Best of Miami Beach Top Sights & Hidden Gems Walk + Trolley Tour





Description
Experience Miami Beach's vice, glamour, and secrets. Our dynamic tour blends walking and trolley riding to showcase a mix of history, architecture, and local culture, covering both top sights and hidden local gems not found in standard tourist guides. During the tour, you will learn about Miami Beach's fascinating history and how Jewish elders, Cuban refugees, Hollywood, and the mafia shaped this "Billion Dollar Sandbar." We cover world-famous attractions but also venture beyond tourist hotspots to uncover charming streets, trendy rooftops, speakeasies, and top local eateries. We'll visit filming locations from Miami Vice, Scarface, & The Birdcage, and explore local hangouts. Our itinerary visits the Art Deco District, Ocean Drive, Versace Mansion, Espanola Way, South Pointe Park, Fisher Island, SoFI neighborhood, & historic South Beach hotels. Private tours and Spanish language tours are also available. You can find more information and submit an inquiry at the Sobeach Tours website.
Tour Options
Itinerary
*Please arrive 15 min before tour start time. It's not possible to join any of the tours halfway or once they have started. *We do not recommend driving in Miami. Consider a ride-hailing company like Uber or Lyft, taxi, private car or public transport. Reach out to Sobeach Tours to ask about alternatives. *It's hot in Miami from May-October. Come prepared to walk outside in the heat for an extended period of time. Temperatures usually range in the low to mid 80sF (30C), however, during heatwaves temperatures can reach well over 90F (35C). We recommend bringing a hat, bottled water, and sunscreen. We'll go inside buildings, try to keep you in the shade and make some stops but this is a 2 hour walking tour outdoors. *The trolley will be used to go from point A to point B but this is not a trolley tour. It's a walking tour so be prepared to walk for about 2 hours.
Visit the heart of the Miami Architectural and Art Deco Historic districts and take a deep dive into Art Deco history, architecture and preservation with your dedicated expert guide. Walk along glamorous Ocean Drive seeing the most relevant Art Deco buildings in South Beach with a visit to the interior of several historic hotels and buildings.
Visit the oldest and most famous dive bar in Miami established in 1926 made famous by celebrities, Playboy and Miami Vice.
This tour touches on various subjects including art, history, architecture, art deco, fun facts, pop culture, celebrities, gangsters, local cuisine, and much more. Hear stories about South Beach's legendary nightlife during the late 80s and visit the most famous nightclub of that era.
Visit a cobblestone Mediterranean village built in the 1920s frequented by JC Penney and Harvey Firestone turned into a den of vice and crime frequented by bookies, bootleggers and gangsters by the 30s. Enter a clandestine gambling spot and a rooftop.
Visit one of the top attractions in Miami Beach. Take a leisurely stroll along a 1-mile open air pedestrian mall with more than 200 retail stores, cafes, restaurants, bars and cinemas. Hear stories about the pioneers who developed Miami Beach into a world class resort for the rich.
World-famous Ocean Drive is one of the most photographed stretches of Miami Beach. Here we find, nestled among low-rise Art Deco hotels, Villa Casa Casuarina – better known as the Versace Mansion, the former Miami Beach home of fashion designer Gianni Versace. The Versace mansion is the third most photographed house in the United States behind Elvis’ Graceland and the White House. The Mediterranean Revival style palace, lined with the designer’s signature Greek mythology Medusa logo in gold bas relief, has been the subject of fascination for locals and tourists alike on Ocean Drive ever since Gianni Versace’s untimely murder on its front steps in 1997 at age 50.
South Pointe Park is a vibrant green space at the southern tip of Miami Beach, offering stunning views of the South Beach shoreline, Port of Miami’s cruise ships, and Downtown Miami’s skyline. You might get lucky and spot the Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, docked at the Port of Miami's Dodge Island. For photo-worthy views, take a stroll along the 20-foot wide promenade and see Fisher Island across the water as yachts pass by, then continue on to South Pointe Pier.
Mango's Tropical Cafe in South Beach is the ultimate hotspot for dining, dancing, and entertainment in Miami. With a lively atmosphere that keeps the party going until 5 AM every night, guests can enjoy a Latin Cabaret Revue show, sip on delicious mojitos while learning salsa, and groove to the beats of live music in the #1 nightclub in South Beach. Mango’s became one of the world’s most famous nightclubs in the 90s and is regularly frequented by celebrities such as Will Smith, George Clooney, Robert De Niro, Tiger Woods, Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony and Andy Garcia.
The Art Deco Visitor Information Center is your go-to spot for all things Miami Beach vacation planning. Located in the lobby of the Art Deco Welcome Center in the heart of the Art Deco Historic Disctrict at 10th Street and Ocean Drive, this friendly concierge hub offers assistance with things to do, places to eat, attractions, tours, and adventures to make your trip a breeze. Stop by for info, maps, brochures, and event guides – no admission fee required! The Center also houses the Official Art Deco Museum and the Art Deco Gift Shop filled with original Art Deco posters, t-shirts, books, cards, vintage items, jewelry, memorabilia, and one-of-a-kind art.
The Scarface Hotel, located at 728 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Florida, is where the infamous chainsaw scene from the 1983 crime drama film took place. In the movie, Tony Montana and his crew visit the Sunray Motel to buy drugs from a Colombian gang, only to find themselves in a deadly setup. The hotel is now home to a CVS store, but back in the day, it was a Johnny Rockets joint. So, if you're ever strolling down Ocean Drive, keep an eye out for this iconic filming location!
One of the few remaining dive bars in Miami Beach (and one of the oldest), Mac's Club Deuce is the seaside town's definitive spot to drink, feed the jukebox, and shoot pool. Not much has changed inside this legendary establishment which opened in 1926.
Grab your camera and head over to a Drag Queen show. The Palace is the most famous LGBTQ bar in Miami since 1988! Located on Ocean Drive, it's a popular destination for locals and tourists looking to enjoy a fun night out. The colorful décor and friendly staff add to the overall experience, making it a must-visit for anyone wanting to soak up the energetic vibe of South Beach.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(45)
Paula was amazing. The trip was personalized, interesting, and fun. She was well informed and fun to listen to and flexible. Thank you!
Paola our guide was brilliant, fun and knowledgeable. We saw places on the tour that we would never have known existed! Great to hear about the history of Miami Beach and architectural and cultural influences that have shaped it along with movie trivia! A must for Miami Vice fans.
We really enjoyed this tour through the art deco area. Our guide, Paola, was fantastic, providing insight into the architecture, restaurant scene in the area and the history. Well-paced walk. Highly recommend.
I was very impressed with this tour. It had just the right tone of fun and information. It took us to places we would never of known of and gave us a good perspective of its history. In retrospect, the cost was negligible. There wasn't a large crowd which made the trip very flexible and uninterrupted. I would easily recommend this trip to everyone.
Paola gave an outstanding and very interesting tour. It was fun to learn about the colorful history behind the historic art deco buildings along ocean drive. We had a small group and were able to pop into to a few lobbies also. When I met up with friends later they were equally interested and impressed with my new knowledge! Great way to spend a morning. Highly recommend.
My husband and I were going in without high expectations: we took similar tours before and they were simply OK. Paula made it very different. She was knowledgeable, but yet not dry. Her sense of humour added extra “shine” to the presentation. Overall we were very pleased with the tour. We went in with the impression of Miami Beach being just a “party central” and, thanks to Paula, gained a new found appreciation of Miami Beach history and culture. Highly recommend.
Our family thoroughly enjoyed the commentary provided with the tour of the Art Deco District in South Beach Miami by Paola. She was extremely knowledgable and interesting and knew all of the background information regarding the various sites we visited. There is no way just walking around on your own and just reading a guidebook would compare with this experience. We found the tour very worthwhile and would highly recommend it.
Great tour! Paula was a lovely guide. Lots of historic information combined with entertaining fun facts. A lot of walking. Perfect length of time.
Paola was an excellent tour guide! She's very knowledgeable about Miami Beach's history. We loved her sense of humor!.
We had a fantastic tour with our tour guide, Paola , who was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The tour was around 3 hours and covered lots of culture, architecture, hidden spots , movie trivia and more. There’s so much you don’t know about Miami Beach before this tour - our warmest recommendations go to Paola!



