The 5 Best Cities in the Miami Metro Area

Located on the southeastern tip of Florida, Miami is a bustling city known for its stunning beaches, trendy nightlife, and beautiful arks. You’ll also find plenty of great attractions if you explore the cities located just outside of Miami. If you’re planning a trip to the area, consider checking out a few of the following top cities in the Miami metro area.

Key Biscayne

The lovely Key Biscayne is a barrier island town located about 14 minutes southeast of Miami. Nestled between Crandon Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne has a more relaxed and secluded feel. Both parks offer long stretches of sheltered beaches, self-guided nature trails through tropical forests, and the ability to explore mangroves on a kayak. Additionally, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is home to Cape Florida Light, the oldest standing structure in the area.

Coral Gables

Travel about 15 minutes southwest of Miami to find Coral Cables, nicknamed “The City Beautiful” for good reason. Here you can find the Venetian Pool. This historic public swimming pool was created in 1924 from an abandoned coral rock quarry. It holds 820,000 gallons of freshwater from artesian wells, making it the largest freshwater pool in the country. The city is also home to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and its extensive collection of rare tropical palms, flowering trees, and exotic butterflies.

Opa-locka

Take a trip to Opa-locka, located about 23 minutes northwest of Miami, and you may feel like you’ve traveled to an entirely different continent. The city was developed on an “Arabian Nights” theme, and it has the largest grouping of Moorish Revival architecture in the Western Hemisphere. As you drive down streets with names that include Ali Baba Avenue and Sultan Avenue, you’ll see buildings sporting domes, minarets, parapets, watchtowers, arches, and more.

Miami Springs

Founded by aviation legend Glenn Curtiss, Miami Springs is 18 minutes northwest of Miami and another one of the first planned communities in the state. Like its counterparts, such as Opa-locka, Miami Springs has a theme reflected in the architecture. In this case, the style was called Pueblo Revival. If you want to drive around the city and check out the Southwestern architecture, you can plan a stay at one of the hotels in Miami Springs. Don’t forget to save some time to play a game of golf at the charming Miami Springs Golf & Country Club as well.

Palmetto Bay

If you travel about 30 minutes southwest of Miami, you’ll find Palmetto Bay. The city is home to the 444-acre Deering Estate at Cutler, a historic, archaeological, and environmental preserve located on the edge of Biscayne Bay. The estate offers plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy, including guided nature hikes, tours of the historic home, butterfly walks, canoe tours, and more.

When you’re looking to explore some of the best cities and towns just outside of Miami, make sure you include a few of the above top locations on your list.

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