Miami is an incredibly popular spot for family vacations: warm weather, a vibrant atmosphere and dawn-till-dusk activities that will keep even the fussiest kids amused. With a family vacation, though, it’s so easy for the cost to rack up, especially if you have a few young children. Here are a few ideas for some low or no-cost fun during a family vacation in Miami.
Kids love wildlife, so while you should take the time to visit one of the top animal attractions, Jungle Island, while you’re in Miami. They’ll love it. Famous for its beaches, who’d have thought that Miami also hosts the world’s largest cat?! The kids will be talking about it for ages! Oh, and they’ll also want to make friends with the orangutans! The best part is you can get online discounts to visit.
Believe it or not, families can also take a relaxed day out at one of the many farms dotted around if they go further north in Miami. Entry to most of these is free during the week. Kids can learn historical facts, including sugar pressing, as well as a fishing lake and cow milking. Some farms feature petting zoos, where your kids can pet the animals, as well as learning about them. Something a bit different and a little less expensive than visiting a zoo, a farm is a perfect lazy-day activity.
Of course, if there’s one thing everyone loves about Miami it’s the beaches, which are sublime. Some have special sandbar areas with lifeguards, which creates a safe place for children to swim, as well as playgrounds and fun fairs. Bringing sports activities like some soccer balls can also keep young boys amused on a visit to the beach. You can also rent surfboards, kayaks or snorkels for a minimal cost.
For too-hot or rainy days, Miami’s libraries provide free and fun activities for kids, including storytelling, puppet theaters and various crafts programs. As well as activities for children, libraries across Miami contain various attractions for parents, including gardens and art galleries with constantly changing exhibits.
For teenage and older boys, Miami is also blessed with skate parks, some offering free lessons for those under 12, and only a few dollars admission. Most are open all day on weekdays.
For more culturally minded boys, Miami has a wealth of tours throughout the different historic and culturally diverse districts, with many free or very cheap walking tours. The guides are well-informed and will highlight historically interesting buildings and places of interest. There are many tours for every kind of interest, from the culturally diverse district of Little Havana to tours of famous buildings and their histories.
So visiting Miami on a family vacation needn’t break the bank. Sometimes you just have to be a little inventive and use your imagination!
This article was contributed by Charlotte Evans.
I didn’t know much about these things you can do in Miami. Looks like fun, especially when you’re saving money while doing so. 🙂
My kids are chomping at the bit to get to Florida and check out the skate parks. I just found something they can do this summer lol – get a map of the East Coast and put push pins in at every skate park they want to visit!!