Brickell, Miami: the ultimate guide to the neighborhood

To know Brickell is to love Brickell—sometimes. Like, when it's not rush hour or raining, or a new building isn't going up right outside your window. It's much easier to love Brickell when you have a guaranteed parking space or a ride, and a hot reservation at any one of the neighborhood's trendy restaurants and towering rooftops.

Like any urban core, Brickell's sheer magnitude is intoxicating—even when you think you've had enough, you tend to find yourself coming back for more. That's why it's best to prime yourself before venturing into this famed Miami enclave. We've hopped on the Metromover and braved clubstaurant crowds to come up with the best Brickell advice, spanning everything from going out to getting around.

What’s the deal with Brickell, Miami?

Brickell’s unrelenting development boom has meant quite a few things for Miami’s financial district. It’s led to a neighborhood constantly in flux, be it in terms of its population, which nowadays is largely young professionals and transient residents, or its businesses. It’s also why the tightly bound neighborhood scares off suburbanites accustomed to their personal space but is also a great place to meet singles in Miami. Brickell is the closest Miami will get to Manhattan in walkability, skyscrapers, traffic and public transportation. And that’s, in part, what’s made this patch of office buildings appealing to more than just nine-to-fivers.

What will you find in Brickell?

World-class restaurants, Miami’s tallest high-rises, the headquarters of the nation’s top law firms and the globe’s most recognized financial institutions and bars—so many bars.

If you only do one thing

Order a round of cocktails at Sugar, Miami’s tallest rooftop bar. There’s so much lush foliage 40 stories up it’ll feel like you’re drinking in a secret garden in the clouds. It’s open daily from 4pm.

Get off the beaten track

Simpson Park Hammock is a small urban park nature preserve with walking paths and bike trails. You’ll get lost exploring the nearly eight acres and forget there’s an actual concrete jungle just beyond its perimeter.

On a sunny day

Explore Brickell Backyard, the first half-mile completed phase of the planned 10-mile Underline. Similar to New York’s High Line or Chicago’s 606 Trail except on the ground, Miami’s Underline Park utilizes the path carved by its legacy public transportation lines to create an innovative urban park and trail. Opening in phases through 2025, visitors can already enjoy amenities like a free weekend yoga series, a dog run and separated biking and walking paths along the Miami River.

On a rainy day

Brickell City Centre is an indoor-outdoor mall whose genius architecture grants folks protection from the elements while outside. There are two food halls, numerous restaurants and countless stores to keep you entertained while shielded.

Nearest public transport

There’s a Miami Metromover station in Brickell, located at SW First Avenue and 12th Street, across from Publix.

What else is nearby?

Brickell is smack dab between Downtown and Key Biscayne. Despite its proximity to both neighborhoods, getting to and from them still takes time, specifically during rush hour. Don’t be surprised if it takes you 30 minutes to travel a mile in Brickell by car. There’s always a bridge that’s going up or a traffic light that’s backed up for blocks. You’re usually better off walking.

Is Brickell, Miami safe?

Brickell is one of Miami’s safer neighborhoods. Its streets are well-lit and typically crowded at all hours of the day and night.

Does Brickell, Miami have a beach?

Sadly, no, there’s no beach in Brickell but the neighborhood does boast some impressive bayfront views. The closest thing you’ll get to seeing one is the Mandarin Oriental’s private “beach,” where there’s a swath of white sand but no shoreline.