South Beach

The basics

Head to Ocean Drive to see Lummus Park Beach, or stop by Lincoln Road to shop and wander the beach promenade between 5th and 15th Streets. Another main highlight is the set of pastel-hued structures on Collins Avenue in the Art Deco District, home to the largest concentration of art deco architecture in the world.

The top Miami city tours typically combine a stop in South Beach with a Biscayne Bay cruise around Star Island, an airboat ride in Everglades National Park, or visits to Little Havana, Wynwood, Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and Coconut Grove. Some of your options include a walking tour, Segway tour, boat tour, food tour, or bus tour. The Miami Design Preservation League and other operators conduct architecture tours that stop at some of the most stunning architectural examples and the Art Deco Welcome Center.

Things to know before you go

• Sun protection is a must in this sunny locale.

• South Beach can be very crowded on weekends and holidays.

• Visitors can find public restrooms at the south end of Lummus Park.

How to get there

Across the MacArthur Causeway from downtown Miami, South Beach stretches north from South Pointe Park all the way to 23rd Street. From 15th to 23rd Street, the upper end includes the pedestrian thoroughfare of Lincoln Road, plus clusters of art deco buildings. Between 1st and 15th Streets is a quietly hip area that acts as a counterweight to the over-the-top carnival of South Beach.

When to get there

South Beach is always humming. Sun, sand, and art deco architecture by day, or neon and nightlife after dark—you choose which South Beach you want to see.

Indoor attractions in South Beach

If you want to get out of the sun and away from the crowds, step inside the provocative World Erotic Art Museum (WEAM), or visit the polar opposite Bass Museum of Art for a peek at 16th-century religious art. After dusk falls, take your pick among bars and clubs to see south Florida's nightlife come alive.