Hard Truths:
- There is traffic everywhere, ALWAYS
- When it rains it pours
- It can be crowded all year round
- There seems to always be construction
Can’t Miss:
- Beaches
- Parks
- Wynwood Art District
- Restaurants & Nightlife
South Beach in Miami has been called the American Riviera and along with the surrounding Miami Beach area, it really fits the bill. Besides pristine beaches, this city has so much to offer. From the graffiti art scene in Wynwood to kayaking amongst Mangrove forests there are tons of places worth checking out with something to pique everyone’s interest.
Miami has become like a second home for me. After living in HK for 8 years, I became acclimated to a hot and steamy tropical climate. So when I moved back to NY I needed to find refuge from the bitterly cold winters. And what better place than Florida! I grew up going to south FL as I’ve been lucky to have family with places there. My grandparents always had a place in the West Palm Beach area (Boca Raton Snowbirds!), my great aunt had a place near Tampa, my parents have a place north in Vero Beach and my uncles are right in North Miami Beach. Miami has become my favorite of all the places I’ve been in FL so I try to go as often as I can.
For those of you without family to stay with, South Beach has the most to offer so it’s the easiest place to stay as it’s the most accessible. There are a ton of hotel options there too so you’ll have a range to choose from. Check out the Don’t Forget section for some recs. South Beach is a walkable area which is really nice as the traffic is horrendous pretty much any time and everywhere in this city. Be wary of torrential downpours that last for days during the rainy/hurricane season, May-November. Most of the time it will just rain in certain spots and not for long so you can wait it out. But with global warming, the rain can occur pretty much any time of year. I’ve seen days in February that felt like a hurricane! So make sure to check the weather and carry an umbrella if you plan on walking around.
The beaches in South Beach can get very crowded but the are several sections and they are expansive so you never feel too close to anyone. The different sections offer different vibes like the LGBTQ section around 12th, or the luxury hotel cabanas above 17th. Each lifeguard stand has the street number on it as well so you know exactly where you are.
Even though the beaches are pretty wide and don’t feel too crowded most of the time, you might have to share them with the local seagulls who can overtake the precious waterfront sand spots. They are not phased by humans so barely move when you attempt to walk in their path. Be warned they are always hungry and will go after any food left out or accessible!!
Dotted along the South Beach stretch of Miami’s shoreline are also the hotel beach clubs which is where the pool party action lies. Most of the beach clubs are exclusive to hotel guests like the Setai with its beachside butlers but there is Nikki Beach with its large plush beds you can rent that also turns into a nightclub on the weekends.
If you need a break from the sun you can head to Lummus Park which lines the stretch of sand in South Beach from 14th Street down to 5th Street. It’s a great green space that has playgrounds, beach volleyball courts and even a fitness area at “Muscle Beach.”
Walking a block further you find yourself in the Historic Art Deco District. This area is home to 960 buildings and structures built between 1923 and 1943 making it the largest collection of art deco buildings in the world. It runs from 5th Street and 23rd Street, along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue. As you’re walking amongst these uniquely designed buildings you will also happen upon Gianni Versace’s former mansion which sits on the corner of Ocean Drive and 11 Street. It has now been converted into a boutique hotel and restaurant.
Moving west from there you can head to the pedestrian-only streets on Lincoln Road Mall and Española Way. They are both lined with lots of shops and restaurants and are the perfect refuge from the hot sand when you want to go for a stroll nearby.
If you walk the full strip of Lincoln Road Mall towards Biscayne Bay you’ll end up on Alton Road where you can find a ton more shops and restaurants. Some of my favorite restaurants are on this side like Stiltsville which is really good for seafood and Macchialina which has wonderful Italian with a nice outdoor setting. South Beach, in general, has some amazing restaurants. Joe’s Stone Crab is definitely worth a mention. It’s been around since the early 1900s, an institution in Miami, and is well worth it for the crab (only available mid-Oct to mid-May)! Chotto Matte is also a fun spot for Japanese Peruvian Fusion. There are too many more to name but I listed some more of my favorites in the Don’t Forget section.
There are a bunch of other beaches to check out in Miami especially if you’re after different scenes than those found on South Beach. South of Miami Beach Island is Key Biscayne. The beaches here are usually much less crowded and since the island is only 3 feet above sea level the surrounding water is nice and shallow. It feels like you could walk for miles from the beach before the water even hits your waist. The beaches here also sit within 2 expansive parks, Bill Baggs and Crandon. They are both filled with BBQs, picnic areas, playgrounds and great walking/biking paths. Both offer a lot of options for activities in between your surf and sand time, Bill Baggs even has a lighthouse.
Moving from South Beach you find Mid-Beach, which is between 24th and 63rd Street. This is where the trendier hotels like the Edition, Faena, Soho Beach House and 1 Hotel line the shores. They each have their own section of beach so it’s hard to find a spot on the sand if you’re not staying at any of them. Sometimes if the hotels aren’t too busy you can pay to use their lounge chairs though.
All of these hotels are great options to stay at but every time I’ve been there has been some sort of construction so it’s not a great area to walk around.
With these great hotels here there are also some amazing restaurants and bars. Be sure not to discount these hotel restaurants which I feel in most destinations are rarely good but there are a few noteworthy ones in Miami. The Freehand has both with the famous Broken Shaker bar and 27 Restaurant. Casa Faena has Gitano, The Edition has Matador Room and the Soho House has Cecconi’s.
North Beach is a quieter area that is much more local. This is on the bottom of my Miami beach hierarchy but there is a highlight here, North Beach Oceanside Park and the North Beach Bandshell, a historic, open-air amphitheater that hosts concerts and festivals. It’s a really nice venue to hear some music outdoors.
As you continue to travel north the neighborhoods become more local. There is Surfside which is Miami’s smallest beachside town with a small main street along Collins Ave. Bal Harbor is where the luxury residences lie with a high-end mall. Haulover Park has both beaches on the oceanside and green space on the Intercostal. There is Food Truck Tuesdays here which is worth checking out. It’s a huge outdoor picnic area on the water lined with food trucks from all over.
The last beach in Miami I’d like to highlight is Sunny Isles Beach. This is another quieter beach that still has the same white sand and blue sea as South Beach with fewer crowds. There is even a fishing pier, Newport Pier, which is where the local pelicans like to chill. At the start of the pier is a restaurant where you can sit on their deck to stare out into the ocean or get take away food and drinks to bring to the beach.
On the Intercoastal side from Sunny Isles, you can find Oleta State Park which is considered Florida’s largest urban park. Its 1,033 acres of green space which sits upon Biscayne Bay. There are extensive bike trails throughout the park and an onsite bike rental, picnic areas with BBQs, playgrounds, a fishing pier and a small beach so you can easily spend the day here. The highlights are the waterways that wind through the lush mangrove forests. It’s the ideal setting for kayaking, canoeing or paddle boarding which you can bring in yourself or rent from Oleta River Outdoors. Be warned though if the winds are too strong you will not be able to rent anything for these water sports. And there are signs to watch out for alligators so beware!
When you get your fill of all the seaside activities on offer head to the mainland to check out some of the neighborhoods Miami has to boast. My favorite is the colorful arts district of Wynwood. The whole neighborhood feels like an art gallery with graffiti art adorning the area’s walls. It is literally an outdoor art gallery. Then, there are the famous Wynwood Walls which is an outdoor museum deemed the Urban Graffiti Art Museum. It’s the shining star of the hood.
Wynwood is a very eclectic neighborhood with some amazing spots for eating and drinking. Definitely check out Three and it’s rooftop bar No. 3 Social, Le Chick and it’s bar Le Coqtail are also great. There are even some breweries in this hood, J Wakefield Brewery and Wynwood Brewery are worth stopping in. Check out the Don’t Forget sections for some more recs.
Little Havana is another neighborhood worth checking out to see some Latin flare. It’s filled with galleries, restaurants and shops that showcase Cuban and Hispanic lifestyles. If you happen to be in town on the 3rd Friday of the month you can catch Viernes Culturales which celebrates the arts and cultural offerings of local restaurants, bars, shops and galleries along Calle Ocho from 13th to 17th Avenue.
Downtown Miami and Brickell are the business districts that you wouldn’t think are that interesting but they do have some noteworthy sights. This area is home to the American Airlines Arena where the Miami Heat basketball team plays. It’s a fun game night out if you have the chance to see them in action. You can also find the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens there which is definitely worth a stop. It’s a 20th century estate that sits right on the water with some beautiful gardens to wander throughout.
Don’t Forget:
Restaurants & Bars:
South Beach – Taquiza, Stiltsville Fish Bar, Yardbird, Joe’s Stone Crab, Bolivar, Macchialina, Chotte Matte, Byblos, NaiYara, Juvia, Santorini, Jaya, A Fish Called Avalon, Havana 1957, The Clevelander, Nikki Beach, Sweet Liberty
Mid-Beach: Gitano, Matador Room, Watr, 27 Restaurant/Broken Shaker, Cecconi’s, The Driftway
Wynwood – Kyu, Three/No. 3 Social, Bakan, Alter, R House, Spanglish, Le Chick/Le Coqtail, Syndicate, Gramps, Dirty Rabbit, Wynwood Brewery, J Wakefield Brewery
Brickell – Quinta La Huella, Marion, Osaka, Nusr Et, Le Petit Maison, Jaguar Sun, Baby Jane Cocktail House
Hotels:
South Beach – Delano, Nautilus by Arlo, Surfcomber, The Betsy, Palihouse, The Plymouh, The Local House, Angler’s Hotel, The Setai, The Shore Club, SLS South Beach, Ritz Carlton, Villa Casa Casuarina, Lennox
Mid-Beach – 1 Hotel, The Edition, The Freehand, Soho Beach House, Faena, Casa Faena, Como, Fountainebleau