Hi Melba,
You might want to try posting this question on the discussions side, too. It seems like this forum gets forgotten...

But I know a few places you might want to see while in Miami. Vizcaya is lovely. It's a national landmark, museum and has gardens.
(http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/)

I've never been, but I hear others rave about Fairchild Tropical Gardens.
(http://www.fairchildgarden.org/)

There's also the Miami Metro Zoo... I haven't been there in probably 20 years...

Of course, South Beach with all the art deco architecture is fun. So much to do!

Have fun and enjoy your cruise!

I don't know Miami very well at all - I live in the far, far northern suburb of Orlando, but I can highly recommend Vizcaya. If you like gardens at all, it will charm you. And take a drive through Coral Gables. It's Old Florida at it's best. Stop at one of the Cuban restuarants there for a great lunch, too. Order a Mojito at the bar and you may decide to spend the entire afternoon!

I highly recommend going to the Fruit and Spice Park. http://www.floridaplants.com/fruit&spice/ Also there are many neat orchid nurseries in the Homestead area if you have time to visit them. I'm not sure how the park looks like now because of the hurricanes, but I'd still go and visit. I believe it's $5 to get in, they give you a tour and usually there is a sampling of neat fruits from the park. They have a cool giftshop also.

If you have more time, there is always Key Largo and the John Pennekamp State Park where you can snorkel or take glass bottom boat tours.

Fairchild is a must, but the admission is around $12 or something. Still good to see. A good beach to go to is on Key Biscayne. There is a state park at the very end with a lighthouse. Good restrooms and the beaches are clean and not overly crowded.

If you have even more time there is Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Park. If you need directions let me know. There are airboat rides as well. The wading birds are here right now and you can see some really beautiful birds. I've seen snail kites, herons, egrets and storks and sometimes you can see roseate spoonbills.

Thank you nicki, solstice98, and mistiaggie for the suggestions. I have looked them all up and I sure wish I was going to have more time there so I could visit them all.

Melba