For all the fun things to do in south Florida with any age in every season, check out this comprehensive Miami attractions guide.

Miami, Florida -- once the playground of grandparents and later, European super models -- is also a great family destination. See what there is to do in the sunny city of Miami with kids of any age. For general information on the Miami area, contact the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (305/539-3094).  Also see Florida Yellow Pages for suggestions on places to stay.

Great Fun for the Kids

(Toddler to Age 8)

Jungle Island
1111 Parrot Jungle Trail
Miami, FL 33132
305/400-7000
Home to over 2,000 exotic birds, alligators, a petting zoo, a children's playground and a Miccosukee Indian display, this nature park is a great choice for little ones. The staff makes low feeding stations available for some "hands-on" action and special photo opportunities. There are also wildlife shows and interactive exhibits scheduled frequently. Beautiful botanical gardens stretching over 12 acres (the gardens are wheelchair accessible) serve as a gorgeous backdrop for a half-day visit.

Miami MetroZoo
12400 S.W. 152 Street
Miami, FL 33177
305/251-0400
Rated by experts as one of the best zoos in the world; totally cage-less so that gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, bears, a Bengal tiger and other exotic animals are able to roam around relatively freely. In all, the zoo is home to over 260 species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Also offered are tram tours that take guests behind the scenes to see things like the zoo hospital. The best time to visit is morning or late afternoon.

Butterfly World
3600 W. Sample Road, in Tradewinds Park
Coconut Creek, FL 33073
954/977-4400
Butterfly World opened its doors in 1988, making it the first and largest butterfly house in the United States. A mammoth 8000-square-foot, screened enclosure houses thousands of butterflies in a natural rain forest environment, complete with flowers, trees, a waterfall, a cave, and cooling tropical mist. Extensive outdoor gardens surrounding the enclosure round out the grounds. Young kids will no doubt love being in the midst of these beautiful creatures. 

Fun for Older Children

(Up to Age 18)

Miami Seaquarium
4400 Rickenbacker Causeway
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
305/361-5705
Whales and sharks and seals - oh my! Without a doubt, the main attraction here is Lolita, the resident killer whale who performs in a highly orchestrated, highly drenching (if you're sitting near the tank) show twice daily. (Make sure to call ahead for specific times). Also, the aquarium has an impressive sea lion show and shark presentation making it a fun afternoon for everyone.

Historical Museum of Southern Florida
101 W. Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33130
305/375-1492
Covering 10,000 years of Florida's history, this museum holds a wide range of exhibits that are sure to entertain and inform older children and adults for a few hours. Focus is placed on the current diversity of the state's population, and on the natural environment that was present before anyone set foot in Florida. Teens will enjoy checking out colonial-era cannons and guns.

Wolfsonian Museum
1001 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305/531-1001
This renovated Art Deco warehouse at the corner of 10th Street and Washington Avenue houses one of the world's most intriguing design collections (sculpture, posters, household items, really an enormous variety) from the modern era between 1885 and 1945. The permanent collection is a design buff's dream, and there are often temporary shows which may be of interest to your family. Since it's a stroller-friendly place that charges no admission on Fridays from 6pm-9pm, we think it's a worthwhile stop for every age group before dining at one of the hip South Beach cafes.

GameWorks
5701 Sunset Drive, Suite 330
Miami, FL33143
305/667-4263
It's not your father's arcade! Created by Steven Spielberg, this huge video game complex is geared towards older kids and adults, and features the newest in arcade and virtual reality technology from each of the top gaming companies. Your old favorites, like Pac-Man and Mario Brothers are there too. A bar and casual restaurant are on-site, making GameWorks ideal for a fun, relaxing evening.

Fun for the Whole Family

Art Deco District
Miami Beach, FL 33139
The Art Deco District of Miami is a world-renowned area that covers about one square mile of the heart of South Beach. A whole neighborhood comprised of wild and colorful 1920s and '30s architecture, the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. No visit to Miami would be complete without a guided walking tour of the Art Deco District and its celebrity residents. A good place to start is the Art Deco Welcome Center at 1001 Ocean Drive (305/531-3484.) You can also try the Miami Design Preservation League down the street at 1200 Ocean Drive (305/672-2014), where maps, guided tours and souvenirs are available.

South Beach
Miami Beach, FL 33139
A 15-block area at the southern tip of Miami Beach, this 'tropicool' stretch along the Atlantic Oceanfront has a style all its own. As one of the hippest, trendiest spots on the East Coast, South Beach is a great area for people-watching. You may spot a model being photographed on the sand, a rock star out for a stroll, or an enormous cruise ship leaving the Port of Miami. This busy stretch of gold sand (and the wild roller rink in MacArthur Park) may not be the best spot for a relaxing afternoon, but it's sure worth a visit to check out "the scene."

Lincoln Road Mall
Between 16th & 17th Street
Miami Beach, FL 33139
This fun outdoor mall is a long pedestrian zone packed with high end boutiques like skin care guru Kiehl's, clothing shops like Anthropologie, Quiksilver, and Banana Republic, a movie theatre, and lots of street musicians and mimes. The scene is always fun, as many shops are tucked into restored, two-story Deco landmarks and the walkway itself has fountains and public art on display. Don't miss the sunset and late-night people and pet watching, when Lincoln Road's many outdoor cafes and cafe creatures really come to life. Metered parking is available in municipal lots both north and south of the mall.

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
3251 S. Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33129
305/250-9133
Built in 1916 by the Chicago industrialist James Deering, this 34-room Italian Renaissance-style villa is loaded with period furniture, textiles, sculptures, and paintings from the 15th century on. Highlights inside the house include a rug that Christopher Columbus walked on and a soon to be restored historic village. Outside the house, 10 acres of manicured gardens and ornate fountains overlooking Biscayne Bay are really quite impressive and fun to stroll.

Miami Science Museum and Planetarium
3280 South Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 3312
305/646-4200 
Currently a Spanish building, low-slung and surrounded by palm trees and bright bougainvillea, this simple one-story affair is quite unlike any museum. With some exhibits indoors but mostly outdoors, the museum has a full-scale learning center with free-access computers for after school programs, a state-of-the-art Planetarium, and a variety of rotating exhibits. One the two big attractions is the Wildlife Center, a rehabilitation haven for injured wildlife. The other attraction is Smithsonian Expedition, a one-of-a-kind in museums anywhere. In honor of Miami's Latin Culture, the Smithsonian created for the museum a living, interactive exhibit of early culture in the Americas. There's a Caribbean village; Palapa houses; Olmec stoneware, Andean music and a chance for the kids to conduct a "dig" as they search for archeological remains. We're not how long it will be there. The brand new museum to be known as MiaSci is a modern take on the original adobe roofed, mission-style building that we loved. The palm trees and bright bougainvillea will still be there, but the new museum will rise vetically in Bicentennial Park near the water and a new Art Museum.

Venetian Pool
2701 De Soto Blvd
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305/460-5306 or 305/460-5357
The only pool on the National Register of Historic Places, this 820,000-gallon pool was formed from a rock quarry in 1923. With two waterfalls, coral caves, grottos and stone bridges, the Venetian Pool sees nearly 100,000 visitors every year and is fed with cool spring water. Open seven days a week during the summer season (limited days during off season), the pool also offers classes in water-aerobics, snorkeling and scuba diving. Coolers are not permitted on the premises, but the Venetian Poolside Cafe has a variety of family-friendly menu options. It is fun for the whole family; the only catch is that for safety reasons, children under the age of 3 are not granted entrance.

Bayside Marketplace
401 Biscayne Blvd., R106
Miami, FL 33132
305/577-3344
This marketplace consists 16 beautiful waterfront acres along Biscayne Bay, with many shops, restaurants and a large marina. Street performers and musicians frequent the area, and the harbor view makes for a great shopping/eating atmosphere, but it's definitely more of a generic tourist attraction than the Lincoln Road Mall. Allow a few extra hours to join a coastal cruise past the lovely villas of many film and music stars whose estates line the Intracoastal Waterway -- a real treat.

Everglades National Park
40001 State Road 9336
Homestead, FL 33034
305/242-7700
An ideal daytrip from the Miami area, Everglades National Park is home to the largest remaining sub-tropical wilderness in the continental United States. Found within the winding fresh and saltwater streams and everglade prairies are crocodiles, alligators, armadillos, and a number of endangered bird species. Get the most out of your visit by joining up with a ranger-led hike or discussion.