Miami South Beach Florida is loved for it great sunny weather almost all year long and the beauty of the famous Art Deco district.
South Beach has changed a lot over the years and Ocean Drive doesn't look anything near it was presented in the iconic gay movie The Birdcage. But it is still popular with the travelling LGBTQ+ community.
In this guide we will tell you about the gay nightlife, the beaches and parties. Where to stay and ideas for travel combinations. And about those large 5000+ guys gay cruises departing from PortMiami.
Visiting Miami South Beach
When going to Miami, people usually mean South Beach (SoBe), as Miami Downtown is not really a place for tourists to go.
SoBe is a beautiful place in Art Deco style. It has a real Latino vibe, Spanish is next to English the key language. Weather is good almost all year round. If you're lucky you can sit on the beach already end of January. In summer hurricane season is best to avoid.
SoBe nightlife
Miami SoBe is not really a gay hot spot for nightlife anymore. But there are still several fun places left.
Large gay bars and clubs can be found at neighbour city Ft Lauderdale (about a 40 minute drive from Miami).
Gay beach
The main gay beach is on Ocean Drive at the end of 12th Street. You can't miss the rainbow flag high above the white sand and all the cruising muscle guys how are showing of their taint and their latest Prada swimming trunks. Across the street there's a cocktail bar where the boys end after a day at the beach. Nude sunbathing is only permitted at Haulover Nude beach, north of Miami Beach. It will take you half an hour by car, but it is worth it.
Where to stay in South Beach
South Beach is a very long, narrow island along the coast. When visiting Miami you really should stay in South Beach. It's not cheap, but driving to and from the island can take a long time in heavy traffic.
In general in the US transportation is by car, but in Miami South Beach you can walk to most places. But keep the size of the island in mind, the total length is about 15km.
Ideally stay somewhere near the beach between 12th and 17th Street (map) . Then you are near Lincoln Road Mall, the shopping street / outdoor mall. It has many shops, terraces and restaurants. The gay clubs are nearby, the gay beach is at 12th Street.
Click the arrows to expand the table and see prices for other hotel classes for 2024 and 2025. As you can see hotels are pretty expensive in South Beach, but it's definitely worthwhile staying central.
We really like the motto of this place: Every Queen needs a Palace. Palace is the only gay bar on Ocean Drive and located very close to the gay beach more...
Twist is actually seven bars in one with each bar having its own unique atmosphere and styling. You can literally "bar hop" without ever leaving this two story club more...
Club Aqua is a men only gay sauna / bathhouse. This club is located in Miami Downtown. Facilities include a full equipped gym, steam room, dry sauna more...
Quite far north of South Beach, Haulover beach is the nude beach popular with the gay community. The marker on the map might not be exactly in space btw! No cruising more...
The classic combination for a holiday to Miami is to combine it with Ft Lauderdale for gay nightlife. And combine it with the theme parks in Orlando. Make this travel triangle complete with a few days in the Florida Keys and Key West.
Besides other destinations in the USA, you could also easily combine Florida with a trip to Panama, Costa Rica or even Havana.
Ft Lauderdale
USA
Fort Lauderdale is close to Miami SoBe, and has a large gay scene. Each year the Atlantis Caribbean gay cruise departs here.40 km from Miami
Key West is a beautiful island in the south of Florida, and popular as a gay destination. It makes a nice combination with Miami SoBe.220 km from Miami
Panama City is growing fast as a tourist destination. It has many large hotels, big clubs, trendy restaurants, and a very relaxing upcoming area in the Old Town.
Panama City has about 4 large gay clubs and a gay sauna. The gay night life is focussed on the weekend. Many guys from Panama are not openly gay and discrete, and you will find them at several gay friendly places.
South Beach Florida was one of the first destinations we added to our Nighttours travel guides. We visited Miami many times, mostly to join the Atlantis Cruises. If you have any additions to this guide, please let us know.
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