South Beach

The famous Miami beach area with Art Deco buildings and late-night scene. Safe in crowded spots but attracts scammers and club promoters. Good for beach days and people-watching. Skip the Ocean Drive restaurants - they're overpriced.

This is the Miami everyone sees in photos - Art Deco buildings in pastel colors, the beach, sidewalk cafes along Ocean Drive. The beach is nice with clear water and white sand, but it gets extremely crowded on weekends. During the day you'll see tourists, people jogging, and beach clubs. The main streets - Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, Washington Avenue - stay busy and lit until late, so walking at night feels relatively safe if you stay where the crowds are. Side streets empty out after dark and the atmosphere changes completely. You'll see women eating alone at cafes, which is normal here. The downsides: aggressive club promoters, occasional harassment, and scams targeting tourists. Ocean Drive restaurants are overpriced tourist traps - good for people-watching, bad for actually eating. The club scene starts at midnight and can feel overwhelming. If you go out at night, stick to busy areas, watch your drinks in clubs, and take Uber instead of walking alone late.