Pass out the permission slips and book the bus transportation: these Miami-area school trip destinations enrich at any grade level. From the wildlife encounters at Flamingo Gardens to the educational art tours of the Lowe Art Museum to afternoons spent taking in a show at the Miami City Ballet, there's plenty to see and do across town. Many locations even offer special rates and schedules for school field trips. Take a look at our top picks for artistic voyages, animal encounters, outdoor activities and more.
Art
- Miami Art Museum: (101 W Flagler St., Miami) Lively tours are available catering to the range of K-12 students, featuring 90 minutes of guided study and an interactive activity.
- Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami: (770 NE 125th Street, North Miami) Classes and programs offered throughout the year give students an appreciation of the elements of art and world culture.
- Lowe Art Museum: (1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables) Guided 90 minute K-12 tours offer engaging instruction to up to 80 students split into small groups.
- Frost Art Museum: (10975 SW 17th Street, Miami) The Kenan-Flagler Family Discovery Gallery offers a range of interactive exhibits for school groups and families to explore.
- Bass Museum of Art: (2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) Features the Lindemann Family Creativity Center, which provides workshops and art classes emphasizing creative play.
- Vizcaya Museum: (3251 South Miami Avenue, Miami) School tours include a general museum and gardens orientation, main house guided tours, and design and architecture tours.
- Wolfsonian: (1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach) Special educational initiatives at the museum include forums on democracy, architecture and citizenship.
Animals
- Zoo Miami: (12400 SW 152 Street, Miami) From after-hours photography tours to painting classes to overnight trips, there's something to explore and enjoy for kids of all ages.
- Jungle Island: (1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami) Get miles away from the world without leaving town as you explore South African penguins, lemurs and an Everglades replica habitat.
- Miami Seaquarium: (4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne) Spend the day enjoying sea creatures in their natural habitat. Students can even participate in feeding sessions for seals, sea lions, manatees and more.
- The Little Farm: (13401 S.W. 224 Street, Goulds) Get up close and personal with farm animals from horses to geese. Feedings get students thinking about life on the farm.
- Butterfly World: (3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek) Students view thousands of butterflies from all over the world in a living habitat teeming with birds and greenery.
- Flamingo Gardens: (3750 South Flamingo Road, Davie) Field trip programs include Butterfly Bootcamp, Galaxies & Gardens and Wildlife Encounters.
History and Science
- Gold Coast Railroad Museum: (12450 S.W. 152nd Street, Miami) Students enjoy train rides, educational tours and model trains for locomotive lovers.
- HistoryMiami: (101 West Flagler Street, Miami) Over 10,000 years of South Florida history are brought to life through gallery programs and historic site visits.
- Seminole Okalee Indian Village: (6300 Stirling Road, Hollywood) Explore the lives and story of the original Florida natives in a traditional village setting.
- The Jewish Museum of Florida: (301 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach) Housed in two former synagogues, this museum offers a new twist on Florida cultural study.
- Miami Science Museum: (3280 South Miami Avenue, Miami) Exhibits, wildlife encounters and planetarium shows await students.
- Miami Children's Museum: (980 MacArthur Causeway, Miami) Up to 25 students per group enjoy guided exploration or theme-based tours.
- Coral Castle Museum: (28655 South Dixie Highway, Miami) Visit this unique carved castle, the life work of eccentric Ed Leedskalnin.
- Wings Over Miami: (12800 SW 145th. Avenue, Miami) Explore the history of military and civilian aviation at this unique museum in the Kendall-Tamiami Airport.
Tours
- Duck Tours: (1661 James Avenue, Miami Beach) Visit famous Miami landmarks before splashing down in Biscayne Bay in this head-turning aquatic vehicle.
- Everglades Safari Park: (26700 SW 8 Street, Miami) This fast-paced tour boasts a 30-minute airboat ride, an alligator wildlife nature show and interesting exhibits once you're off the boat.
- Deering Estate: (16701 SW 72 Avenue, Miami) History and architecture students enjoy this local Miami gem. Walking exhibits include a house tour and a trail hike through rare Pine Rocklands.
- Shark Valley Tram Tours: (36000 SW 8th Street, Miami) Open-air tram tours wind students through the northern region of the Everglades National Park.
- Gatortrax Adventure Tours: (71 N.E. 97th Street, Miami Shores) Looking for something with a little more A/C? Luxury coaches provide city tours of Miami, trips to the Everglades and other customized journeys.
- Miami International Airport: (1640 NW 42nd Avenue, Miami) Head to the airport for guided tours of the airfield, midfield fire station and more.
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: (10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables) Explore unique and beautiful tropical plants. A hands-on field study tour ends with a botanical souvenir.
Parks
- Matheson Hammock Park and Beach: (9610 Old Cutler Road, Miami) Play and relax at this unique beach, which features the constantly cycling water of a man-made atoll pool.
- The Barnacle: (3485 Main Highway, Coconut Grove) Once the home of Ralph Middleton Munroe, the park today is a green and growing testament to the Era of the Bay.
- Venetian Pool: (2701 de Soto Boulevard, Coral Gables) This unique aquatic facility features an 820,000 gallon pool fed with water from a natural underground aquifer.
- Pinecrest Gardens: (11000 Red Road, Pinecrest) This natural paradise also boasts meeting areas and concert venues. Explore the gardens during regular hours or come for jazz concerts or festivals like the Taste of Pinecrest.
- Amelia Earhart Park: (401 E 65 Street, Miami) A petting zoo and five lakes serve to distinguish this 515-acre park.
- The Fruit and Spice Park: (24801 S.W. 187th Avenue, Homestead) Explore native plants and 37 acres of botanical landscape.
Activities
- Cooking With Kids Miami: (9612 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami Shores) The mobile kitchen travels to your school, offering simple and fun cooking classes with topics like homemade pizza, pasta and dessert.
- Miami Children's Theater: (11155 SW 112th Avenue, Miami) Inspire students towards the performing arts through kid-friendly plays and musicals like "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown!"
- Miami City Ballet: (2200 Liberty Avenue, Miami Beach) Introduce students to the ballet with young people's programming at matinee times perfect for school groups.
- X-Treme Rock Climbing: (13972 SW 139 Court, Miami) Get your kids up in the air with this unique activity. Youth programs include intro classes and a supervised kids' climbing time.
- Knaus Berry Farm: (15980 SW 248 Street, Homestead) Supplement environmental education by picking your own strawberries and tomatoes while they're in season at this family-owned farm.
- Zippy Rides Open Gym: (205-B Ansin Boulevard, Hallandale) A two-story climbing structure, open gym area and inflatables help to distinguish this unique gym.