Why anyone would want to take a day trip from South Beach to somewhere else is a bit of a conundrum. South Beach, the neighborhood on the island of Miami Beach, just about has it all, but if you’re bored with its superficiality, what it has to offer recreation-wise, or just want to see more of Florida, then taking a day trip out of South Beach is the obvious solution.
The only question is, where can you go on a day trip from South Beach? The answer to that is plenty of places. Miami itself should probably come top of the list, but there’s Fort Lauderdale, too, if you want city activities, or you can forget urbanization altogether and spend the day on a boat in Biscayne National Park.
South Beach is well situated if you want to spend the day exploring the Everglades, take a road trip to the Florida Keys, or if you want to make it the day trip of a lifetime, catch a ferry to the Bahamas. For a day trip from South Beach, believe it, you will not be short of some seriously exciting options. And before you head out on your next Florida adventure, make sure you’re not carrying more than you need to. Visit a South Beach Miami luggage storage to drop off everything you don’t need first.
Where To Go On A Day Trip From South Beach
Miami
While it may be just across the water from South Beach, Miami is a city where you can easily spend a full day doing one cultural activity after another. It’s a good choice if you’re having the day out with kids too as there’s not a lot of traveling involved. A 20-minute drive or cab ride will see you crossing the MacArthur Causeway and arriving at your destination where you can choose to do any of the following:
- Ride on the Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel
- Go to see the Wynwood Walls
- Be wowed by the Van Gogh Immersive Experience
- Visit the Philip and Patricia Frost Science Museum
- Get freaked out in the Museum of Illusions
- Cycle the beach boardwalk in Hollywood
- Swim or relax in a spa at the Venetian Pool
- Browse around the Bayside Marketplace
- Visit the Perez Art Museum
Tour The Everglades
The Everglades is a unique environment everyone should go to see when they’re staying as close as you will be when you’re in South Beach. No, you won’t see all of Everglades National Park in one day trip from South Beach as it covers an area of one and a half million acres, but you will see part of it.
To get the most out of this unique experience it’s best to take a tour with one of the authorized agencies like Gray Line Miami. While they do run short tours of three to four hours, the best is their six hour tour which includes a boat ride around Biscayne Bay after you’ve been exploring the Everglades wetlands by airboat. Seeing alligators and lots of other wildlife up close is guaranteed.
Explore Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is only half an hour’s drive from South Beach and a great choice for a day trip as there’s so much to see and do there. It’s also a lot more laid back than Miami, so if you’re looking to have a more relaxed day without too much hype and hustle this could be the place to go.
Put at least three of the following on your to-do list and you’ll be sure to have an amazing day:
- Go sightseeing for free on the Sun Trolley
- Cruise the canals on a speedboat or gondola
- Spend a peaceful hour among the fluttering bugs at Butterfly World
- Enjoy some retail therapy on Las Olas Boulevard
- Take a look around the Antique Car Museum
It’s a good idea to plan the activities for your day out in Fort Lauderdale in advance or you could find yourself sitting on the waterfront sipping a mojito while watching the world go by. It’s that sort of city.
Take A Road Trip
Book a car rental, set your alarm, and wake up early for a road trip from South Beach to Key West. There are plenty of places to stop along the way where you can get something to eat, but if you can, pack a cooler with food and drinks, as there are also lots of super scenic spots to have a picnic, which is much more fun.
This road trip will take you 150 miles down the US1 southbound through the Florida Keys. You’ll have the ocean on either side as you motor down what is known as the Overseas Highway through Key Largo to Tavernier and Islamorada.
Keep going and you’ll cross incredible structures like the Seven Mile Bridge at Pigeon Key before you get to Key West. Yes, it’s a long drive there and back, but you won’t complain about being behind the wheel once you see the views.
Head To The Bahamas
When you want to make a day trip from South Beach that’s really different, then think about catching the ferry to Bimini Island in the Bahamas. It makes for a lengthy, but really exciting day out.
To get there you’ll need to catch the regular fast ferry service from the Port of Miami. The ferry usually departs at around 9 am, but you’ll need to be there earlier for embarking, so forget sleeping in.
It’s a two-hour sailing, and once you arrive, you’ll have all day to enjoy this paradisiacal island. Take your snorkeling gear and an underwater camera if you have one, as the waters are crystal clear, and if you’re lucky, you might even have company on your swim in the form of a dolphin or two. Day trips from South Beach don’t get much better than that.
Images
Miami – https://unsplash.com/photos/mqpawAQXRyA
Croc – https://unsplash.com/photos/qT0QK7IPBiw
W Walls – https://unsplash.com/photos/bYlH5M3bfpg
Bimini – https://unsplash.com/photos/DgdEIojxSak
Citations
https://tourscanner.com/blog/fun-things-to-do-in-miami/
https://www.planetware.com/florida/top-rated-day-trips-from-miami-us-fl-394.htm