Hotels near Bayfront Park and Bayside Marketplace

Where downtown Miami meets the water, Bayfront Park and the adjoining Bayside Marketplace form the city's central waterfront. The open-air Bayside mall mixes shops, restaurants and live Latin music with a marina where boat tours and the Skyviews Miami observation wheel set off for spins over the bay.

Bayfront Park itself is a green space dotted with fountains and amphitheatres that hosts concerts and the city's big New Year's Eve celebration. It is the easiest place downtown to get out on the water, with sightseeing cruises that pass the mansions of Star Island and the cruise terminals of PortMiami.

Pro Tip: This is the most convenient launch point for a Biscayne Bay boat tour, the best-value way to see the celebrity islands and the skyline from the water. Visit late afternoon so you can stay for sunset over the bay and the downtown lights.