This beach goes on for miles. Even though there were a lot of people on it, everyone had their own space and it didn't feel crowded. Very nice for walking, swimming and sunbathing. So beautiful!

Went on the beach to soak some sun, but it started raining and gusts of wind uprooted all of the umbrellas that nearly knocked me off of my feet. :) Then it was sunny and beautiful for the rest of the day. You can rent a bike for $5/hr and ride along the paved path (you can't really ride on sand). There are also plenty of places to eat and drink.

I expected big things of South Beach, but wasn't impressed at all. The sand isnt very soft, there are no waves and the vibe isnt amazing. I may be spoilt as I live in Australia, but I wasnt overly impressed.

Had 2 hours on a visit to Miami and went to South Beach based on reviews. We were not disappointed and found it exceptional. Easy access to the beach from our car, great sand, clean water, friendly people. A bit of trash that could have been better policed, might have been more of an issue if we had been in the summer crowds. In our Dec. visit there was plenty of room to avoid it. And yes, the Dec. 2nd water was perfectly comfortable to our old bones! We spent a solid hour in the water, completely comfortably. Will advise that the public beach is actually partly topless (I had discounted the reviews mentioning this, surprise!!). There are many stores an easy walk from the beach, altogether it was a very nice visit.