South Beach runs from the southern tip of Miami Beach up to around 23rd Street. It is the part of Miami most visitors picture: pastel Art Deco hotels, a wide public beach with lifeguard towers, and restaurants and bars that stay busy well past midnight. Most first-time visitors stay here because the beach, the shops and hundreds of places to eat are all within walking distance.
What to see
Start with the Art Deco Historic District, roughly between 5th and 23rd Streets, the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in the world. Walk Ocean Drive in the morning, when the light is soft and the sidewalks are quiet, then come back after dark when the neon is lit. Our guide to Miami's Art Deco buildings covers the buildings worth stopping at.
Lummus Park is the beach in front of Ocean Drive: free, public and busiest in the early afternoon. At the southern tip, South Pointe Park has a pier, playgrounds and views of cruise ships leaving PortMiami (see our South Pointe Park guide). For shopping, Lincoln Road is a pedestrian mall with shops, galleries and outdoor dining.
Where to stay
South of 5th Street ("SoFi") is quieter, with upscale restaurants and easy access to South Pointe Park. Between 5th and 15th Streets puts you in the middle of Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue, which is lively but noisy at night. North of Lincoln Road the hotels get larger and the evenings calmer. Our Ocean Drive guide compares hotels street by street.
Getting there and around
Miami International Airport (MIA) is about 25 minutes away by car outside rush hour; Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is about 45 minutes. South Beach is compact and flat, so walking, the free Miami Beach Trolley and bike share cover most trips. Parking is expensive and hard to find in season, so many visitors skip a rental car until they take a day trip.
Tips
- Go to the beach early: by midday in winter the best spots near Ocean Drive are taken.
- Check the bill before tipping: many South Beach restaurants add a service charge automatically.
- Spring break (March) and big events such as Art Basel (December) mean higher hotel prices and crowds.
More ideas: top things to do in South Beach.
