As Miami, and specifically South Beach, has transformed into one of the most popular spring break destinations in the country, the increase in drunken revelry has resulted in violence.
Over the weekend, two separate shootings on Ocean Drive resulted in five people being injured and sparked Miami Beach Mayor Den Gebler to impose a curfew for this coming weekend. None of the five people were seriously injured, but the shootings did highlight the increasingly chaotic and unsafe circumstances brought on by such large crowds.
Between 12:01 am on Thursday, March 24, and 6 am on Monday, March 28, a midnight curfew will be enforced between 23rd Street to South Pointe Drive, across the entire southern strip of Miami Beach between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. According to CNN, City Manager Alina Hudak requested that the curfew be implemented again the following weekend, between March 31 and April 4.
Ocean Drive is Miami’s most iconic street, easily recognizable for its art deco buildings, neon lights, and swaying palm trees. Where Ocean Drive runs through South Beach is where the bulk of Miami’s tourists end up, and during spring break in recent years, that has meant crowds of people squished against each other as they wait in line to get into small two-floor nightclubs. Last year, similar curfews were enforced after the excessive crowding resulted in unsafe conditions.
The Miami Herald reported that local businesses expressed discontent with the curfew, citing limited hours cutting into nightlife profits. The curfew was established through a state of emergency and could be extended by the city council in a vote scheduled for Tuesday, March 29.
If you plan to travel to Miami in the coming weeks, there are ways to enjoy the area, avoid the college crowds, and stay out past curfew. Keep your visits to the South Beach area limited to the daytime, and check out some of the great bars, clubs, and restaurants the rest of Miami Beach and the greater Miami area offers. Check out Thrillist’s Miami coverage to get a complete guide to the city.
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