Summer may be unofficially ending in other places, but Labor Day weekend is just the beginning of all the things you can do in Miami. Here are five great ways to celebrate the long weekend.
Go to the first Canes home football game
Show your Cane spirit at the first home football game of the season. If you are a freshman, participate in the Freshman Walk – a UM tradition that lets freshmen step onto the field at Sun Life Stadium. If you aren’t a freshman, go anyway. Start the year off with lots of Cane pride: throw up your U and enjoy the sport, the fire extinguishers, and the classic UM cheers. The game starts at 6 p.m., and Hurry Cane shuttles will take students to and from the stadium.
PAMM Labor Day Picnic
Every year, the Pérez Art Museum Miami celebrates Labor Day with gusto. This year, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., PAMM will host a lively picnic. The menu includes burgers, hot dogs, brownies, kettle chips, soft drinks, and wine and beer – all $6 or less. Eat on the steps of PAMM overlooking the Intracoastal and enjoy live music by Magic City Hippies. After eating, you can go into the museum to enjoy some of the cultural and artistic galleries on display. Admission is $16, and the best way to get to PAMM is via Metro Mover to Museum Park Station. The museum is also located in downtown Miami, so you can explore the city once you are done.
Floatopia
For the second time this year, you can grab whatever floating device you have and relax at South Pointe Park for Floatopia. The event is free to everyone; all you need to bring is a good attitude. Enjoy the beach Saturday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. At the end, don’t forget to pick up your garbage to keep the beach clean for future Floatopia’s.
Visit Marlins Park
All throughout the weekend, the Marlins will be playing at the beautiful Marlins Park stadium. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Marlins will compete against the New York Mets, and on Labor Day the team will play the Milwaukee Brewers. Purchasing a ticket for the Friday night game at 7:10 p.m. will help benefit Stand Up for Cancer, and fans will be treated to Star Wars Night. The game will end with a fireworks display. Sunday’s game at 1:10 p.m. is dedicated to Jewish Heritage Day. Fans who go to either of these two events will be treated to different delights as well as great baseball. The Saturday game is at 7:10 p.m., and the Monday game is at 1:10 p.m. Tickets for the special game days start at $25, and other tickets start at $16.
Take a trip to the Keys
What better way to enjoy the last days of summer than with a trip to the iconic Florida Keys? Work your way from Key Largo to Islamorada to Marathon, ending in Key West, the southernmost part of Florida. See the exact spot that marks the 90 miles between the United States and Cuba. Along the way, enjoy the beautiful beaches, the arts and crafts, and bars and restaurants. All the Keys have boat tours or even dolphin experiences to keep you occupied on the way down and on the way back up. After relaxing on the beach and sprucing up that summer tan, have Key Lime Pie made by locals – the dessert to a gourmet vacation.
Use the free time to explore
The University of Miami is located in the middle of one of the greatest cities in America. Just a few blocks away is Miracle Mile, filled with delicious eateries and delightful shops. A few miles away, Jungle Island and the Miami Seaquarium offer glimpses at the beauties of nature and can take a full day to view, and the beaches are always ready if you want to look at the natural beauty of Florida. Take this weekend to reinvigorate yourself and introduce or reintroduce yourself to your Miami home.
Feature photo courtesy Pixabay user liezelzpineda.