Things to do in downtown Miami: a day from the Freedom Tower to the bay
A day of things to do in downtown Miami: the Freedom Tower, the city museum, PAMM and Frost Science, Bayfront Park and Bayside, with hours and prices.
The short version
- Best days: Thursday to Sunday, when the Freedom Tower, Museum of Miami and PAMM are all open.
- Free: Bayfront Park, the Metromover, and PAMM on Thursdays after 5 pm.
- Museums: PAMM $18; Museum of Miami $15; Frost Science from $29.95.
- Getting around: Free Metromover, 5:30 am to 10 pm daily.
- Evening: Bayside Marketplace: the observation wheel, bay cruises, dinner on the water.
Do downtown Miami on a Thursday: the Freedom Tower in the morning, the city history museum at noon, the Metromover to PAMM, free entry after 5 pm, and the bay at sunset.
Hour by hour
- 9:00Coffee and breakfast near Flagler · Start at El Sitio Coffee Bar on NE 2nd Avenue for arepas, or at La Boulangerie Boul'Mich in the DuPont Building for pastry. Both are a short walk from the first stop.
- 10:00Freedom Tower · The landmark tower at 600 Biscayne Boulevard, run by Miami Dade College, opens Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. Tickets are timed, so buy online the day before. Parking is free in the college garage at 500 NE 2nd Avenue.
- 12:00Museum of Miami · The city history museum, formerly HistoryMiami, at 101 West Flagler Street opens at noon, Wednesday to Sunday. Give it 90 minutes. Last entry is 4:30 pm.
- 1:45Metromover to Museum Park · Ride the free Metromover north to the museums on Biscayne Boulevard. It runs 5:30 am to 10 pm every day.
- 2:15PAMM or Frost Science · The art museum and the science museum stand side by side on Biscayne Boulevard. Pick one: PAMM for art and the bay terrace, Frost for the aquarium and the planetarium.
- 5:00Bayfront Park · Walk south along the bay. The park at 301 Biscayne Boulevard is open 7 am to 11 pm and has the restored fountain, the Torch of Friendship and the Challenger Memorial.
- 6:30Bayside at sunset · Ride the Skyviews observation wheel, take a bay cruise from the Bayside docks, then eat on the water at Bayside Marketplace.
Downtown sights: hours and prices
| Sight | Address | Hours | Adult price, October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Tower | 600 Biscayne Boulevard | Wed to Sun 10 am to 6 pm; closed Mon and Tue | Timed ticket; check the price when booking |
| Museum of Miami | 101 West Flagler Street | Wed to Sun noon to 5 pm; last entry 4:30 pm | $15; seniors and students $10; ages 6 to 12 $8 |
| Pérez Art Museum Miami | 1103 Biscayne Boulevard | Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun 11 am to 6 pm; Thu to 9 pm; closed Tue and Wed | $18; 62+, students, ages 7 to 18 $14; free Thu after 5 pm |
| Frost Science | 1101 Biscayne Boulevard | Mon to Thu 10 am to 5 pm; Fri to Sun to 6 pm | From $29.95; ages 4 to 11 from $24.95; price varies by date |
| Bayfront Park | 301 Biscayne Boulevard | Daily 7 am to 11 pm | Free |
| Skyviews Miami | Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Boulevard | Check its site | Check its site |
Children are free at PAMM up to age 6, at the Museum of Miami under 6, and at Frost up to age 3. Skyviews did not list hours or prices on the pages we could open.
Museum and park websites, checked October 2026; Freedom Tower hours from the Greater Miami CVB listing
Pérez Art Museum Miami
Modern and contemporary art in the building with hanging gardens over the bay. Adults pay $18, and seniors, students and ages 7 to 18 pay $14.
Thursday is the day: it stays open until 9 pm, and entry is free after 5 pm. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Museum of Miami
The city history museum, formerly HistoryMiami, on the plaza of the Miami-Dade Cultural Center. Adults $15, seniors and students $10, ages 6 to 12 $8.
Open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5 pm. Get your ticket validated and parking in the Cultural Center Garage at 50 NW 2nd Avenue is a flat $5.
Bayfront Park
Downtown's waterfront park, open daily from 7 am to 11 pm. The restored fountain has more than 800 jets and 500 color-changing lights.
The park also has a playground, a fenced dog park, food trucks, community yoga and monuments such as the Torch of Friendship and the Challenger Memorial.
Where they are
Bayside, the wheel and the boats
Bayside Marketplace, at 401 Biscayne Boulevard, is the tourist end of downtown and also where the boat tours leave. The Skyviews observation wheel stands at 200 feet. Its own pages did not list prices or hours when we checked, so look them up on skyviewsmiami.com before you go.
Several cruise companies sail from the Bayside docks, including Island Queen with its Millionaire's Row trip past Star Island. Compare times and prices on each operator's site; our water guides cover them in detail.
For dinner on the water, Bayside has Kuba On The Bay, La Cañita and Black Market Bayside. If the Miami Heat are home, the arena next door fills the area; check the schedule before you drive in.
Before you go
- Go Thursday to Sunday. The Freedom Tower and the Museum of Miami are closed Monday and Tuesday; PAMM is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
- The Metromover is free and runs 5:30 am to 10 pm. From October 24 the Financial District station is closed for about five weeks, and Brickell Loop trips start and end at Brickell station.
- Book the Freedom Tower in advance; its tickets are timed.
- Frost Science prices change by date; buy online to see your day's price. One planetarium show is included, booked on site.
- The free Freedom Tower garage at 500 NE 2nd Avenue is closed Sundays; use Miami Dade College Lot 1 on the south side of the tower instead.
- Museum of Miami parking is a flat $5 with validation, at the Cultural Center Garage, 50 NW 2nd Avenue.
Questions people ask
What is there to do in downtown Miami?
The Freedom Tower, the Museum of Miami, the Pérez Art Museum and Frost Science, Bayfront Park, and Bayside Marketplace with its observation wheel and bay cruises. The free Metromover links them.
What can I do for free in downtown Miami?
Walk Bayfront Park, ride the free Metromover, and visit PAMM free on Thursdays after 5 pm. The park is open 7 am to 11 pm.
Which day is best for downtown Miami museums?
Thursday. The Freedom Tower, the Museum of Miami and PAMM are all open, and PAMM stays open until 9 pm with free entry after 5 pm.
How much is the Pérez Art Museum?
$18 for adults and $14 for seniors 62 and over, students and ages 7 to 18 in October 2026. Children 6 and under are free.
Is the Metromover free?
Yes. It runs from 5:30 am to 10 pm, seven days a week, with 21 stations from Brickell to Omni.
More guides
Museums in Miami worth your time, and the free days that make them cheaperMuseums · Art · 8 min read
Bayside Marketplace: boat rides, restaurants, hours and parking on the bayDowntown · Downtown · Boat tours · 4 min readParking in downtown Miami: city garages, the $1 shopping rate, meters and the free MetromoverDowntown · Parking · Downtown · 4 min readHours and prices from pamm.org, frostscience.org, museumofmiami.org and bayfrontparkmiami.com; Freedom Tower from the Greater Miami CVB listing; Skyviews height from skyviewsmiami.com; Metromover from miamidade.gov; all checked October 2026.