Greater Miami and Miami Beach kicks off 2026 with a new wave of notable openings, cultural milestones, and elevated culinary, hospitality and wellness activities across the destination. 

“What’s unfolding across the destination over the next few months reflects a continued focus on premier hospitality and meaningful traveller experiences,” said David Whitaker, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). “Our goal is to offer visitors not just new reasons to return, but deeper ways to engage with Greater Miami and Miami Beach, whether that’s through dining, music, design, nature or neighbourhood discovery.” 

Here are 5 reasons that make Greater Miami and Miami Beach particularly appealing in February 

1.     Caribbean art on is on show at Jungle Plaza in the Miami Design District with J’OUVERT, a large-scale public art installation by British-Trinidadian artist Zak Ové.  Jungle Plaza has been transformed in an immersive landscape shaped by Afrofuturism, ancestral memory and collective ritual with 2 of the artist’s most significant monumental works. Anchoring the installation is The Mothership Connection (2022), a nearly 30-foot-tall totemic sculpture that merges African iconography with futuristic architectural forms.

J’OUVERT presents two of British-Trinidadian artist Zak Ové’s most significant monumental works, reconfiguring the plaza as a site where history, mythology and speculative futures intersect. Anchoring the installation is The Mothership Connection (2022), a nearly 30-foot-tall totemic sculpture that merges African iconography with futuristic architectural forms. Surrounding that central sculpture are forty graphite figures from The Invisible Man and the Masque of Blackness (2016). Standing just over six feet tall with arms raised in an open, declarative pose. J’OUVERT is on display until 9 February. 

2.     Wynwood welcomed Kitchen + Kocktails, a Black-owned restaurant chain founded by hospitality entrepreneur Kevin Kelley. The Miami location marks the brand’s continued expansion into major markets, adding to the city’s growing roster of chef-driven concepts rooted in culture, community and bold flavour.

3.     Food Network s South Beach Food and Wine Festival presents Las’ Lap Link Up: A Celebration of Afro-Caribbean Cuisine at the Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel in Miami Beach on Friday, 20 February. Hosted by culinary stars Kwame Onwuachi and Nina Compton, the walk-around tasting experience will showcase a wide variety of Caribbean culinary delights prepared by a cast of chefs who specialise in Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine. Among the featured cast of chefs are Jamaica’s Andre Fowles, Wayne Sharpe, Daniel Lai, and High “Chef Irie” Sinclair.

This event is just one of the many on the agenda for this year’s 25^th Annual Food Network South Beach Food and Wine Festival from 19 to 22 February.

4.     Connoisseurs of art may make an appointment to view Enduring Spark: 100 Years of Black History, an exhibit curated by Oscar Esteban Martinez at the Gato Gorda Gallery. Open until 28 February, the exhibit brings together the work of fifteen artists to reflect on creativity, resilience and cultural expression as living forces within Black communities. 

5.     Exploring Greater Miami and Miami Beach is easier than ever with Freebee, the free, app-based electric ride service operating across neighbourhoods, including Miami Beach, Wynwood, Brickell and Coral Gables. Offering zero-emission rides and friendly local drivers who double as neighbourhood ambassadors, Freebee provides visitors with a convenient, community-centric way to navigate the destination.

Complementing Freebee’s neighbourhood connectivity, Miami Beach has introduced a free weekday water taxi service, Water Taxi Miami, linking Sunset Harbour with downtown Miami. The launch enhances mobility for visitors and event attendees navigating between Miami Beach and the mainland, offering a scenic and efficient transit option. 

This month, the destination offers best-in-class food festivals and the finest restaurants, captivating art shows and attractions, live music events, boat shows and much more. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Greater Miami and Miami Beach during February.