Miami Beach: Ocean Drive, South Beach and Art Déco District

Miami Beach – Ocean Drive, South Beach and Art Déco District: these are the names everyone has in mind when it comes to Miami. In fact, these are not even in Miami but in Miami Beach, a group of islands in the ocean right in front of Miami. This is a short introduction to Miami Beach.

Miami Beach – Miami

Miami Beach is a group of islands, artificial and non-artifical, right in front of the city of Miami which is on the mainland. These island are connected to the mainland by several bridges, the main connecting streets are highway A1A and interstate 195.

Miami Beach is a medium-sized island, narrow but long-stretched. The most famous part of the island is in the South: South Beach and Ocean Drive.

South Beach

South Beach looks exactly the way you know it from the TV (Miami Vice, etc.). The city beach is relatively wide, has many visitors and the colorful shacks of the lifeguards are everywhere.

There is a park right next to the beach (Lummus Park). The park is not big, rather small but long-stretched. All in all, this creates a nice atmosphere: the beach on the ocean’s side, and the Ocean Drive on the other side. This is definitely a spot to take a walk. Something is always going on here. If you don’t like walking, you have plenty of other options including bicycles and segways.

Art Déco District

South Beach is also where the Art Déco District starts. It goes from 6th Street in the South to Dade Boulevard in the North (the eastern and western border are Ocean Drive and Alton Road, both not important). Except from the port, the Art Déco District stretches along the entire width of the island. The District has many different building, according to Wikipedia 960. The most well-know building is the former Gianni Versace house (now a hotel). Travel books describe walking routes in the quarter where you get to see all important buildings. You can also book a guided tour.

We did the route Lonely Planet recommends and that worked quite well. We had enough information about all the buildings. I think you don’t need to spend money on a guided tour, a self-guided tour works just fine.

Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive is basically a chain of restaurants, clubs, coffee shops and bars. Ocean Drive is full of beach guests every day but really only wakes up after sunset.

All of a sudden many dressed-up people are everywhere, looking incredibly good (both female and male). I would be a little careful with food drinks here some people have accidentally ordered a 20-dollar-plus drink here. In case you want to go out in the night, bring some fancy, up-to-do clothes. I would have felt a little out of place in my regular casual holiday clothes.

Parking at Ocean Drive

Parking here was a bit difficult. Parking is available at the side of the road, but at some point all these parking spaces are full and you need to circle the Art Déco District. Public Parking is available between the 6th and 7th Street for one dollar an hours. You can try and see if you find something here.

Much further north, at 16th street, pubic parking is also available.

Lincoln Avenue

Another interesting area is Lincoln Avenue between 16th and 17th street. This is the shopping mile of Miami Beach. There are many different stores (even Outlet sometimes) and restaurants. We did not go shopping; we only took a walk there.
Parking is again not easy, just like Miami Beach in general.

Collins Avenue

Ocean Drive starts on 6th and ends on 15th street. A parallel road to Ocean Drive is Collins Avenue (highway A1A). Collins Avenue is much longer and is connects the entire island from north to south.

There are many hotels along that road. The basic rule is: the further south, the cooler and more expensive. We were quite far up north in a hotel called Casablanca in the Ocean. It was fine. I cannot recommend it nor not recommend it. There was no food in the hotel. But Collins Avenue has many options, even that far north. You only need to leave the hotel and walk a few steps.

If you want to find a supermarket, better check up north than on South Beach. In the south, things are more expensive in general.

Eden Roc and Fontainebleu

The two hottest hotels in Miami Beach are Eden Roc and Fontainebleu. These are the most famous and chicest hotels in town. These two are an exception to the “the cooler the more south”-rule.

Parking at the Hotels

Parking at the Hotels was difficult. Our hotel had a very small entrance with Valet Parking. The car was taken to some underground garage, of course for extra money (25 dollars per day). We did not find any other parking and had to pay that.

How Long Should I Stay Here and What Should I Definitely Do?

I don’t think it’s the perfect area for an extended beach holiday. The Gulf Coast has beaches that are much more beautiful. To me, a single day at the beach in Miami Beach is enough (or even only a half day). You should definitely visit the Art Déco District and Ocean Drive. I think, one day and one evening is enough for this. I recommend spending 2 nights and days here, if you feel like it you also have enough time to shop at Lincoln Avenue. You can stay longer and spend some time in Miami. But for Miami Beach, this is enough time.