Miami loves its outdoor malls. Bayside Marketplace is a great destination for that special kind of open air Miami shopping, dining, leisure, and entertainment combination.

What’s extra special about Bayside Marketplace is the live music every afternoon and every evening on Marina Stage, featuring sounds from rock ‘n roll to reggae, from Latin salsa to Brazilian bossa nova.

Bayside’s Artists’ Square is at the grassy area near Hard Rock Café where a 100-year-old Banyan tree reaching 75 feet provides a shady respite. Kids love the carousel and kiddie train and the picturesque themed boat moored nearby. The one-of-a-kind Marina within the marketplace offers pleasure cruises, party boats, fishing boat charters, and sightseeing cruises of Miami Bay aboard the Island Queen.

Lots of restaurants and quick eateries include Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Chili’s, Chicken Connection, Pizza Pizza, Tradewinds, Hooters, Haagen Dazs, and Let’s Make a Daiquiri, which has an event onstage.

Adjacent to American Airlines Arena, home to the famous NBA’s Miami Heat, and a short walk to Bayfront Park, Bayside Marketplace is convenient for cruise ship passengers. You will encounter (harmless) tourists. Which also means that if you’re intending to take home the latest Miami T-shirt or baseball cap, you’ll find it here in a flash.

Visit anytime. With more than 100 stores, boutiques, restaurants, and cafés offering late night hours on weekdays until 10 p.m., weekends until 11 p.m., and Sundays until 9 p.m., there’s always something going on. The live entertainment continues even later and most of the restaurants stay open beyond closing time for the stores.