miami beach tourist

Visit Miami Beach

With white, sandy beaches, turquoise waters and an over-the-top cultural scene, Miami Beach attracts millions of visitors to its world-famous shores each year. Boasting some of the best examples of art deco and MiMo architecture, the 7-mile island also offers many of the finest dining experiences anywhere, including two of the newest Michelin-starred restaurants. Suppose your passion lies in health and wellness. In that case, Miami Beach has 44 public parks, two public golf courses, two tennis centers, an uninterrupted Beachwalk from one end of the city to the other, multiple community pools, and even an ice rink for those who miss winter. Pack the sunscreen, book your flight and visit Miami Beach for a vacation getaway unlike any other.

Explore Our Neighborhoods

No matter what time of year you visit Miami Beach, make it a point to jog, bike or take a stroll along the newly completed Beachwalk . Spanning the entire length of Miami Beach, the oceanside promenade offers residents and visitors a unique, nature-based experience. Skip the traffic and get in touch with the great natural beauty that envelops Miami Beach. You’ll find bicycle rentals at specially marked kiosks throughout the island. If you get tired, you can always hop aboard one of the complimentary trolleys that connect the city’s three neighborhoods — South Beach , Mid Beach and North Beach .

History of Miami Beach

Tequesta Indians

You may know that Miami Beach is in South Florida, but you may be less familiar with the Tequesta Indians, who discovered the region more than 10,000 years ago. Spain colonized Florida in the 16th Century and eventually ceded what was then East and West Florida to the United States in 1821 under the Adams–Onís Treaty. Enterprising wreckers from the Bahamas came to South Florida and the Keys in the early 19th Century to search for sunken treasure from the ill-fated voyages that ended along the treacherous Great Florida reef.

Miami Beach Visionaries

Bounded by year-round warm waters of the Atlantic and pristine Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is a human-made treasure. Early pioneers like John S. Collins, Carl Fisher and John Newton Lummus, Sr., employed a combination of clever marketing, salesmanship and a little help from an elephant named Rosie to put Miami Beach on the map. The city’s reputation as America’s winter playground was cemented by the early 1900s and continues to this day.

International Destination

During the Great Depression, Pan American Airways launched the era of modern aviation with its Flying Clipper service between Miami and Havana. Today, nearby PortMiami is considered the cruise capital of the world and Miami International Airport — with more than 90 airlines — has become America's busiest airport for international passengers and international freight. It offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport.

South Beach

A predominantly Jewish group of small hoteliers is credited with helping Miami Beach emerge from the Depression. The structures these entrepreneurs built would later form the basis of the city’s world-famous Art Deco Cultural District between lower Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive. You probably know it as South Beach.

Beautiful Boot Camp

Between 1942 and 1945 half a million members of the Army Air Corps passed through what some later referred to as the “most beautiful boot camp in America” on their way to far-flung corners of the world to fight for freedom during World War II.

Among those who spent time in Miami Beach during the war was screen legend Clark Gable. A number of the hotels on Miami Beach were converted into barracks in what was dubbed America’s most beautiful boot camp. A number of the young soldiers returned to live in Miami Beach after the war.

American Dream

When Fidel Castro took over Cuba in 1959, Cuban exiles poured into the Miami area, including Miami Beach. The ’60s and ’80s brought these new immigrants the promise of the American dream.

Today’s Miami Beach

Entertainment productions like the popular “Miami Vice” TV show and major motion pictures during the 1980s and early ’90s brought a multi-billion dollar infusion of investment capital to Miami Beach. The city continues to thrive as it attracts new types of businesses in the financial technology sector, while still attracting great numbers of tourists who can’t wait to visit glamorous Miami Beach.

Sustainable Tourism

The City of Miami Beach is committed to improving the environmental sustainability of the community and this includes improving and creating awareness of sustainable tourism.

MB Rising Above

Department of tourism & cultural.

1755 Meridian Ave, Suite 500 Miami Beach, FL 33139 Phone: 305.673.7577

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Miami beach.

Luxury, arts, and culture come together in Miami Beach , where white sand beaches stretch for seven miles on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.

Just off mainland Miami, this island city offers cultural diversity, never-ending nightlife, luxury beach resorts , interesting architecture, and a world-class fine arts and performing arts scene.

Take the Miami Beach Art Deco Walking Tour to see the Miami Modern, Art Deco, and Mediterranean Revival architectural styles of the city, shop curated boutiques and big, well-known stores alike, and check out The Bass Museum of Art and Artechouse .

Head outdoors for family-friendly fun and explore the less crowded, kid-friendly North Beach neighborhood, home to North Beach Oceanside Park , where you’ll find plenty of green space and parking.

Explore the beaches , take a dip in the warm, turquoise water, and see what has kept visitors coming back to this iconic Florida city for more than 100 years .

Plan your visit at Miami and Beaches .  

Experience the turquoise waters and white sand beaches of Miami Beach.

• South Pointe Park

South Beach

• North Beach

The many family-friendly attractions in Miami Beach include water parks, splash pads, and playgrounds.

• Water parks
• North Beach Oceanside Park
• Miami Children’s Museum
• Flamingo Park
• Lummus Park
• More family-friendly things to do

MUSEUMS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Listen to live music from the beach or the pool, see world-class fine art displays, visit museums, see the symphony, and more.

• Miami Beach Culture Crawl
• Miami Beach Bandshell
• Jewish Museum of Florida
• Miami Beach Live!
• Museum of Illusions
• Live music venues
• More arts and culture

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Play on the beach, bike through town, explore the parks, and get on the water.

• Miami Beach Botanical Garden
• Boating and water sports
• More outdoor activities

PET-FRIENDLY ADVENTURES

Visitors can find a multitude of pet-friendly Miami Beach restaurants, hotels, beaches, and parks where four-legged family members can share in the fun.

• Dog-friendly beaches and parks
• Pet-friendly travel

ACCESSIBILITY

Miami Beach is home to a variety of programs for people with disabilities, including the Special Abilities Program, which offers access to a wide range of sports, and Adaptive Beach Days.

• Special Abilities Program
• Adaptive Beach Days
• Accessible travel information
• Wheelchair access to the beaches

Miami Beach offers world-class dining with some of the best views in Florida.

• Estiatorio Milos
• Lido Bayside
• More places to eat

Miami Beach’s shopping districts feature historic architecture, unique offerings, and nighttime entertainment.

• Collins Avenue/Ocean Drive Shopping District
• Española Way on South Beach
• Lincoln Road Shopping District
• More places to shop in Miami Beach

Miami Beach’s spas take a luxury vacation to a whole new level.

• Top Miami Beach spas

Party all night long at Miami Beach’s nightclubs.

• LIV Nightclub
• Miami Beach nightlife

INCLUSIVITY

Miami Beach offers an LGBT Visitor Center and many inclusive accommodations, entertainment venues, events, and businesses.

• LGBT Visitor Center
• LGBTQ+ travel

Fun in the sun takes many forms in Miami Beach.

• Tennis centers
• More sports

PLACES TO STAY

Choose from luxury hotels, boutique hotels, and vacation rentals.

• Miami Beach vacation rentals
• Miami Beach hotels
• Miami Beach’s best oceanfront hotels

Insider's Guide to Miami

Miami beach in 60 seconds, quick facts.

Ocean Drive and Art Deco district.

Nearest Airport

• Miami International Airport
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

MIAMI BEACH BUSINESS LISTINGS

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