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3 Days in Miami: The Itinerary, the Everglades and a Bahamas Day

3 days in Miami is enough for the beach, the art deco streets, the Everglades and a full day in the Bahamas. This page gives you a day-by-day plan built around three different shapes, so you can pick the one that fits your dates and your budget. Day one stays in Miami Beach and downtown, where the free Metromover and the Miami Beach trolley keep transport costs near zero. Day two goes west to Shark Valley in Everglades National Park or east to Key Biscayne, depending on how much driving you want. Day three is the part most first-time visitors miss: the Bahamas sits about 2 hours away by ferry, and there is also a 3-night cruise option if you would rather sleep on the water. The bookable tours are compared on cruise from Miami to the Bahamas.

Airboat at a dock in the Florida Everglades, an option on a 3-day trip from Miami — A Miccosukee airboat waits at a dock in the Florida Everglades. Photo: Palmtreeshadows, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Quick answer The short answer

Three days in Miami works well as one beach and downtown day, one nature day and one Bahamas day, with ferry day trips priced at $299 with transfers and $270 from Fort Lauderdale. If you would rather not plan anything, a 3-night cruise from PortMiami to the Bahamas covers the same three days on its own.

Key takeaways

Follow the full day-by-day plan, then compare the three shapes in the glance table.
The Bahamas ferry leaves from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, not Miami. See how the ferry works or the ferry guide.
Prefer a floating hotel? The 3-night cruise option is covered in depth in the 3-day Bahamas cruise from Miami guide.
Real ticket prices for the whole trip sit in the cost table.

3 Days in Miami at a Glance

There is more than one way to spend 3 days in Miami, and the right shape depends on how many sailings a week the ferry runs and if you want to unpack once.

Three Shapes of a 3-Day Trip

The table below compares the three ways this page covers, using the sailing days, drive times and fees given in the day-by-day sections that follow. The first shape puts the Bahamas on day 3. The second keeps all three days on land. The third hands the whole itinerary to a cruise line, which works because the Wonder of the Seas 3-night sailing leaves PortMiami on a Friday at 4:30 PM and brings you back Monday morning.

Every shape uses the same city on day 1. The differences are on days 2 and 3, and the cost table later on this page lists the tickets they touch.

Feature	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Miami plus a Bahamas day	Miami Beach and downtown	Everglades or Key Biscayne	Ferry from Port Everglades to Bimini or Grand Bahama, 9:00 AM sailing
Miami, Everglades and Key Biscayne	Miami Beach and downtown	Shark Valley, 15-mile loop by bike or tram	Key Biscayne: Bill Baggs park, $8 per vehicle, and the lighthouse
A 3-night cruise instead	Board at PortMiami, sail 4:30 PM Friday	Sea day, or CocoCay and Nassau	Second port day, home Monday 6:00 AM

How to Choose

Choose the Bahamas day if the ferry runs on your travel dates. The Bimini crossing sails on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday pattern, so a Sunday arrival in Miami followed by a Wednesday ferry fits that rhythm, and staying one night on Bimini instead of returning the same day matches the three-sailing week. Choose the all-land shape if you have no passport, because the ferry requires one for every passenger including infants.

Choose the cruise if you want the Bahamas with no planning at all: a 3-night sailing from PortMiami calls at private islands such as Celebration Key, Perfect Day at CocoCay or Great Stirrup Cay, and the itinerary page for the 3-day Bahamas cruise from Miami covers ships and cabins in depth. Two days in the city are covered on the 2 days in Miami page, and zero-cost options are on the free day trips from Miami page.

Port and transit figures: Everglades National Park

3 Days in Miami, Step by Step

Twelve steps across three days. Times are loose blocks.

Day 1, Morning

Start at South Pointe Park
South Pointe Park at 1 Washington Avenue opens sunrise to sunset and is free. Its 450-foot pier is open 7:30 AM to 6 PM beside Government Cut, where the Bahamas cruises from Miami pass in and out of PortMiami. Beach access, playgrounds and a dog park are all inside the same park.
Day 1, Morning

Walk Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue
Walking the district yourself costs nothing. If you want the story, the official Art Deco walking tour runs daily from the Welcome Center at 1001 Ocean Drive, lasts two hours over about 1.5 miles and costs $50 adult, $40 senior 65+ and $35 youth 13-17, free for ages 12 and under. Groups are capped at 20 people and the ticket includes headsets.
Day 1, Midday

Take the free Miami Beach trolley downtown
The citywide trolley is free and runs 8 AM to 11 PM seven days a week, arriving about every 20 minutes on four loops. Ride it to the mainland connections, then cross Biscayne Bay toward downtown.
Day 1, Afternoon

Ride the Metromover and rest at Bayfront Park
Metromover is free for everyone, runs 5:30 AM to 10 PM seven days a week and covers 21 stations on three loops through Downtown Miami. Bayfront Park at 301 Biscayne Boulevard covers 32 acres, opens 7 AM to 11 PM and has free admission 365 days a year.
Day 1, Late Afternoon

Close the day on the water at Bayside
The Miami Biscayne Bay Millionaire Homes Cruise costs $20, lasts 1.5 hours and leaves from Bayside Marketplace at 401 Biscayne Blvd, passing Star Island, the Venetian Islands and the Port of Miami with a live bilingual guide.
Day 2, Early Morning

Drive west to Shark Valley
Shark Valley sits at Shark Valley Loop Road, Miami, FL 33194, and no public transit reaches it, so the day needs a car. Everglades National Park entry is $35 per private vehicle for 7 days, $30 per motorcycle and $20 per person on foot or bike. Entrance stations take credit cards and digital passes only.
Day 2, Morning

Bike or tram the 15-mile loop
The loop is flat paved road that takes 2-3 hours by bike. Rentals cost $27 per bike for the day from 8:30 AM, with bikes back by 5 PM. The two-hour tram tour costs $34 adult, $26 senior 62+ and $18 child 3-12, on top of park entry. Bring water, because there is none on the trail.
Day 2, Alternative

Or head east to Key Biscayne instead
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park charges $8 per vehicle with 2 to 8 people and $4 for a single occupant. Ranger-led lighthouse tours run at 10 AM and 1 PM Thursday to Monday at no extra cost, and climbers must be at least 42 inches tall. Crandon Park parking is $7 plus tax Monday to Thursday and $10 plus tax Friday to Sunday, with a two-mile calm beach.
Day 3, Very Early

Check in for the Bahamas ferry
The Bimini ferry sails Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 9:00 AM from Port Everglades Terminal 21 at 2021 Eller Dr, Fort Lauderdale. Check-in opens at 6:00 AM and the terminal doors close at 8:00 AM, so aim for the suggested 6:15 to 6:45 AM window. The crossing takes about 2 hours and lands at 11:00 AM.
Day 3, Midday

Your hours on the island
A same-day Bimini return gives about 7 hours ashore, with the return sailing at 7:00 PM in summer and 6:00 PM in the later season. Non-hotel guests at Resorts World Bimini need a $40 day pass for Bimini Beach, reached by a complimentary tram.
Day 3, Evening

Clear US entry at Port Everglades
The ferry is subject to weather and can be delayed or canceled, so leave slack in the evening. US citizens returning by sea can use a passport card in addition to a passport book, and CBP's free Mobile Passport Control app works at Port Everglades for declarations up to 4 hours before arrival.
The Other Day 3

Or let a cruise run the whole trip
Wonder of the Seas 3-night Bahamas cruises leave Miami on Friday at 4:30 PM and return Monday at 6:00 AM, with Perfect Day at CocoCay from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Nassau from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. That shape replaces all three land days with one boarding day and two island days.

Day 2: The Everglades or Key Biscayne

Day 2 is a choice between a drive west and a flat causeway ride east. Both fit inside one day from Miami.

Shark Valley and the Everglades Fees

The Ernest Coe entrance is about 50 miles and 60-90 minutes by car from downtown Miami. Shark Valley, on Shark Valley Loop Road, has its own entrance and is open daily 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM with vehicle access ending at 6 p.m. Entry is $35 per private vehicle for 7 days, $30 per motorcycle and $20 per person on foot or bike, and children under 16 enter free on the per-person rate.

From the start of 2026, non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person at Everglades entrances unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass, so check your documents before you drive out. Entrance stations take credit cards and digital passes only, not cash.

Bike or Tram: the Numbers

The Shark Valley loop is a flat 15-mile paved road that takes 2-3 hours by bike, and rentals are single-gear coaster bikes with helmets and baskets at $27 per bike for the day. Rentals run 8:30 AM to 4 p.m. with bikes back by 5 p.m., and a share is held for walk-ups. The two-hour tram tour costs $34 adult, $26 senior 62+ and $18 child 3-12, and stops 15 minutes at the 65-foot observation tower at the middle of the loop.

On the 1 May to 18 December pattern, departures run at 9:30, 11:00, 12:30 and 2:00 with a 4:00 run on weekends and holidays only. In high season from 20 December the tram runs eight departures from 9:00 to 4:00 and the entrance backs up. No public transit reaches Shark Valley.

Key Biscayne Instead

If the $100 non-resident surcharge or the drive puts you off, Key Biscayne is the alternative day. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park charges $8 per vehicle with 2 to 8 people and $4 for a single occupant or motorcycle, and is open 8 AM to sundown with more than a mile of flat paved bike path. Ranger-led Cape Florida lighthouse tours run at 10 AM and 1 PM Thursday to Monday at no extra cost, the lighthouse dates to 1825 as the oldest building in South Florida, and children must be 42 inches tall to climb.

The Rickenbacker Causeway toll for a 2-axle car is $3.25 with SunPass and $6.50 by toll-by-plate. Crandon Park adds a two-mile beach behind an offshore sandbar with parking at $7 plus tax Monday to Thursday and $10 plus tax Friday to Sunday, and Metrobus Route 26 links the Brickell station to Key Biscayne about every 30 minutes in roughly 21 minutes. Note that Miami Seaquarium on the causeway closed permanently and is no longer an option.

3 Days in Miami Travel Guide

A three-day Miami itinerary with the main neighbourhoods, beaches and day trips. Third-party video by New Yorker Juhui. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.

Day 3: The Bahamas by Ferry

There is no ferry from Miami itself. The Baleària Caribbean ferry sails from Port Everglades Terminal 21 in Fort Lauderdale, so the drive or train ride north is part of the day.

Sailing Days and Times

The Bimini service sails on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday pattern, leaving Port Everglades Terminal 21 at 9:00 AM and arriving at 11:00 AM after a crossing of about 2 hours over roughly 50 miles. Return sailings leave Bimini at 7:00 PM in summer and 6:00 PM in the later season. The Fort Lauderdale to Freeport crossing on Grand Bahama takes about 3 hours, leaving 9:00 AM and arriving noon, and runs about twice a week, typically Wednesday and Sunday.

Because Bimini sailings run only on some days of the week, a sold-out date can push your trip by days, so book 2-3 weeks ahead. The full routes, terminal address and check-in drill are in the ferry from Miami to Bahamas guide.

Passport and Check-In Rules

Baleària requires a valid passport for all ferry passengers to the Bahamas, and everyone including infants needs one. The Bahamas Immigration Department adds that passports must be valid at least six months and passport cards are not accepted for Bahamas entry, and that a return ticket is required. Check-in opens 3 hours before departure, so 6:00 AM for the 9:00 AM sailing, and terminal doors close 1 hour before at 8:00 AM, with the operator suggesting arrival between 6:15 and 6:45 AM.

The service is passenger only with no vehicles. Each adult gets one free carry-on up to 26.5 lb, and extra bags are checked at the counter before boarding.

The Day Trip Options

Three bookable day trips put the ferry together for you. The Bahamas Day Trip by Ferry to Bimini or Grand Bahama costs $299, runs 15 hours and covers round-trip ferry transport with free time on the island, though optional activities and beach day passes are bought on the ferry and lunch is not listed. The Bimini Ferry with Miami Beach Hotel Transfers is also $299 and adds hotel pickup and drop-off in Miami Beach or Downtown plus about 6 hours of free time on Bimini, with food, drinks and tips extra.

The Bimini Day Trip by Ferry from Fort Lauderdale from Gray Line costs $270, runs 18 hours and includes the roundtrip ferry in Economy or Business Class with hotel transfer, while the resort day pass is sold separately onboard.

Schedule details come from reseller pages, so confirm them at booking.

Visitors on the Anhinga Trail boardwalk, an option on a 3-day trip from Miami — Visitors follow the paved path and boardwalk along the Anhinga Trail. Photo: evergladesnps, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Or Spend the 3 Days at Sea

If the ferry schedule fights your dates, a 3-night cruise from PortMiami can replace the whole land plan, because a 3-night sailing such as Wonder of the Seas leaves on a Friday afternoon and brings you back Monday morning.

The 3-Night Ships and Routes

Carnival Conquest, 952 feet long with 2,980 guests, sails a 3-night Bahamas cruise from Miami that calls only at Celebration Key, leaving at 3:30 PM, spending day 2 at sea, sitting at Celebration Key from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on day 3 and docking at 8:00 AM on day 4. Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, 235,600 gross tons, runs 3-night Bahamas and Perfect Day cruises leaving Miami on Friday at 4:30 PM and returning Monday at 6:00 AM, with Perfect Day at CocoCay on Saturday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Nassau on Sunday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Norwegian runs 3-day Bahamas cruises from Miami calling at Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau, and MSC Seaside sails 3 and 4 night Bahamas cruises to Ocean Cay and Nassau in the winter season.

Cruise fares are per person and change daily, so check the line for a live price.

What the Private Islands Include

The private islands carry most of the day. Entry to Perfect Day at CocoCay is free and unlimited dining at five island food spots is included, while the Thrill Waterpark, cabanas and Hideaway Beach passes cost extra, and the walk from the pier to the Arrivals Plaza takes about 6 minutes with a free tram. Celebration Key opened with over 65 acres, a 1.5-mile beach and more than 30 dining and beverage outlets, with free trams every 5 to 15 minutes from the pier.

MSC's Ocean Cay has complimentary lunch, water sports from $32 to $122 and cabanas from $252 to $452. The Beach Club at Bimini on Virgin Voyages is adults-only with free Bahamian food and soda and water included.

Budget the Gratuities Too

Gratuities sit outside the fare and are charged per person per day. Carnival charges $17 in standard staterooms and $19 in suites. Royal Caribbean charges $18.50 per guest per day and $21 in suites, plus 18 percent on drinks and specialty dining.

Norwegian shows $20 per person per day for Club Balcony Suite and below and $25 in The Haven. Virgin Voyages charges $20 per night prepaid or $22 onboard, with no extra gratuity on drinks or dining. The ship-by-ship detail is in the 3-day Bahamas cruise from Miami guide.

What 3 Days Cost in Tickets

The table lists the ticket prices this itinerary touches, taken from the park, operator and transit pages behind each section. It is not a total, because food, hotels and flights sit outside it, and cruise fares are not shown because they change daily.

Ticket Prices Compared

Two free systems carry a lot of the load: the Metromover is free for everyone and the Miami Beach trolley is free, and Metromover hours are 5:30 AM to 10 PM daily. Miami-Dade Transit has no 3-day pass, so a short visitor chooses between $2.25 single rides and the $5.65 day pass, valid from first use until 2:00 AM the next day. The ferry day trips are the biggest single line, and the two $299 options bundle transport, while the cruise lines price their 3-night sailings separately and per person.

Item	Price	Note
Art Deco walking tour	$50	$40 senior 65+, $35 youth 13-17, free 12 and under, 2 hours
Biscayne Bay cruise from Bayside	$20	1.5 hours, live bilingual guide
Everglades entry, private vehicle	$35	Valid 7 days, credit card or digital pass only
Everglades entry, on foot or bike	$20	Children under 16 free
Non-US resident Everglades surcharge	$100	Per person 16+, unless a pass is held
Shark Valley bike rental	$27	Per bike for the day, back by 5 PM
Shark Valley tram tour	$34	$26 senior, $18 child 3-12, 2 hours
Bill Baggs park entry	$8	Per vehicle, 2 to 8 people, $4 solo
Crandon Park parking	$7	Monday to Thursday, $10 Friday to Sunday, plus tax
Rickenbacker Causeway toll	$3.25	With SunPass, $6.50 by toll-by-plate
Ferry day trip with transfers	$299	Bimini or Grand Bahama option, 15 hours
Ferry day trip from Fort Lauderdale	$270	Gray Line, 18 hours, resort pass extra
Miami-Dade day transit pass	$5.65	Valid until 2:00 AM the next day
Metromover	Free	21 stations, three loops
Miami Beach trolley	Free	8 AM to 11 PM daily

Reading the Table

The land shape of the trip leans on the free transit and one paid park entry, while the Bahamas day trades that saving for the ferry ticket. Day-trip prices are the listed booking prices, so re-check them at booking. Cruise fares for the 3-night sailings are deliberately absent, because the lines reprice them daily.

3-Day Trip Tips: Do and Don't

Do

Do match your ferry day to the Wednesday, Friday and Sunday sailing pattern, because a missed sailing can cost you days.
Do carry a passport with at least six months of validity for every traveler, since passport cards are not accepted for Bahamas entry.
Do bring water to Shark Valley, because there is no drinking water on the 15-mile trail.
Do book the ferry 2-3 weeks ahead, since sailings on only some days of the week sell out fast in season.
Do use the free Metromover and Miami Beach trolley on day 1, which cuts the city's transport cost to zero.

Don't

Don't look for a ferry from Miami itself, because the only departure is Port Everglades Terminal 21 in Fort Lauderdale.
Don't bring cash to the Everglades entrance, because stations take credit cards and digital passes only.
Don't plan day 2 around Miami Seaquarium, because it closed permanently and is off the causeway list.
Don't buy a transit pass hoping for a 3-day version, because Miami-Dade sells none and you must choose between $2.25 rides and the $5.65 day pass.

3 Days in Miami: Questions

Is it worth going to Miami for 3 days?

Yes, because three days is the shortest span that covers the city, one nature day and the Bahamas, and the ferry crossing takes only about 2 hours to Bimini. If you only have two days, see the 2 days in Miami plan instead.

What is a good 3-day itinerary for Miami?

A strong 3 days in Miami is South Beach and downtown on day 1, Shark Valley or Key Biscayne on day 2 and the Bahamas ferry on day 3, and the full step-by-step plan on this page sequences all twelve stops.

How much do you need for 3 days in Miami?

Tickets run from a few dollars a day with the free Metromover and $5.65 day transit pass up to $299 for the ferry day trip, and the cost table lists every figure. Hotels and food are not stated here.

Can I take a ferry from Miami to the Bahamas?

Not from Miami itself. The Baleària ferry sails from Port Everglades Terminal 21 in Fort Lauderdale on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday pattern at 9:00 AM, and the ferry from Miami to Bahamas guide covers routes and check-in times.

What documents do I need for a Bahamas day trip?

A valid passport book is required for every ferry passenger, and the Bahamas requires it to be valid at least six months, with a return ticket also required. US citizens re-entering by sea can use a passport card for the US side under CBP rules, per the documents section.

Should I cruise instead of planning 3 days myself?

If your dates hit a Friday, a 3-night sailing such as Wonder of the Seas leaving Miami at 4:30 PM covers CocoCay and Nassau and returns Monday at 6:00 AM with no planning, and the 3-day Bahamas cruise from Miami guide compares the ships.