A local’s guide to Miami: What to eat, see and do in three days

Sure, you can come to Miami just to look at it. There’s plenty of eye candy, from the art deco facades of South Beach to the colorful murals of Wynwood and the natural beauty of the Florida Everglades. And how could we forget the travel brochure-blue warm waters of the Atlantic.

Related: A local’s travel guide to the San Francisco Bay Area: what to eat, see and do in three days

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from two decades living in what locals call the Magic City, it’s that Miami is a place that needs to be lived in. It wants to be heard. It craves to be experienced. Thanks to the Latin American culture and cuisine that courses through its veins, Miami pulses with a vibrancy like no other city in North America.

Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl won’t affect your enjoyment – there’s plenty for all. What really matters is that you’re open to soaking in the vibe, ready for your senses to be stoked and your mood to be mellowed. Without further ado, my itinerary for friends and strangers alike.

Day 1: Dominoes and downtown

We’re starting our day with a stroll through the Cuban neighborhood of Little Havana, along Calle Ocho. This is where the first refugees from Fidel Castro’s 1959 communist revolution in Cuba made their home. We’ll grab a breakfast pastelito (a sweet or savory Cuban puff pastry) and a cafecito (espresso coffee) from a street kiosk as we amble towards Máximo Gómez Park, where we’ll find elderly Cuban exiles engaged in friendly banter over a game or three of dominoes. For lunch, there’s nothing to beat a roasted pork, cheese and pickle Cuban sandwich from the iconic Cafe Versailles.

The newly gentrified Wynwood district, about 15 miles north of downtown, is on tap for the afternoon. Until recently, the area was a sprawl of rundown warehouses. Investment in the strongly Puerto Rican neighborhood has sparked a transformation into a corner of Miami where craft breweries, fashion houses, art galleries and dance halls abound. At its heart is Wynwood Walls, billed as Miami’s original street art museum, with a plethora of giant murals painted by world-famous artists.

But we’re saving some money for shopping at the waterfront Bayside Marketplace, and a sunset cruise to millionaire’s row aboard the Island Queen. We might not share the wealth of Miami’s celebrated glitterati, but we can lord it above them with panoramic views of the city from the Skyviews ferris wheel, before cocktails and supper with live entertainment at Pier 5, Bayside’s new live music venue.

Day 2: Outdoor yoga and opulent architecture

We partied hard and late, so we’re recharging this morning with some outdoor yoga on the scenic grounds of one of Miami’s most magnificent and historic buildings, the Vizcaya mansion. More than a century old, the Mediterranean revival-style building and its beautiful gardens were crafted for James Deering, an agricultural visionary whose descendants sold the estate to Miami-Dade county in the 1950s.

As beautiful as Vizcaya’s gardens are, they can’t hold a torch to the majesty of the nearby Fairchild tropical botanic garden in Coral Gables, where we’re walking this afternoon. A full 83 acres of tropical lushness, nowhere else in the city showcases its range of flora and fauna, and with special events most weekends from chocolate celebrations to mango festivals, chances are you’ll find something to nourish your roots.

It was only a matter of time. We’re finally heading for South Beach. It’s the art deco capital of the world, and you can bag an educational walking tour with the knowledgeable guides from the Miami Design Preservation League.

Afterwards, you’ll find us people-watching at the News Cafe, one of the best street-side eateries on Ocean Drive, where the clientele is as diverse and eclectic as its location. A plate of truffle fries makes for tasty light pickings, or grab some mahi-mahi tacos if you’re hungry.

If you’re wondering where we’re staying, you’ll find us at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, a national historic landmark dating to 1926, where the opulent grand pool was a favorite of numerous Hollywood movie stars of the mid-20th century, alongside quintessential personifications of American wealth such as the Roosevelts and Vanderbilts.

Day 3: Taste of the wetlands

You’ve seen airboats skimming the swamps of the Florida Everglades in the opening credits of CSI Miami. Today we’re going out searching for alligators. It’s a short drive west along US41 to where multiple airboat operators ply their trade, with Coopertown proclaiming itself the original. It’s Florida’s smallest town, with a population of eight, but it’s large in hospitality, and Coopertown Airboats’ fleet of seven vessels will take groups small and large on a quest for critters deep into the wetlands.

Yes, it can get cheesy. They’ll try to sell you a photo with a baby alligator, and you can chow down on “gator bites”, nuggets of alligator tail, when you’re back on dry land. But there’s no more signature experience or more fitting way to mark a short stay in Miami than venturing into the wilderness known as one of the world’s last wild frontiers.

And with that, you’ll be leaving the Magic City with tired feet, a host of rich memories and a yearning to see much more. You’ll be coming back for another look before long.

• Richard Luscombe is a general assignment reporter for the Guardian US, based in Miami. A certified python trapper (with zero catches to his name), he enjoys spending time in the Florida Everglades and watching big space rockets launch from Cape Canaveral