (unless it’s an epic drag brunch at Palace Bar, of course). But Ocean Drive is the absolute best place for weird Miami people-watching.

CITY CENTRE

This futuristic outdoor retail complex makes it easy to spend a day shopping and eating your way into bankruptcy. Architecturally, Brickell City Centre is impressive and deserving of a stroll whether or not you want to buy anything. The crown jewel of Brickell, the mall is home to not only top-notch shopping but some great food as well.

Time Out tip: Check out Motek for Mediterranean, Pubbelly for sushi, Tacology for Mexican, or the newly opened Black Tap for some indulgent burgers and shakes.

CIRCLE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK

In a neighborhood defined by its constant construction and towering luxury condos, you wouldn’t exactly expect to find an archaeological site, let alone the oldest known permanent settlement on the U.S. East Coast. Yet here it is, a perfect, 38-foot circle of 24 holes cut into the limestone bedrock on coastal Brickell Point. Believed to have been the location of a structure built by the Tequesta Indians, the Miami Circle is estimated to be somewhere between 1,700 and 2,000 years old.

LA MAR BAR & RESTAURANT

The plush leather seats at this luxury dine-in movie theater are so comfy you just might not make it to the third act. Better order a craft cocktail and a cappuccino (both available for purchase from the comfort of your recliner) to ensure you see the final scene. Is a $15+ movie ticket worth it? When you consider the menu of not-half-bad food and drinks and full service during the show, it all makes for a pretty sweet night out at the movies.

SEAQUARIUM

For decades, children of all ages have learned all about Florida’s array of sea creatures through visits to this Key Biscayne attraction. It’s where you’ll catch the dolphin show (Flipper was even filmed at the Seaquarium!), jolly sea lions flapping about and the park’s most famous resident, Lolita, the killer whale.

WYNWOOD MUSEUM OF GRAFFITI

Wynwood is also home to Museum of Graffiti, where an exhibition of work by New York tagging legend CES opens on April 4. Titled The ProCESs and curated by Carlos Mare, the show will feature the artist’s small-scale marker illustrations, as well as his signature large-format spray paint works on canvas. As for actual street art, look no further than the Museum’s exterior, where CES covered the entire length of the facade back in December with a mural celebrating the birthplace of graffiti, New York.