DISTANCE: 15 miles (24.1km)
TIME: 90 minutes without stops
START: Art Deco Welcome Center
END: South Pointe Pier
POINTS TO NOTE: You can rent bikes near the starting point of this tour. Allow time to return them if you’re only renting for the day. Miami has a bike sharing scheme (http://citibikemiami.com), with about 100 stations around the city where bikes are available to use for a period of up to one hour, though you’re going to need to rent a bike for longer to follow this route.
Miami used to be one of the worst cities in the US for cyclists, but the city has turned its reputation around and a recent poll ranked it the 8th most bike-friendly American city. There are shiny new bike paths and a bike-sharing scheme is now in place. For the visitor, bikes put much more of the city within reach; this route concentrates on South Beach but includes a hop across to Miami and back to show you the islands in Biscayne Bay and some views to take your breath away.
Lummus Park
Start at the Art Deco Welcome Center 1 [map] (tel: 305-672-2014; www.mdpl.org/welcome-center/visitors-center; daily 9.30am−7pm). A short walk down 10th Street, opposite the entrance to the center, is Bike and Roll (210 10th Street; tel: 305-604-0001; http://bikemiami.com; daily 8am−8pm), where you can rent bikes (or skates or Segways) for the day. Dust off your cycling legs in adjacent Lummus Park, whose palm trees have often featured in Miami Vice.
Lummus Park’s tree-lined promenade
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Many of the hotels on Ocean Drive on your left are described in Route 1 (for more information, click here) but look out for the Casa Casuarina, just north of 14th Street and set back from the road a little. It’s also known as the Versace Mansion as it was once the home of fashion designer Gianni Versace, who was murdered here, on the front steps, in 1997 by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. The villa was eventually acquired by the Hotel Victor (for more information, click here), which uses it as a wing of the main hotel.
Continue north through Lummus Park, exiting on the cycle and pathway in the northeast corner, which runs behind the beach. The path emerges in a car park at the junction of 21st Street, where you turn left to go west along 21st Street. Cross the busy junction with Collins carefully and cycle into the park on the northwest corner. The large building at the western end of the park is The Bass Museum of Art (2100 Collins Avenue; tel: 305-673-7530; www.thebass.org), South Beach’s main museum of contemporary art. After a $12 million revamp the museum reopened in late 2017 with eight bright and spacious galleries housing permanent and changing exhibitions of works from North American, Latin American, Caribbean, and Asian artists. There are also sculptures and art installations both inside and in the grounds.
The evocative Holocaust Memorial
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Gardens
Return to Collins Avenue and if you’re hungry head north to number 2305, STK South Beach, see 1. Otherwise cycle south until you reach 17th Street. Turn right and go west along here, past the New World Center (for more information, click here) on your right. When you reach Meridian Avenue, turn right to cycle north. On your right after crossing 19th Street is the city’s Holocaust Memorial (http://holocaustmemorialmiamibeach.org; daily 9.30am−10pm). This simple yet powerful sculpture was unveiled in 1990, the inspiration of a group of holocaust survivors. It also provides a memorial garden for quiet contemplation and a memorial wall where thousands of names are etched.
To the east of the memorial is the Miami Beach Botanical Garden 2 [map] (2000 Convention Center Drive; tel: 305-673-7256; http://mbgarden.org; Tue−Sun 9am−5pm; donation). The garden features native Florida plants, a Japanese Garden, a mangrove and wetland area, and an edible garden − a perfect little oasis.
The Venetian Islands
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The Islands
Go back south on Meridian and turn right to go west on 17th Street. This takes you all the way to Miami and the mainland, going through the Venetian Islands 3 [map], a series of eleven manmade islands linked by the Venetian Causeway, built in 1927. This is where the rich and famous live −all year or just come down for the winter. After crossing the last of the islands, Biscayne Island, you’re back on the mainland’s 15th Street. Turn left onto Bayshore Drive, cross 14th Street and turn left again on 13th Street to head east back towards Miami Beach, this time on the MacArthur Causeway.
The first island you reach is Watson Island and on the right of the causeway is the Miami Children’s Museum 4 [map] (980 MacArthur Causeway; tel: 305-373-5437; www.miamichildrensmuseum.org; daily 10am−6pm; charge). Little ones can explore its range of exciting and educational interactive zones: a construction zone, an art area, a music-making studio and, this being Miami, there’s also a cruise ship to play in.
Across the Causeway from the museum children will also enjoy a visit to Jungle Island 5 [map] (1111 Parrot Jungle Trail; tel: 305-400-7000; www.jungleisland.com; daily 10am−5pm; charge), a zoological park with a petting zoo, an Everglades habitat, and a play area.
Continue along the Causeway towards Miami Beach. You’ll soon reach Palm Island, another glitzy enclave. Actor Nick Nolte has a home here, and it was also once the playground of one Al Capone. Ahead is Hibiscus Island, an equally desirable address. Cycle back across Palm Island towards Miami Beach, with a short diversion to Star Island, the next left, where Miami legends Don Johnson and Gloria Estefan have both had homes.
South Pointe Park at sunset
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Miami Beach
Go back to the causeway all the way back to Miami Beach proper, where you take an immediate right to follow the water around to the Miami Beach Marina 6 [map] (300 Alton Road; tel: 305-673-6000; www.miamibeachmarina.com). There’s not much to see here other than enjoy the setting and the boats, although there are shops and Monty’s on South Beach, see 2. There’s also a deli where you can stock up if you want to have a picnic at South Pointe Pier. Time it right and you can get a great sunset here. If you want to round off the route with a good meal, head back north the way you came to Smith and Wollensky, see 3.
Food and Drink
1 STK South Beach
2305 Collins Avenue; tel: 305-604-6988; http://togrp.com/venue/stk-miami; daily D; $$$$
Stylish and sexy, this place obviously favors steak-lovers, but there are also oysters, tuna, salmon, scallops and a daily fish special too.
2 Monty’s on South Beach
300 Alton Road; tel: 305-672-1148; www.montyssobe.com; daily L and D; $$$
This lively place makes the most of its great location near the tip of South Beach with DJs and live music and a choice of seafood dishes from the catch of the day to fish and chips, though there are steaks, and club sandwiches too.
3 Smith and Wollensky
1 Washington Avenue; tel: 305-673-2800; www.smithandwollensky.com/our-restaurants/miami-beach; daily L and D; $$$$
Ask for a table by the water for an impressive view of the Miami skyline. This swanky place is all about steaks, although they do offer some seafood dishes too.