Miami Beach’s spring break kicks off quietly with sparse party crowds, more families
It may be time to designate Miami Beach a “ghost town” in regards to spring-break season as two social-media campaigns have seemed to turn away party crowds that caused significant issues in years past. On the first day of two historically peak spring-break weekends, crowds were minuscule and families praised the quiet streets.
Late Friday afternoon, South Beach was reminiscent of an average sunny day with families sprawled out and children playing on the sands. There were fewer college students and young adults than in years past.
Andre Breaux, a 40-year-old living in Texas, has visited South Beach many times during spring break since 2004 and is happy to see things have calmed down enough that he felt safe bringing his family.
As his three children, Noah, Sydney and Kennedi, played in the sands nearby, Breaux reminisced on how rough it used to be with fights and gun violence.
“For a family, it is way better now,” he said. “Even if you are a young kid, you still get to enjoy it, but it’s not as wild as it used to be.”
He was thankful for the increased police presence “keeping the peace” and ensuring a safe time for families. Miami Beach has continued its practice of significantly ramping up enforcement and safety measures this year.
Many law-enforcement agencies are walking up and down Ocean Drive, beach-goers were kicked off the sands by 7 p.m., DUI checkpoints are set up and barricades are funneling traffic away from residential areas. Curfews have yet to be issued, but that isn’t off the table.
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The measures were implemented to make South Beach less appealing to visitors. The tactics were first used last year alongside a “Break up with Spring Break” advertising campaign that went viral across the nation. This year saw a similar campaign, “Miami Beach Spring Break Reality Check,” which was designed to keep crowds small and away from the city.
“[The campaigns] are working. We’ve seen a ton of families out and about doing family kinds of things,” Miami Beach Vice Mayor Tanya Bhatt said. “I think this is exactly what we want now.”
Bhatt said she is excited to go back to not having extreme measures, but they were necessary to “interrupt the chaos.”
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Miami Beach Police Spokesman Christopher Bess said, from an enforcement standpoint, spring break has started calm. From the last week of February to Friday morning, there have been 16% less arrests in the South Beach area.
“Everyone who came to our city decided to follow the laws and enjoy themselves,” Bess said. “Our officers remain out there in full force, not only being visible but collaborating with other agencies.”
Raymon Garcia said the show of force is partly why he felt safe bringing his three-months pregnant wife, Hailey Santiago, out for a beach day. Growing up in South Florida, he said that would be unimaginable three years ago.
“I wanted to show my wife the Latin culture down here, and Miami Beach is a part of that,” he said, remembering his days as a lifeguard on the same beaches that he was on Friday. “It’s a lot safer out here.”
Dillon Tierney came down from North Central College in Illinois for a fun spring break on the sands of South Beach. He was surprised by the “chill” environment and wouldn’t mind a little more party atmosphere but is happy with how crowds are. Although the amount of police was a bit shocking, he said.
“It’s been more cops than I’ve ever seen before,” he said. “It’s been really fun and calm.”
Pierce Fequiere, from Connecticut, came down with friends to celebrate a birthday with the added bonus of spring break. He hadn’t heard of the city’s volatile spring breaks or of the new campaign to educate visitors on the strict rules. However, he was happy to see how friendly the crowds are.
He played a pick-up game of soccer with strangers on the sands, and with a no-alcohol policy being enforced on the beaches, he felt it was as a great “vibe.”
“I’m here to just have fun and enjoy it all,” Fequiere said.
This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM.
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