Car rental in Miami Beach

Do you need a car in Miami Beach?

• To get around Miami Beach, you don't. It's very walkable, and the city runs a free trolley with four routes, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
• To leave Miami Beach, you do. The Everglades, the outlets, the Keys and Orlando are far, and by car you go at your own pace.
• A smart option: pick up the car at the airport, use it on sightseeing days and leave it parked on beach days. You can also rent it for just part of your trip.

Getting from the airport to Miami Beach

You pick up the car at the Miami airport Rental Car Center. We explain it step by step on our Miami Airport page. From there:

• To Mid Beach and North Beach: take the Airport Expressway (SR 112) and the Julia Tuttle Causeway (I-195).
• To South Beach: take the Dolphin Expressway (SR 836), I-395 and the MacArthur Causeway.

Without traffic it takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The highways leaving the airport have electronic tolls, with no booths and no cash. The car is already set up: just choose at the counter how the rental company charges you for them. We explain it in our guide to Florida tolls.

Where to park in Miami Beach

• At your hotel: many hotels charge for parking per night, and some only offer valet. Ask when you book the hotel, because it's one of the costs that add up the most.
• On the street and in city parking: the city has 12 garages and 66 surface lots. You pay at the pay stations, by card, or on your phone with the ParkMobile or PayByPhone apps.
• Always check the signs. Some areas are for residents only, and if you park in the wrong place the car gets towed. The city only releases the car to its registered owner, which for a rental is the rental company, so getting it back takes a long time. You also pay for the tow and each day of storage.
• Don't leave anything in sight inside the car: no luggage, bags or shopping.

Day trips from Miami Beach

• The Everglades: about an hour away. Airboat rides and alligators in the wild.
• Sawgrass Mills outlets: about 45 minutes north.
• The Keys and Key West: the road over the sea, the Overseas Highway. Key West is about 4 hours each way, so it's worth staying the night.
• Orlando: about 3.5 hours on Florida's Turnpike. See our Miami to Orlando guide.

Times are approximate and depend a lot on traffic.

Which car category to choose

For two people, a compact is enough, and it's easier to park in South Beach. For families or road trips, a midsize SUV. And if the plan is beach and sightseeing, a convertible is a Miami Beach classic.