Blake Walsh

15 Free Things to Do in Miramar, FL

  • Published 2023/01/27

Miramar is one of the Miami metropolitan area’s principal cities, located south of Broward County, Florida.

The city is the third largest in Broward County in terms of geographical area and the fifth largest in population.

Miramar is ideally located between the metro areas of Fort Lauderdale and Miami and is accessible 30 minutes from the airports and seaports of both cities.

With its neighborhood parks and community programs where one of its focus areas is athletic activities in which people of all ages can participate in, Miramar has always been and remains a family-oriented city.

The city’s expert recreational staff designs year-round events with something for everyone, from young to senior residents.

In 2006 and 2008, Money Magazine ranked Miramar in the top 100 “America’s Best Places to Live.”

Discover what makes the city an ideal place to live with these free things to do in Miramar, Florida:

Get your Body Moving at Miramar Regional Park

Bird's eye view of Miramar Regional Park

Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock.com

The 173-acre Miramar Regional Park on Miramar Parkway is home to various fun amenities.

Among the park’s facilities are a fitness station, baseball fields, basketball courts, cricket fields, playgrounds, pavilions with barbecue pits, and more.

Miramar Regional Park also has five pavilions which are perfect for family and community events, including birthday parties and other social gatherings.

Although pavilions and fields are for rent, the park is still a great location for other sports, a morning workout, or an afternoon walk.

Miramar Regional Park is free to the public during weekdays, but charges for weekend and holiday entry.

Walk around Miramar Town Center

As the city’s “downtown,” the thriving mixed-use Miramar Town Center has helped the city move closer to realizing its goal of being an independent city.

The Miramar Town Center, ideally situated in the city center, was built to resemble the best historic towns in Florida, with pedestrian-friendly streets, main street businesses, stunning Mediterranean-style architecture, and seaside views.

The Town Center favors a graceful lifestyle where businesses, services, and leisure are all within walking distance of one another.

This 54-acre multipurpose area includes the City Hall, the public library, an educational center, a cultural center with an art park, and commercial, corporate, and residential buildings.

The Miramar Town Center serves as a gathering spot for locals to commemorate significant events and share in the vibrant culture of the city.

See Wildlife at Snake Warrior’s Island Natural Area

Snake Warrior’s Island Natural Area is a 53-acre park that is also both a historical site and a natural area.

The ponds and marshes of Snake Warrior’s Island are hotspots for wading birds, as well as ducks, tricolored and little blue herons, wood storks, ospreys, and more, which makes it one of the network trails of the Great Florida Birding Trail.

This natural area is wheelchair-accessible and features interpretive signs, picnic and seating areas, and paved trails that wind through several wetlands.

According to archaeological evidence, Snake Warrior’s Island Natural Area was occupied as early as 500 B.C., where Miccosukee tribe leader Chitto Tustenuggee, also called Snake Warrior, set up camp during the Second Seminole War.

The land was purchased by the state of Florida in 1992, and Broward County began leasing it in 2004.

If you’re looking for an ideal location to wander alone or take the whole family, Snake Warrior’s Island Natural Area is a pleasant place to unwind, take a walk, and see wildlife.

Get Lost in a Book at the Miramar Branch Library & Education Center

The Miramar Branch Library & Education Center is a branch of the Broward County Library, housed on the first floor of a three-story building that also houses the Broward College (BC) and Nova Southeastern University (NSU) on the second and third floors, respectively.

In an effort to create a range of uses for the public at the Town Center location, the city collaborated with Broward County and the two higher education institutions to build a community library and an education center.

Construction on the project began in late 2006 and was finished in the summer of 2008; library services and classes started in the autumn of that same year.

Over 80,000 items across all mediums and genres make up the library’s collection.

It’s one of the only five libraries that offer video games in various formats (PlayStation, Wii, and Xbox).

In addition, Miramar Branch Library & Education Center includes more than 50 public computers, tutoring rooms, a conference room, a group study room, and a multi-purpose room with 100 seating capacity.

Explore a Nature Trail at Miramar Pineland Park

Miramar Pineland Park on University Drive is a historically and environmentally significant area that combines a regional park’s amenities with passive recreation options in a natural setting.

This park’s 156 acres include Flatwoods, prairie lands, and wetlands, with trails and boardwalks.

It also has a playground for children and a water park for hot summer days.

Additionally, its pavilions make it a popular venue for kids’ parties.

Admission to Miramar Pineland Park is free on weekdays; the park charges a fee on weekends and holidays.

Play Games at Silver Shores Park

Silver Shores Park on Pembroke Road is a favorite among locals when it comes to playing sports.

Silver Shores Park features basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts, football/soccer fields, as well as pavilions, shelters, a playground, and restrooms.

Pavilions are available for rent, and permits are required to use the soccer and baseball fields; however, other amenities are free of charge.

The park spanning 16 acres not just offers outdoor recreation but nature preservation as well.

Take a morning or afternoon stroll, play some sports on a nearby court, or simply enjoy the open area!

See Artworks at the Ansin Family Art Gallery

The Ansin Family Art Gallery in the Miramar Cultural Center is committed to giving the public free access to outstanding works of art by well-known artists.

Founded in honor of its namesakes, Sidney and Sophie Ansin, the Ansin Family Art Gallery pays homage to their love and passion for arts and culture.

The Ansin family is a prominent figure in Miramar as the developer of the Miramar Park of Commerce, where several Fortune 500 companies are located.

Since it opened in April 2009, the gallery has been used to display artworks that have been collected from famous artists throughout the world.

The Art Gallery’s exhibits are in partnership with the Latin American Arts Pavilion, Art Serve, BOCA Museum, Miami Dade College, Nova Southeastern, Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, The White House, and more.

Enjoy a Picnic at River Run Park

River Run Park is a waterfront park with tennis and racquetball courts, a walking trail, a playground, a pavilion (for rental), and a fishing dock.

Nestled in a beautiful neighborhood on Miramar Boulevard, River Run Park is lovely, especially in the morning if you want some peace.

The park’s walking trails and outdoor exercise equipment are excellent for breaking a sweat!

There are also plenty of open green spaces with views of the water that are excellent for an afternoon picnic, as well as benches where you may sit and relax or read a book.

River Run Park is a fantastic location for working out and family time.

Volunteer at the Miramar Community Garden

The Miramar Community Garden (MCG) is a renowned “micro urban farm” that provides members, volunteers, and visitors with a social network where they may learn about raising fresh organic fruit and leading healthy lives.

The 7,400-square-foot Miramar Community Garden is situated in Fairway Park on Largo Drive.

The Community Garden is an economically and environmentally sustainable system that promotes a nutritious food supply of organically grown fruits and vegetables.

Built by the City of Miramar with the help of donations from business sponsors, the Miramar Community Garden has been a staple for practical learning opportunities and community service.

Since May 2010, members and volunteers have provided more than 19,000 hours of service, including helping the MCG arrange an average of 20 events annually.

Visitors can use a map to take a self-guided tour around the garden.

Catch Entertainment at Shirley Branca Park

Shirley Branca Park on Miramar Parkway is one of the parks in Miramar that offers recreation and entertainment.

The park’s 100-square foot band shell and lush landscaping, which offers spectators lawn seating, make it a great location for live outdoor concerts.

In addition, Shirley Branca Park has walking paths and a splash pad.

This new outdoor venue in the city has been made possible by the park’s redevelopment and recent expansions, which have helped the community’s music and performing arts.

Take a leisurely stroll around the area and, if you’re lucky, catch some park entertainment!

Play Basketball at Beekman Park

Beekman Park is a small park along Beekman Drive that can be your next location for a game of basketball.

Although it has few amenities like a basketball court, picnic and play areas, and a playground, it is nevertheless a lovely spot to relax and enjoy your day with friends or family.

Tucked in a neighborhood, Beekman Park provides a peaceful location for gatherings and picnics.

Spend an hour or two resting and hanging out at Beekman Park.

Other Things to Do Nearby

Spend Time Outdoors at the Chapel Trail Nature Preserve

Landscape of Chapel Trail Nature Preserve

Sunshower Shots / Shutterstock.com

Chapel Trail Nature Preserve is a 460-acre marsh and wetland, located 15 minutes from Miramar.

The City of Pembroke manages this passive park established in the 1990s,

The marshes and wetlands are home to about 120 species of wildlife, including alligators, birds, deer, largemouth bass, insects, marsh rabbits, snakes, and turtles.

A turtle peeking out of the water at Chapel Trail Nature Preserve

Sunshower Shots / Shutterstock.com

This nature preserve features a 1,650-foot boardwalk, a deck for viewing, and canoe rentals available on Saturdays.

The boardwalk trails through wetlands are a great opportunity to see and spend time outdoors.

Chapel Trail Nature Preserve’s wetlands serve as a natural habitat that is vital in South Florida, which relies on the marshy areas to collect and filter water as it penetrates into the Biscayne Aquifer, South Florida’s main freshwater source.

Heron at Chapel Trail Nature Preserve

Sunshower Shots / Shutterstock.com

Relax by the Lake at Country Lake Park

Country Lake Park is a park outside of Miramar, only 12 minutes away from downtown.

It’s located in Hialeah City and offers stunning lakeside views perfect for relaxation.

This park offers a calm and slow atmosphere, which makes it a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.

It features many amenities such as picnic shelters and pavilions, a playground, restrooms, a tot lot (playground for younger children), and pathways.

Country Lake Park also has courts and fields for activities like basketball, baseball, and softball.

Bike at Amelia Earhart Park

Entrance to Amelia Earhart Park

Blueee77 / Shutterstock.com

About eight miles south of Miramar is Amelia Earhart Park, a 515-acre urban park in Hialeah, Miami-Dade County.

Numerous recreational activities are available at Amelia Earhart Park, including skateboarding, fishing, and biking trails.

The park has eight miles of single-track and fire road cycling trails with numerous climbs, descents, and banked bends.

The Bill Graham Farm Village is a replica of a farm with a demonstration shed where guests may observe cow milking, horseshoeing, sheep shearing, and livestock judging, in addition to a petting zoo, pony ring, sugar cane press, and an exhibit hall.

Close to the barn is an adjacent insect museum and a country store.

There is also an 18-hole disc golf course and a fenced five-acre dog park, along with benches, playgrounds, and walkways.

Amelia Earhart Park offers free entry during weekdays and charges a fee during weekends and holidays.

Enjoy the Sea Breeze along the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

People strolling around the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

Anurak Pankham / Shutterstock.com

The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is a 2.2-mile-long promenade that offers breathtaking coastal panoramas of Hollywood Beach, just 30 minutes away from Miramar.

Here you’ll find outdoor cafes and local and organic farmers’ markets.

You can find a variety of attractions along the promenade, such as the Hollywood Beach Theatre, public art, and a children’s water playground at Charnow Park.

Visitors riding scooter to explore the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

Kristi Blokhin / Shutterstock.com

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk also has a mix of luxury condominiums and hotels, including the Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, and Trump Hollywood.

This brick-paved boulevard, which Travel + Leisure magazine recognized as one of America’s Best Beach Boardwalks, welcomes millions of tourists each year, which include walkers, joggers, cyclists, and rollerbladers.

Food trucks at Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

Philip Lange / Shutterstock.com

Final Thoughts

Miramar is a beautiful and great place to live and visit due to its active, vibrant, and progressive community.

Located an hour from Miami, it offers a small city vibe ideal for those who want to escape the rush of daily life.

The city of Miramar is committed to continuously enhancing the quality of life of its citizens by keeping a clean, secure, economical, and inventive community that adapts to changes while retaining its rich history.

There’s more to the city than meets the eye, therefore, may this list of the free things to do in Miramar, Florida, give you a glimpse of what’s more to come!

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