The 19 best things to do in Brickell, from shopping to nightlife

In a neighborhood defined by its constant construction and towering luxury condos, you wouldn’t exactly expect to find an archaeological site, let alone the oldest known permanent settlement on the U.S. East Coast. Yet here it is, a perfect, 38-foot circle of 24 holes cut into the limestone bedrock on coastal Brickell Point. Believed to have been the location of a structure built by the Tequesta Indians, the Miami Circle is estimated to be somewhere between 1,700 and 2,000 years old.

Similar to New York’s High Line or Chicago’s 606 Trail except on the ground, Miami’s Underline utilizes the path carved by its legacy public transportation lines to create an innovative urban park and trail. Opening in phases through 2025, visitors can already enjoy completed sections in Brickell like The Urban Gym, The Promenade and The Oolite Room, plus amenities like a free weekend yoga series, a dog run and separated biking and walking paths along the Miami River.

The first thing you should know about the new Okeydokey food hall is that it’s not, technically, a food hall. It’s a large, sprawling, three-story Brickell entertainment venue with multiple vendors and bars selling very different lineups of food—which, we admit, sounds a lot like a food hall. Three bars and vendor kitchens dot the downstairs space, while the second floor features a dining room and lounge full of cushy leather couches. On the third floor, find an adults-only lounge where DJs spin on weekends.

Is that…could it be…a park? In Brickell? Yes! It is, admittedly, a very small park (7.8 acres) but a park nonetheless. A stroll through Simpson Park Hammock offers a quiet, cool and lush respite from the bustle of the city. Plus, this park and nature preserve is basically the only remaining proof of what Brickell used to look like before all these buildings and people arrived and many native plant species are protected here.

The plush leather seats at this luxury dine-in movie theater are so comfy you just might not make it to the third act. Better order a craft cocktail and a cappuccino (both available for purchase from the comfort of your recliner) to ensure you see the final scene. Is a $20 movie ticket worth it? When you consider the menu of not-half-bad food and drinks and full service during the show, it all makes for a pretty sweet night out at the movies.

Located at the rooftop of the dual-brand AC and Element Hotel Miami Downtown, pink-themed Rosa Sky delivers moody lounge vibes with a sleek, modern design, low-slung seating and loads of LED lighting choreographed to the DJ tunes. Enjoy the glittering Downtown and Brickell views with your naked eye, or place your peepers into the set of real-deal binoculars for an up-close look at all the action—just be beware what, or who, you might stumble across!

Blackbird has been satiating Brickell and Downtown’s thirsty masses for longer than most Miami bars. Here, the dancefloor is inviting, the cocktails are strong and the nightly DJs play a mix of bangers that draw eclectic crowds late into the night. Open from 3pm until 5am seven days a week, Blackbird Ordinary toes the line between a rowdy neighborhood dive and a full-on nightclub. Whichever journey you’re on, rest assured the dress code is relaxed, the music is on point and the prices are definitely on the friendlier side for the area.

La Sandwicherie is a Miami institution, helmed by founders Franz and Elise since 1988. Though the French sandwich shop and its addictive vinaigrette have expanded to throughout Miami, its original location remains on Miami Beach, as well as its second-oldest location in Brickell. Just across the street from Brickell City Centre, La Sandwicherie is open daily from 9am to 5am. The crusty French bread, pillowy croissants and piles of fresh ingredients like ham, brie and crunchy cornichons are just as effective in drawing corporate lunch crowds as they are post-club crowds.

For a bit of Miami history, stop by Dade Heritage Trust, Miami-Dade’s largest preservation organization located in the original 1905 office of Dr. James Jackson, Miami’s first physician. With a mission to preserve the county’s architectural, environmental and cultural heritage through education and advocacy efforts, Dade Heritage Trust hosts popular bike and walking tours throughout the city as well as a sweet Baking in Historic Places series. The building itself is surrounded by beautiful native landscaping curated by Fairchild Tropical Garden.