Miami Beach

Pastel-colored hotels with neon signs on Ocean Drive, brightly painted lifeguard towers on white sand, and vintage cars parked outside beachfront cafés—Miami Beach is a backdrop you know from countless movies. A trip to Miami Beach combines a beach vacation with the world's largest collection of Art Deco architecture, plus art and legendary nightlife. For a Florida getaway, especially in winter, the island off Miami is a classic.

From Mangrove Swamp to Beach City

At the start of the 20th century, this narrow barrier island was still a plantation surrounded by mangroves. Entrepreneur Carl Fisher had it drained, built bridges, and turned it into a resort for the wealthy. In the 1930s, hundreds of hotels and apartment buildings in the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles went up in South Beach. After decades of decay, preservationists led by Barbara Capitman saved the neighborhood in the 1970s, and television's "Miami Vice" and fashion photographers made it famous again starting in the 1980s.

Sights in Miami Beach

The Art Deco Historic District around Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue includes around 800 protected buildings, and guided tours start at the Art Deco Welcome Center. Lincoln Road is a pedestrian mall with shops, restaurants, and architecture by Morris Lapidus. At South Pointe Park on the island's southern tip, you can watch cruise ships leave the port. The Bass Museum shows contemporary art, while the Wolfsonian–FIU features design and propaganda from 1850 to 1950. The Holocaust Memorial, with its giant outstretched hand, is among the most moving monuments in Florida. The villa Casa Casuarina, once the home of Gianni Versace, is now a hotel.

Beaches, Food and Nightlife

South Beach is lively and packed with people, while Mid-Beach and North Beach farther north are quieter and more family-friendly, with a long boardwalk for pedestrians and cyclists. Restaurants in Miami Beach range from beach bars serving mojitos to Cuban sandwiches and elegant cuisine in hotel restaurants; stone crab claws are available from October to May. The nightlife is famous: clubs and rooftop bars around Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue stay open until early morning. During spring break in March, stricter rules apply in South Beach and curfews are possible.

Art and Culture

Away from the beach, Miami Beach has plenty of culture to offer. Frank Gehry's New World Center is home to the New World Symphony, whose concerts are streamed on a giant outdoor screen to a park in summer. The Jewish Museum of Florida tells the story of Jewish life in the Sunshine State in two former synagogues. Bands and comedians perform at the Fillmore Miami Beach, and the Botanical Garden offers peace and quiet among palms and orchids. Many hotels display contemporary art in their lobbies.

Getting Around, When to Go and Day Trips

Buses run from Miami International Airport to Miami Beach in about 40 minutes; taxis and ride-hailing services are alternatives. On the island, you'll find a free trolley, rental bikes, and short walking distances. The best time to visit is between November and April; in December, the Art Basel Miami Beach art fair draws collectors from around the world. Summer is hot and humid, and hurricane season runs from June to November. Day trips lead to Miami with Little Havana and Wynwood, to the Everglades, and to the Florida Keys.