By: Shayne Benowitz
Finding a place to practice yoga in Miami is a cinch. Whether you drop in on a class at a local studio, bathe in the lap of luxury at a resort spa or head to the beach or park for free outdoor yoga, you’ll find plenty to choose from. You’ll also find studios that practice a wide variety of yoga styles. For the uninitiated, yoga’s benefits include improved strength, flexibility, balance and peace of mind. Whether you’re a beginner or a longtime devotee, don’t miss out on practicing while in Miami.
Free Yoga
Head to Bayfront Park in beautiful Downtown Miami for free yoga classes at the Tina Hills Pavilion overlooking Biscayne Bay on Mondays through Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. They’ve expanded their programming to include classes at Museum Park at Maurice A. Ferre Park located between the Perez Art Museum Miami and Frost Science. Classes are offered Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m., Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., Fridays at 6:20 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. and Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
The same organizers also host yoga classes in Little Havana’s Jose Marti Park (aka Domino Park) on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. You’ll enjoy an open level class, which accommodates beginners, intermediate and advanced students, all taught by a certified yoga teacher. All you need is your yoga mat, a bottle of water and a pair of shades.
In Coconut Grove, take your pick between Peacock Park on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. or rise and shine on Saturday mornings at 8:00 a.m. on the rooftop of the Mayfair Hotel & Spa for free community yoga taught by Dharma Studio in partnership with the Coconut Grove BID. All ages are welcome and participants are asked to bring their own yoga mat, water and towel.
In South Beach, free sunrise and sunset yoga classes on the beach are taught by local yoga teachers daily at the Third Street lifeguard tower. Rise and shine at 7:00 a.m. or come in the evening at 5:00 p.m. during winter and fall and at 6:00 p.m. in the spring and summertime. Participants are asked to bring a big beach towel, water and sunscreen. These classes are free and donations are accepted.
Studios By Neighborhood
Miami Beach
Green Monkey is one of the most beloved studios in town. Their power yoga and Vinyasa flow classes are taught by inspiring teachers for a true community feeling. Located in South Beach’s Sunset Harbour, the studio often hosts community programs with free yoga classes all over the city.
A cornerstone of South Beach’s yoga community, Tropical Vinyasa was founded by powerhouse yoga teachers Amy Dannheim and Paul Toliuszis. Drop in on one of their Vinyasa classes for some “sweaty, local, fun” in a pretty studio decorated in shades of slate and lemon.
Modo Yoga is one of the newer studios to open in South Beach’s Sunset Harbour. Here, you’ll enjoy a variety of heated yoga classes ranging from vigorous Modo Flow to gentle Yin yoga in a peaceful environment.
Miami Life Center co-founders and husband and wife duo Kino MacGregor and Tim Feldmann are superstars in the Ashtanga community. They studied in India under Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, founder of the Ashtanga practice. They coordinate retreats to far-flung locales, such as India and Thailand.
Synergy is Miami Beach’s oldest yoga studio, serving the community for over 20 years. Located on Alton Road with classes in a wide variety of styles, they have superb offerings in restorative yoga, Kundalini and gentle flow. They often host free classes on Española Way where their original studio was located.
For Iyengar, the classical method that focuses on an ordered progression of poses, choose from the Miami Beach Iyengar Yoga Center in Normandy Shores or Yoga That in Mid-Beach. Both studios are beginner-friendly.
At State of Yoga in South Beach, enjoy a wide variety of weekly classes for all levels and types of practitioners, including Hatha, Vinyasa flow, Jivamukti yoga, Dharma Mittra, Yin yoga, meditation, and Pranayama, taught by many of Miami’s most experienced and inspiring teachers.
The Standard Miami Beach is a hip destination offering a dynamic daily yoga schedule, as well as workshops on all aspects of health and wellness. The picturesque location on the Venetian overlooking Biscayne Bay screams retreat. With a pool and healthy restaurant overlooking the bay, as well as a popular spa, make a day of it.
Many Miami Beach hotels offer their own yoga programming, including 1 Hotel South Beach and Freehand Miami, so be sure to ask your concierge for details.
Downtown & Brickell
Do as the Brickell post-work yogis do and head to Skanda Yoga Studio for Anand Ken von Roenn III’s popular breath-inspired, alignment-based power Vinyasa style yoga incorporating elements of the Mayan calendar. Skanda offers mixed-level classes with a loyal following of yogis drawn to the practice’s challenging arm balance and inversion practices.
The Epic Hotel, located Downtown overlooking the Miami River and Biscayne Bay, is home to Exhale Mind Body Spa on its 16th floor, offering a wide range of results-oriented yoga, Core Fusion and HIIT classes, as well as spa therapies inside posh digs. Exhale also has locations at the Loews Hotel in South Beach and at the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour.
Wynwood & the Design District
With an infrared heated studio, SOL Yoga founded by Cathy DeFrancesco is Wynwood’s newest yoga studio. The gently heated room is designed to deeply release toxins, increase circulation, burn fat and build immunity while engaging in your flow.
Wynwood is also home to The Sacred Space, a holistic wellness center with a gourmet vegan restaurant, a lifestyle boutique and a Zen garden event space that hosts yoga classes, wellness festivals, meditation classes and various workshops.
In the Design District, Dawn B. Feinberg founded Ahana Yoga, offering a variety of classes including Vinyasa flow, Jivamukti, Mysore and Ashtanga. Feinberg is also the founder of YogArt, an outdoor yoga series held across Miami throughout the year.
Coconut Grove
For yoga in the Grove, head to Dharma Studio which offers a wide selection of styles, including the heart-oriented Anusara practice. The beautiful space makes you feel more like you’re practicing in a friend’s living room than at a traditional studio. They also offer pre- and post-natal classes and host free classes in the Coconut Grove community.
Om Movement is a creative yoga studio offering both traditional and hybrid yoga classes, ranging from gentle to flow, as well as Pilates, acro-yoga and classes that incorporate weights, cardio and therapy balls.
Little Haiti
Inhale Miami is a yoga and wellness center located inside a beautiful, airy space in Little Haiti. With a variety of yoga styles on the schedule, they also offer bodywork services ranging from Thai massage to lymphatic drainage massage. Music is also a major focus with events and workshops involving song and dance.