Miami Beach
Art Deco hotels, turquoise water, and the single most photographed lifeguard stands in America.
Miami Beach isn't really one beach — it's a seven-mile stretch of Atlantic coastline divided into moods. South Beach is where the Art Deco hotels line up, where the lifeguard stands each get a Pantone-worthy paint job, and where the boardwalk runs from 5th to 23rd. Mid-Beach gets quieter and the buildings get taller. North Beach is almost residential, with locals jogging at sunrise instead of posing on loungers.
The water here is the actual Gulf Stream running past — warm, saltier than the Gulf, with more fish. The sand is coarse Atlantic sand, not the fine powder of the west coast, but it's reliably clean and the ocean rarely takes a day off.
If you go, the 11th to 14th Street lifeguard stands are the iconic ones. Go at sunrise, not noon.
Practical notes
- Best time to go: November–March
- Parking: Garages on Collins or 5th; meters everywhere else
- Vibe: Art Deco icon, nightlife, people-watching
- Nearest town: Miami Beach