Calle Ocho: The Scenic Route West
SW 8th Street runs from Little Havana to the edge of the Everglades. Here’s what to look for along the way.
Here’s something most visitors don’t realize: the street at the heart of Little Havana is the same road that takes you to the Everglades. SW 8th Street, known as Calle Ocho, is the Miami end of the Tamiami Trail. Follow it west and you’ll run straight out of the city and into the sawgrass.
Little Havana highlights
Máximo Gómez Park (Domino Park)
At SW 15th Avenue, men gather daily at the tables to play dominoes, talk and drink coffee. It’s one of the most photographed corners in Miami.
The Tower Theater
At 1508 SW 8th St, the Art Deco Tower Theater opened in 1926. When Cuban families began arriving in the 1960s, it started showing American films with Spanish subtitles, and later films in Spanish. Today Miami Dade College runs it as an independent cinema.
The Calle Ocho Walk of Fame
Between SW 12th and SW 17th Avenues, stars in the sidewalk honor Latin music and entertainment figures, including Celia Cruz and Gloria Estefan.
Cuban Memorial Boulevard
At SW 13th Avenue, a row of monuments honors Cuban history and the exile community.
Heading west
Past Little Havana, Calle Ocho keeps going for miles. You’ll pass Versailles at 3555 SW 8th St, then neighborhoods, strip malls and bakeries, then FIU and Tamiami Park. Eventually the buildings thin out, and at Krome Avenue the city simply stops.
Is it slower?
Yes. There are many traffic lights, so plan on extra time compared with the expressway. If you’ve never seen Little Havana, it’s worth it. Just leave early enough to make your tour time.
Skip the drive. We pick you up.
Every private airboat tour includes round-trip private transportation from your Miami Beach hotel or rental. Call with your address and group size to book.
