Last Updated on August 2, 2024
If you’re loooking for things to do in Miami for adults, or have just had your fill of South Beach, Little Havana, and the shops in Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, you may want to look in on these little gems.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
By Jim Ferri
The Most Popular Thing to Do in Miami for Adults: Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Vizcaya is one of the great gems of Miami. Many tourists who visit South Florida, as well as some of the locals, have never visited this magnificent historic residence.
Industrialist James Deering, who in the early 20th century decided to build himself a 16th-century style Italian estate, constructed it on Biscayne Bay. He succeeded spectacularly and the property – a blend of Renaissance and Neoclassical styles due to changes made over the years – contains many of the items purchased by Deering on his shopping trips all over Europe.
In the rear of the property, on the Bay, striped poles along the shoreline evoke the beauty of Venice, while its beautiful formal gardens mix Italian and French features with the tropical foliage of Florida. If you see no other site in Miami during an afternoon away from the beach, this should be it.
Bass Museum, Another Great Place for Adults to Visit in Miami
This small Miami museum is just a very short walk from South Beach and explores the connections between its historical collections and contemporary art. It has a good collection, which while not as extensive as many other South Florida museums, does include some wonderful pieces from the 15th to 17th centuries including European paintings, textiles and sculpture containing some Renaissance pieces, and beautiful 16th-century Flemish tapestries. Its special exhibitions can also be good.
Cloisters of the Ancient Spanish Monastery
These cloisters, hidden away in North Miami a half-hour or so drive from South Beach, is a shock for many travelers. Even most Miami locals have no idea that such a place exists right on their doorstep. The Cloisters of the Ancient Spanish Monastery are a great place for adults to visit in Miami.
Part of a Cistercian monastery built in Spain in the 12th century, these cloisters were bought by millionaire William Randolph Hearst in 1925. He had the building totally disassembled stone by stone – 35,000 stones in all – and meticulously packed for shipment to America. But before they left Spain the boxes were opened and many of the stones were mixed up. Until the early 1950s, the boxes of rock were stored in New York City, until some enterprising people decided to try to put the whole jigsaw puzzle back together again.
Now an Episcopal church, it’s a magnificent spot to visit and a place you would never expect to exist in Miami. In addition to its beautiful rooms and gardens you’ll also find some stones that are just lying about since to this very day no one can figure out just where they’re supposed to go.
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Although a bit further afield from South Beach and downtown Miami, The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is still an incredibly interesting place to visit for adults in Miami . Located in southern Palm Beach County north of Boca Raton, it’s a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida.
It was begun in the early 20th century by a group of Japanese farmers who came with the intention of revolutionizing agriculture in Florida. The colony, called the Yamato colony, fell short of its goals and all of the farmers except one ultimately left. That farmer, George Sukeji Morikami. continued his work for many years until the time, in his 80s, when he donated the land to the County.
Today it is a magnificent small museum with stunning Japanese gardens, bamboo groves, a bonsai collection, a rock garden and much more, including a fascinating exhibit of a Japanese home. The museum also has a small cafeteria which makes it a great place to while away an afternoon having lunch or Tea before walking around the complex.
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If you go:
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
3251 S. Miami Ave.
Miami, FL 33129
(305) 250-9133
Open daily except Tuesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day 9:30 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.
Adults $15, Seniors (62+) $10
http://www.vizcayamuseum.org
Bass Museum
2100 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-7530
Wednesday – Sunday Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Adults $8, seniors $6
https://thebass.org/
Cloisters of the Ancient Spanish Monastery
16711 West Dixie Hwy.
North Miami Beach, Fl 33160
(305) 945-1461
Open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m — 5 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 — 5:00 p.m. Sunday
Adults: $8.00, Seniors (62+) $4.00
http://www.spanishmonastery.com
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
4000 Morikami Park Rd.
Delray Beach, FL 33446
(561) 495-0233
Adults $13, Seniors (65+) $12
Open Tuesday — Sunday 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.
www.Morikami.org
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