Category Archives: Miami Beach

Free Trolleys in Miami and Miami Beach: Routes, Hours and How to Ride

October 7, 2026 Mike

Two of the best transportation deals in South Florida cost nothing. The City of Miami and the City of Miami Beach each run a free trolley network, and between them they reach most of the places visitors want to go.

The catch is that they are two separate systems run by two different cities, with different routes, hours and tracking tools. This guide explains both.

Schedules below were checked against each city’s website in October 2026.

Miami trolley vs. Miami Beach trolley

	City of Miami Trolley	Miami Beach Trolley
Fare	Free	Free
Routes	13	4
Typical hours	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on some routes	Every day, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
How often	Roughly every 15 to 45 minutes	About every 15 to 20 minutes
Tracking	Trolley Tracker on miami.gov	Transit app, text message or phone
Help line	305-416-1132	305-673-7117

The two systems do not connect. The City of Miami trolley does not cross the bay to Miami Beach. To get between the mainland and the beach, use Metrobus or a rideshare. From the airport, the Miami Beach Airport Express (Route 150) runs every 30 minutes for $2.25.

The Miami Beach trolley

Miami Beach keeps it simple: four routes, the same hours every day of the week, and no fare.

South Beach Loop

Two loops running in opposite directions, Loop A clockwise and Loop B counterclockwise. They cover Washington Avenue, Alton Road and Collins Avenue, with stops along Lincoln Road, 17th Street and 20th Street. This is the one to use for getting around South Beach without moving your car.

Middle Beach Loop

Connects the Convention Center and City Hall area with 41st Street, Mount Sinai Hospital, the 42nd Street garage, Collins Park and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden.

Collins Express

A limited-stop route up and down the island, from Lincoln Road and Washington Avenue in the south to the high 80s streets in North Beach. It runs about every 15 minutes and is the fastest free way to travel between South Beach, Middle Beach and North Beach.

North Beach Loop

Circles North Beach, serving Allison Park, North Shore Open Space Park, the North Shore Branch Library, Normandy Isle and the Publix on 69th Street.

Transfers

The routes are designed to hand off to each other. The main transfer point in South Beach is Collins Avenue and 21st Street, where both South Beach loops, the Collins Express and the Middle Beach Loop meet. The Collins Express and the North Beach Loop share stops along Collins Avenue from 67th to 85th Street.

Tracking a Miami Beach trolley

Transit app. The city pays for the premium version, so real-time trolley tracking is free for riders.
Text. Send the stop ID printed on the trolley stop sign to 786-981-4545 for arrival times.
Phone. Call 305-673-7117.

Rules on board

Trolleys pick up and drop off only at marked stops.
No food, drinks or loud music.
Service animals must be leashed or harnessed. Other pets must be in a carrier that fits under the seat.
Each trolley has two bike racks.

Maps and stop lists are on the city’s trolley page.

The City of Miami trolley

Miami’s network is bigger and more varied. There are 13 routes, and hours depend on the route, so check before relying on one at night or on a Sunday.

Route	Runs	Useful for
Biscayne	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Downtown, Brickell, Bayfront Park, Bayside, Midtown and the Design District
Brickell	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Brickell City Centre, Brickell Key, Brickell Metrorail station
Coral Way	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	PortMiami, Bayside, Bayfront Park, Brickell and Vizcaya Metrorail stations
Little Havana	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Domino Park and Calle Ocho from Brickell station
Wynwood	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.	Wynwood and Midtown from the Adrienne Arsht Metromover station
Coconut Grove	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.	Coconut Grove from the Coconut Grove and Douglas Road Metrorail stations
Little Haiti	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Little Haiti and the Design District
Allapattah	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Allapattah, Jackson Memorial, Santa Clara Metrorail station
Flagami	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.	Miami Intermodal Center, next to the airport’s Rental Car Center
Health District	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.	Hospitals around Civic Center Metrorail station
Stadium	Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.	loanDepot park and the Civic Center area
Liberty City	Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.	Liberty City, Allapattah Metrorail station
Overtown	Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.	Overtown, Culmer Metrorail station

Best routes for visitors

Little Havana. Take Metrorail or Metromover to Brickell station and board there for Calle Ocho and Domino Park.
Wynwood. Ride the free Metromover to Adrienne Arsht Center station and transfer. There is no Sunday service on this route.
Biscayne. Links downtown and Brickell with Bayside, Midtown and the Design District.
Coconut Grove. Meets Metrorail at two stations, which makes the Grove an easy trip without a car.
Coral Way. The only public transit that goes onto the port. See our guide to getting to PortMiami from the airports before using it with luggage.

Tracking a Miami trolley

Use the Trolley Tracker on the city’s site for live positions. The city says trolleys arrive roughly every 15 to 45 minutes, which is a wide range, so check the tracker before you walk to a stop.

Detours are common. The city keeps a detour and holiday calendar on its trolley information page, and route maps are on the maps and routes page.

Tips for riding

Build in slack. These are neighborhood circulators running in street traffic. They are great for sightseeing and short hops, less so for catching a flight.
Combine them with rail. Many Miami routes start at a Metrorail or Metromover station. The Metromover is also free, so a downtown-to-Wynwood or downtown-to-Little Havana trip can cost nothing.
Use the trolley after you park. In Miami Beach, park once in a city garage and let the trolley do the rest. Our Miami Beach parking guide lists the garages.
Other cities have their own. Coral Gables and several other Miami-Dade cities run free trolleys too. Each is separate from the two covered here.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Miami trolley really free?

Yes. Both the City of Miami trolley and the Miami Beach trolley are free for everyone. No ticket or card is needed.

Does the Miami trolley go to Miami Beach?

No. The City of Miami trolley stays on the mainland, and the Miami Beach trolley stays on the island. Use Metrobus or a rideshare to cross.

What time does the Miami Beach trolley stop running?

Service runs from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

Do the trolleys run on Sundays?

All four Miami Beach routes do. In Miami, the Allapattah, Biscayne, Brickell, Coral Way, Little Haiti and Little Havana routes run on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The other routes do not.

Can I bring luggage or a bike?

Miami Beach trolleys have two bike racks each. Space inside is limited on both systems, so a carry-on is fine and large suitcases are awkward.

The bottom line

For short trips, the free trolleys are hard to beat. Use the Miami Beach trolley to move up and down the island, and the Miami trolley with the free Metromover to reach Little Havana, Wynwood, Coconut Grove and the bayfront. For everything else, see our guide to public transportation in Miami.

Routes and hours were checked against City of Miami and City of Miami Beach sources in October 2026. They change, so confirm before you go.

Drivers, Miami Beach, Transportation

Miami Beach Parking Guide: Rates, Garages and How to Avoid a Tow

October 7, 2026 Mike

Parking in Miami Beach is easier than its reputation suggests once you know two things: city garages are almost always the better deal for a long stay, and the rules change block by block. This guide covers what Miami Beach parking costs, where to find it, how to pay, and how to keep your car off a tow truck.

All rates below come from the City of Miami Beach and were checked in October 2026. They change, so confirm on the city’s site before you go.

The short version

Staying more than two hours? Use a city garage. Most charge $2 for the first hour and cap at $20 for 24 hours.
Quick stop? Street meters in South Beach are $4 an hour, paid by app.
On a budget? Park in Middle Beach or North Beach, where meters are as low as $1 an hour, and ride the free trolley south.
Never leave a car in a private lot, a residential permit zone, or anywhere the sign is unclear. Towing is fast and expensive.

Street and surface lot rates by zone

Miami Beach prices its meters by zone. On-street spaces cost more than city surface lots in the busiest areas.

Zone	Where it is	On-street	City lots	Enforced
Entertainment District	Ocean Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue, 5th to 15th Street, including Washington Avenue	$4/hour	$2/hour	24 hours, every day
South Beach	Rest of South Beach, south of 23rd Street	$4/hour	$2/hour	9 a.m. to 3 a.m., every day
East Middle Beach	23rd to 44th Street, Collins Avenue to Indian Creek	$3/hour	$2/hour	9 a.m. to 3 a.m., every day
West Middle Beach	Rest of 23rd to 63rd Street	$1/hour	$1/hour	8 a.m. to 6 p.m., every day
North Beach	North of 63rd Street	$1/hour	$1/hour	8 a.m. to 11 p.m., every day

Two details worth knowing:

There is no free day. Every zone is enforced seven days a week, Sundays and holidays included.
The 46th Street lot is the exception in Middle Beach. It charges non-residents a flat $20 for 24 hours.

Maximum time limits vary by block, so read the sign at your space. The city posts the full list on its parking meter rates page.

City garages: the best value for a long stay

Miami Beach runs a network of public garages. For a beach day, a dinner, or a night out, they usually beat the street on both price and peace of mind.

Garage	Hourly	Daily maximum
7th Street, 12th Street, 13th Street, 17th Street, City Hall, Pennsylvania Avenue, Sunset Harbour, Collins Park	$2 first hour, $4 for two, $6 for three, $8 for four, then $1 per added hour	$20 per 24 hours
16th Street	$2 first hour, $4 for two, $6 for three, $10 for three to six hours	$20 per 24 hours
5th and Alton	First two hours free, then $6 for three hours, rising from there	$20 per 24 hours
42nd Street	$1 per hour	$8 per day

A few practical notes:

Weekend night flat rate. The 7th, 12th, 13th and 16th Street garages charge a flat $15 per vehicle Friday through Sunday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Event flat rates. Other garages switch to a $15 flat rate during events.
Lost ticket. You pay the daily maximum.
Cash. Garages do not accept bills larger than $20.

The 7th Street garage puts you a short walk from the south end of Ocean Drive. The 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue garages are the closest to Lincoln Road and the Convention Center. The 42nd Street garage is the bargain for Middle Beach.

See the city’s garage rates and garage and lot map for current details.

How to pay

For street spaces and city lots, Miami Beach uses two apps:

ParkMobile. You can also pay by calling 1-877-727-5714.
PayByPhone.

Enter the zone number posted on the sign, your plate, and how long you are staying. The apps let you add time from the beach, up to the limit for that space.

In a rental car, double-check the plate before you confirm. A typo in the plate number is treated the same as not paying.

The $1-an-hour promotion

Miami Beach has been running a slow-season promotion that drops parking to $1 an hour in every city zone, including garages, lots and street spaces. In 2026 it runs from August 1 through October 31.

It works only through the ParkMobile app, using a promo code that appears when you enter the zone number.
Each session gets up to three discounted hours.
Each user gets up to 15 discounted sessions, or 45 hours, over the three months.

Check the city’s $1 parking page to see whether it is active when you visit.

How to avoid getting towed

This is the part that ruins vacations. Miami Beach tows quickly, and the bill is steep.

What a tow costs. The city’s maximum rates as of January 1, 2026, for the lightest tow class:

Tow: $282
Administrative fee: $150
City permit fee: $34
Fuel surcharge: $5.15

That is about $471 before sales tax. Non-residents also pay $46 for storage once the car has been held more than six hours.

Where people get caught:

Private lots behind shops, restaurants and condos. A “Tow Away Zone” sign is all the warning required.
Residential permit zones. Check for signs before leaving a car on a quiet side street.
Fire lanes, hydrants, crosswalks, bike lanes and driveways.
An expired session, especially late at night in South Beach, where enforcement runs until 3 a.m. or around the clock.

If your car is gone:

Look it up at the city’s tow search or call the parking hotline at 305-604-2489.
The two city-authorized companies are Beach Towing (1349 Dade Boulevard, 305-534-2128) and Tremont Towing (1747 Bay Road, 305-672-2395).
Bring a photo ID that matches the vehicle registration.
Bring cash. Visitors can pay only by cash, cashier’s check, money order or traveler’s check. Credit and debit cards are accepted only from Miami Beach residents, and debit cards from Miami-Dade residents.

If it was a rental car, you need the written rental agreement plus a letter from the rental company naming you as its agent. Call the rental company first, because they have to send that letter before the tow yard will release the car.

The city lists full rules on its towing and enforcement page.

Park once and ride free

You do not need to move your car between South Beach, Middle Beach and North Beach. The city’s free trolley runs daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., about every 20 minutes, and connects all three. Park in a garage, leave the car, and use the trolley for the rest of the day.

Our guide to the free trolleys in Miami and Miami Beach covers the routes.

Frequently asked questions

How much is parking in South Beach?

Street meters are $4 an hour. City surface lots are $2 an hour. Most city garages are $2 for the first hour and $20 for a full 24 hours.

Is parking free in Miami Beach on Sundays?

No. Meters are enforced seven days a week in every zone.

Can I park overnight in Miami Beach?

Yes, in city garages. Most cap at $20 per 24 hours, which is usually far less than hotel valet parking.

Where is the cheapest parking in Miami Beach?

The 42nd Street garage at $1 an hour and $8 a day, and the $1-an-hour meters in West Middle Beach and North Beach. Pair either with the free trolley.

What happens if I get a parking ticket in a rental car?

The citation goes to the rental company as the registered owner, which will usually pay it and bill you along with a processing fee. It is cheaper to pay the citation yourself right away. The city links to the county’s payment site from its parking page.

Before you go

Miami Beach parking comes down to picking the right spot for the length of your stay: meters for a quick stop, a city garage for anything longer, and the trolley to get around once you have parked. If you are still deciding whether to bring a car at all, read our guide to public transportation in Miami.

Rates and rules were checked against City of Miami Beach sources in October 2026. They change, so confirm before you go.

Florida Travel, Miami, Miami Attractions, Miami Beach

Having a Great Holiday in Miami

April 20, 2013 Mike

There is a reason that Florida, in the southernmost region of the USA, is the 4th most populous state in the country. With most of the state being close to the ocean, there are plenty of beaches and some great weather all year round. There is so much to offer such a wide range of people n this state as well.

Fishing
Beaches
Amusement Parks
Golf Courses
Wildlife Attractions
Partying

If you cannot find something that you like and enjoy in the state of Florida, then you must be dead already as everything is here to keep all members of the family happy and contented during their stay. Most of the younger generation, and some of the older generation also, have seen some of the parties on MTV, showing all of the college kids enjoying a party in the sun on Spring Break. This is the place of legends!

The Family

There is a wide range of amusement parks, attractions, and wildlife on offer throughout Florida. One of the most popular places would be around Orlando where you have Disney World, Sea World, Universal Studios, and many others where you will need to spend more than one day in some of the parks to be able to see and do everything on offer. This is why they have maps and multiple-day passes! Whether you want to see the killer whales at Sea World or have your picture taken in front of the famous castle in Disney World, you are your kids will find plenty on offer that will keep you all amused. Make sure you take plenty of sunblock though as you can easily get burnt when visiting the sunshine state.

Golfing

With all of the great weather that you get year-round in Florida, there are also some tremendous-looking golf courses and some of the most challenging available in the USA. There is an abundance of courses to choose from and you can even arrange a specified golfing tour, where you can take in as many courses as you have time for. There are plenty of tour operators who can offer this service at a reasonable price. If you do not bring your own clubs with you then you will be able to hire a set whilst you are there. After hard days golfing there is also no better place to be than the 19th hole! The best place to unwind and relax after chasing after that little ball all day.

Spring Break (Party)

There are a lot of students who all travel to Miami on a cheap holiday during their Spring Break. For a week the town will turn even more into the party capital that it already is, as 1000’s of people descend on the city to party for a week. From beach parties to foam parties in clubs, there is a lot of crazy things happening when spring break comes to town. Pool parties are common and there are lots of drinks deals and promotions so you can be sure it is going to get loud and raunchy. If you are young and looking to party, then this is the place and time to do it. March is when all of the party animals come to town and Miami gets even louder!

The Nightlife

Miami is a lively city all year round and there is plenty on offer to suit all tastes and budgets. There is the theatre, cinema, street art along the promenade, and a whole host of bars, clubs, and restaurants for everyone to enjoy. Or if you just want to chill out and relax, go down to Miami Beach and top up your tan, or sit by your hotel’s pool all day and have a couple of drinks. Have plenty of rest before you go out and party at night time. You will find a wide range of culinary delights on offer to get your taste buds going and also plenty of places where you can enjoy a cocktail as you watch the sun go down over the ocean. Miami and Florida in general, really have got something for everyone and there are lots of cheap holidays in the USA available. Once gone though you will definitely be coming back!

Ted Hunter wrote this article for the Travel Republic, which offers cheap holidays abroad including Miami and Florida. Ted is married with a couple of children and he has enjoyed going on holiday n Florida seen he was at University. He also likes to share advice and stories of his many travels to the USA.

Car Rental, Miami Beach, Travel and Leisure

Miami Beach Choices for Car Rentals

April 5, 2012 Mike

Miami Beach Choices for Car Rentals

Because it is such a wonderful vacation destination there are many choices for car rentals in Miami Beach. The major chains such as Enterprise, Thrifty, Alamo, Avis, Hertz, and Budget are all available. Smaller companies such as Miami Beach Rent A Car and Miami Rent A Car also provide quality vehicles and great service for all your car rental needs. These companies offer discounted rates, some starting as low as ten dollars a day. Since the area is so popular to tourists and businessmen, be sure to get a reservation in advance by either contacting the company directly or by going through a third party company such as Orbitz, Kayak, or Expedia.

And why not treat yourself? A rental car does not have to mean an economy car, especially in Miami Beach. Why not check out a Luxury car and drive the car of your dreams! Even if it is only for a few days, it will be worth the extra few dollars to rent a nice Lamborghini, Porsche or Aston Martin. Miami Beach is a perfect place for luxury car rentals. Enjoy the feel of a new Ferrari or Jaguar as you drive along the beach.

Many companies offer car rentals right at the airport so there is no need for a taxi or bus service. Most companies offer a pick-up service that will bring your rental car to you. Even while enjoying this convenience, be sure to take the opportunity to try out a vehicle that you might actually purchase one day. A few days or even a week of a car rental will teach you more about the car than a short test drive from the dealership, and you’ll find everything imaginable if you’re looking for car rentals in Miami Beach. Enjoy your trip to Miami Beach and enjoy putting miles on someone else’s car!

choices for car rentals