Hey Miami, Here's Your Ultimate End-of-Summer Bucket List

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens | Jorg Hackemann/Shutterstock
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens | Jorg Hackemann/Shutterstock

My fellow Miamians, you may already be planning your fall calendar, but there are still a few weeks left until we're officially done with summer. As the last few months have been filled with scorching heat, lavish poolside soirees, and unending waves of bubbly drinks (which happen to be year-round fixtures in the 305), the beginning of fall will make certain things a little less, well, socially acceptable... even by Miami’s standards. Squeeze in one last beer float, Marlins game, or Vizcaya visit before it’s too late.

See a dive-in movie

South Miami
Put on your favorite suit and swap a movie theater for a pool. On the last Friday of September, catch the summer’s final dive-in flick at Grapeland Water Park, where movie watchers can go for a night swim while watching a feature.

Go for a bike ride on Rickenbacker

Downtown Miami
There’s more than eight miles of paved roads waiting for you to bike on. Smear on some sunscreen and breathe in the last of Miami’s summer air.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Fontainebleau Miami Beach

Hit an opulent pool party

South Beach
Every Sunday through summer’s end, there’s a booze-filled, DJ-thumping pool party waiting to be experienced. Pick your poison with our round-up here.

Go to the damn beach

Anywhere
Believe it or not, some Miamians haven’t set foot on the sand once this summer. Blame it on work (or the influx of tourists), but whatever it may be, there’s absolutely no excuse to end summer without at least one beach trip where you step on the pavement and almost immediately get a third-degree burn on your foot.

Coral Castle
Flickr/Tonya Stinson

Homestead
Though it may not be the fairy-tale castle you imagined as a kid, it’s South Florida’s next best thing. There are tours daily that take visitors through 1,100 tons of coral rock.

Eat a Miami Spice meal

Across Miami
Mourn the end of summer with some really fucking good food. More than 200 restaurants across South Florida are offering three-course $23 lunches and $39 dinner menus through September 30th.

Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley | Randy Miramontez/Shutterstock

Go see some... country music (?)

West Palm Beach
Grab your leather boots and throw on a flannel. There’s still time to get the most out of Cruzan’s country fest, which will hit West Palm Beach’s Cruzan Amphitheatre two more times in September.

Take a break and people watch

Anywhere
Unfortunately, tourists are still everywhere. The solution? Use it as entertainment, because bulky suitcases overflowing with 305-plastered swag haven’t hit Netflix or Hulu yet.

Go to Vizcaya, finally

Coconut Grove
You’ve seen the Instagrams, and you’ve heard the chatter. But you’ve never actually walked around Vizcaya. Spend the afternoon around its gardens and in its main house, which boasts some much-needed and -appreciated air conditioning.

Serendipity Yogurt Cafe
Serendipity Yogurt Cafe

Order a beer float at Serendipity

Wynwood
The ice cream shop's Wynwood outpost features various pairings like Blue Moon and blood-orange sorbet, as well as J. Wakefield Stout and salted caramel cream.

Take a tour of Stiltsville

South Miami
The best time to visit South Florida’s collection of vibrant, pastel-colored wood-frame houses is in the summer. Get a glimpse into where Miami’s rich and famous hung out and partied. Though now, the structures remain quiet and untouched.

Walk around Bill Baggs Park

Key Biscayne
There’s a photo-worthy lighthouse here, which also happens to be the oldest standing structure in the greater Miami area!

Miami Marlins
Miami Marlins

Cheer on the Miami Marlins

Downtown Miami
There’s games through the end of the month, and tickets are less than the cost of one Miami Spice dinner... although we won’t say which one is more satisfying.

Hang out at The Wynwood Yard

Wynwood
Despite Zika scares, The Wynwood Yard is back open. Grab a cocktail or a bite, and catch one of its nightly events, like live music, games, or socials.

The Forge
The Forge

Sip and nibble at The Forge

Miami Beach
The Forge’s summer-inspired revamped happy hour brings $50 bottles of Veuve Clicquot, along with small plates like meatball sliders and fried chicken dumplings.  

Go to Big Night in Little Haiti

Little Haiti
Catch one last music- and culture-filled iteration before summer ends.

Fontainebleu Miami Beach
Courtesy of The Fontainebleu Miami Beach

Sneak into a hotel pool

Anywhere
It's worth the risk.

... or play it safe at the Venetian

Coral Gables
Take a swim through Coral Gables’ 820,000-gallon aqua-colored pool, filled with spring water pumped from an underground aquifer.  

Watch the sunset at South Pointe Pier

South Beach
It might not be a West Coast sunset, but it’ll definitely inspire awe.

Farichild Botanic Garden
Flickr/Daniel X. O'Neil

Smell the flowers at Fairchild

Coral Gables
Snag a free garden and flower tour inside the lush tropical paradise that is Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Squeeze in one last patchouli-scented drum circle

Miami Beach
Celebrate the full moon with good vibes on 79th St and Collins Ave.

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Clarissa Buch is a Thrillist contributor who is sick of summer and just wants a pumpkin spice latte. Follow her foodie adventures on Instagram and Twitter.