Thing to do
Little Havana and Calle Ocho
Calle Ocho, the stretch of SW 8th Street through Little Havana, is Miami's best-known Cuban street, with domino games, cafés, live music and a walk of…
Lincoln Road
Lincoln Road is Miami Beach's pedestrian promenade, running about a mile between Washington Avenue and Alton Road with more than 200 shops, restaurants, cafés and galleries.
At a glance
- Type
- Pedestrian shopping street
- Area
- South Beach, Miami, United States
- Official site
- lincolnroad.com
Good to know
- Free
- Pedestrianised
- Monthly art walk
- Markets
Why we recommend it
Lincoln Road is the pedestrian heart of South Beach, a promenade of shops, restaurants and cafés running east to west between Washington Avenue and Alton Road. Its history goes back to 1912, when the developer Carl Fisher cleared a strip of mangroves across the island and made the road the social centre of the new town. In the 1950s the architect Morris Lapidus redesigned it with gardens, fountains and shelters in his Miami Modern style, and it opened as a pedestrian mall in November 1960, one of the early pedestrian malls in the United States.
Today the promenade has more than 200 shops, restaurants, cafés and galleries, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. The western block towards Alton Road was added between 2006 and 2010, with landscape design by Raymond Jungles. Look out for 1111 Lincoln Road, an architecturally celebrated parking garage, and for the restored Colony Theatre, a performing arts venue. The New World Center concert hall is close by.
As a general tip, evenings are a pleasant time to stroll, when the heat drops and the restaurant terraces fill up. On the third Thursday of each month there is a free Art Walk on Lincoln Road, and the promenade hosts a farmers' market and an antiques market; check the official website for current dates. Seasonal events, such as a Halloween block party, are also listed there.
Lincoln Road suits shoppers, couples and families looking for an easy, car-free stroll, and it works well as a break from the beach. With shops, cafés and galleries side by side, it is useful for practical shopping as well as browsing. Allow an hour or two, more if you stop for a meal.
Several city garages serve the area, including the 1111 Lincoln Road garage, and the city has offered discounted parking at times; check the City of Miami Beach for current rates. Walking from the Art Deco district along Washington or Collins Avenue is easy, and the Miami Beach trolley is another option. The Bass Museum of Art in Collins Park is nearby if you want to add some culture.
Lincoln Road FAQs
Where is Lincoln Road?
It runs between Washington Avenue and Alton Road in South Beach, between 16th and 17th Streets.
Is Lincoln Road pedestrianised?
Yes, it has been a pedestrian mall since 1960.
How many shops are there?
The promenade has more than 200 shops, restaurants, cafés and galleries.
Is there a market?
Yes, Lincoln Road hosts a farmers' market and an antiques market; check the official website for dates.
When is the Art Walk?
On the third Thursday of every month, and it is free.
When is the best time to visit?
Evenings are the most atmospheric, when it is cooler and restaurant terraces fill up.
Where can I park?
City garages serve the area, including the 1111 Lincoln Road garage.
Who designed Lincoln Road?
Morris Lapidus redesigned it in the 1950s, and Raymond Jungles designed the western extension.