Islamorada coastline, aerial view of Florida.

Nicest Small Towns To Visit Near Miami

These five towns offer a peaceful and authentic slice of Florida within reach of Miami. Palm Beach Shores serves as both a top destination for aquatic adventures and a gateway to a Cold War fallout shelter on an island. Delray Beach centers on its Atlantic Avenue, where visitors can enjoy fresh seafood and browse local stores just steps from the waterfront. Islamorada combines a marine mammal aquarium, a diving museum and a state park covering local geology. Each one sits within a two-hour drive of Miami.

Prettiest Florida StopsBrowse more of the prettiest small towns across Florida.

Palm Beach Shores

Set on the southern tip of Singer Island, about 70 miles north of Miami, Palm Beach Shores, while small (it's home to just 1,330 residents), punches well above its weight when it comes to things to do. Its location certainly doesn't hurt: it's situated at the mouth of Lake Worth Inlet, which gives it direct access to Peanut Island, an 80-acre park that's home to the John F. Kennedy Bunker, a Cold War fallout shelter.

The best part of a visit to Palm Beach Shores is being able to walk along Lake Worth Inlet from the eastern-most point of Florida. Look for the Palm Beach Inlet Pump House and follow the inlet, and chances are you'll see a cruise ship or two sail past as they head in or out of the Port of Palm Beach.

Pedestrian walkways eventually end up at Sailfish Marina, the town's commercial heart. Originally established as a sport fishing dock, the warm Atlantic current that runs just offshore brings sailfish, mahi-mahi, kingfish, and wahoo within reach. It's also popular for its restaurants and the Thursday evening Sunset Celebration featuring local artists, craft vendors, and live music.

Palm Beach

Just a short bridge crossing from the much larger West Palm Beach, Palm Beach is the island town that put this stretch of coast on the map. Set on a long, narrow barrier island developed as a winter resort by Henry Flagler in the 1890s, it remains one of the ritziest pieces of coastal real estate in the United States, with Presidents to tech billionaires now calling it home.

The good news for the rest of us is that we can now sample a little of that opulence ourselves. Head past the mansions and resorts for a stroll along Worth Avenue, a three-block commercial district running between the Atlantic shore and the Intracoastal Waterway. Laid out in the 1920s in a classy Mediterranean Revival style, quaint courtyards with colorful stucco buildings, wrought-iron balconies, and arched walkways invite you to pull up a chair, buy a coffee from Via Roma Café, sit back… and dream.

Worth Avenue luxury shopping district in Palm Beach, Florida. Image credit: Delpixel / Shutterstock.com.

Window shopping is a treat in Palm Beach. In addition to several luxury yacht sales showrooms (check out their models), high-end fashion retailer Lilly Pulitzer has a boutique here, as do the world's leading jewelers like Tiffany. For lovers of reading, a visit to Raptis Rare Books is a must-do. Be sure to also visit the Flagler Museum, housed in the tycoon's 75-room Gilded Age mansion completed in 1902.

Delray Beach

Around forty-five minutes north of Miami, Delray Beach's centerpiece is Atlantic Avenue. This tree-lined commercial corridor runs east toward the two-mile-long public beach. Eateries like the waterside Deck 84 on this main street are popular spots to dine and watch pleasure boats pass by.

Visitor attractions are plentiful in Delray Beach. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens tops most lists and features six themed gardens inspired by Japanese garden styles dating from the 9th century onward. There's also a museum with rotating exhibits on regional art and culture, along with annual events that include the spring Hatsume Fair. The on-site Cornell Cafe serves Japanese-inspired dishes overlooking a lake.

Downtown attractions include Old School Square, a redevelopment of a restored 1913 elementary school and the 1925 Delray High School. Highlights include the Cornell Art Museum with displays of contemporary work. Just steps from the beach, the Sandoway Discovery Center occupies the 1936 J.B. Evans House and features a 15,000-gallon coral reef pool complete with nurse shark and stingray feedings, as well as a butterfly garden.

Key Largo

Just an hour south of Miami via the Overseas Highway, Key Largo is the first and longest of the Florida Keys. Famous among underwater enthusiasts as the "Dive Capital of the World," the big draw is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Established in 1963, it was the first undersea park in the United States, and the surrounding waters were later designated as the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in 1990. The park's most photographed site is Christ of the Abyss, a nine-foot-tall bronze statue placed in 25 feet of water on Key Largo Dry Rocks that divers tend to flock to.

Christ of the Abyss in John Pennekamp State Park off Key Largo, Florida.

While John Pennekamp Park covers an impressive 70 nautical square miles, it's also fun for those preferring to stay dry. Glass-bottom boat tours run daily from the park's main basin, and kayak and paddleboard rentals are also available at the marina. Several nature trails wind through tropical hardwood hammock and mangrove ecosystems, providing plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities. Other highlights include a saltwater swimming area, a visitor center with an aquarium, and the Maritime Heritage Exhibit.

Movie fans should book a ride on the African Queen, the original steam-powered launch used in the 1951 film of the same name. Fully restored in 2012 to mark its 100th birthday, this iconic vessel runs 90-minute canal cruises out of Marina Del Mar.

Islamorada

Tourists gathering at the docks of Robbie's Marina to feed wild brown pelicans and tarpon fish — Tourists gathering at the docks of Robbie's Marina in Islamorada to feed wild brown pelicans and tarpon fish. Image credit: George Stoyanov / Shutterstock.com.

Carry on along the Overseas Highway from Key Largo, and you'll wind up in Islamorada, a string of six islands that claim to be the "Sport Fishing Capital of the World." And they're probably right. Must-catches here include sailfish, tarpon, and bonefish. Make a stop at Robbie's of Islamorada to pick up a bucket of bait and hand-feed the resident school of tarpon from the dock. It's quite the experience, especially as these silver giants can grow to seven feet in length and weigh up to 200 pounds.

The giant sculpture of Betsy the Lobster in Islamorada, Florida. Image credit: damann / Shutterstock.com.

Diver or not, a stop at the Florida Keys History of Diving Museum is a fun diversion. This fascinating attraction houses a large collection of diving equipment along with exhibits about 4,000 years of underwater exploration. Speaking of history, Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park preserves a former quarry where the limestone used to build the Overseas Railroad in 1912 was cut, in the process revealing an ancient fossilized coral reef.

Theater of the Sea, the world's second-oldest marine mammal attraction, has been showcasing marine life since 1946. Set in a former rock quarry that has since filled with seawater, it features interactive programs with dolphins, sea lions, and sea turtles.

Florida Towns With Unforgettable Main StreetsThe strolling-worthy examples ahead include panhandle fishing towns and historic South Florida riverfronts.

Five Small Towns Near Miami

Miami may drive South Florida tourism, but several small towns within a two-hour radius hold their own when it comes to character. The Gilded Age history of Palm Beach, the tranquil neighborhoods of Palm Beach Shores, the gardens and art life of Delray Beach and the on- and off-water adventures along the Keys all sit within an easy drive of the city. These five belong on any Miami travel itinerary.

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