Miami Beach, Florida, is a Miami-Dade town on the Jupiter-to-Key West coast. This guide covers 11 beaches, parks and attractions, 14 places to eat and 34 upcoming events, kept current from official sources. Top picks: Bark Beach at North Beach Oceanside Park, South Beach (1st–5th St) and Smith & Wollensky. One of the activities is free. Nearest towns: Miami (4.3 mi) and Bal Harbour (7.0 mi).

Last updated September 7, 2026. Events refresh daily; places are hand-picked and re-checked monthly.

Miami Beach is Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall, and a beach that runs unbroken from South Pointe to North Beach. Between the Fillmore, the New World Symphony's outdoor wall casts and Art Basel week, there is always something on.

For the live version of everything below, open the Miami Beach page: things to do · events · where to eat.

Beaches & Parks in Miami Beach

  • Bark Beach at North Beach Oceanside Park (Miami Beach (81st St)) — Daily morning windows (7–9 or 9–11 am) and Fri–Sun afternoons. Price: Free · Dogs: yes.
  • South Beach (1st–5th St) (Miami Beach) — Fires only on strong N-NE swell after fronts, but it's a scene when it does.
  • Surf lessons (Deerfield Beach and others) — Island Water Sports runs FREE group lessons every Saturday 7–9 am at Deerfield Pier (register online, gear included). Also Ocean Magic and Blueline (Jupiter), EZride and Living Water (Broward), South Beach Surf Lessons (Miami). Price: Private ~$75–120.
  • Surf forecasts (Online) — Fall is the season: Sept–Oct tropical systems send groundswell; November's first cold fronts bring 2–4 days of NE windswell each. Surfline cams at Juno Pier, Reef Road, Deerfield and South Beach; NOAA buoy 41114 (Fort Pierce) for incoming swell; the National Hurricane Center for swell-producing storms.
  • Dog-friendly weekend-away hotels (Various) — Kimpton Shorebreak & Goodland (FTL; no fee, no size limit), The Ben and Canopy (WPB), Brazilian Court (Palm Beach), The Seagate and The Ray (Delray), Hard Rock Guitar Hotel and Margaritaville (Hollywood), Kimpton EPIC / Surfcomber and 1 Hotel (Miami Beach), Biltmore (Coral Gables), Mayfair House (Coconut Grove). Dogs: yes.

Attractions & Activities in Miami Beach

  • Jet ski, parasail, flyboard (Pompano / FTL / Hollywood / South Beach) — Fort Lauderdale Watersports / Splash Watersports (Pompano & FTL), Boucher Brothers (Hollywood & South Beach). Price: Jet ski ~$100–150/hr, parasail ~$90–120.
  • Key Biscayne sandbar charters (Crandon or Miami Beach Marina) — Private boats to Nixon Sandbar / Stiltsville; Getmyboat lists pet-friendly rentals. Price: ~$500–800 · Dogs: ask.

Shopping & Markets in Miami Beach

  • Lincoln Road Antique & Collectible Market (Miami Beach) — 2nd & 4th Sundays, resumes Oct Outdoors and dog-friendly on a leash unless noted. Dogs: leashed.
  • Farmers market season note (Region-wide) — Nearly all markets are outdoors and dog-friendly on a leash. Several pause for summer and reopen in October (WPB GreenMarket Oct 3, Delray GreenMarket TBC, Lincoln Road Antique Market 2nd & 4th Sundays from Oct).
  • Lincoln Road (Miami Beach) — Pedestrian mall, Sunday market, huge on Halloween. Dogs: yes (outdoor).

At Night in Miami Beach

  • Cinema (Various) — Savor Cinema / Cinema Paradiso (FLIFF — Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival typically Nov), O Cinema South Beach, Coral Gables Art Cinema, iPic Boca/Delray dine-in, Swap Shop drive-in.

Free things to do in Miami Beach

Nothing here charges admission (parking may).

  • Bark Beach at North Beach Oceanside Park — Daily morning windows (7–9 or 9–11 am) and Fri–Sun afternoons.

Miami Beach with kids

  • Jet ski, parasail, flyboard — Fort Lauderdale Watersports / Splash Watersports (Pompano & FTL), Boucher Brothers (Hollywood & South Beach).

Where to eat in Miami Beach

Waterfront

  • Smith & Wollensky (South Pointe Park) — Steakhouse. Watch cruise ships leave through Government Cut. $$$$.
  • Lido at The Standard (Belle Isle, Miami Beach) — Bayside Mediterranean. Hammocks, sunset, spa vibe. $$$.

Brunch & Breakfast

  • Time Out Market (South Beach) — Food hall. $$.

Casual & Family

  • Casa Tua (Miami Beach) — Garden villa, most romantic room in Miami Beach. $$$$ · book ahead.
  • Carbone (Miami Beach) — Spicy rigatoni, tableside caesar. $$$$ · book ahead.
  • Papi Steak (Miami Beach) — Wagyu presented in a briefcase. $$$$$.
  • Macchialina (Miami Beach) — Rustic Italian since 2012. $$$.
  • Joe's Stone Crab (South of Fifth, Miami Beach) — Since 1913; reopens mid-October. No reservations in the main room — the wait is the ritual; Joe's Take Away next door has no line. Order jumbos, hash browns and key lime pie. Season Oct 15 – May 1; first claws hit tables Oct 16–17 and prices peak early and around the holidays. $$$$.

Date Night

  • Stubborn Seed ★ (South of Fifth) — Contemporary American. Jeremy Ford (Top Chef); tasting or à la carte. $$$$.
  • Tambourine Room ★ (Carillon, Miami Beach) — Modern European tasting. Quiet jewel in an oceanfront hotel. $$$$$.
  • Lucali (Sunset Harbour, Miami Beach) — Brooklyn pizza — expect a wait.

Bars & Nightlife

  • Watr at the 1 Rooftop (1 Hotel South Beach) — Japanese-Peruvian over the ocean. $$$$.
  • Juvia (1111 Lincoln Rd penthouse) — French-Japanese-Peruvian; the living wall. $$$$.
  • MILA (Above Lincoln Road) — "MediterrAsian," scene-y, dress up. $$$$ · book ahead.

What's on in Miami Beach

The next 10 events on the Miami Beach calendar (dates are America/New_York; confirm with the organizer before you go):

  • Tayc — Mon, Sep 7 · Miami Beach Bandshell · Concerts & Live Music. Afrolove, French R&B and Afro-Caribbean rhythms come together in Tayc’s first Miami performance.
  • Tayc at The Miami Beach Bandshell — Mon, Sep 7, 6:30 PM · Miami Beach Bandshell · Concerts & Live Music. French R&B Sensation Tayc performs live for the first time in Miami! Price: Tickets may be needed
  • Padel X Summer Club — Mon, Sep 7 – Tue, Sep 15 · 1111 Lincoln Road · Sports. Outdoor padel courts, clinics and World Cup watch programming bring a summer sports pop-up.
  • Dirty Dancing at Rooftop Cinema Club — Mon, Sep 7 · Rooftop Cinema Club South Beach · Theater & Shows. A Catskills summer romance brings music, dance and nostalgia to a Labor Day screening in Miami.
  • Scarface at Rooftop Cinema Club — Mon, Sep 7 · Rooftop Cinema Club South Beach · Theater & Shows. A Miami-set crime epic closes out the holiday weekend with an outdoor screening under the stars.
  • Labor Day — Mon, Sep 7 · Community. City Hall Closed. Price: Free
  • Cuerda & Clave at The Betsy Piano Bar — Sun, Sep 13, 6:00 PM · The Betsy Piano Bar · Concerts & Live Music. The Betsy Piano Bar hosts Cuerda & Clave every Sunday. Price: Free
  • The Ocean Drive Promenade Music Series — Sun, Sep 13, 5:00 PM · Concerts & Live Music. Ocean Drive Arts presents culturally rich experiences in the heart of beautiful Miami Beach. Price: Free
  • Lincoln Road Farmer’s Market — Sun, Sep 13, 9:00 AM · Festivals & Markets. On Meridian Avenue through Washington Avenue, local vendors gather along Lincoln Road to sell fruits, vegetables, fresh-cut flowers and more. Price: Free
  • Hispanic Heritage Festival — Fri, Sep 18, 6:00 PM · Festivals & Markets. Performances by Parks & Recreation afterschool programs, rides and bounce houses, food vendor and more! Price: Free

See the full list, refreshed daily: Miami Beach.

Getting there and planning your day

Miami Beach sits at 25.791, -80.130 in Miami-Dade. Parking rules, beach access and permits are on the City of Miami Beach site; the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau calendar lists county-wide festivals; check the National Weather Service Miami – South Florida forecast before a beach or boat day (summer storms build after 2 pm); snorkelers and anglers should read the NOAA tides: Virginia Key, Biscayne Bay; Miami-Dade Transit (Metrorail, Metromover, buses) is the car-free way in; the official Everglades National Park (National Park Service) page has hours and entry fees.

Nearby towns

Each has its own page in this guide:

Official sources and further reading

We link to primary sources so you can verify hours, fees and dates:

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