There’s something about Summer that thrills us and makes us think about vacationing. Maybe it’s because we’ve been conditioned as children to get excited when school is finally out which happens to be during summer time here in the states. And although we get summer temperatures all year ‘round in Miami, it makes this magic city the place to be with endless adventure for all ages. This past weekend we partnered with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau to visit 3 Miami gems with our 3 under 3 and had such a great time. No matter what age, whether you’re planning on visiting with the family, or on a date with your love, here are places to choose from.
Miami’s Frost Science Museum is a must-see this summer. It has activities and entertainment for the entire family along with a spectacular view of the city. We enjoyed the various levels of the aquarium. One of my toddlers’ favorite floors was the MeLaβ where they played for quite a while and danced to the music on the LED colored sensor floor. Also on the first floor, they have a special educational exhibition happening this summer called the Secret World Inside You which was about microbes from pre-birth to adulthood. With so much to do and 3 little ones tagging along, we paused to eat lunch at Food@Science with friendly staff and service. Plus they have a cafe for mama’s like me who run on coffee!
After a delicious lunch, we continued to the Deep. It’s Frost Science’s iconic aquarium with a massive view where sharks and different type of fish swim. This is the most picturesque spot! Lastly, we visited The Royal Caribbean Vista where you can see the city including the American Airlines Arena along with the beautiful coast. The top of the aquarium is located here as well. There are other tanks with sting-rays, fish, and more. The River of Grass is located here as well which my children loved.
The Frost Science Museum does not disappoint! They even have events happening in the evening (check ahead to find out upcoming events). This remains one of my all-time favorite Miami places to visit.
- Price:
- Adults: $29.95 ($27.95 online*) | Youth (ages 3-11): $20.95 ($18.95 online*)
- Children (2 and under): Free
Museum Location: - 1101 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
- 305-434-9600
Museum Summer Hours (through Sept. 1st): - Open every day of the year!
- M-F 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
- Sat.-Sun. 9:30 am – 7:30 pm
More info HERE
The Miami Seaquarium is both family friendly and perfect for a date as well! I remember visiting a few months before we got engaged and now, here we are 4 years and 3 kids later! Haha! The staff were all welcoming and friendly. We started off by doing a summer fun kid activity of water-coloring with our toddlers. Soon after, we encountered and fed the stingrays at the touch pool for the first time in our lives. I’m not going to lie, I was scared at first because I had never done this, but with the guidance of the kind Seaquarium assistant, I overcame my fear!
Next on the itinerary was the manatee bottle feeding. What I love about the Seaquarium is how they rescue and care for animals like this baby manatee that was found alone. The manatee caretaker bottle-fed it since it’s still a few months old. Then we fed the older manatees lettuce which was also a first for us! We caught the entertaining seal and sea lion show as well as the Killer Whale & Dolphin show featuring Lolita!
Last, we headed to a dolphin show and called it a day. There is also a waterpark area too that we were not able to visit this time around! There is so much to do at the Miami Seaquarium that you may want to consider visiting a second time to catch anything you may have missed on your first trip.
Florida Residents, take advantage of the special rate until June 23! More info HERE.
- PRICES:
- SPECIAL for FL Residents:
- Adults: $29.99 | Child (ages 3 – 9): $29.99
- Restrictions: Available Online Only! Offer valid until June 23, 2019. Florida I.D. required upon check in. (Tickets may not be redeemed on day of purchase.)
General Admission: - $47.99* Adult | Child Admission (3-9 years): $37.99* [*Plus 7% Florida sales tax (SAVE $2 when you buy online)]
Park Location: - 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149
- (305) 361-5705
Park Hours: - 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Next up is our visit to Jungle Island. If you grew up in South Florida, you know it formerly as Parrot Jungle! Jungle Island is full of parrots and exotic birds throughout the entire park. You can literally hear them in the trees. You are able to hold the parrots with the assistance of the park caretakers and snap photos with them.
The park offers lemur interactions as well as a sloth encounter at an additional fee (check site for info). Because we were with our little ones, I was only able to encounter a lemur for the first time ever! She was so friendly. It felt like I was petting a kitten or puppy. It was such a neat experience! My son personally loved seeing the monkeys jumping around and was amused by the noise they made.
Jungle Island also has a pet farm that allowed us to pet adorable goats as long as we wanted. At the Serpentarium my husband overcame his fear after carrying a “harmless” python snake for the first time. Lastly, “Adventure Bay” is a wonderful area especially for children 5+ to have fun jumping on a trampoline, rock climbing wall, etc. During the summer they have inflatable water slides for kids to feel refreshed in the sun.
Check out their upcoming special event for the 4th of July where kids get in free when they wear an animal costume (purchase of adult ticket required).
- Prices:
- Adult: $49.49 | Child (3-10): $37.33
Park Location: - 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, Florida 33132
- Phone: (305) 400-7000
Park Hours: - Open Everyday 10am to 5pm
More Info HERE
Check out a few photos from our eventful weekend below! And a special thank you to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau for making this possible.
Disclosure: This is a paid partnership post for Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. Although event attendance was part of the partnership, all opinions in this blog remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.
