Jets will roar above South Beach on Memorial Day weekend. Here’s what to know
Military jets will thunder across the Miami Beach skyline. U.S. Army parachutists will descend onto the sand. Fireworks, race boats and military-style obstacle courses for children will transform South Beach into a sprawling Memorial Day spectacle.
The Hyundai Air & Sea Show — dubbed “The Greatest Show Above the Earth” — returns to Miami Beach on Saturday and Sunday. The free public event aims to celebrate the U.S. Armed Forces and first responders.
But for those heading to Miami Beach, the weekend will also bring packed streets, heightened security and some of the city’s largest crowds of the year.
Here’s what to know if you plan to attend the show or travel to Miami Beach during Memorial Day weekend.
Traffic changes
Unlike air travel, there’s no fast track through Miami Beach Memorial Day traffic.
Here’s what to avoid if you’re making your way to the beach for the holiday weekend.
- Expect closures on Ocean Drive between 14th and 15th streets, which will be closed until Monday.
- Protected residential zones will be in place each evening from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday through Sunday in the Flamingo Park and South of Fifth neighborhoods. Barricades will restrict cut-through traffic, and residents are encouraged to use Alton Road for neighborhood access.
- Expect increased police presence throughout surrounding neighborhoods during peak hours of the holiday weekend.
- Drivers can expect fixed and mobile license plate readers citywide, including along the Fifth Street and 41st Street corridors from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
- Miami Beach trolley service will be expanded, and Miami-Dade County transit will operate normally. Riders can track trolley arrivals in real time using the Miami Beach Gov app, website or Transit app.
Show tickets and details
The Hyundai Air & Sea Show is free and open to the public.
The show will run from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Organizers recommend viewing areas along Miami Beach between First and 10th streets and 13th and 20th streets.
Beyond the aerial demonstrations, attendees can visit the Patriot Display Village, which honors the six branches of the U.S. military with interactive exhibits along Lummus Park between 10th and 16th streets, featuring military equipment, tanks, helicopters and flight simulators.
The event also includes a Kids Zone, food court and the Memorial Flag Garden, where visitors can pay their respects to fallen service members.
Parking
Finding parking in South Beach during Memorial Day weekend may take some patience, but drivers do have a few options within walking distance of the show.
Parking can be found in the garages at 13th Street and Collins Avenue and a few blocks from Lummus Park at 12th Street and Drexel Avenue.
The largest garage is on 17th Street and Meridian Avenue, near Lincoln Road.
From 9 p.m. Friday through 9 a.m. Monday, city garages in the Entertainment District will charge a flat rate of $30 for nonresidents and $15 for residents. The pricing applies to garages at Seventh Street and Collins Avenue, 12th Street and Washington Avenue, 13th Street and Collins Avenue, and the Anchor Garage at 16th Street.
If you plan to watch from a boat
If you’re planning to watch from a boat, you should be aware that the federal safety zone will be in effect during the event in the waters off Miami Beach.
The Marine Safety Information Bulletin states the restricted area will be enforced from 8:30 a.m. Saturday through 5 p.m. Sunday while aircraft and show vessels are performing or practicing.
The safety zone will cover a section of the Atlantic Ocean roughly 0.5 miles east of Collins Park (25º 47’52”N, 080º 6’55”W), extending south for about 2.5 miles to the Government Cut North Jetty (25º 45’40”N, 080º 7’16”W), then west to the shoreline at South Pointe Park (25º45’50”N, 080º07’49”W) and north along the coast back to Collins Park (25º47’56”N, 080º07’30”W).
No vessel or person will be allowed to enter the zone without permission from the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of Port Miami or an authorized representative.
The city will also close Flagler Monument Island to boaters from Friday at 6 a.m. until Tuesday at 6 a.m. due to a history of significant litter being left behind.
What you can and can’t bring
Nothing ruins the start of an event faster than being turned away at the entrance and sent back to your car. Save yourself the walk — here’s what you can and can’t bring.
Beach chairs and umbrellas are allowed in the public viewing areas of Miami Beach.
However, Miami Beach prohibits alcohol, animals, drones, fireworks or other explosives, and glass containers. Tarps and tents are also not permitted.
The air show’s website says coolers are allowed, but Miami Beach regulations state they may be prohibited — so bringing one is a gamble, and you could be turned away with it at a beach entrance.
All bags are subject to search.