Let’s Break Down Miami Beach: You’ll notice above that I said “the north end of Miami Beach” instead of North Miami Beach. North Miami Beach is actually another city on the mainland, and is not part of Miami Beach! It’s quite confusing, because Miami Beach has North Beach, but not North Miami Beach. To help, since this post is primarily about Miami Beach, and not mainland Miami, here is a list of the sections of Miami Beach island from south to north.
South Pointe – At the southern most point of Miami Beach island, you’ll find South Pointe Park Pier and South Point Beach. This area is also referred to as “South of 5th” as it’s south of 5th street.
South Beach – The famous tourist section of Miami beach, primarily on the Atlantic Ocean (east cost) of the island. The popular Ocean Drive starts at 5th street and continues north to 15th street. Lincoln Road (between 16th and 17th street) is another popular street that runs east to west between the ocean and intracoastal.
Mid-Beach – Primarily hotels and some condos, this section of Miami Beach is rather narrow, with primarily one (Collins Ave) north/south bound street. There are other sections of Miami Beach connected to this by bridges, like Bayshore, Nautilus, and La Gorce. If you look at a map, those are technically their own islands too.
North Beach – North Beach has a variety public parks, including grass parks with tree covering and beaches. There’s a new park (as of 2020) featuring a large pirate ship playground. The primary town section of North Beach looks run down, but has many affordable restaurants and a historic, open-air amphitheater built in 1961 (the North Beach Bandshell). There are numerous volleyball courts on the beachside of the amphitheater too.
At the north end of North Beach, there is a skate park and the North Beach Oceanside Park. The Oceanside Park is long, fenced grass park with a fitness course, walking, running, and jogging paths, barbecues, showers, a playground, beach access, volleyball, and more. If you walk through the park, you’ll also find where the town builds and paints the famous Miami Beach lifeguard stands!
Our favorite (and affordable) restaurant is Burgers and Shakes. They feature delicious burgers and milkshakes, along with a casual, trendy vibe. The outdoor seating is perfect for after a day at the beach. The music makes everyone of all ages dance in their seats and tap their feet. We try to eat healthy, and this is anything but healthy, yet this was definitely the restaurant we frequented the most during our time in Miami!
Visually, many buildings in North Beach need to be renovated; however, many buildings and parks have recently been renovated too. Some articles have stated that investors purchased buildings years ago, but no one has made the move to renovate. North Beach is a more affordable section of Miami Beach, and the width of the island is wider than other sections, so there are more apartments and affordable housing options. There is also a large homeless population in this area.
Continue on to read about the last two towns on the north end of Miami Beach; Surfside and Bal Harbour!
Plus, just over the bridge at the north end of Miami Beach, you will find Haulover State Park.