Here’s what to do in Miami Beach right now

Ice cream cone pastels, geometric lines and curves, chrome accents and decorative fountains are just a few characteristics that distinguish the iconic buildings of Miami Beach’s Art Deco Historic District. Miami has the highest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world, and their preservation has saved the South Beach skyline from becoming a canyon of condos. Amazingly, these buildings were nearly destroyed by developers in the early 1970s. Today, a number of the best Miami hotels, and even some South Beach clubs, have maintained their beautiful façades and historical designation.

The centerpiece of Collins Park’s cultural campus (which includes the adjacent Miami City Ballet), this recently enhanced and enlarged contemporary art museum includes more exhibition space, four new galleries, a gift shop and educational facility called the Creativity Center. With the revamp also came a series of fresh acquisitions and gifts from New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Note: The Café at The Bass is currently closed and re-opening soon under new management.

South Pointe Park occupies the southernmost tip of Miami Beach. There's beach access (with a great view of massive cruise ships rolling in and out of Miami), a walkable pier and also some green space to spread a blanket and chill out. If you can wake up early enough (or stay awake late enough), the sunrises from this vantage point are seriously out of this world.

Time Out tip: Plan a visit to old-school steakhouse Smith & Wollensky during sunset. Located inside the park, its outdoor bar is the perfect spot to people and boat-watch, especially on a Sunday evening.

This classic Spanish street functions as an elegant, picturesque cousin to nearby Lincoln Road, replete with Mediterranean flair and adorable sidewalk cafes. Following an ambitious restoration project, which completely replaced the street's existing pavement and sidewalk, Española Way has been restored to its original grandeur as a true pedestrian-only strip. You won't find big-box stores nor large hotels, just quaint small shops and cozy, bilevel hotels that whisk you away to far-flung places.

Time Out tip: Explore the Esmé, a new boutique hotel spanning a series of historic buildings along the promenade. The property includes several highlights, like a rooftop bar and an acclaimed omakse counter.

The Top Chef-winning toque wows the city's foodies with his creativity and meticulousness. Stubborn Seed—which has received a Michelin star each year since 2022—is Ford’s first solo restaurant, and he’s every bit the fixated parent fussing over his new baby—in a good way. The tasting menu (courses and pricing vary depending on the season) is a sign of a chef who’s poured over every detail of the culinary experience.

Comedian Jackie Gleason put Miami in the spotlight in the 1960s when he taped his TV show here. Back then, Sinatra and his pack were in the audience. Today, the crowds are as eclectic as the program at this perfectly intimate and rare mid-sized Miami venue. Recent performers include Róisín Murphy and Mike Birbiglia, with Ice Spice, Sum 41 and Sting scheduled for concerts later this year.

South Florida’s most famous restaurant turned 100 in 2013 and is as much a Miami must-see as Ocean Drive. The best time to visit is October through May, when the seasonal stone crabs are served with a “secret” sauce, garlic creamed spinach, fried sweet potatoes, coleslaw and hash browns. Joe’s takes limited reservations, so be prepared for a horrendously long wait.

Time Out tip: Or you could head straight to Joe’s Take Away next door, where you get the same fresh claws at the same price without the long lines. Dine in or take your loot to-go for a picnic on the beach.

This indoor/outdoor watering hole sums up the city’s drinking culture down to its poolside seating and shareable punch bowls and pitchers, which change seasonally. Not sure what to sip? Close your eyes and point to the menu. Everything is good. The pool is also open to customers, so feel free to grab a drink and take a dip.

This open-air music venue with a proscenium stage and bench seating is where you’ll catch Miami’s most eclectic bookings—think rare world music acts and Latin jazz brought to you by venue managers Rhythm Foundation. With string lights and an ocean breeze above, this place is Miami’s most charming little music venue.

Time Out tip: Events at the bandshell ramp up in the cooler fall and winter months. Check their listings to find upcoming shows like St. Paul and the Broken Bones, STRFKR and the Miami Beach Salsa Festival, among others.

This sprawling 74-acre park with a beachfront path takes you through some of South Beach's most recognizable territory: along classic Ocean Drive architecture (hello, Versace Mansion), past muscle hunks doing pull-ups on the sand and right up to some prime ocean views. Rent bikes or skates to best take it all in with the ocean breeze in your hair.

Time Out tip: Lummus Park is also home to a number of major annual events including the Hyundai Air & Sea Show (Memorial Day Weekend) and the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (February).

Find this moody, windowless bar in the basement of the Gale South Beach, an Art Deco hotel erected in an era when sub-sea-level basements still seemed like a good idea. The vibe here is ’70s glam and the music programming is stacked with DJs Wednesday through Sunday, plus mellower moments like live jazz and samba setting the stage in the evenings. Beverages come under the creation of Naren Young, who’s definitely cool in the cocktail world; he’s helmed Sweet Liberty and was formerly the creative director of Dante NYC when it was dubbed the World’s Best Cocktail Bar. 

The Lincoln Road Mall—or, in local shorthand, "Lincoln Road"—had its heyday in the 1950s, when it was designed by iconic architectural guru Morris Lapidus and dubbed the "Fifth Avenue of the South." Gussied up in 1997 with a $16-million facelift, the mall sits between 16th and 17th Streets and stretches from Washington Avenue to Alton Road, containing some of the best shopping in Miami Beach.

Time Out tip: Sundays are popular for the Lincoln Road Antiques and Farmers' Market.

Where else can you order caviar onion dip, a coffee-infused piña colada and dance the night away to '90s hip-hop? The so-called bartender's bar is both a critical success and a neighborhood favorite. The reason? It’s got something for everyone. When it comes to cocktails, the late, great bartender John Lermayer’s drink menu is equal parts innovation and celebration of the classics.

Time Out tip: Daily happy hour (4–7pm) features $6 beers, $10 cocktails and discounted oysters, plus other bites—a total steal for the area.

This 99-acre waterfront green space features picnic pavilions, offers easy parking and beach access and hosts a fun food truck festival every Tuesday from 5 to 10pm. It’s also a tan-line-free zone: Haulover has one of the best nude beaches in the world. It’s also home to probably the best of Miami’s few dog-friendly beaches.

Part of the Faena chain of luxury hotels, this architecturally stunning set of buildings sprinkled across mid-Beach plays hosts some of Miami’s best public gatherings, from live music to interactive art installations and more. The floor inside the Faena Forum looks like a massive kaleidoscope, while Faena Theater (the only fully functioning theater in a Miami Beach hotel) hosts spectacular cabaret shows, jazz nights and more.