Miami beach best beach and parking tip

Miami Beach Best Beach and Parking Tip

Miami Beach is home to beautiful beaches, year-round sunshine and beautiful ocean breezes. It's easy to find the sand and water, but where's the best beach? Highly subjective answer, but we say it's a stretch of beach next to the Eden Roc and Fontainebleau. Why do we like this one best? Well, sure, all the beaches of Miami Beach share the same water and sand. The same fish swim, same seagulls fly... back and forth. But when you're talking about Miami Beach, you HAVE to factor in things like crowds, cleanliness and parking. 

Parking can be brutal especially if South Beach is your destination. We do like visiting South Beach because it's beach has a boardwalk, park with hills and it has Smith and Wollensky (great restaurant and bar with a  view). But it gets so very crowded, and finding parking can be incredibly frustrating. Depending on the day, this spot is probably not a best choice.

Which is why we always find ourselves slightly further north at the spot next to the Eden Roc. It's a public beach, has some outdoor showers and bathrooms that are kept pretty clean and a couple of vending machines. Because it doesn't get super crowded most days, the beach tends to be very clean and litter-free. We like Tuesdays to visit there because that seems to be when the least amount of people go. We're kinda selfish like that. Who doesn't want a beautiful beach all to themselves?!  : )

But even visiting there on a Friday or weekend, making sure you go in the morning of course, you should be able to find parking. How you ask? It IS Miami Beach! Because parking lot #71, a public lot just off Collins Ave can fit about 400 cars. No attendants, you must use pay-by-phone but the charges are very cheap (currently $1 an hour). There's usually plenty of space if you get there before 11am and it's right in front of the beach and restrooms/showers. If you have little ones and are concerned, this Miami Beach spot always seems very family friendly... we've been there a bunch of times and haven't seen any more skin than is acceptable to most moms of curious little ones. This spot seems to be very respectful and family-friendly. It's beautiful and clean. And it has easy inexpensive parking. Which makes it our favorite Miami Beach Beach!