Miami route: 7 places from historic downtown to Miami Beach
The 36.8-kilometer Miami route covers the historic downtown area, downtown Miami, legendary Miami Beach with the Versace mansion, the prestigious Bal Harbour neighborhood, and the business-friendly Brickell District. The journey highlights the contrast between the city's luxurious coastal neighborhoods and its multicultural life.
- Distance
- 36.8 km
- Duration
- 7 h 22 min
- Mode
- route
- Start
- History of Miami
- End
- The Road Neighborhood
- Stops
- 7
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- History of Miami — The transformation of a late 19th-century fishing village into a global hub of tourism, business, and cultural diversity.
- Miami Downtown & Ocean — Humid air, salt from the ocean, Cuban music. Narrator's first impressions of Miami's sensory character.
- Miami Beach – Versace Mansion Area — Where narrator first lived upon arrival in Miami, near the Versace mansion.
- Versace Mansion — Historic landmark; narrator lived nearby on Miami Beach.
- Bal Harbour — Unique upscale neighborhood with evening promenade walks and shopping.
- Brickell District — Modern financial and residential district with high-rise buildings; visible from nearby neighborhoods.
- The Road Neighborhood — Historic residential area; home to a mansion once built by a Cuban president.
Useful for your trip
- Where to stay
- The Roads is a historic neighborhood of Art Deco homes (built in the 1940s) located between Brickell, Coconut Grove, and Coral Gables, offering easy access to everything.
- Where to stay
- Bal Harbour is a unique place in South Florida where you can stroll in the evening, less crowded than the main tourist areas. It's famous for its large shopping mall.
- Where to stay
- Miami Beach near the Versace Mansion is a tourist area with pink sunsets, palm trees, the ocean and expensive cars, but it can feel like a movie set
- Transport
- Research the neighborhoods before visiting—some black areas are dangerous to drive in at night, especially for tourists unfamiliar with the city. Know your way around and ask locals.
- Timing
- Since the COVID pandemic, Miami real estate and housing prices have been soaring due to a massive exodus from other American cities.
- Tip
- Spanish is widely spoken in Miami, with Cuban, Venezuelan, and Argentinian accents. Knowing Spanish will help you communicate with the locals.
- Avoid
- Avoid unknown areas of the city center at night alone. The city has a double bottom: next to luxury lie areas of poverty and crime.
- Tip
- Downtown Miami is beautiful and bright during the day, but it requires some advance research. Without a GPS and knowledge of the city, it's easy to get lost.
- Where to stay
- Brickell District is an area with new high-rises built in the last 10-15 years, located near The Roads and Coconut Grove, with good infrastructure.
- Tip
- South Beach is known for one of the largest collections of Art Deco buildings in America, perhaps even the world.
Video on this route
Miami for Adults: Life in the Pleasure Capital