South Beach at Lummus Park

South Beach at Lummus Park is the best-known stretch of sand in Miami, Florida, running along Ocean Drive at 1130 Ocean Dr in Miami Beach. The sand is fine, pale and soft, and the Atlantic water is warm, generally clear and a light turquoise-green on calm days. The beach is a wide, open, straight shoreline rather than a cove, so it is exposed to onshore wind and occasional chop, though the surf is usually modest and suitable for swimming. Lummus Park itself is a palm-lined strip of lawn between Ocean Drive and the sand, and the beach is backed by the Art Deco hotels and sidewalk restaurants that define the neighborhood. The atmosphere is lively and social rather than secluded. Weekends bring crowds of sunbathers, groups of friends, volleyball players and people-watchers, and the mood is closer to a party beach than a quiet family retreat, although daytime families are common on weekday mornings. Amenities are extensive for an urban beach. Lifeguard towers are spaced along the sand, and restrooms and showers are available in the park. Chair and umbrella rentals are run by concessions along the beach, and volleyball courts sit near the lawn. Ocean Drive is lined with restaurants, cafes and bars, so food and drinks are a short walk from any spot on the sand. Access is simple. The free Miami Beach trolley and Miami-Dade Transit buses serve Collins Avenue a block or two inland, and rideshare from downtown Miami typically takes 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic on the causeways. Street parking in South Beach is metered and scarce, and nearby garages charge by the hour, so many visitors arrive without a car. The beach is free to enter. The strip is walkable from the Art Deco Historic District and from South Pointe Park to the south, and a paved path along the park gives a flat route for walking or cycling. Early morning is the calmest time for photography, when the lifeguard towers and the Art Deco skyline are lit by low sun and the sand is mostly empty.