We're flying on a redeye from LA to Miami, arriving at 7am. Flight to St. Thomas doesn't leave til 1pm. I hate to spend 6 long hours in an airport, but we're flying on AA miles, and there is no other flight we can take. Any ideas on how we can spend those 6 hours? What time do you think we need to be back at MIA, given that we will have boarding passes and our luggage will be checked through?

Hi! I'm in the same situation with AA miles, but our stopover is overnight From the airport,, taking a free hotel shuttle to the Summerfield Suites (Wyndham). They have an outdoor pool. Then, next morning, free shuttle a few mins back to airport. Perhaps they have a half day rate available so you can sleep/ swim, etc. Picked this as hotel-near -airport based on tripadvisor.com reviews.

Two suggestions:
Viscaya
South Beach

Once you cab to either place, you should still have a couple of hours to enjoy. Depends on what you like; both places are wonderful (and, obviously, very different cups of tea).

If you don't want to leave the airport, have lunch by the rooftop pool of the hotel in the airport

I personally would head to Coral Gables with a six hour layover. Find some place for breakfast. It will be an oasis after MIA. I like Poss’s suggestion of Viscaya but would add Fairchild Tropical garden rather than head to South Beach.

With the horrible traffic I just spent a week battling in Miami, I would be afraid to venture too far from the airport myself.

Security in Miami tends to take a while, especially for international flights, so plan accordingly. Given that you will be getting in early in the morning, certain places may not be open and it depends what you're looking for. Not too far from the airport is Coral Gables, which is good for walking around, a bit of shopping, good restuarants, etc. Also nearby is Coconut Grove, which is also a combination of shopping, walking around, and restaurants. Coconut Grove is closer to the water if you care about that. SOuth Beach is also lots of fun, especially if you like people watching as a sport. If you do go to south beach, there are tons of cafes and restaurants right along the beach and boardwalk. There is also a place called Lincoln Road, which is not open to cars, and has lots of shops and cafes. As someone else mentioned, Viscaya is really beautiful and is an italian styled villa and formal, manicured gardens but you should check the time that it opens.