May Overview
- High temperature: 85°F (29°C)
- Low temperature: 75°F (24°C)
- Hours daylight/sun: 11 hours
- Water temperature: 81°F (0°C)
May is the month when the real summer starts in Miami Beach - South Beach. It starts to get hot, especially in the second half of the month, with highs of up to 85°F and the Atlantic Ocean water temperature has warmed up to 81°F. The sun will now shine for 11 hours on average each day so you can sunbathe endlessly, enjoy the beach and swim in the water! With the summer weather in comes rain and humidity. It is in May that the rainy season starts and the number of rainy days on average is 10 now. Do prepare for the rain by packing an umbrella but don’t worry too much as the showers won’t last for much longer than an hour at a time. Another advantage of May is that hurricane season has not started.
Miami Beach and especially South Beach have so much to offer for the rainy hours! You can check out the incredible museums, the Art Deco District, the countless bars and restaurants as well as the malls. And for the fashionistas, the Miami Fashion Week takes place in May.
Best Time to Visit Miami Beach - South Beach
You will most likely be able to fully enjoy a vacation in Miami Beach - South Beach at any time of the year. Depending on your weather preference, you might find that some months suit you better. From November until April, for example, you will enjoy milder temperatures together with less humidity and less rain.
From late February until early April you will also see many Spring Breakers heading to South Beach to enjoy some of the beautiful scenery and parties.
The summer months are hotter, more humid and it does rain. But even then, when it rains it rarely lasts longer than one hour and some rain can be quite welcome when it’s so hot.
Spring and summer are the high seasons in Miami Beach and South Beach. Book soon if you’re planning to visit then so as not to be disappointed!
Things to know about Miami Beach - South Beach
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Florida is probably Miami. And to be exact, it’s probably Miami Beach with its almost 10 miles of beautiful white sand beaches.
The southern part, known as the famous South Beach, is the place where most visitors head to and it’s also where you can admire the Art Deco District.
North Beach is host to many luxury second home developments as well as hotel resorts. Miami Beach lies on an artificially enhanced island off the coast of Miami. The Biscayne Bay divides Miami from Miami Beach.
South Beach (SoBe) is the area from the bottom of Miami Beach up to the 23rd Street and some of the must sees include:
The Broadwalk that runs parallel to the beach.
The world famous Art Deco District. It’s the world’s largest area of Art Deco architecture with over 960 hotels and buildings built in this style between 1923 and 1945.
Ocean Drive is where you can take a walk or drive along to see and to be seen! It leads through the Art Deco District and you will also pass some of the famous bars and clubs such as Nikki Beach or Pearl. A must see is also the famous Villa Casa Casuarina, Gianni Versace’s house in front of which he was shot in 1997.
Lincoln Road runs East-West between 16th and 17th Street. Here you will find many outdoor restaurants, shops as well as the big Lincoln Road Mall.
Espanola Way runs West from Collins to Pennsylvania Avenue. It’s a district remarkable for its Mediterranean style architecture and lifestyle. It’s home to many Mediterranean restaurants and shops too.
Collins Avenue runs 1 block parallel to the Atlantic Ocean and is also known as highway A1A. Along it you will find some Art Deco hotels as well as night clubs such as Mynt and LIV.
Alton Road is the main connection between North Beach and South Beach. Here you will find many supermarkets as well as fast food restaurants.
Washington Avenue, together with Ocean Drive, is the most famous road in South Beach. It is where you can find some of the most legendary night clubs such as Cameo.
8th Street Designer District is where fashionistas should head to.
Star Island in the Biscayne Bay is what you can see when looking west from South Beach. And it is where you can see some of the most stunning homes of the rich and famous including Will Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna and many more…
Lummus Park is a beautifully arranged park full of palm trees which provide some much appreciated shade in the hot summer months. The footpath running along it is called the Promenade and it provides stunning views for any vacation photograph to make your friends jealous!
At the very bottom you can find South Pointe Park. Here you can relax and enjoy watching the ferries passing out on the Atlantic Ocean.
Mid Beach is often called Miami Beach and lies between 23rd and 63rd Street. From 63rd Street upwards is North Beach. Mid Beach as well as North Beach is where it starts to get more quiet and less pricey. It’s where you will find more families enjoying their vacations. Some places of interest in that area include:
The Beachwalk (Atlantic Way) between 23rd and 46th Street.
The Collins Waterfront Architectural District which lies north of 24th Street and is where you can find more than 110 historic building from the 1940s and 1960s.
Some of the most famous buildings in Mid Beach include the Fontainebleau Hotel, the Eden Roc, the Ocean Spray Hotel and the Blue and Green Diamond.
Haulover Beach Park is one of the few spots in Miami Beach where you can surf! And in the north part of the park is where you can find one of the best nudist beaches in the United States, if that’s of interest.
