Miami’s financial district and historic downtown combine to create the most fast-paced part of the city, where world class shopping, restaurants, and cultural landmarks come with views of Biscayne Bay.
Brickell Point, at the mouth of the Miami River along Biscayne Bay, is the birthplace of Miami, where the Tequesta set up shop centuries ago and the Brickells and Henry Flagler made their first impacts. Today, it’s the dividing point of Miami’s two tallest neighborhoods, Downtown and Brickell. Once two fairly distinct areas, the last couple of decades of development have led them to share a skyline, and effectively feel like one continuous sea of skyscrapers. Miami’s urban center is home to the NBA’s Miami Heat, the city’s art, science, and history museums, and the city’s most iconic buildings. And tens of thousands of locals also call the area home. Here’s how to best explore downtown and Brickell, enjoying the bright lights without getting lost in the concrete canyons.
If you’re coming from elsewhere in South Florida, the Brightline train drops you right in the center of downtown. TRI-Rail only gets you as close as the airport, though plans exist to extend it to Miami Central Station within the next few years.
Downtown and Brickell are a couple of the areas of Miami that are easier to get to via public transportation. The Metrorail Orange Line runs from Miami International Airport to Historic Overtown, Government Center, and Brickell stations, which all sit in the heart of the neighborhood. You can then transfer to the Metromover system to get around, or walk if the weather is cooperating. You can also take the Metrorail Green Line downtown from points south, and stop at the same stations.
If you didn’t take a picture of yourself in front of the Oculus with a hammerhead shark swimming by, did you really even go to the Frost Museum?
The Frost Science Museum is Miami’s cultural crown jewel, a state-of-the-art science museum and aquarium where you’ll learn all about South Florida’s natural surroundings. From the top floor, you can pet stingrays and gaze down into the Gulfstream, a martini-glass-shaped, three-story aquarium filled with hammerhead sharks, rays, and other tropical marine life. The museum also displays coral reef ecosystems on the floors below, as well as a full science museum and planetarium.
Urban Miami’s most popular jogging and running route is the 1.25-mile loop around Brickell Key. The short bridge at the end of SE 8th Street crosses Biscayne Bay, with clear views south to the water and north to the city skyline. The stroll around the island takes you past the best street-level views in Miami, as you meander the Bayshore and feel a warm breeze, gazing out at Key Biscayne, Port Miami, downtown, and finally the Brickell skyline upon your return.
While Miami isn’t teeming with public greenspace, one of the few hidden gems is this wooded enclave where S. Miami Ave. meets SE 15th Street. The park sits in a rare, preserved section of the tropical hardwood hammock that once ran all the way south to Biscayne Bay, and gives you an idea of what the place looked like before rampant development. You’ll see native plants like live oaks, gumbo limbos, strangler figs, and dogwoods, all of which provide a perfect shady getaway from the fast paces neighborhoods that surround it.
One might wonder how a sleepy little swamp village transformed into a tropical Metropolis in just over 100 years. Most of the answers lie at HistoryMiami, downtown’s landmark history museum. Exhibits cover everything from the early indigenous people who set up along the Miami River to objects from important parts of the city’s history. It’s a fascinating look at how the city has changed its identity so many times in such a short period and also offers frequent temporary exhibits devoted to local icons like Willy Chirino and Walter Mercado.
The Miami Metromover runs from the southern end of Brickell, through the neighborhood, and north through downtown to the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts. Taking both the Brickell and Omni loops takes you through the entire city, with sprawling waterfront views atop its bridges, and past famous sites like the Miami Circle, Freedom Tower, and Kayesa Center. It’s not only a convenient way to traverse downtown and Brickell, but it’s also a cool way to get the lay of the land and see all the sites from the comfort of an air-conditioned tram.
As the most densely populated area south of Manhattan, Downtown and Brickell have no shortage of fantastic places to eat for any budget. Coyo Taco and Stanzione 87 take the titles of best tacos and pizza, the latter also offering a stellar collection of Italian Wines. For dinner with a view, hit La Mar at the Mandarin Oriental or Crazy For You on Brickell Bay Drive. Fine dining doesn’t get much better than Novikov, where pan-Asian delicacies come with a stocked raw bar. Zuma sits inside the Epic Hotel, and is the neighborhood’s best place for see-and-be-seen dining. Stop in and watch a game at Batch Gastropub, and stay for the best bar food in Miami. Or try Chef Michelle Bernstein’s Cuban spot at Bayside Marketplace, La Canita.
Miami’s top shopping spot is Brickell City Center, in the heart of Brickell. Most importantly, it’s home to the neighborhood’s lone Apple story, but you’ll also find outposts from Hugo Boss, Giuseppe Zanotti, Indochino, and a Sake Fifth Avenue. The three-square-block, 500,000-square-foot mall is plenty of other stores too, as well as an upscale movie house at CMX Cinemas and an adult mini-golf course at Puttshack. You’ll find four different Publix in the neighborhood as well, though the easiest one to navigate sits near the Brightline station. You’ll also find plenty of CVS and Walgreens scattered throughout.
In Brickell, the Novotel is a reasonably priced hotel with a fantastic rooftop, and while it’s a bit of a walk to shops and bars saves considerable money. For something more upscale, stay at the East Hotel in Brickell City Centre, or the Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key, In downtown, the Kimpton EPIC Hotel has a trendy atmosphere with an upscale seafood restaurant on the 16th floor. And the Yves Hotel sits right on Biscayne Blvd. and offers a moderate-cost alternative to more-expensive corporate chains.
Anyone who wants to surround themselves with the urban energy of a major world city will love staying in Downtown or Brickell. The area is filled with people and energy at nearly all hours, and as it offers quick access to Wynwood, South Beach, and other area attractions, it makes a convenient jumping-off point to explore the city. Be advised: There’s no beach in this neighborhood, and traffic and parking can be a challenge. So if you’re looking to lay out or explore by car, you may want to look into other areas.
