Calle Ocho, Little Havana

On first glance, Calle Ocho is just another mucky Miami street, but stop a while and take in the culture. This is wonderful! Stroll along past the abuelitos (older Cuban men) gathered in cramped Maximo Gomez Park playing chess and dominoes. Even the McDonalds has a small mural dedicated to Cuban culture. Murals are everywhere, and these are more special than your typical small-town mural. They are in the funky Cuban style that isn't comparable to any other style.

Savor an ice cream at Azucar Ice Cream Company, a clean little shop with colorful floor tiles, large windows, and a great choice of authentic Cuban flavors! Lastly, stop a while and have a perfect coffee, mojito, or a choice from dozens of rums at Cubaocho Art Center, a combination art center and bar! Plan to come when there is live Cuban music and you will be in heaven amongst the jam-packed walls full of Cuban art, shrine to Mary of Guadalupe, and what looks like pre-Castro-style antique furnishings. This is as good as it gets without having to go on a tour to Cuba!
Other great places to visit in Miami are: the Venetian pool, which is a real freshwater spring, Vizcaya Mansion, with its stunning East Terrace overlooking the bay, and Coral Castle in Homestead, a unique creation best viewed at sunset.
To learn more Cuban history in Miami, check out History Miami, a beautifully-curated museum with lots of hands-on items for kids.

Directions

To find the area called Calle Ocho or Little Havana, use this address in your GPS: 1501 SW 8th Street, Miami FL 33135.
You can park along the road in the metered parking.
Azucar Ice Cream Company, 1503 SW 8th Street, call (305) 381-0369.
Cubaocho Art Center/Bar, 1475 SW 8th Street, call (305) 285-5880.

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