Lincoln Road

Lincoln Road Mall is an open-air pedestrian street in South Beach, running between 16th and 17th Streets from Washington Avenue to Alton Road. It is free to stroll at any hour and lined with more than 200 shops, restaurants, cafes and galleries, from global chains to local boutiques.

It works best as an easy afternoon or evening walk rather than a serious shopping trip: come for window-shopping, a long lunch at a sidewalk table, the Sunday markets and some of Miami Beach's best mid-century design. It is about a 10-minute walk from Ocean Drive and the heart of South Beach.

What is Lincoln Road Mall?

Lincoln Road Mall is a car-free promenade about two-thirds of a mile long, created in 1960 when the city closed the street to traffic and architect Morris Lapidus redesigned it with gardens, fountains, shade shelters and an amphitheater. It has no roof or entry gate: it is a public street lined with stores.

The road itself dates to 1912, when developer Carl Fisher cleared a strip of mangroves across the island from the ocean to the bay. The western block to Alton Road was pedestrianized later, with landscaping by Raymond Jungles completed around 2010, and the whole street joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

Shopping on Lincoln Road

Lincoln Road's shops lean toward familiar fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands, with flagship-style stores at the eastern end and smaller boutiques, galleries and home stores scattered along the side blocks. Prices run from mall-level to upscale; it is not a luxury strip like the Bal Harbour Shops or the Design District.

Store lineups change often, so check the Lincoln Road directory if you are after a specific brand. Most shops open late morning and stay open into the evening, later on weekends. Useful side trips:

• Side streets: Meridian, Euclid and Lenox Avenues have smaller independents just off the mall.
• Alton Road end: larger stores and a big multiplex cinema near the western end.
• Espanola Way: a short walk south, a pedestrian lane with Mediterranean-style buildings and casual restaurants.

Where to eat and drink

Dining is the main event for many visitors. Restaurants spill onto the promenade with long rows of shaded tables, which makes Lincoln Road one of the best people-watching spots in Miami Beach, particularly at dinner and on weekend afternoons.

Expect a mix of Italian, Latin American, Asian, seafood and casual cafes, with prices from coffee-and-pastry cheap to special-occasion. Before you sit down, read the menu and the check carefully: tourist-strip restaurants in South Beach commonly add an automatic service charge, so you may not need to tip again. For guided tasting walks, see our Miami food tours.

Lincoln Road markets: farmers and antiques

The Lincoln Road Farmers Market runs every Sunday, year-round, from 9am to 6pm, with stalls between Washington and Meridian Avenues around Lenox Avenue. On many Sundays it shares the street with the Lincoln Road Antique and Collectible Market, which brings around 125 vendors roughly every other week.

The antique market schedule shifts by season, so confirm dates on the Miami Beach events calendar before planning around it. Arrive in the morning for the best choice and the coolest temperatures.

Architecture worth looking up for

Morris Lapidus, the architect behind the Fontainebleau hotel, gave Lincoln Road its playful modernist look: curving concrete shade structures, sculptural shelters and water features meant to make walking the street feel like an event. Several of his pieces still stand along the center of the promenade.

• 1111 Lincoln Road: a striking open-sided concrete parking garage at the Alton Road end, as much sculpture as car park.
• Colony Theatre: a restored 1930s Art Deco performance venue on the mall.
• New World Center: the concert hall a block north on 17th Street, home to the New World Symphony, with free outdoor screenings on its lawn on select nights.
• Art Deco storefronts: look above the shop signs for original facades from the 1930s and 1940s.

Parking near Lincoln Road

The easiest option is one of the city garages just north of the mall, the 17th Street Garage or the Pennsylvania Avenue Garage, which charge about $2 for the first hour with a $20 daily maximum under the city's posted rates. Expect flat event rates when the convention center or New World Center is busy.

The private 1111 Lincoln Road garage at the west end is convenient too, though rates vary. Street meters around the mall fill fast and are pricier per hour than the garages. On weekends, a rideshare or the free Miami Beach trolley is often less hassle; check routes on the city's website. If you are staying nearby, browse South Beach hotels within walking distance.

Tips for visiting Lincoln Road

• Best time: Sunday mornings for the markets, or early evening when the heat drops and restaurants fill.
• Allow: one to two hours for a walk and a coffee, half a day with shopping and lunch.
• Combine with: the Art Deco blocks of Ocean Drive, or a walking or bike tour of South Beach that includes Lincoln Road.
• Events: check our things to do this weekend for concerts and pop-ups nearby.