Miami Beyond South Beach: Cuban Coffee, Wynwood Murals, and the City Behind the Neon

Front Porch Cafe on Ocean Drive serves solid breakfast with a view of the beach, and the portions are generous. Big Pink on Collins is the locals' diner pick, with massive plates and a no-frills attitude. Both open early.

Start at the Art Deco Welcome Center at 1001 Ocean Drive. Walk Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Espanola Way to see the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. The official Miami Design Preservation League guided tour departs at 10:30am daily and includes museum admission. Or download a free self-guided map from their website.

The beach between 5th and 15th Streets is the classic South Beach experience. South Pointe Park at the southern tip is less crowded, with views of cruise ships leaving PortMiami and a grassy area for picnics. Do not rent beach chairs from the vendors walking the sand without agreeing on a price first.

Puerto Sagua is a Cuban diner on Collins that has survived South Beach's transformation since 1962. The Cuban sandwich and black beans are the real deal at non-tourist prices. La Sandwicherie on 14th Street makes French-style pressed sandwiches with fresh ingredients for $10-14.

Lincoln Road is a pedestrian-only shopping street between 16th and 17th. Skip the chain stores and focus on people-watching, gallery browsing, and the farmers market if you are there on Sunday morning. Books and Books is an excellent independent bookstore at the west end.

Ocean Drive restaurants are tourist traps with aggressive hosts, but the sunset views are genuinely good. Pick a spot, order one drink, and enjoy the light show. Or walk one block to Espanola Way, a quieter pedestrian street with better food and less hustle. Check your bill carefully, as some Ocean Drive spots add automatic gratuity.

A ventanita is a walk-up window on the side of a restaurant or bakery that serves Cuban coffee. Order a colada ($3-4) to share, which comes in a small styrofoam cup with smaller cups for splitting. Or get a cortadito (espresso with steamed milk, $2). Versailles on Calle Ocho has the most famous ventanita, but every block has one.

Start at the corner of SW 8th Street and 15th Avenue and walk east. Stop at Domino Park (Maximo Gomez Park) to watch older Cuban men play dominos, a tradition that has been running for decades. Browse the cigar shops, fruit stands, and the memorials along the Walk of Fame. The rooster sculptures and murals tell the story of the neighborhood's history.

Sanguich is widely considered the best Cuban sandwich in Miami. The bread is pressed until it shatters, the roast pork is slow-cooked, and the proportions are exactly right. Cash and card accepted. There is usually a short line at lunch. Their media noche (on sweet bread) is equally good.

Azucar makes Cuban-inspired ice cream, and the Abuela Maria (vanilla, guava, cream cheese, Maria cookies) is their signature. Los Pinareños is a fruit stand that has been on Calle Ocho since the 1970s, serving fresh tropical fruit shakes, guarapo (fresh sugarcane juice), and coconut water for a few dollars.

A 1916 Italian Renaissance-style villa with 34 rooms and 10 acres of formal gardens on Biscayne Bay. This is one of the best things to do in Miami and most tourists skip it. Book timed-entry tickets online. The gardens are stunning for photography, especially in late afternoon light. Open Wednesday through Monday, last entry at 4:30pm.

Versailles is the most famous Cuban restaurant in Miami, a mirror-walled institution since 1971 where politicians hold press conferences and families celebrate everything. Order the vaca frita (crispy shredded beef) or lechon asado (roast pork). El Exquisito is a smaller, no-frills alternative on Calle Ocho with lower prices and equally good food.

A no-frills Cuban diner on the edge of Wynwood that locals have been eating at for years. The Cuban sandwich and the breakfast plates are straightforward and excellent. Cash only. It gets crowded on weekend mornings, so arrive before 9am.

Wynwood Walls is the curated outdoor museum with murals by internationally known artists, but the entire neighborhood is covered in street art. Walk the blocks around NW 2nd Avenue between 23rd and 29th Streets for free murals on every building. The paid Walls section has the most famous pieces and rotates annually.

The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse (free, Wednesdays through Saturdays) has a serious contemporary art collection. Superblue Miami is an immersive art experience ($36). The smaller galleries along NW 2nd and 3rd Avenues are free and often more interesting than the big-name spaces.

Cerveceria La Tropical bills itself as Cuba's oldest brewery, revived in Wynwood with a massive open-air beer hall and Cuban food menu. The croquetas and fried chicken are excellent. Zak the Baker is a James Beard-nominated bakery with sourdough sandwiches and pastries for a lighter lunch.

A compact four-block grid packed with luxury flagships (Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton), public art installations, and restaurants. Even if you are not shopping, the architecture and art are worth the walk. Look for Buckminster Fuller's Fly's Eye Dome in Palm Court and the rotating public sculptures. Free self-parking validates easily.

Wynwood Brewing Company is the neighborhood's original craft brewery with a laid-back taproom. J. Wakefield Brewing draws beer nerds for creative stouts and IPAs. For a different vibe, take the Metromover to Brickell for rooftop bars like Sugar at East Miami (dress code enforced, arrive before 9pm to avoid the line).

Book a tour that includes hotel pickup and Everglades park admission. Everglades Safari Park and Everglades Holiday Park both run 30-45 minute airboat rides through sawgrass prairies with alligator sightings. Tours depart at 9am and 1pm. Go in the morning for more active wildlife. Avoid June through August when mosquitoes are brutal.

Drive or rideshare across the Rickenbacker Causeway to Key Biscayne for a beach that is quieter and more scenic than South Beach. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park has a historic lighthouse you can climb (free tours), calm water, and two Cuban restaurants on-site. Crandon Park on the north end of the island has a family-friendly beach with a sandbar.

PAMM sits on Biscayne Bay with views of the port and the water. The contemporary art collection is strong, and the building itself (designed by Herzog and de Meuron) is worth seeing. Walk next door to Bayfront Park afterward, or take the Metromover to Brickell for lunch.

Brickell City Centre is an open-air shopping complex with good food options and the Metromover stop right at the entrance. For something more relaxed, head to Coconut Grove and eat at Lulu in the Grove or Green Street Cafe on the main drag. Coconut Grove is Miami's oldest neighborhood with a quieter, village-like atmosphere.

South Pointe Park is at the very tip of South Beach, with unobstructed views of the ocean, Government Cut (the channel where cruise ships pass), and Fisher Island. The sunset here is the best in Miami Beach, and the park is never as crowded as the main beach. Bring takeout from Joe's Stone Crab (takeaway line moves faster) or a sandwich from La Sandwicherie.