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 Park

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. 

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.

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:

• 12th Street Beach is a popular gay beach.
• Look for Boucher Brothers or BouYah Watersports powered by Boucher Brothers, which have an array of waverunners, parasailing rides, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, boogie boards, kayaks and banana boat rides available for rent on the sand.
• 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. If you’re on Ocean Drive, get Cuban coffee at Havana Beach, break for lunch at News Cafe or treat yourself to a nice dinner at  A Fish Called Avalon.

Parking: There are 19 public parking lots and ten public parking garages in South Beach that are walking distance to the sand – all located between Alton Road and Ocean Drive. Parking rates in these lots are $2/hour, while parking rates in garages vary. Plenty of street parking is available nearby for $4/hour. In July, August and September, drivers can use the ParkMobile app to enjoy a $1/hour flat rate for up to three hours at all Miami Beach municipal lots, garages and street parking.

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. All other public parking rates are enforced from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily.

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. The beaches are quieter and there are great restaurants, bars and hotel spas nearby, making it a top choice for a relaxing beach day with family and friends.

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.
• Drive down North Bay Road to see “Millionaire’s Row,” a stretch of palatial waterfront mansions in Miami 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. Get lunch and rosé poolside at La Côte at Fontainebleau Miami Beach.

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 Mid 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. daily.

Parking rates in West Mid 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 $20/24 hours. These parking rates are enforced from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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.
• It is the location of Miami Beach Bandshell, an open-air amphitheater that regularly hosts international and local musicians and festivals.
• 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, where you can float in a salt float tank, do cryotherapy, get a glow facial or try a range of cutting-edge, “touchless” wellness treatments in its 70,000-square-foot spa.

Food/Drink: North Beach has a range of cafes, bars and restaurants within walking distance of the beach. Stop by Buenos Aires Bakery & Cafe for traditional Argentine pastries, sandwiches, pizzas and more.

Parking: There are 18 public parking lots in North Beach that are walking distance to the sand – all located between the easternmost waterways of Biscayne Bay and Collins Avenue. There are no parking garages.

Parking rates for the public parking lots are $1/hour. Street parking is also available for $1/hour. In July, August and September, drivers can use the ParkMobile app to enjoy a $1/hour flat rate for up to three hours at all Miami Beach municipal lots, garages and street parking. Parking rates are enforced from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, except for lots P107, P108, P109, P110, P111 and P112, where enforcement hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Accessibility

Beach access points are found throughout Miami Beach, and two wheelchairs are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors can call (305) 673-7714 to check on availability.