Miami vs Orlando – Which Florida Destination Is Best for Vacation?

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Read our full disclosure.

I’ve been to Miami twice and to Orlando ten times since 2019, both with and without kids. Which is best? The short answer is Orlando is best for families with young kids and theme park trips, while Miami is best for beach holidays, couples, and adult getaways. If you’re in Florida for a week or more, you could visit both.

Miami at a Glance

Miami is a coastal, multicultural city. The main tourist area here stretches 14 miles along Miami Beach with South Beach being the most popular spot. Other places to visit beyond the coast include the street-art district of Wynwood, the financial high-rise zone of Brickell, and Little Havana, the Cuban cultural quarter.

We stay in South Beach on our trips to Miami since you’re on the beach and it’s super walkable. We’ll then take an Uber to places like Wynwood and Little Havana. Drives between neighbourhoods are short (10-20 minutes outside rush hour) and rideshares are cheaper than a rental car since the cost of parking overnight at a hotel on South Beach is typically very expensive.

Orlando at a Glance

Orlando is inland, 235 miles north of Miami. The tourist area here covers 30 miles and is spread across Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, International Drive and Kissimmee.

For trips of five nights or less, visitors typically stay either on-site at Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando and then travel to the other resort if they want to visit. Those from the UK like myself typically come to Orlando for 14 nights, where staying in a villa in Kissimmee and renting a car is often the more economical choice.

Best for Families With Young Kids

Orlando is made for families with young kids with attractions such as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando as well as family-friendly resorts to suit all interests and budgets.

Miami isn’t a firm no. My wife and I visited Miami with our 18-month-old son and had a great time. South Beach has shady playgrounds at Flamingo Park and Lummus Park that work well by day, though the 5th to 12th Street stretch gets party-heavy after dark and is best avoided in the evening.

If family-friendly entertainment is what you’re looking for, Orlando is the better choice. If you want a city break feel and a beach, Miami works, just stay north of 16th Street.

🏆 our verdict: orlando

Best for a Beach Holiday

Orlando is landlocked and the nearest beaches, Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach, are at least an hour’s drive away. They’re fine for a day trip but not the reason you go to Orlando.

In Miami, there are almost one hundred hotels with direct oceanfront access. The water is calm and warm year-round. South Beach is the most popular stretch for the younger crowd while North Beach is much quieter and more family-paced.

During our family trip to Miami, we stayed at Loews Miami Beach Hotel. This hotel is in South Beach but since it’s a luxury hotel, families are more common here than at some of the mid-range options.

🏆 our verdict: miami

Best for Theme Parks

Orlando is the theme park capital of the world with more theme parks per square mile than anywhere else on earth. Popular options include Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld, with LEGOLAND Florida just a short drive away.

Miami has zero major theme parks. There are smaller attractions like Jungle Island and Miami Children’s Museum, but nothing in the same category as Disney World and Universal.

🏆 our verdict: orlando

Best for a Budget Trip

If we exclude theme park tickets, then Orlando is the cheaper option, especially for larger families. Orlando’s extensive vacation home market means you can get somewhere that sleeps six to ten people with a private pool, kitchen, and laundry for as little as $200 a night.

Most of the accommodation in Miami is hotel-based, with hotels in South Beach regularly costing $300 to $600 a night even off-peak. If you do plan to visit the theme parks, then the cost of tickets plus the increased cost of parking, food, and drink narrows the gap significantly.

🏆 our verdict: orlando

Best for Adults and Couples

The rooftop bars, diverse restaurants, and cultural attractions of Miami make the city much more suited to adults. If you’re a foodie or you’re interested in art, then the coastal-cosmopolitan energy of the city is perfect.

Orlando has adult options in Downtown Orlando and Mills 50. There are even some more adult spots at Universal CityWalk and Disney Springs, but they’re built around families taking a night off, not around couples building a whole trip.

🏆 our verdict: miami

Best for Outdoor Day Trips

There are several day trips you can take from Miami. The Everglades are a 45-minute drive with alligators, airboat tours, and ranger-led walks. Around 90 minutes away you have Key Largo, the gateway to the Florida Keys.

There are also several day trips you can take from Orlando. Kennedy Space Center is on the Space Coast around an hour’s drive away, as are natural springs like Kelly Park for swimming year-round, and Blue Spring where manatees gather in winter.

There’s no clear winner for the best outdoor day trips. Both cities have multiple options; they’re just different.

🏆 our verdict: tie

Can You Visit Both Miami and Orlando?

I have visited both Miami and Orlando on a trip to Florida, and if you’ve got a week or more, you can too.

We flew into Miami and spent two nights here seeing everything the city has to offer. Then we went on a cruise, and when we returned to Miami we drove to Orlando in a rental car. We stayed in Orlando for seven nights, visiting both Disney and Universal before flying home from MCO.

I’m from the UK, so driving in Florida is still a little scary for me, and the 4-hour drive was the longest drive we’ve ever done in the US. It’s not the only way to travel between the two cities though. You can take the Brightline train instead.

The Brightline wasn’t an option for us. We travelled in June 2023, just before the line opened. With our 18-month-old son Oliver and a lot of luggage, the car was the more convenient option.

Quick Comparison

	Miami	Orlando
Vibe	Cosmopolitan, coastal, nightlife	Theme parks, family-paced, inland
Best for	Beaches, couples, adult breaks	Families, theme parks, kids of all ages
Top activities	South Beach, Wynwood, Cuban food, Everglades	Walt Disney World, Universal, SeaWorld, day trips
Climate	Coastal, breezy, hotter at peak	Inland, more humid, summer storms
Typical UK family cost	£150-£350/night hotels	£80-£250/night hotels, vacation homes push lower
Ideal trip length	3-5 nights	7-14 nights
Direct UK flights	BA, Virgin to MIA	BA, Virgin to MCO; TUI to MLB

Map of Miami and Orlando

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions I’m asked about choosing between Miami and Orlando.