Do not plan a Miami Seaquarium visit on Virginia Key

The Biltmore opened in January 1926 as one of Florida's grand resorts, with a Moorish tower, a very large historic pool and an 18-hole golf course. It later served as a military hospital before returning as a hotel and a National Historic Landmark. Even if you do not sleep here, walk the lobby and grounds for a…

Every November the Miami Book Fair fills downtown Miami with author talks, readings and a weekend Street Fair. Programming runs in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole, which suits the city's mix. Plan around the closing weekend for the book stalls, food and music, and check the official site for which sessions need…

On the last Friday of each month, Calle Ocho in Little Havana turns into a free street party with live music, dance, galleries, murals and food stalls. Start around the afternoon, join the free evening walking tour that begins at the Tower Theater, and finish with a Cuban sandwich or mojito. Parking is tight, so take…

Ball & Chain on Calle Ocho opened in 1935 as a jazz club and was revived in 2014 as a restaurant and live-music venue. Look for salsa nights, bachata and live jazz through the week, with the Ball & Chain Trio playing on some days. Check the events page, arrive early for a table, and book ahead for a group. Friday and…

The Caribbean Marketplace, called Mache Ayisyen, is a 9,000 square foot hall at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, modeled on the Iron Market in Port-au-Prince. Inside you can browse Haitian paintings, crafts and handmade pieces, and sit with food and music. Saturdays are the livelier day, with vendors and special…

Casa de los Trucos on Calle Ocho is a family-run costume and prank shop that opened in Miami in 1972 and traces back to Havana. Its catalog covers thousands of costume styles, plus theatrical makeup and joke gadgets that make fun souvenirs. It is open Monday to Saturday year-round and daily in October, when lines can…

The Venetian Causeway hops across a string of small man-made islands between Miami and Miami Beach, with low bridges and open water on both sides. Walk or cycle it in the last hour before sunset for the downtown skyline over Biscayne Bay and long, golden light on the water. Locals jog and ride here, so keep to the…

This beach on Virginia Key opened in 1945 as the only bathing beach for Black Miamians, after a wade-in protest earlier that year at Haulover Beach. It closed in 1982, and community effort saved it from becoming a private resort; it reopened in 2008 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Walk the shaded…