Miami 5-Day Itinerary

How this 5-day Miami plan works

Miami + Everglades + Keys

Each day below is grouped geographically so you spend your time in Miami rather than in transit. You need a rental car for the Everglades, Keys and Wynwood; South Beach + Brickell are walkable / rideshare-friendly. Metromover is free around Downtown/Brickell; Metrorail reaches MIA in 15 min. Brightline high-speed rail connects MiamiCentral to Fort Lauderdale (30 min), West Palm Beach (60 min) and Orlando (3h30) — game-changer since 2023.

Day by day

• Day 1

  Day 1–2 — South Beach + Wynwood + Little Havana highlights above.

• Day 2

  Day 3 — Everglades airboat + alligator tour half-day, evening back in Miami.

• Day 3

  Day 4 — Drive to Key Largo (1h) — snorkel John Pennekamp Reef, Islamorada dinner.

• Day 4

  Day 5 — Continue to Key West (2h30) — Mallory Square sunset, Duval Street.

Where to base yourself

• South Beach

  Art Deco hotels along Ocean Drive + Collins; Lincoln Road mall.

• Mid-Beach / North Beach

  Fontainebleau, Faena, Edition, Nobu — quieter luxury strip.

• Brickell

  Manhattan-style financial district — high-rise hotels, Brickell City Centre, rooftop bars.

• Wynwood

  Street-art galleries, brewery scene, indie boutique hotels.

Best time to run this itinerary

December–April is peak — 22–28°C, low humidity, dry days, sold-out hotels (Art Basel first week of December is the pricing peak). May–October is hot (30–33°C), humid, thunderstorm afternoons but hotels can be 40–60% cheaper. June–November is Atlantic hurricane season (statistical peak August–September); watch NOAA.

Before you go

• Rent a car for Everglades, Wynwood and Coral Gables; South Beach + Brickell are walkable.

• Tipping 18–20% at restaurants + a 3% Miami Beach 'resort tax' is added at most hotels.

• Book Brightline train to Orlando (3h30) online — walk-up fares 40% higher.