The Best Beaches In Miami Beach

If you’re planning a trip to Miami Beach, it goes without saying that you’re going to spend some time on its best-in-class white-sand beaches. But with these stretches of sand spanning more than eight miles of Florida’s Atlantic coastline, it’s good to have some local insight on where to go.

Locals think of Miami Beach as three distinct areas: South Beach, Mid Beach and North Beach. The Beachwalk runs the entire length of Miami Beach. Check out our guide to find the right spot for you – and everything you need to know once you get there.

South Pointe Beach

Location: From the southern tip of Miami Beach to 5th Street

Vibe: South Pointe Beach is a relaxed, family-friendly beach that’s a popular place for locals to swim. Explore South Pointe Park and see the “Obstinate Lighthouse” sculpture by artist Tobias Rehberger – it’s 55 feet tall.

What’s Special About South Pointe Beach:

• South Pointe Beach is part of South Pointe Park, a 17-acre waterfront park that occupies the southernmost tip of Miami Beach.
• There is a water playground and a jungle gym for kids, a bark park for dogs and a 20-foot-wide promenade that is popular among walkers, runners and cyclists.
• The 450-foot South Pointe Pier, which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, is a favorite for anglers. It has bait and wash stations and recycling bins for fishing lines.
• Join visitors and locals on the pier enjoying panoramic views of South Beach, Fisher Island, PortMiami, Downtown Miami and cruise ships sailing out to the Atlantic Ocean.

Food/Drink: Within South Pointe Park, you’ll find South Pointe Café, a casual storefront with coffee, juices, ice cream and other snacks, as well as Smith & Wollensky, a fine-dining steakhouse known for its incredible sunset views, delicious steaks and fresh seafood. Joe’s Take Away (the casual arm of the famous Joe’s Stone Crab) is nearby. You can pick up some of the restaurant’s famous stone crabs and fried chicken and enjoy a picnic on the beach or in the park.

Accessibility: Both manual and powered beach wheelchairs are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be checked out from the Beach Patrol station directly inside South Pointe Park. Personal wheelchairs can be stored safely at the station while the beach wheelchair is in use, and onsite attendants can help individuals transfer between chairs. Beach wheelchairs can be checked out between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from February through October, and between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from November through January. Visitors can call 305-673-7714 to check on availability.

Public beach mats can be found at the South Pointe Park Driveover, South Pointe Drive (both North and South), 3rd Street, 4th Street and 4.75 Street entrances.

Parking: There are two public parking lots, P1 and P3, right on Washington Avenue that intersect with 2nd Street and Commerce Street, respectively. Parking rates in these lots are $2/hour. Plenty of street parking is available nearby for $4/hour. Parking rates are enforced from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m.

South Beach

Location: Between 5th and 23rd streets

Vibe: South Beach is Florida’s most famous beach. Visitors go here to see where all the action happens in Miami Beach, so they can expect lots of beachgoers and a festive atmosphere.

What’s Special About South Beach:

• 11th/12th Street Beach, a popular gay beach, is located between 11th and 12th streets on the beach.
• Look for Boucher Brothers, which has an array of waverunners, parasailing rides, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, boogie boards, kayaks and banana boat rides available for rent.
• Dotting the sand from South Pointe Beach to 86th Street, there are 36 colorful lifeguard towers, designed by architect William Lane, that embody Miami Beach’s Art Deco architecture, Caribbean culture and tropical surroundings. Many are concentrated in South Beach.
• The iconic Ocean Drive, which runs from 1st to 15th streets, is bordered by Lummus Park and the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Art Deco hotels and restaurants on the other side.
• The Art Deco Historic District, which has the largest concentration of Art Deco architecture in the United States, became the first urban historic district added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Food/Drink: South Beach is full of cafes, bars and restaurants. There are plenty of popular options on Ocean Drive, including Cafe Americano and A Fish Called Avalon.

Accessibility: Both manual and powered beach wheelchairs are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be checked out from the Beach Patrol station at 1001 Ocean Drive. Personal wheelchairs can be stored safely at the station while the beach wheelchair is in use, and onsite attendants can help individuals transfer between chairs. Beach wheelchairs can be checked out between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from February through October, and between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from November through January. Visitors can call 305-673-7714 to check on availability.

Public beach mats can be found at the 6th Street, 8th Street, 12th Street and 14th Street entrances. IPE Boardwalks are located at the 10th Street, 14th Place, 15th Street, Lincoln Road, 17th Street and 21st Street entrances. Accessible beach paths can also be found at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel (1601 Collins Ave.).

Parking: There are 27 public parking lots and nine public parking garages in the South Beach area. Parking rates in these lots are $2/hour. Plenty of street parking is available nearby for $4/hour. Parking rates from Ocean Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue and from 5th to 15th streets, including Washington Avenue, are enforced 24 hours/7 days a week. Outside of those boundaries, parking rates are enforced from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Mid Beach

Location: Between 23rd and 63rd streets

Vibe: Mid Beach has a sophisticated feel, likely because it’s attached to many of Miami Beach’s luxury hotels. Here, Florida beachgoers will find popular but chill beaches. It’s all about family and friend groups enjoying a nice day on the sand.

What’s Special About Mid Beach:

• Mid Beach is home to some of Miami Beach’s most popular luxury hotels and resorts, such as the Fontainebleau Miami Beach and the Miami Beach EDITION.
• The Faena District, anchored by the Faena Hotel Miami Beach and stretching from 32nd to 36th streets, is Mid Beach’s own arts and culture destination, with a swanky performing arts venue, Faena Forum, and designer boutiques in Faena Bazaar.
• Millionaire’s Row, Miami Beach’s stretch of palatial waterfront mansions, lines North Bay Road in Mid Beach.

Food/Drink: Mid Beach has cafes, bars and restaurants within walking distance of the beach, most of which are in the area’s hotels and resorts. Check out La Côte.

Accessibility: There are no Beach Patrol stations with wheelchairs in Mid Beach.

While there are no public beach mats or IPE Boardwalks for visitors with mobility challenges in Mid Beach, there are accessible beach paths from three area hotels and condominium buildings: Blue-Green Diamonds Condominium (4775 Collins Ave.), Mei Condominium (5875 Collins Ave.) and The Bath Club (5937 and 5959 Collins Ave.).

Parking: There are 12 public parking lots, one public parking garage and plenty of street parking in the Mid Beach area. The area’s many hotels and resorts also offer valet parking, though that’s typically much more expensive.

Parking rates in East Middle Beach (from 23rd to 44th streets and from Collins Avenue to Indian Creek) are $3/hour for street parking and $2/hour for public parking lots. These parking rates are enforced from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Parking rates in West Middle Beach (from 23rd to 63rd streets, excluding areas that are part of East Middle Beach) are $1/hour for both public parking lots and street parking. The exception to this is lot P71, located at the intersection of Collins Avenue and 46th Street, which has a flat rate of $20 for 24 hours. These parking rates are enforced from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

North Beach

Location: From 63rd Street to 87th Terrace

Vibe: The beaches here are fun and relaxing, with a local, small-town feel. North Beach is primarily residential, so these beaches have fewer tourists, soft sand and sidewalk cafes where you can grab a casual bite to eat after your day in the sun.

What’s Special About North Beach:

• North Beach has the largest concentration of Miami Modern (MiMo) buildings, which earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
• The Miami Beach Bandshell is an open-air amphitheater that regularly hosts international and local musicians and festivals, including the annual GroundUP Music Festival in February.
• North Beach Oceanside Park is home to Bark Beach, a dog-friendly beach with a dog run, a playground and picnic and BBQ areas.
• North Beach is home to Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, which boasts a 70,000-square-foot spa.

Food/Drink: North Beach has a range of cafes, bars and restaurants within walking distance of the beach. Check out Taquiza for amazing tacos.

Accessibility: There are no Beach Patrol stations with wheelchairs in North Beach.

There is a solid-surface entrance at 64th Street, as well as public beach mats at the 69th, 71st, 74th and 75th Street entrances. There is an IPE Boardwalk at the 78th Street entrance.

Parking: There are six public parking lots, P58 through P63, which are available for $1/hour. Street parking is also available for $1/hour. Parking rates are enforced from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.