Miami is known for its great weather, beaches, and nightlife, so there’s a reason Dan Marino said, “We should have a Super Bowl every year here.” The city is also famous for its art, design, music, Latin vibes, cuisine, and multicultural communities. But Miami and its various neighborhoods have changed a lot since the last time it hosted a Super Bowl back in 2010. There are many new areas around the city where you might want to stay when you visit this time around! If you’re heading to the big game, here’s a quick guide to Miami neighborhoods (and a few suburbs) for Super Bowl week.
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South Beach
Let’s start with the neighborhood you’ve no doubt heard of. Perhaps the epicenter of Miami’s beach-centered activity and social scene, South Beach is what people think of when they daydream about Miami. With its retro, pastel art deco buildings, white sand beaches, and palm trees, this is the quintessential Miami Beach neighborhood. It’s home to Ocean Drive and tons of high-end hotels and resorts. You’ll also find plenty of nightclubs, bars, and pool parties here. Expect lots of sexy swimsuits, self-proclaimed Instagram models, bachelor and bachelorette groups, and even a potential celeb sighting while you’re in South Beach.
Just don’t forget that there are other parts to Miami Beach that you shouldn’t overlook! You may want to consider staying in Bayside, Mid Beach, and North Beach as well!
Wynwood, Midtown, and the Design District
Known mostly for its colorful walls and abundant street art, Wynwood is a charming, somewhat hipster neighborhood filled with fab restaurants, bars, and breweries. It’s basically the art district of Miami and you’ll quickly find it’s filled with galleries, boutiques, and unique gift shops. Looking for something “artisanal” or “handmade”? This is where you’ll find it! Whether or not you decide to stay here, it’s definitely worth checking out for a tour, stroll, meal, drinks, or simply to enjoy the artsy vibe.
Just north of Wynwood, Midtown has a little something for everybody with its jazz bars, speakeasies, nice restaurants, thrift stores, and of course, a giant mall and shopping center. You can also meander your way into the Miami Design District, which is packed with art museums, trendy shopping, high-end restaurants, and yes, even more galleries.
Downtown Miami
Many visitors get sidetracked by the beach and fail to explore Downtown Miami while they’re here, but there’s plenty to do and see in this more urban neighborhood! You can catch a Broadway production, live music, and other performing arts shows at the historic Olympia Theater or browse the Pérez Art Museum. You could even get tickets to a Miami Heat game at the AmericanAirlines Arena. There are some fantastic hotels and restaurants downtown, as well as Bayside Marketplace, a great scenic spot on the water for shopping and eating. And just north of Downtown, you’ll also find some of the biggest nightclubs in the city, like Space and E11even. It’s also great for a nice walk around to stare up at the iconic skyscrapers and check out the river just to the south.
Little Havana
The second most recognizable neighborhood in Miami, Little Havana is the epicenter of this city’s Cuban roots. With old school cafes, cigar stands, fruit stalls, live Latin music clubs, and Domino Park where old men sit and catch up for hours, a visit to Little Havana is a must when in Miami for its rich history. Versailles Bakery is the old school restaurant of choice here for a Cuban coffee and a pastry, but the entire neighborhood is a great place to sample other types of Cuban cuisine. Check out Calle Ocho, the main thoroughfare to get a sense of the atmosphere even if you’re not staying here. As it’s largely a working class (and Spanish speaking!) residential neighborhood, you won’t find many big hotel chains here, but there are some serviced apartments and Airbnb options available.
Brickell
South of Downtown and the Miami River, you’ll find the financial district of Brickell along with the smaller Brickell Key. It’s not all business though – there are plenty of places to eat, drink, and even catch a cabaret show here (try El Tucán on a night when they have performances scheduled). If you need to shop at any big name stores, you’re likely to find them at Brickell City Center. While this area might not have the personality of other neighborhoods, you will find lots of popular hotel chains here, like the Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, JW Marriott, and Hampton Inn (but the NFL has likely already booked many of those rooms up.) Still, if you want to be close to the center, Brickell is worth a look!
Coconut Grove
For laid back walks among lush gardens on the coast of Biscayne Bay, head to The Grove. In this upscale neighborhood, you’ll want to hit Peacock Park where you can find sports fields and tennis courts, but also palm trees, the marina, and a boardwalk where you can stroll until you decide on a spot for dinner. This area makes for a more laid back night out. There are boutiques, shops, and yacht clubs all around, as well as the shopping mall at Cocowalk which boasts a cinema and courtyard. If you’re being outdoorsy while you’re here, there are plenty of other parks to check out, as well as places where you can charter a boat! Barnacle Historic State Park contains a mangrove forest and the elaborate Italian-style Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
Upper East Side
Nope, we’re not talkin’ New York. Hugging the coastline to the north of the Miami Design District is the Upper East Side, aka the MiMo District, with its bright colors and eccentric architecture. It’s one of the city’s fastest-growing neighborhoods and home to creatives and professionals of all ages. You’ll get views of the bay along with a residential vibe in this stylish, up-and-coming neighborhood. Head to Legion Park for the Farmer’s Market or Morningside Park for water sports and other outdoor activities.
Allapattah
A relatively recent addition to Miami city proper, folks are speculating that Allapattah might blow up soon. It’s near Wynwood, but it hasn’t taken on its neighbor’s hipster quality yet – though artists have started moving here for more affordable rents. Still, Allapattah retains its grungy look and authentic, cheap taquerias while record shops and tattoo parlors creep in alongside them. Currently in the works and due to be finished this winter is Allapattah Market, which will feature beers, cocktails, food, and DJs. This is a diverse, working class, real neighborhood, so if you’re interested in staying here, you may be able to find a few Airbnbs!
Doral
Also an up-and-coming area of Miami, Doral is growing quickly due to its golf resorts, great international restaurants, and parks. CityPlace is its big dining and shopping destination. This neighborhood is just a quick trolley ride to Downtown Miami and it’s also relatively close to the airport if that’s important to you!
Miami Suburbs
You may also want to consider staying a bit farther out of Miami in one of its popular suburbs. There are tons of options. Just south of the city is Coral Gables, home to the University of Miami and amazing botanical gardens as well as a nature preserve. Kendall, Pinecrest, and Palmetto Bay are safe, mostly residential, family-friendly suburbs just a short drive away with their own selection of restaurants and shops. Key Biscayne lies south of South Beach with its pristine beaches as well as Crandon Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, not to mention its own Ritz Carlton. You could also head north to the wealthy suburb of Aventura or all the way up to the bigger city of Hollywood Beach and its “Old Florida” vibes.
The Miami Metropolitan area is absolutely enormous, and these are just a few of the neighborhoods, townships, and suburbs you’ll find around the city! If you’re renting a car while you’re here for the Super Bowl, your options expand even farther out. Just keep in mind that traffic in Miami is pretty bad… and that it’s a sprawling city hosting the biggest sporting event in the country. Choosing your location should depend on how often you’ll be coming into and out of the heart of Miami to explore and check out all the NFL-sponsored events that’ll be taking place here. Getting around every day during your visit shouldn’t be a hassle!
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