These are the best things to do in Miami this weekend

Space is set to reopen this weekend after a long summer of renovations to the iconic, multi-level downtown nightclub. And they've lined up an appropriately heavy-hitting series of parties to celebrate a brand-new season. Peggy Gou and John Talabot have the honor of officially reopening the doors this Thursday, September 19. On Friday, the party continues with Green Velvet and DJ Seinfeld. Saturday brings Francis Mercier to the terrace decks and Fisher closes things out on Sunday. Ticket prices vary.

October wouldn't be complete without some spooks, scares and epic Halloween events in Miami. Luckily for us, there are plenty of haunted places and hair-raising experiences to check out around South Florida this time of year, and we've compiled them into the handy updated guide linked above. These haunted houses are for the brave, so find your favorite costume, gather a group of friends and get ready to score some serious spooky season thrills and chills. Of course, if you're planning to bring along the whole family (young ones included), we've pointed out a couple of tamer options too.

It’s Sexual Health Awareness Month—aka Sextember at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach. The adults-only hotel is offering a frisky, sex-positive series of events encouraging guests to spice up their self-care and sexual wellness. Was that hook-up a little stale? Want to push some boundaries but don’t know how ask for it? On Friday, September 20, Sex and Intimacy Coach Ally Jewel hosts the Secrets to Sensational Intimacy workshop. Intensify your sexual satisfaction and erotic intelligence, revel in the art of arousal and master how to touch and communicate authentically. Take ownership of the sexually liberated individual you are through Jewel’s Erotic Blueprint. Includes indoor baths afterward. 7pm; $75

In Miami, we work on a different sort of summer body. As temperatures rise, rainy days set in and snowbirds migrate north, locals loosen up their proverbial belts for Miami Spice, two months of feasting on set menus across Miami’s best restaurants. With over 300 participating restaurants, including several with Michelin stars and James Beard-awarded chefs, Miami Spice 2024 is shaping up to be worth the extra calories (especially when you factor in all the savings you'll be making in the process!). Whether it’s a quickie lunch, a celebratory brunch or a leisurely dinner at a waterfront restaurant in Miami, be sure to book early—the best tables always go quickly.

Riffing on the classic detective stories of Arthur Conan Doyle, this comedic feminist homage from Kate Hamill imagines an unlikely crime-solving duo: Baker Street roommates Shirley Holmes and Joan Watson, who, in a contemporary post-pandemic London, find themselves continually entangled in the nefarious plots of a seemingly uncatchable supervillain. The show kicks off on September 13 at Main Street Players in Miami Lakes and runs through September 29.

This 11-course tasting experience is a deep dive into chef Enrique Villegas de la Parra’s Japan-meets-Mexico approach to sushi. For three nights this weekend, The Standard’s sexy speakeasy Monterrey Bar transforms into an intimate chef’s counter as the Kuu Tulum veteran doles out dishes like Torotaku spicy maki and Kampachi tostada, paired with drinks like a Japanese sour cocktail and Soto Junmai Daijing. Tickets to the chef’s table are currently available for about $215 per person and do not include 20% gratuity or drinks.

Little River's eclectic music and cocktail garden ZeyZey rolls out another epic weekend of live programming. On Saturday, September 21, rising neo-psychedelia singer Tommy Newport takes the stage for an electric full-band performance. Sunday, six-piece boogie-wave act Psychic Mirrors headlines a night of top-tier Miami talent, with Jaialai set to open. Other highlights from the weekend include a DJ set by Charlie Woods (aka Krisp) on Friday night, with resident band Cortadito bringing their popular Buena Vista Social Club tribute set to the mainstage.

Artist Jeanette Ehlers invites the Afro-Caribbean/Caribbean diaspora to collaborate on an intergenerational braiding circle. Community members will have the opportunity to co-create six 52-foot-long braids that Ehlers and performers will use during their live performance. The project reminds members of the diaspora and audiences everywhere that “history is not the past.” Using hair to create and shape the relationship between culture, nature, body, landscape, history and the present.

This intensely charming Miami Beach venue boasts some of the most eclectic bookings in the city. This weekend, catch The Expendables on Friday, September 20 as the band brings its infectious hybrid of ska, surf-rock, punk, reggae and metal sounds to the stage. On Saturday, indie-rock group Mustard Service hosts another year of its fizzy, upbeat Zest Fest, with supporting acts including Lunar Vacation, Folktale San Pedro, Viloria and Blood Orchid, plus food and drinks available for purchase.

Through September 30, DOM’s in Brickell transforms into Haus of Negroni in celebration of Negroni week (September 16 to 2). The lowkey locals watering hole hosts esteemed bartenders from all corners of our beloved Magic City (Juju Ospina of Jolene Sound Room, Marco Pastanella of Bar Kaiju and Federico Niccolai of LPM, to name a few), to offer their unique spin on the iconic, classic Italian cocktail. DOM’s bar manager Mitchel Bauer has also concocted a narrative cocktail experience for the occasion, weaving the tale of Pinocchio through his curated beverages. Each of his 18 cocktails will reflect a different part of the beloved Italian fairytale.

This internationally touring museum is Miami’s latest hotspot for amazing art selfies. If you haven’t seen it in Emily in Paris, you’ve surely seen it all over your TikTok and Instagram feeds. Stepping into the Balloon Museum’s “Let’s fly” exhibition at Mana Wynwood feels like diving head-first into a fantastical dreamscape. After two hours of meandering through another, much more colorful dimension, you'll be reminded of the carefree emotions of childhood play and innocent wonder—and the incredible power art has to make us feel. Through October 6

Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant Xiquet from D.C. pops up in Miami this Saturday night at the new AHU | Mar at DUA Miami. Coming together over a shared passion for live-fire cooking, chef Victor Rosado of AHU l MAR and chef Danny Lledo of Xiquet will present a collaborative, seven-course tasting menu that showcases wood-fired cooking techniques and celebrates smoke as an ingredient. Expect dishes like sea bass ahumado, grilled turbot, NY strip steak and a Hunter's Paella, all kissed by an open flame. Tickets cost $140 per person (with an optional $80 wine pairing add-on) and multiple seatings begin at 6pm.

LIV has been leading the pack in Miami’s club scene since it debuted in 2008 as the crown jewel of the Fontainebleau Hotel’s unprecedented billion-dollar renovation. This weekend, catch a lit lineup of shows including DJ Khaled on Friday, Cedric Gervais on Saturday and Sexyy Red closing out the weekend for LIV's iconic Sunday hip-hop party.

When you live near the equator, chasing those cozy fall vibes can be a challenge. Sure, there are spiced lattes and haunted houses to look forward to each autumn in Miami, but what about those wholesome moments we see in the movies? Just like everyone else, we look forward to fall events in Miami and love a good hayride or corn maze. We just do things a little differently here, without the boots, coats and scarves. One thing we do have in pumpkins aplenty, from pumpkin patches at Miami's quaint farms to pop-up events with far more than just gourds. Click through at the link above to find our picks for the best pumpkin patches in Miami. 

Magic City Flea is Miami's most consistent pop-up vintage market, with events running around town every week. Depending on the day and locale, find anywhere from 15 to 50 small shops committed to sourcing the most unique pieces and handcrafting sustainable wares. Vibe out to the live DJ, sip cocktails and snack on yummy bites from local vendors while you shop. Most recently, Magic City Flea has linked up with Downtown food hall Julia & Henry's for an indoor market every Sunday starting at 1pm, but you can still find other one-off events posted on their Instagram regularly.

Miami’s pioneering vinyl listening bar celebrated its third anniversary earlier this week. Now, its long-running Sunday party Rum & Coke hosts its 30th edition on September 22 with an all-night tribute to the indelible sounds of Puerto Rican salsa legend Héctor Lavoe. Make reservations here.

Miami: a sunny place for shady people—and ghosts. I’m not talking about those regrettable hookups from Hinge’s past. I’m referring to the earthbound spirits who haven’t yet found a door to the afterlife. Whether it’s murderous pioneers from the early 1900s, nefarious mobsters and cartel lords of the 1920s or 1980s, or WWII soldiers who opted to “stick around” rather than be deployed, Miami has its fair share of paranormal inhabitants that haunt us in the present day, including some pretty famous graves. In place of the colonial taverns and Victorian mansions often associated with the dearly departed, we’ve got grand villas, spooky cemeteries and even some ghost towns if you’re down for a day trip. Grab a ghost detector (and maybe a sage stick) and check out Miami’s most haunted places at the link. 

Miami's biggest night for improv comedy happens every Saturday at Villain Theater in the heart of Little Haiti. Enjoy original, spontaneous live performances from some of the fiercest improvisers across South Florida. Shout out a suggestion and become a part of the action as the theater's talented cast of actors spins hysterical yarns over the course of two Second City-style improv shows. Mingle and sip beers in the lobby lounge in between sets: A ticket grants you access to both the 8:30 and 10pm showtimes.

Nestled in the lobby of The Betsy, a Michelin-awarded hotel famed for its arts programming, The Piano Bar hosts Miami Beach’s longest-running live music series. The space's relaxed, Old Havana atmosphere gets amped up by a rotating roster of local and visiting talent, with free public jazz shows nightly through September. Some of the Miami-based musicians include Jim Gasior, Tal Cohen and Leesa Richards. Food and drinks are available for purchase from LT Steak & Seafood, The Betsy's on-site restaurant by chef Laurent Tourondel.

We actually have a very unique plant market here in South Florida, and summer is the prime growing season. Whereas the rest of the northern hemisphere needs greenhouses for their tropical flora to thrive, here, we have it in abundance. If you grew up in Miami, you're already familiar with the many nurseries tucked into the suburbs. While we still delight in being able to shop straight from the source, we're thankful for the abundance of Miami's urban plant shops with a more curated selection of greenery—some spots even have air conditioning! Ready to add a botanical touch to your home? Tap through to discover the best spots to buy plants in Miami right now. 

Looking for a sleek, understated cocktail bar in Brickell—one that channels the effortless cool of Williamsburg, for instance, and hasn't been overrun by the neighborhood's swarms of tourists or recent transplants? The intimate ground floor of this bi-level modern Asian restaurant fits the bill. Aside from its solid drinks and friendly prices, The Listening Bar at Kaori also hosts weekly Sound Sessions on Fridays and Saturdays, when some of Miami’s best DJs spin vinyl and keep the chilled vibes going all night.

The Coconut Grove Farmers Market is probably Miami’s most well-known. Every Saturday, Homestead's Glaser Organic Farms transforms an unoccupied corner of Coconut Grove into a full-fledged produce market with dozens of fruit and vegetable stands, a raw bar featuring prepared foods and salads and coolers filled with cold-pressed juices and nut mylks. There’s even velvety vegan ice cream for sale and several rows of picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy your bounty.

Along its periphery, you’ll find other local vendors selling honey, homemade soaps, handmade jewelry and other artisanal items. And the setup and breakdown are so fascinating to watch! Much like the circus leaving town, everyone quickly dismantles their tents and packs up just after sunset, leaving no trace of the bustling day on the empty gravel lot.