Top 10 Unique Things To Do In South Beach Miami That Aren't The Beach

Are you visiting South Beach Miami but not interested in sitting on the beach all day, every day?

As a non-beach person I came up with some unique things to do in Miami instead of going to the beach!

And there are surprisingly a lot of things to do in South Beach that aren’t beach related, here are my top 10!

P.S. visiting Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, or Fort Lauderdale Florida? Check out my non-beach activities in the area!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

What To Do in South Beach Miami (If You Don't Like the Beach!) #secretthingstodomiami #thingstodosouthbeach #southbeachflorida #whattodomiami

Top Things To Do In South Beach Miami

1. Shop Along Lincoln Road

Lincoln Road is one of my favourite outdoor shopping streets. It reminds me a lot of the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, but better.

Lincoln Road in South Beach Florida has restaurants you can stop at for lunch, ice cream, candy, and clothing stores galore. I love it because it has a Madewell, which we don’t have in Canada (yet!).

two pairs of legs and shoes photographed from above on the sidewalk in miami. Spray painted in blue in a stencil font it says Miami Beach.

On the left are a womans feet wearing black espadrilles and light blue skinny jeans. On the right, covering the text are perfectly white sneakers and black pants.

2. Stroll Along Collins Avenue (AKA Florida State Road A1A)

Florida State Road A1A, also known as Collins Avenue is the main avenue you’ll want to walk down.

Collins Avenue is where you’ll find the entrances to all the fancy hotels that line the beach. Similar to the Las Vegas Strip, the hotels are the attraction, they’re just extravagant!

So you’ll want to spend time walking inside each hotel along Collins Avenue, admiring the beautiful architecture and decor.

a stark white high rise building with art deco style entryway for cars to drive under. People are walking in front of it, looking like ants in comparison to the size of the hotel. Even the palm trees only make it halfway up the giant hotel.

Grab a bite to eat at one of the fancy hotel restaurants and debate which hotel was your favourite! Who knows, maybe next time you’re in Miami you’ll splurge to stay the night!

Aside from hotels, you can also stumble upon different statues and monuments along Collins Avenue.

If you manage to make it to Collins Park, there are bunch of art pieces to discover outside, and even more contemporary art exhibits inside The Bass Museum (see the current exhibits).

the road with collins park across the street. There's a standing rock sculpture, each rock is standing on the other but each is painted a different vibrant neon colour, The bottom is blue, neon yellow, orange, red and pink. There are palm trees lining the way to the museum building at the end of the park.

3. Walk/Bike Along The Boardwalk In South Beach

Behind all the fancy hotels on Collins Avenue is the South Beach boardwalk.

The boardwalk takes you the entire way down the beach.

It’s both pedestrian and bike-friendly, so you can walk, or bike, down the boardwalk enjoying views of the beach without ever having to step foot on the sand or worry about cars!

Biking is definitely a faster mode of transportation to see more of the boardwalk. You can rent a bike in advance through Viator. They provide you with everything you need for a day of biking including a helmet, bike lock, and even a water bottle to stay hydrated!

Or if you’re interested in a guided tour of South Beach Miami, book this guided biking tour on Viator instead.

P.S. depending on which hotel you book, they might offer bike rentals with your stay. Bike rentals were included in our stay at the AC Hotel by Marriott.

a family with their backs to the camera walk along the stone path boardwalk. There are bushes and palm trees on either side of them, shielding them from both the road and the beach.

4. Tour The Art Deco District (& Versace’s Mansion)

On Ocean Drive, next to Lummus Park is the art deco district of South Beach Miami.

You won’t find any more high rises here; instead, it’s all about pastel coloured, 20’s style boutique hotels. I’ll admit, it’s a welcomed change from the giant fancy hotels on Collins Avenue.

Just as you can walk inside the hotels on Collins Avenue, you can (and should) also walk inside the hotels on Ocean Drive.

It’s incredible to see how different each hotel is – inside and out!

a vibrant happy photo with popping colours of an art deco hotel in south beach Miami in the art deco district. the hotel is onyl three stories tall, it's white and a lemon yellow paint with an awning shadowing the first floor. Three people sit on the steps leading to the hotel escaping the sun. There's a palm tree on either side of the hotel, both bending towards the left, from the wind. There are bright white clouds behind the hotel, but the rest of the sky is bright blue.

To get a full appreciation for the Art Deco architecture and influence in South Beach Miami, book a guided walking tour on Viator.

But one of the must see Art Deco homes is Versace’s Mansion, the infamous home of late fashion icon Gianni Versace. I say infamous because it’s on these stairs that he was shot dead in 1997…

Today though, the Versace Mansion is home to a restaurant and hotel called The Villa Casa Casuarina At The Former Versace Mansion.

You can see the outside for free, but to get a look inside you’ll have to either eat at the restaurant or stay at the hotel. And apparently the inside is absolutely magnificent!

the street view of the art deco district in Miami Beach Florida. Colourful art deco buildings line the left side, with umbrellas and palm trees covering their facades. The street road along all the way to tall, modern buildings in the distance. There are no cars driving down or parked. On the right side, you can see a red sidewalk, with grass and more palm trees

5. Take In Some Rooftop Views Of South Beach Miami

The beach is beautiful, especially if you can enjoy it from afar…

And the best way to do that is from a rooftop terrace! Relax and just take in those beach views from above.

There aren’t too many rooftop options in South Beach but you only need one!

Our hotel (AC Hotel Marriott) had a rooftop pool with a view of South Beach so we got in our fix there, but you have to be a guest of the hotel.

So if you aren’t staying at a hotel with a view, the top place to go is Watr. They have jaw dropping views, but it is on the expensive side. They serve Japanese specialties and fun cocktails throughout the day.

seeing the beach from a far, across overgrown grass and bushes. A top the green grass, you can see blue and white umbrella tops. Beyon that is a darker blue strip of ocean water before it meets the blue sky. The lifeguard tower is above it all, with a white and green painted rooft and a lifeguard deck. There are two flags blowing in the wind, a purple and yellow, showing beach goers the beach conditions of the day.

A slightly more reasonably priced rooftop bar, is Highbar for Mexican eats. The view is more buildings less beach, but it’s still more secluded than being on the street.

6. Miami South Beach Activities: Shop At The Weekend Artisan Market

I love a good local market and South Beach Miami has one for you!

If you’re visiting on the weekend, you might stumble upon their weekly market in Lummus Park.

It takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. You’ll find everything from artwork and clothes, to refreshing drinks!

artisan market at south beach along the board walk. White pop up tens with good and people standing shopping at each one. The palm trees are in a line behind them, you can see some buildings sticking out in the cracks behind all the greenery.

7. Indoor Skating and Bowling Alley at The Edition

This is a true hidden gem in Miami… literally… It’s hidden in the basement of a hotel.

Downstairs at the Edition hotel is a secret bar with its own bowling alley and skating rink.

So if the weather isn’t holding up for the day, or you’re looking for a fun evening activity with the family, this is a great option.

It turns into a bar after 9:00 pm, but if you’re under 21 you can still go between 5:00 and 9:00 P.M.

a neon light bowling alley with a rainbow of colours. There are four alleys with pins at the end. One woman's silhouette is seen with a bowling ball in her hand about to lunch it down the lane.

8. Unique Things To Do In Miami: Visit The Botanical Gardens

If you want to get as far away from the ocean as possible, the botanical gardens are in the exact opposite direction of the beach!

I didn’t have time to go myself, I was only able to drive by them and peek inside, but they looked pretty beautiful!

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden looks like a dream city escape to walk through and forget where you are! Oh and did I mention it’s free admission!?

palm trees reaching high in the blue sky. There are a few white clouds in the distance, the sun is glaring into the photo on the right side.

9. Explore One Of The Many Museums On South Beach Miami

It might surprise you, but South Beach Miami is a huge art hub. They have several art galleries you can walk into, public art sculptures around the city, and a few museums to visit.

So if you don’t know what to do in South Beach Florida on a rainy day, these museums are the perfect place to go!

I already mentioned the Bass Museum at Collins Park for changing modern and ancient art exhibits.

a bright sunny day in the art deco disctrict in south beach miami. People walk along the red sidewalk, sandwiched by grass on either side. You can along see the top corners of the palm trees that hang above. On the right side is the street, with some parked cars, and short art deco buildings, painted white with pastel accent colours. There are america flags blowing in the wind of the rooftops of two of them .

Along Lincoln Avenue you’ll find the Museum of Illusions Miami for a bit of fun and photo opportunities!

Ocean Drive doesn’t disappoint either! As I mentioned, you have to walk inside the hotels along Ocean Drive, but you really won’t want to miss The Betsy, with free and constantly changing photography galleries.

You can also check out the Wolfsonian Museum with even more art, and if you’re interested, the World Erotic Art Museum.

inside the lowes hotel on collins avenue in miami-beach. Palm trees welcome you up the stairs. There's an open rooftop above you, before it ends and there's a line up of palm trees. It's intriguing to see where they'll lead

10. What To Do In South Beach Florida If You Have A Car

If you’re able to Uber or have access to a car, you have unlimited non-beach Miami South Beach activities at your fingertips!

There are even more museums you can go to, like the Miami History Museum and the Museum of Art and Design just a short drive away from South Beach.

But, what stands out to me, and are really worth a short drive are the Wynwood Walls and Bayside Marketplace…

P.S. You can also drive to Boca Raton, about 45 minutes away, where I have even more unique non-beach Florida activities!

an alligator sit very still in the grass, laying low at the everglades near boca raton florida, just soaking up the sun

Wynwood Walls: A Graffiti Haven

Wynwood Walls is an Instagramer’s dream, or really anyone who’s into photography and art!

Wynwood Art district is a small neighbourhood filled with beautifully graffitied walls. Wynwood Walls is a section in the district with commissioned artwork that you have to check out.

The graffiti is also constantly being updated, so you can keep coming back every time you’re in South Beach Miami!

I will admit, it’s a bit sketchy to walk around the neighbourhood, but if you stay within the main blocks you won’t have an issue.

fun-at-wynwood-walls- — *You can have a lot of fun at Wynwood Walls with the magnificent graffiti!*

Or if you’d rather stay on the safe side, book this guided art and food walking tour with a guide on Viator.

Go On A Boat Tour At Bayside Market

Bayside was actually recommendation from my hair stylist when I was in South Beach for a wedding. She said the main thing to do at Bayside was to go on a boat tour of the bay.

I didn’t have a chance to make it there, but it seems like there’s no shortage of things to do in the area, including food stalls and shopping!

You can also opt to go on this Viator tour that takes you to Wynwood, Little Havana, and a boat cruise through millionaire row at Bayside Marketplace.

Plan the ultimate vacation

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Places To Stay In South Beach Miami

I stayed at the AC Hotel Marriot and love our stay there. It’s a modern hotel that was very clean and comfortable. Although it isn’t a beach front hotel, it is just a short walk across the street and they have a relaxing rooftop pool to enjoy. Other perks we enjoyed were free bike rentals with the hotel and continental breakfast buffet! See room rates & availability.

Here are some other alternatives I’ve heard about with great reviews and perks;

If I could afford it, I would have loved to have booked a room at The Miami Beach EDITION. My cousin had her wedding here, and you’ really get celebrity treatment from the moment you walk in. Did I mention they also have a nightclub and bowling alley in the hotel? See room rates and availability.

If you still want luxury without the insanely high bill, book a room at the Leows Miami Beach Hotel. It’s also in a prime location on Collins Avenue and has the beach access in back. See room rates & availability.

See more accommodations in South Beach Miami on Booking.com.