Scenic Waterfront Dining, Shops, And Entertainment Are A Promise At This Open-Air Florida Mall

While South Beach boasts coastal views and Brickell provides a developed city experience, Bayside Marketplace is the focal point of Miami's entertainment space and a one-stop shop for nearly all ages. From terrace dining to premiere shopping, with waterfront attractions galore, there is seemingly something to do for every traveler in the family, especially those looking to avoid the region's sometimes dangerous beaches. One look at the iconic Hard Rock guitar and Skyview Ferris wheel, and you'll see why it's a staple of the South Florida skyline.

More than 25 million patrons visit this 22-acre property's open-air mall annually, as it sits in a prime location in the heart of The Magic City and is a walkable distance from The Kaseya Center, where the Miami Heat play and A-list singers perform on tour. Behind the shopping center is a marina where locals can dock their yachts, and there's a decent chance they might be from your favorite films or on your TV screen, as Bayside is only about 30 minutes inland from Fisher Island — an exclusive living area for the rich and famous. 

Across the waterway is the Miami Port, where cruises dock, making it easy for Miamians to get on and off ships. The shopping center is also minutes from the Pérez Art Museum and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Its central position in the downtown area is what keeps attracting locals, as well as tourists.

Bayside Marketplace is home to more than 150 shops, with retailers ranging from Build-A-Bear and Invicta to Victoria's Secret. You can peruse local boutiques and score Miami-branded apparel, or even see the threads of neighborhood clothing designers. Aside from clothes and stuffed animals, additional specialty stores include a tattoo shop, Empire Ink, and a cigar lounge, Bayside Cigar Shop. Visitors spend hours simply looking around and enjoying the breeze, as it is two stories and has an outdoor area as well.

The open-air concept works perfectly for customers who want to eat with a waterscape. With over 25 dining establishments, including the Hard Rock Café, Bacon B*tch, Starbucks, and the Sugar Factory, any foodie's taste buds will run wild. Many of the restaurants and cocktail bars have chic terraces, where you can dine or sip on your favorite frozen drink with the sparkling ocean blues right in front of you.

There is more than meets the eye at Bayside to simply call it a "marketplace." The property offers excursions that will get your heart pumping or ones where you can sit back, relax, and tour the city. You'll find kiosks around the walkways, offering access to double-decker bus tours that take you around recognizable sights. On these tours, guides will show you neighborhoods like Little Havana, Wynwood, and Brickell. 

If you'd rather have a bird's-eye view of the city, hop on the Ferris Wheel and see it from 200-feet above ground. For action, strap yourself into the Miami Thriller speedboat that races you around Miami Beach, or do something more low-key and enjoy a cocktail on the Island Queen. You can even experience Millionaire's Row from the water and see impressive mansions along the way.

As you stroll by the kiosks, you might bump into musical artists performing at the amphitheater nearby in Bayfront Park. Here, they host the famous EDM music festival, Ultra. After all, it wouldn't be a Miami venue without live music involved. Whether you're visiting for Miami Music Weekend or making a stop between visiting Florida's many great islands, make sure you add Bayside to your list, hitting all the destinations on Miami's horizon.