Ocean Drive, Miami
Ocean Drive wrote the blueprint for South Beach: take some pristine Art Deco buildings, add endless outdoor cafes, mix in beach views and a 24/7 party scene.
Locals might dodge it, but this iconic strip between 5th and 13th streets is still one of those Miami experiences your bucket list needs. Here are some of our favorite things about the the fun sensory overload that is Ocean Drive.
Beautiful Art Deco Buildings Dot Ocean Drive
Ocean Drive sits at the heart of Miami’s Art Deco Historic District, home to the world’s largest collection of this style.
The district joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Most buildings went up between 1923 and 1943, showing off eyebrow overhangs, pastel colors, and geometric patterns.
They weren’t always so colorful—originally they were white with subtle trim until designer Leonard Horowitz created the candy-colored palette in the 1980s to help the run-down neighborhood look better.
Sunsets and sunrises better than Key West
You’ll catch amazing sunrise views on Ocean Drive that many visitors miss while focusing on nightlife. Head to the area between 5th and 15th Street, where morning light makes the pastel buildings glow.
Many hotels have rooftop terraces facing east, perfect for sunrise watching. Want great photos? Show up 20 minutes before official sunrise when the sky starts changing colors and the crowds haven’t arrived yet.
Free arts events happen every Sunday in autumn
You can enjoy the Ocean Drive Promenade Music Series every Sunday from 6:00-7:00 pm between 14th Street and 14th Place during fall 2025.
You’ll see performers like Latin Grammy-winner José Luis Cortés on April 20, 2025, and jazz saxophonist Nicole Yarling on April 27, 2025. Besides music, there’s visual art, literary readings, and wellness activities.
The Ocean Drive Improvement Association partners with Miami Beach city officials to showcase local talent through these events.
Gloria Estefan kicked off the celebrity trend
Gloria Estefan became the first big star to invest in Ocean Drive when she bought the Cardozo Hotel at 13th Street in the early 1990s.
Her restaurant, Larios on the Beach, is still an Ocean Drive landmark serving authentic Cuban food.
Her investment made other celebrities follow her lead, including Madonna, Sylvester Stallone, and Shakira, who’ve all owned property nearby. You’ll still spot famous people at high-end restaurants and hotels along the strip today.
Eat dinner in Versace’s old home
Fashion designer Gianni Versace bought the Mediterranean Revival mansion at 1116 Ocean Drive in 1992 for $2.95 million.
He spent another $32 million fixing it up, adding a 54-foot pool lined with 24-karat gold tiles. After his murder in 1997, someone bought the property in 2000 for $19 million and turned it into a luxury hotel.
Now you can eat at Gianni’s Restaurant in the former dining room or stay overnight in one of ten suites.
This is the only U.S. city between two national parks
Miami Beach sits between Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park, making it the only U.S. city with two national parks as neighbors.
Biscayne covers 172,971 acres and protects coral reefs and sea life, with 95% of the park underwater. Everglades spans 1.5 million acres of wetlands where rare animals like Florida panthers and American crocodiles live.
You can join guided tours to both parks from Miami Beach, with trips lasting from half a day to full-day adventures.
Treasure hunters regularly find shipwreck items nearby
The waters off Miami Beach hide artifacts from shipwrecks dating back to the 1500s, when Spanish ships sailed between Spain and the New World.
In 1965, treasure hunter Mel Fisher found the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha near Key West, discovering gold and silver worth over $450 million.
You can join shipwreck exploration tours from Miami Beach Marina, just a short trip from Ocean Drive. After big storms, people sometimes find Spanish coins and other old items washed up on the shore.
The beach started as a mangrove swamp
Miami Beach wasn’t always there – it began as a mangrove swamp until developer Carl Fisher started dredging in 1913 to make land people could use. Workers moved 400,000 cubic yards of sand to create the beach you see today.
The first building on future Ocean Drive was Brown’s Hotel, built in 1915 and still standing as the Prime Hotel. The area didn’t take off until the 1930s when investors saw its potential as a vacation spot and started building the famous Art Deco buildings.
You can rent bikes every three blocks along the drive
CitiBike Miami has 19 rental stations on Ocean Drive, with bikes ready 24/7 through a self-service system. Rentals start at $4.50 for 30 minutes or $24 for a whole day in 2025.
You can ride in the bike lane that runs the entire 1.3-mile length of Ocean Drive and connects to South Pointe Park in the south and the Miami Beach Boardwalk to the north.
If you don’t want to pedal hard, electric bikes are also available for exploring beyond Ocean Drive to nearby spots like Lincoln Road and the Holocaust Memorial.
Lummus Park gives you 26 acres of beachfront access
This long park runs alongside Ocean Drive from 5th to 15th Street, creating a green space between the buildings and the beach. You’ll find 16 volleyball courts that host pro tournaments throughout the year, including the AVP Miami Open each April.
If you like to work out, you can use outdoor gym equipment at three exercise stations along the 10-block stretch. Palm-lined walking paths provide shade for the 2.5 million yearly visitors who pass through on their way to South Beach.
A local pharmacist invented suntan lotion here in 1944
Benjamin Green, a Miami Beach pharmacist and airman, made the first effective suntan cream using cocoa butter and red petroleum jelly while serving in the South Pacific during World War II.
He improved his formula after returning to Miami Beach and sold it to Coppertone in 1952, launching the first commercial suntan lotion. The famous Coppertone sign with a dog pulling down a little girl’s swimsuit was a Miami landmark from 1959 until 1992.
You can see an art piece commemorating this invention at the corner of 7th Street and Ocean Drive.
The world’s busiest cruise port is minutes away
Port Miami, just 5 miles from Ocean Drive, serves as home base for 22 cruise lines and 55 ships, making it the busiest cruise port in the world. The port handled 7.3 million passengers in 2024, with more expected in 2025.
Many cruise passengers stay on Ocean Drive before or after their trips, bringing about $43 million yearly to local businesses. You can see the big cruise ships from several spots along Ocean Drive, adding a unique background for your photos.
You’ll find three different types of nightlife zones
The northern part of Ocean Drive (14th-15th Streets) has upscale hotel bars with fancy cocktails. The middle section (9th-13th Streets) features open-air café bars with two-for-one happy hours usually from 4-7pm daily.
The southern section (5th-8th Streets) offers high-energy nightclubs with live music and dancing, with most places open until 5am.
For a complete night out, start at The Betsy Hotel’s rooftop bar at sunset, then head south, ending at Mango’s Tropical Cafe for late-night Latin dancing.
Visiting Ocean Drive
Ocean Drive runs 1.3 miles from South Pointe Drive to 15th Street in Miami Beach. Streets are always open, and you can walk into most shops until 11 PM. Free Miami Beach Trolley runs every 15 minutes from 8am-11pm daily.
The post The Pastel-Colored Miami Boulevard with 24/7 Nightlife, Beautiful Beach, and 800+ Art Deco Buildings appeared first on When In Your State.