Best Beaches in Miami

What beach to go to? With never ending beaches in Miami, it is sometimes overwhelming to find the right beach. 

After years of hitting different beaches around Miami, our editors came together to create the ultimate What Miami Beach Guide.  Here is a list of the top beaches in Miami-Dade County according to our editors. All are great for a different reasons, so be sure to check them all out.

Bill Baggs Park - Miami has a lot of beaches and parks, but few rival the beauty, tranqulity, and clear waters of Bill Baggs Park in Key Biscayne.  Lounge oceanside in a remote island under the shadow of a 150 year old lighthouse -- which is pretty much the oldest thing here.

Crandon Park - Located on the way to Bill Baggs Park, Crandon Park offers large stretches of ample beach space in a park setting.  Crandon Park is an excellent place to enjoy a BBQ, play a football game with friends, or take a swim in the warm, blue South Florida waters,

Ocean Drive / Lummus Park - World famous Ocean Drive with Lummus Park at its door front is a world class destination for so many reasons.  Soft sand, beautiful architecture, palm trees, models, and so much more make a visit to Ocean Drive a must.  If you have energy, be sure to walk up and down a couple miles and enjoy the scenery.

Haulover Beach - One an a half miles of unspoiled beaches and park.  Enjoy a  breather from the rampant development of South Florida beaches at the beautiful Haulover Beach at the north end of Dade County.  Includes a park, marina, golf course, and more.  For you free thinkers out there, there is even a nudist portion on the beach.  Quick tip:  If you are hungry after a long day at the beach, head over to the marina and buy a freshly caught fish from one of the fishermen there.  

Virginia Key Beach Park - A restored island paradise a short distance away from downtown Miami.  Picnic and mingle under one of the many shaded pavilions or explore the nature boardwalk and the coastal hammock trails. Historic Virginia Key Beach, once accessible only by boat, was established in 1945, as the only public beach for the "exclusive use of Negroes" in Dade County.  In 2002,  Virginia Key Beach Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Matheson Hammock Park - There are so many great reasons to go to Matheson Hammock Park.  Enjoy the beach, a picnic, fishing, or a walk through natural trails.  Matheson Hammock Park is a marvelous example of South Florida's natural habitats.  Best of all, if you stay around for dinner, you can enjoy a meal at one of the best seafood restaurants in South Florida.  The Red Fish Grill, located within the park, sits along a beautiful (and very romantic) man made oceanfront lake.