The most unique things to do in Miami

This curious Miami landmark of colorful, crumbling buildings was originally built in the 1920s and '30s in the shallows on the northern end of Biscayne National Park. Available as a two-hour, government-sanctioned sightseeing cruise departing from Dinner Key Marina in Miami’s Coconut Grove, you'll be treated to stunning views and authentic stories about the area’s history and culture. You might even spot a few dolphins while you’re out there.

These pop-up figure drawing sessions are the perfect way to step outside your comfort zone and channel your artistic energy in a social setting. Raw Figs collaborates with local restaurants, bars, galleries and gardens to bring communities together in a creative space with live models, cocktails and chill vibes. Tickets to the self-guided sessions are donation-based and materials are provided on a first come first serve basis. Keep up with Raw Figs via Instagram or their website for upcoming pop-ups.

Fruit & Spice is the only garden of its kind in the US, a 37-acre park exhibiting more than 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, nuts and exotic edibles. An old schoolhouse and coral rock building recall South Florida’s pioneer life, while the charming gift shop sells spices, jams and jellies, unusual seeds and aromatic teas, plus cookbooks on tropical fruits and vegetables. The park is also the site of recurring events like an annual orchid festival, blues concerts and a summer fruit festival where you can really stock up. Sample anything that's already fallen from a tree one one of the park's free guided tours.

While technically a pro-level park, this hidden gem feels more like a giant community center. SkateBird has three epic spots for skating: the street park (designed in collaboration with Rob Dyrdek’s Street League Skateboarding), the pump track and a mini ramp. Its onsite culinary concept, Yeti’s Snowballs & Pizza, serves naturally-leavened sourdough slices that earned a respectable 7.8 rating from notorious pizza critic and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. Throughout the week, Yeti’s and its adjacent cocktail bar anchor SkateBird’s weekly social events, including comedy and open jam sessions.

Led by two women somms leading the way in Miami’s natural wine scene, Grape Crush is a pop-up drinking social that’s anything but stuffy. With themed gatherings going down at many of the city’s most breezy and buzzed-about restaurants, patios and festivals, these aren’t your typical tastings. Think sips poured from water guns filled with vino and drinking competitions featuring porrón wine decanters. Since each event features an educational component, your buzz also comes with a whole new vocabulary for describing that skin contact pet nat you can’t get enough of.

Rent bikes onsite or bring your own to Shark Valley, a scenic loop and brutalist observation tower located in the heart of the Everglades National Park’s freshwater marsh (entrance is $30 per vehicle). Get up close and personal with nature: The paved loop is wide enough to keep a safe distance from the abundant wildlife, including dozens of gators that spend their days catching rays along the trail’s edge. The path is also accessible by foot and via a tram tour that departs on the hour and lasts around 90 minutes.

Café La Trova Calle Ocho continues to rack up accolades as the pitch-perfect homage to Cuba’s cantinero style of bartending, ranking highly year after year on the annual list of the World’s 50 Best Bars. The cocktail menu takes you back in time from pre-Revolutionary Cuba to present-day Miami: go classic with Magic City Daiquiri (rum, lime juice, sugar, elixir of life), drink to Havana’s famed Hotel Nacional (rum, apricot liquor, pineapple and lime) or sip on a Yin & Tony, an updated gin & tonic with an amusing phonetic moniker. 

This Miami-born independent printer and publisher recently relocated its flagship shop to Design District, an adorable storefront with checkerboard floors that's chock-full of rare and affordable gems—from zines, coffee table books and homewares to an awesomely curated selection of local artworks. Helmed by husband-and-wife duo Lillian Banderas and Steve Saiz, Dale also hosts a bevy of fun free events like Valentine’s Pet Portraits, vinyl DJ sets, live music and more.

This quintessentially English pastime gets the Miami treatment at Cauley Square's Tea Room in Homestead. Located in the charming Cauley Square Historic Village and lovingly preserved since 1974, the English country-inspired Tea Room hosts high tea daily, featuring a selection of finger sandwiches, scones, quiches and sweets (depending on your selection) paired with a variety of international teas and prosecco. High tea seatings last around 90 minutes and require a reservation at least 24 hours in advance.

One of a handful of gatekeepers of 35mm film in Miami, Nite Owl was once a members-only joint but now caters to the masses with its latest incarnation as a drive-in theater in Downtown. BYO snacks and enjoy a flick from the comfort of your car at the Nite Owl Drive-In. Admission is around $20 per vehicle for up to one person (and about $20 per additional person). For audio, tune in via radio or rent personal listening devices for an additional cost.

Known for breaking fresh talent and giving primary museum exposure to under-recognized artists, ICA Miami presents contemporary works and site-specific installations across six galleries and a 15,000-square-foot sculpture garden. A much more manageable (and affordable) proposition than the sprawling Perez Art Museum Miami, this free museum in the heart of the Design District also hosts monthly parties with edgy live acts, riveting public lectures and more.

This long-standing Miami Beach venue at the edge of the sand boasts some of the most eclectic bookings in the city, all set on its picturesque openair stage (a historic landmark and example of Miami’s iconic MiMo architecture). Run by the Rhythm Foundation, a non-profit group devoted to bringing rare world music to Miami, the North Beach Bandshell books both jazz and Latin shows, luring acts from the islands of the Caribbean to the tip of South America, plus a handful of local and touring indie acts and annual festivals.

A popular urban farm with its own edible nursery and online plant shop, the Little River Cooperative also hosts a variety of workshops and events catering to green thumbs and the veg-curious. If you’re in the mood to get your hands dirty while picking up a new skill, learn how to make and use natural dyes, train with an herbalist to learn about plants’ health benefits and more with Little River Co-Op’s experts.