The best things to do in Miami this December

In tandem with the holiday season, Jungle Island's enchanting festival of lights returns for a fourth year with a new production featuring more than 37 monumental, handcrafted silk lantern scenes created by a global team of artisans, graphic designers, seamstresses and more. This year, Luminosa takes visitors on a vibrant trail of themed vignettes representing different ecosystems, from the Amazon rainforest to African savannahs, complete with cutting-edge animatronics, holograms and interactive storytelling. The popular Holiday Village also makes a return this year (through January 4), featuring Christmas trees, holiday treats like churro donut holes and coquito, a seasonal bazaar and a 30-foot Christmas tree centerpiece.  When is Luminosa 2025? Luminosa runs from Friday, November 14 through March 7, 2026. The hours of operation are 5:30 to 9:30pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10:30pm on Friday and Saturday. The Holiday Village will also open on November 14 and run through January 4, 2026. This outdoor experience operates rain or shine, with covered areas available throughout the venue.  How much are tickets? Adult tickets range from $30.78 on weekdays to $46.88 on weekends. Child tickets (ages four to 12) range from $21.58 to $33.08. Family bundles and group rates are available, with discounts for seniors, students and military personnel.

A much-anticipated precursor to the holiday season in Miami, NightGarden returns in November for its seventh season at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, promising even more psychedelic scenery, family-friendly activities and interactive artwork than ever before. Running from November 7 through January 11, NightGarden invites guests to frolic around a neon-lit wonderland of tropical trails lined with holographic sculptures, secret sunken ponds and hidden fairy worlds. Expect several enticing new activations this year, including the Tree of Life, a monumental centerpiece with lights and projections activated by guest touch. You'll also find new immersive domes with themed photo backdrops, a Secret Garden Laser Light Show, movie nights and more. How much are tickets? Tickets start at $28 and vary based on date and time, with discounts for Fairchild members and seniors. Children three and under are free.

Art meets science at "Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius," a sweeping exhibition presented by Frost Science and produced by Grande Experiences in collaboration with Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. On view through April 5th, 2026, the show explores da Vinci's multidisciplinary legacy with interactive displays, rare artifacts and life-size replicas of his machines, alongside immersive projections of iconic works like The Last Supper and Mona Lisa. Explore 16 themed sections, from anatomy and flight to engineering and optics, plus hands-on installations like the Vitruvian Man interactive station and the Mona Lisa Revealed exhibit, featuring the world’s only exact 360-degree replica of the painting.

Few brunches in Miami rise to the level of an "event," but the Sunday brunch at Novikov is assuredly one of them. After a brief sabbatical, this buzzing sunlit feast makes a return to its luxurious perch along the Downtown Miami waterfront, featuring two hours of unlimited grazing from an extensive Market Table spread. Choose from a raw bar, endless sushi and sashimi, a salad bar, dim sum and robata-grilled favorites, plus a decadent dessert bar and signature brunch cocktails. Premium add-ons take the party to another level, including a honey truffle king crab leg, wagyu ribeye and roasted peking duck. Of course, it wouldn't be one of Miami's hottest brunch propositions without a live DJ spinning beats that pair perfectly with Novikov's bayfront views and a glass (or two) of bubbles.

Art, sexuality and cultural taboos converge at the Museum of Sex with the debut of its latest exhibition, Hard Art: Unruly Selections from the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection. Explore decades of boundary-pushing works spanning the 1930s to today, pulled from the private collection of one of the world’s most dynamic collectors. From playful to profound and, at times, deemed too provocative for public display, the featured works include a wide range of media that challenges convention and invites conversation. Curated with the goal of amplifying underrepresented voices and celebrating uncensored expression, artists on view include Marco Brambilla, Jimmy DeSana, Bunny Yeager, John Kayser and others.

This bustling vintage market enters its 34th year on South Beach's famed Lincoln Road. Approximately every other Sunday (check their calendar for exact dates), 125 vendors convene along the promenade to showcase their wares and barter with discerning shoppers. Find everything from mid-century furniture to Art Deco decor and more. The long-running weekend social presents a solid mix of 19th and 20th-century memorabilia and unique collectibles. While you're there, stock up on locally grown produce, fresh flowers and artisanal goods from the Lincoln Road Farmer's market, which occurs every Sunday from 9am to 6pm.

Elliot & Erick Jiménez: El Monte is the Cuban twin photography duo’s first solo museum exhibition, marking their leap from award-winning image makers for the likes of Prada, Tiffany’s, Bad Bunny and Selena Gomez to multi-disciplinary artists on an institutional stage. Inspired by the Afro-Caribbean spiritual tradition of Lucumí and Lydia Cabrera’s seminal text El Monte, the show centers on a womb-like, chapel-meets-forest installation alongside photographs and sculptural works that explore spirituality, ancestry and identity. 

New World Center’s annual SoundScape Cinema Series season is officially underway. Pack a blanket and picnic with friends and family at these free screenings under the stars, running on most Wednesdays through May, starting at 8pm. The venue accommodates 200 to 300 on the lawn, but prime spots get scooped up quickly, so plan accordingly. The closest public parking garages are 17th Street Garage (1755 Meridian Ave) and Pennsylvania Avenue Garage (1661 Pennsylvania Avenue). View the full program below. OctoberOctober 1: Thunderbolts October 8: The Phoenician Scheme October 15: Karate Kid: Legends October 22: Frankenstein October 29: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice NovemberNovember 5: Jurassic World: Rebirth November 12: Superman November 19: Perfect Days November 26: How to Train Your Dragon DecemberDecember 10: Lilo & Stitch December 17: The Nightmare Before Christmas JanuaryJanuary 7: Shrek January 14: It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley January 21: Freakier Friday January 28: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning FebruaryFebruary 4: Nickel Boys February 11: Love & Basketball February 18: Crooklyn February 25: Devotion MarchMarch 4: La Vie En Rose March 25: Cabrini AprilApril 1: Shrek 2 April 8: Captain America: Brave New World April 15: A Minecraft Movie April 22: Loving Vincent April 29: Shrek the Third MayMay 6: Past Lives May 13: The Ballad of Wallis Island May 20: Cunningham May 27: Shrek Forever After

Going strong for over two decades, the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami hosts another edition of its Jazz at MOCA live music series on the plaza. Every last Friday of the month, the free outdoor concert merges art, music and community while platforming Miami's thriving live jazz scene. This month, Lisanne Lyons headlines. Having performed with the Woody Herman Orchestra, Maynard Ferguson Big Bop Nouveau and Arturo Sandoval, among others, she is currently the director and founder of the jazz vocal program at Florida International University. Seating for the show is first-come, first-served and begins at 7pm. Free registration also includes access to the MOCA galleries until 10pm.