![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2024\/06\/Free-Things-To-Do-in-Miami-Trolley-1-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure> Parking can be quite expensive in Miami, and it can be tough to travel around the city without a car. There are plenty of walkable areas, especially in neighborhoods like Little Havana, Little Haiti, Downtown Miami or Miami Beach, but in order to get from one to the other you\u2019ll want to use some kind of transportation. Luckily, the city of Miami offers free rides via the Miami Trolley<\/a>. It stops by neighborhoods such as Wynwood, Overtown, Liberty City and many others, and it arrives every 15-45 minutes. That said, some areas don\u2019t have trolleys running on the weekends or holidays, so it\u2019s a good idea to check the schedule before arriving in Miami.<\/p> Miami is known for its multitude of sprawling beaches, many of which are open to the public and free to access. Miami Beach, the city\u2019s trademark beach, is located just east of downtown and is a necessary stop on your Miami trip. (It\u2019s also near Espa\u00f1ola Way, a pedestrian-only street that\u2019s taking a picturesque and magical walk \u2014 for free.) Another must-visit beach is South Beach, which houses the iconic Art Deco Historic District. If you\u2019re looking for a spot with peace and quiet, the North Shore Beach is an ideal option.<\/p> One thing to consider when planning for your beach trip is paying for parking. Many of the beaches will charge you between $4 and $9 an hour for parking, and the enforcement is strict. So, to save money, consider taking the trolley \u2014 or, if you\u2019re staying in a nearby neighborhood, you can simply walk to the beach.<\/p> Miami has multiple museums that feature history, art and science, but many of them can be on the pricey side. However, there are some Miami museums that either have no entrance fee or have special days where you can get in for free. One such museum is the Lowe Art Museum<\/a>. In conjunction with the University of Miami, this museum features stunning art from Africa, Asia, South America, the Ancient Mediterranean and more. Between Little Haiti and the Wynwood neighborhood, you\u2019ll find the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami<\/a>, which has free admission all year long.<\/p> The Per\u00e9z Art Museum Miami<\/a>, also called PAMM, features artwork from Latin American, African, Caribbean and Miami-based artists, as well as a mesmerizing sculpture garden. While entrance to this museum will normally cost you around $18, they open their doors for free on the second Saturday of every month. Similarly, the HistoryMiami Museum<\/a>, which highlights the political and social history of Miami, offers free entry on the second Saturday of every month as well. If you plan your trip right, you can take advantage of the free entry at both HistoryMiami and PAMM on the same Saturday.<\/p> Because of an ordinance in 1995, two percent of the city of Miami is required to be allotted for public art. This means there is beautiful artwork to see all over the city for free. The Miami-Dade area has over 1,000 works of art in public spaces, thanks to Art In Public Places<\/a>, which began in 1973. This is like a scavenger hunt, with public pieces sprinkled all throughout Miami made by artists from around the world. The Maurice A. Ferr\u00e9 Park<\/a> boasts the longest waterfront promenade in Miami, and it has a public outdoor sculpture walkway that currently features 52 oversized, vibrantly-colored cat and dog sculptures made of aluminum. The Wynwood Art District is home to various murals and art galleries, and Miami Beach has self-guided arts and culture tours that are free on the Experience Miami Beach tour app, available on both Apple and Android.<\/p> Of course, Miami\u2019s art scene would be nothing without its vast opportunities for artists, and one spot that elevates artists-in-training and up-and-comers is Fountainhead Arts<\/a>. This residency program has brought hundreds of artists from around the world, giving them a space to showcase their work and become a part of the Miami community. Fountainhead has monthly open houses that give the public an opportunity to meet the artists in residence and experience their work. These are open to the public, but you will have to reserve your spot and plan ahead.<\/p> Running down the length of Miami Beach, Ocean Drive<\/a> is one of Miami\u2019s most popular roads and is full of Miami\u2019s iconic art deco architecture. Walking down Ocean Drive, you\u2019ll be able to see nearly 800 buildings in the Art Deco Historic District. Between 5th Street and 23rd Street you\u2019ll see the bulk of Miami\u2019s famous architecture, including the Colony Hotel, the Villa Casa Casuarina (which was originally Gianni Versace\u2019s mansion) and the Celino South Beach Hotel, which was a hot spot for the rich and famous. Lummus Park is also located on Ocean Drive, and it features an outdoor gym area and paths for biking and walking.<\/p> Located in Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Botanical Garden<\/a> features a koi pond, a Japanese garden, an edible garden filled with things like papaya and pomegranate trees, a banyan lawn and more. Many of Florida\u2019s native species are featured here, and you can enter completely free of charge. It\u2019s also close to another free attraction, the Holocaust Memorial<\/a>, a large and striking remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.<\/p> Not far from the Miami Beach Botanical Garden is the Ichimura Miami Japanese Garden<\/a>, which is a small garden with a koi pond. It\u2019s the perfect place to stop and meditate or relax after visiting Jungle Island<\/a> or the Miami Children\u2019s Museum<\/a>. The garden also holds various events like authentic Japanese tea ceremonies, theater events and ikebana <\/em>(Japanese flower arrangement) demonstrations.<\/p> Miami is filled with green public spaces that are free to access. Located south of Downtown Miami, Peacock Park<\/a> is equipped with a basketball court, soccer fields, a playground and a softball field. It\u2019s also near the Kampong National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, so you can make it a relaxing stop after or before stopping by those attractions. If you\u2019re sticking around the downtown area, we recommend stopping by South Pointe Park<\/a>, which has direct access to the beach as well as walking paths, playgrounds and areas to cook out. You can also go fishing at the South Pointe Pier or launch off to go kayaking.<\/p> Originally built over the old Naval Air Station, Amelia Earhart Park<\/a> is a great spot to cool down since it has a wakeboard park for various watersports. It also has plenty of facilities for sports, including a disc golf course and volleyball courts, along with a petting zoo and farm village. Best of all, parking at Amelia Earhart Park is free during the week.<\/p> Every last Friday of the month, the Museum of Contemporary Art Miami<\/a> has free live jazz music in the MOCA Plaza starting at 8 p.m. Over in Little Havana, the restaurant and bar Ball & Chain<\/a> features live music almost every night, and it also has free bachata classes at 9 p.m. most nights. The Corner<\/a> in Park West has free jazz every Tuesday night, and bars and restaurants such as The Gibson Room<\/a> and Lagniappe<\/a> feature plenty of live music most nights. El Sal\u00f3n at the Esme<\/a> has DJs on the weekends, and Medium Cool<\/a> features jazz every Wednesday and Sunday.<\/p> Miami has plenty of opportunities for free yoga that is open to the public. Collins Park hosts free yoga at 6 p.m. on Mondays, and on Wednesdays you can attend a free class at The Bass, an art deco building that also features artwork that\u2019s worth checking out. Additionally, there\u2019s free yoga at Bayfront Park<\/a> at 6 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays and at Lummus Park on Sundays at 10 a.m. If you want to take a dip in the ocean after your yoga class, head to 3rd Street Beach for free yoga at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (appropriately named \u201csunrise and sunset yoga\u201d). Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Miami Beach Bandshell, you\u2019ll find free yoga at 6 p.m.<\/p> Spend a Day at the Beach<\/h3>
Visit a Museum<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2024\/06\/Free-Things-To-Do-in-Miami-Lowe-Art-Museum-1024x352.jpg\")
Go On an Art Walk<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2024\/06\/Free-Things-To-Do-in-Miami-Art-in-Public-Places-1024x681.jpg\")
Take a Stroll Down Ocean Drive<\/h3>
Visit the Botanical Gardens<\/h3>
Hang Out at the Park<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2024\/06\/Free-Things-To-Do-in-Miami-Earhart-Park.jpg\")
Enjoy Music and Dancing<\/h3>
Take a Yoga Class<\/h3>