My husband and I explored a lot in Miami before we had a baby and loved every moment of it! But this last trip, we decided to take our now one-year-old with us. When I travel with my toddler, I love having one activity planned per day and one meal planned that’s outside of the hotel. This still allows us to enjoy the area without becoming overwhelmed because we packed our schedule too full. The below itinerary is just that, enjoy!

Day 1:

Land and check in to your hotel. I can’t recommend the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne enough! It is the PERFECT family-friendly resort that feels like you’ve escaped to an island just a short drive away from downtown Miami. This hotel is right on the beach allowing you to take a short walk to enjoy the sand and waves while being able to walk back to your room in time for your naps.

The suites themselves are stunning and very well-thought-out. The cleanliness levels are top-notch and I never worried once about my toddler playing with his toys on the floor. I also loved that there was extra space inside of the suits making it easy to set up a crib or a travel bed for a toddler.

We’ll get to all of the fun things to do at the Ritz-Carlton on Day 3. But for now, do yourself a favor and book your Miami vacation hotel here!

Activity for the day:

Remember how I only like to plan one activity a day with my toddler (of course, we can do more but I like to keep to the basic one a day in case plans need to change due to naps, fussiness, etc.) On our first day, we explored the Miami Children’s Museum! This is a non-profit institution that offers interactive exhibits, programs, and learning materials related to arts, culture, and community.

It’s safe to say that you can spend your entire afternoon here! You’ll find different exhibits each with its own unique theme. Some favorites include the Castle of Dreams, the multi-sensory room, Pet Central, and the Sketch Aquarium (pictured below).

In addition to the exhibits, you can enjoy workshops (there was a sandblasting workshop the day that we visited), musical story time in the auditorium, and even an outdoor playground! I would plan to spend at least a couple of hours here.

Dinner:

After checking out the Miami Children’s Museum, it’s time for dinner! We absolutely loved Cantina Beach, which is conveniently located at the Ritz-Carlton. This is actually Miami’s only oceanfront Mexican restaurant. So not only is the location ideal, but the food is delicious. While they do accept walk-ins, reservations for dinner are recommended. For the kids, they’ve got a great kids’ menu with generous portion sizes.

Day 2:
After hopefully a great night of rest with your toddler, you’re ready for your second day of adventures in Miami!

Activity for the day

We recommend visiting the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, a “leading science museum dedicated to sharing the power of science, sparking wonder and investigation, and fueling innovation for the future.”

This center is actually divided into four buildings: the Frost Planetarium, Aquarium, and North and West Wings. I’d recommend researching ahead of time which buildings you most want to see and visiting those first in case you don’t have time to see everything. We personally loved the Aquarium!

This place can be really fun to bring a toddler to because it may be their first introduction to the solar system, lights and lasers, the physics of flights, and much more! While toddlers may not understand everything completely, there are plenty of interactive exhibits that keep them engaged during the visit!

After spending a couple of hours at the Frost Museum of Science, it’s time for dinner. We thought Marabú, located in the Brickell City Center, was the perfect option for those interested in Cuban food! You’ll enjoy smoky, rich flavored food as they use charcoal to cook.

The menu ranges from meats, rice, vegetables as well as seafood. We ordered the Vaca Frita De Pollo and the Rotisserie Chicken Bowl and were not disappointed! Not only will you be treated to traditional dishes with a twist, but the interior of the restaurant is also amazing. It has a Havana-inspired bar with plenty of cocktails to choose from along with an outdoor pergola.

A bonus is that if you’re traveling in a group, one adult can take the kids to an indoor playground that is located just two floors underneath the restaurant so the others can spend a bit more time enjoying the food and drinks (because we all know toddlers have a short time limit at restaurants).

Day 3:

Activity for the day:

For the last day of this itinerary, I recommend taking it easy and spending time at the Ritz Carlton hotel. If you think staying all day at a hotel sounds boring, this hotel will change your mind! They’ve got two pools (a family and adult pool), a splash pad, yard games, hammocks, beachfront property with loungers and umbrellas, restaurants on site, a kid’s program called Ritz Kids, and more!

For dining, get the breakfast buffet at Lightkeepers. It’s one of the best hotel breakfast buffets that we’ve had! They have indoor and outdoor dining options depending on your preferences with high chairs for the little ones.

For lunch, we recommend ordering food poolside! The portions are generous and the kid’s menu is awesome. The waiters are extremely attentive and the cooks prepare lunches very quickly. Enjoy the drink menu all day long as you lounge at the beach and pools.

For dinner, check out Beach Cantina or Dune Burgers On The Beach (open on the weekends). The atmosphere is amazing and you can’t beat the fact that you can get great food steps away from your hotel room!

I hope you have an amazing time exploring Miami with your family! We can’t wait to visit again! This blog post is sponsored by Greater Miami & Beaches. All opinions remain our own.

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