The best things to do in Miami this week

A much-anticipated precursor to the holiday season in Miami, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s immersive NightGarden installation will return for a fifth season this November, promising even more psychedelic scenery, cutting-edge technology and interactive experiences running through the New Year. Spanning 83 acres of enchanted tropical trails, the full NightGarden experience takes anywhere around 60 minutes as visitors explore a neon playground of secret sunken ponds, hidden fairy worlds, giant swaying dandelion fields and the rainbow-colored Orchid Bridge. Chock-full of photo-worthy moments, projection-mapped pitstops and holographic sculptures, NightGarden invites guests to frolic in a magical snowfall experience, and yes, Archie will be there to once again reprise his role as your favorite wise-talking tree. The whimsical holiday spectacle will be open four days a week starting Friday, November 10 and runs through Sunday, January 7. Tickets can be purchased here and start at $30 for adults and $25 for children ages 10 and younger.

 The world’s largest holiday theme park (at least according to the website) returns for its 40th season of shimmering lights, carnival rides and only-in-Miami experiences and after 37 years in Tropical Park, it's moved to a larger space in Doral/Medley. The county-fair-meets-winter-wonderland is chock-full of roller coasters, amusement rides, carnival games, photo ops with Santa and his helpers, and an assortment of fair food—think fresh doughnuts, funnel cakes and more. And pro tip: if you hate waiting in lines, consider adding an express pass to your ticket. 7500 NW 87th Ave

Lincoln Road kicks off the festive season with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Parade. Expect holiday-themed crafts for kids, a parade featuring special guests, a dramatic countdown to light the tree and a few other surprises. 

The sprawling Gulfstream Park Village property gets illuminated by more than 250,000 sparkly LED lights this season, all set to the sounds of holiday favorites and jolly pop hits. Shop, dine, catch a horse race and soak in all the festive cheer through December. A 10-minute light show will begin at the top of every hour from 6 to 11pm. The kick-off event (Nov. 11, 7–10pm) features performances by DJ Chris Cruz and music from the Valerie Tyson eight-piece band. Snap photos with Santa under the snowfall as he joins the festivities along with his group of elves and Nutcracker stilt walkers.

Japanese contemporary art superstar Yayoi Kusama unveils her largest and most immersive kaleidoscopic environment this spring at Pérez Art Museum Miami. Known for her groundbreaking, psychedelic sculpture and Infinity Mirror installation works that originated in the 1960s and gave rise to today’s ubiquitous immersive art trend, Kusama has created a culmination of her artistic practice in the upcoming LOVE IS CALLING show at PAMM.  As visitors walk through the darkened, mirrored room, they’ll encounter the breadth of Kusama’s visual vocabulary: a disorienting cavern of polka-dotted, tentacle-like forms extending from the floor and ceiling, providing the room’s only source of light as they gradually change color. Meanwhile, a recording of Kusama’s voice fills the space as she recites a love poem that explores poignant, universal themes around life and death. Written by the artist, the Japanese poem’s title translates to “Residing in a Castle of Shed Tears.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time Out Miami (@timeoutmiami)

Bop downstairs to the basement of the Gale South Beach every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night to find a lineup of the city’s best Latin, fusion and straight-ahead jazz players providing impeccable vibes at Medium Cool, one of our favorite new cocktails lounges in Miami. The music kicks off at 7pm and heats up until 10pm, when the bar's resident DJs take over. Check Instagram for a rundown of the schedule each week.

Experience the beloved children's novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry like never before at The Little Prince World Miami, running from October 13 through December 31. Contained within a 137-foot wide and 45-foot high dome on Watson Island, the immersive landscape features a sprawling desert of real sand and more whimsical, multisensory elements that transport guests to unknown planets. Meet the book's enchanting characters and experience a nostalgic adventure through the eyes of the iconic Little Prince at this family-friendly, hour-long installation.

Countdown to Christmas with a cocktail in hand at Miracle in Miami. The international holiday-themed pop-up bar makes a new home at Better Days in Brickell this yuletide season for a month of festive drinks and naughty fun. Expect the usual (fake) snow, holiday hits on repeat (these guys must be beating some kind of record for the most consecutive plays of Mariah Carey’s "All I Want for Christmas") and cheeky libations like the Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r!, made with a potent trio of rums, coconut orgeat and acid-adjusted pineapple juice.

Santa's Enchanted Forest may have up and left Tropical Park, but the spirit of Christmas (and carvnival) lives on at this Palmetto-side park, albeit with a more Miami twist. There are rides, rollercoasters and the largest traveling Ferris wheel in North America. Then there are a number of other attractions like 3D-mapped igloo shows, a whole North Pole village and HoliDade, a celebration of the 305 with Instagram-worthy displays. Oh, and the lights. THE LIGHTS! There's a half-mile of holiday displays, light shows, and immersive experiences, including a light show on the hour, every hour where all six worlds of Christmas Wonderland illuminate in a synchronized manner.  

Hyde Beach at the SLS South Beach is basically a nightclub—but it’s during the day, everyone's in a bathing suit and the dance floor is a pool. If it’s a Vegas-style bash with bottle service and champagne showers you seek, the SLS Pool party is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm, while the Haus of Hyde nightclub rages on from 10pm to 3am. Though weekends are the busiest, hit up the SLS pool any day of the week for a guaranteed fist-pumping good time—especially during Spring Break and Miami Music Week, when the party programming doesn't stop.