If you don’t like Miami’s beaches, then there’s just no pleasing you! The clean white sand, the calm sea with warm and crystal clear waters, the expanses of swaying palm trees and the colorful lifeguard towers scattered everywhere have become true symbols of the city, helping to make it famous throughout the world.
In Miami the sand stretches for miles and miles, so there are so many possible solutions to tan in the sun. Let’s see a selection of 6 recommended beaches in Miami, from the most crowded and fashionable to the ones more suited to those looking for quiet and contemplation of nature.
PS: if, in addition to visiting the beaches of Miami, you are planning to go on a wider tour of Florida, I also recommend our article on the best beaches in Florida: enjoy the read!
Contents
- Lummus Park Beach: the beach life of South Beach
- Crandon Park Beach: between crystal clear waters and services of all kinds
- Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park: Wild and Unspoiled Nature
- Matheson Hammock Park Beach: ideal for families
- North Shore Open Space Park: North Beach
- Virginia Key: the beach where not to be found
- Map of Miami beaches
Lummus Park Beach: the beach life of South Beach
Lummus Park Beach is the white sand beach of the Lummus Park, which extends along Ocean Drive, in the stretch from 5th to 14th St. Used in many movies and TV series, this is the main beach of Miami Beach and perhaps the most representative of the whole city: definitely the best place for those looking for entertainment and beach life.
Any day of the week, you’ll see half-naked models getting dolled up for a photo shoot (topless is legal here), tanning fanatics and an endless string of sculpted abs working out in the open-air gyms on Muscle Beach (9th St). If you want to take a picture of the lifeguard huts, this is the place to be!
There are volleyball courts and play areas for the kids. Restrooms and changing rooms are available on the beach at 6th, 10th and 14th St.
Tips on where to stay in South Beach
Crandon Park Beach: between crystal clear waters and services of all kinds
One of my favorites among the beaches of Miami is Crandon Park Beach, the long beach that runs along Crandon Boulevard on the island of Key Biscayne. I’m not the only one to think so: we are talking about one of the most interesting and appreciated beaches in Miami for its beauty, both for the shallow and crystal clear water, and for the many services and facilities that can be found there.
The beach has white sand and, unlike that of South Beach, is dotted with palm trees, which gives it a beautiful tropical look: it extends for 3 miles along the ocean and has a beautiful tree-lined park behind it. Low tide allows for pleasant walks in knee-deep water, until you reach the shoals some distance from the coast.
With restrooms, changing rooms, 493 acres of parkland, 75 barbecue grills, three parking lots, numerous soccer and softball fields, and a large 18-hole golf course, Crandon Park is not just a beach, but a true sand theme park. As if that weren’t enough, the beach also offers activities including kayaking and snorkeling.
Tips on where to sleep in Key Biscayne
Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park: Wild and Unspoiled Nature
At the south end of Key Biscayne you will find a wonderful natural area that looks wild and untouched: Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, with its white sandy beach that evokes the shades of quartz and coral and beautiful clear water with gentle and inviting waves, coral reef and shallow waters.
In the background we can see the lighthouse of Cape Florida (dated 1852) which, besides providing a picturesque backdrop, allows you to admire the surrounding landscape from a unique perspective: at certain times of the day when the ranger is present, it is in fact possible to climb to the top and stay there for about ten minutes, just enough time to take some pictures.
The beach has three direct accesses from the parking lot and it is much less crowded than Miami South Beach. No doubt it is an excellent destination for those seeking peace and tranquility, but not only that: along the park there are some nature and historical trails for tropical landscape lovers. Entrance to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is has a cost (8$); the beach is not supervised so, in the event of bad weather conditions, you swim at your own risk.
Tips on where to sleep in the area
Matheson Hammock Park Beach: ideal for families
Located in South Miami (9610 Old Cutler Rd), well away from the fashionable ramblings of South Beach, Matheson Hammock Park Beach is the paradigm of tranquility, particularly suitable for families and those seeking solitude or quiet.
This beach – in my opinion one of the most beautiful and particular of Miami – is an artificial atoll: in fact, it has an unusual ring shape, around which palm trees stand. Thanks to this particular shape and to the continuous flow of the Bay waters, the water at Matheson Hammock Park Beach is extremely calm, and the place is safe and secluded enough to be perfect for children. Near the beach – where you have to pay to enter – there are dense groves (hammocks) of mangroves and a marina. Clean restrooms and changing rooms are also available.
The best area to look for accommodation nearby is Coral Gables. Click on the button below to find available hotels in the area.
Advice on where to sleep in the area
North Shore Open Space Park: North Beach
This expansive North Miami Beach beach is located on the shoreline along the North Shore Open Space Park on Collins Avenue (in the stretch between 79th and 87th St) and is far enough removed from the touristy climate of South Beach to nominate itself as one of the best places in Miami Beach to enjoy some beach life in peace.
As much as there are bars and restaurants within walking distance, this is one of the very few stretches of beach without large condos or hotels looming over the shoreline. Lifeguards patrol the area during the day, and there are amenities, though they’re not exactly the ultimate in cleanliness. This park is also recommended for those who want to take walks on a shady boardwalk in a beautiful tropical setting.
Virginia Key: the beach where not to be found
Even more isolated and devoted to silent meditation is the historic beach of Virginia Key Beach Park, the classic place where people go so they can’t be found. At one time, this was the most popular beach for Miami’s African Americans, who for long periods were not welcome on other city beaches. After many years of closure, the park was reopened to the public in 2008, with many new amenities.
The beach enjoys a beautiful location in the heart of Biscayne Bay, just a few minutes drive from Key Biscayne and Miami itself: to reach it you have to deviate from the picturesque road over the sea, Rickenbacker Causeway. There is a ticket to purchase to enter this park, the price of which varies depending on the days of the week.
Accommodations near Virginia Key
