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So, I grabbed a Starbucks, and set off walking down the Ocean Drive seafront promenade.

The walk itself is beautiful – and what I loved the most about walking down the promenade is that all the iconic images you picture when you think about Miami become a reality – people roller skating, topless men working out on the sand, power walkers with their morning coffees and smoothies, and countless joggers sprinting alongside their dogs!

I walked down the paved promenade all the way to South Pointe Park – a beautiful green space right at the southern-most tip of Miami Beach.

But I can’t recommend Palace South Beach highly enough.

I have already introduced you to their drag brunch, recommended it as one of South Beach’s top gay bars, but it is also a brilliant dining venue to add to your list.

Of course, you can dine here if you visit for one of their weekend/Monday drag brunches – just take your pick from a menu with traditional brunch fare – pancakes, steak and eggs, chicken and waffles, French toast etc.

But actually, when visiting for lunch or dinner, Palace has an extensive menu, with everything from tacos, to burgers, to pasta dishes – and of course, all accompanied by a big serving of drag!

Being so popular with its Ocean Drive location, I highly recommend booking a table if you want to visit and dine and watch the shows, even if coming midweek.

Address: 1052 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Clearly, Miami has a lot to offer gay travellers – and it’s easy to see why I have fallen in love with Miami!

I will be back in Miami for my Atlantis gay cruise in 2025 and already can’t wait to explore more of this iconic gay friendly destination!

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Click on the map to find out more information about each venue.

Gay Miami

Miami Gay Bars

Tours & Experiences in Miami

Tours & Experiences in Miami

Make the most of your travels by pre-booking our popular tours and experiences.  There's a whole range of options, from cultural and historical to food, drink and nightlife.  Get under the skin of your destination, and book a tour or experience now.

The queens performing are top of their game, and they certainly know how to work a crowd. I enjoyed it so much that I even went back a second time – I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Palace has been the number 1 drag bar in Miami for over 30 years and I can see why! See where the gay friendly hotels in Miami, Florida are located.

The view from here is incredible, especially if you head out to the end of the pier. Open 7 nights a week, and with happy hour specials as well as different nightly events, such as drag shows, go-go dancers, Twist is a must visit for gay travellers to Miami.

Address: 1057 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Nathans Beach Club, South Beach

Nathan’s Beach Club is another of South Beach’s best-known gay bars, with its central location on Washington Avenue, and just a few blocks from Twist.

Nathan’s is a slightly more ‘chill’ venue, the front bar is almost more of a classy lounge, and on weekends there is a speakeasy style back room.

During the week, most nights are themed with a DJ and dancing, so it’s the perfect choice for a midweek night out, and on a weekend is a great place to start your night.

Address: 1216 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Bar Gaythering at Hotel Gaythering, South Beach

Located inside the popular hotel, this lobby bar is a well-known meeting point for many of South Beach’s LGBTQ+ residents, and so for visitors to Miami it is the perfect place to meet locals and dip your toes into the local gay scene.

The bar hosts multiple theme nights during the week, as well as various events – karaoke, trivia nights, and drag bingo to name just a few.

And with a daily happy hour 5pm to 8pm, with 50% off drinks, why wouldn’t you come and check it out!

Address: 1409 Lincoln Rd F1, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Palace Bar and Restaurant, South Beach 

I have already introduced you to Palace above in relation to their super popular drag brunch, but Palace is more than just a brunch spot.

This iconic Ocean Drive gay bar is the number one drag bar and restaurant in Miami Beach, so of course you need to swing by whilst checking out the South Beach nightlife offerings.

Palace queens perform every night, between 7pm and 11pm, with shows roughly every 15 minutes.

Keep up to date on their Instagram.

Places to Eat in Miami

It would be absolutely impossible for me to list all the places I have eaten during my various trips to Miami over the years.

But during my most recent visit, I visited the below three dining venues, and absolutely loved them all for different reasons, and so felt that I had to include them as personal recommendations!

Giannis at the Former Versace Mansion

I have already told you about my lunch date visit to Giannis – but this place is seriously too good to miss!

Giannis is predominantly an Italian / Mediterranean restaurant and is open for both lunch and dinner.

 

Tours & Experiences in Miami

Gay Map of

The GayMapper interactive gay map of Miami, Florida helps you locate all the gay bars, gay clubs, gay events and gay cruising spots in the South Beach neighbourhood and elsewhere. Lummus Park is more than just Muscle Beach – it’s home to a playground, paved pathways for running, cycling and rollerblading, benches to sit and read and people watch, volleyball courts, but of course, for me, the main attraction was Muscle Beach Fitness Area, found adjacent to 9th Street.

Whilst the name given to the actual beach here, Muscle Beach is also the name of the outdoor fitness area for exercise, weightlifting, and gymnastics.

As well as beach parties and a buzzing queer nightlife, Miami is home to plenty of cultural attractions. Whilst it’s technically ‘not legal’ to be nude in Florida, Haulover Beach has an officially designated clothing-optional area, the only one in the entire state.

I have written a detailed guide to both of these Miami gay beaches and how to find them, as well as a couple of other beaches you may wish to visit, here.

Gay Saunas in Miami

Despite being such a gay-friendly destination, there are actually not many gay saunas in Miami.

The hotel even provides complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas. The tour was great fun, taking me along the Miami coastline, past the various islands in the Bay of Biscayne, including Star Island – which is home to various celebrity mansions, including J Lo and David Beckham’s!

After the cruise is over, I highly recommend having a look around Bayside Marketplace, a two-story open air shopping centre.

Every guest room also comes with a private balcony, with incredible ocean views.

And for travellers visiting Miami pre/post-cruising, the hotel is a short taxi ride to the cruise terminals, making it the perfect choice all-round.

Address: 270 Biscayne Blvd Way, Miami, FL 33131

Check rates and book!

Gay Bars in Miami

Miami Beach, and in fact Greater Miami, has long had a reputation for being a hotspot for LGBTQ+ travellers in search of gay nightlife.

Whether I am looking for a boozy drag brunch or drag show, quiet social drinks with friends, or looking to dance the night away in a nightclub, there is something to suit everyone in Miami.

One thing to note however, which is unfortunate to say, is that like most big cities, some of the gay bars in Miami have a reputation for pickpocketing.

Miami Beach is lined with legendary eateries, while elsewhere in the city you'll find stunning architecture, a diverse arts scene, and more annual events than almost anywhere else in the country.

Miami Hotel Deals

Miami Gay Bars

Miami Gay Map

Tours & Experiences in Miami

Miami Gay Bars

GayMapper brings you information about gay bars and cruising bars in the city.

And being on Ocean Drive, the hotel is also within walking distance to the shopping and dining options that Ocean Drive is well-known for.

Address: 350 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Check rates and book!

Kimpton EPIC, Downtown Miami

My most recent visit to Miami came before my annual Atlantis cruise, which is always a crazy and very exhausting week.

Whilst I loved the time I spent in South Beach, I wanted a couple of days immediately prior to sailing to switch off and relax – and Kimpton EPIC was the perfect choice to do that!

I have always loved the Kimpton hotel chain because of how supportive they are of the LGBTQ+ community; both the Kimpton brand and their parent group IHG Hotels have done some incredible work, such as being proud supporters of Trevor Project – so stepping foot in one of their properties, I immediately felt welcomed as a gay traveller!

Kimpton EPIC is a gorgeous 4-star property located in downtown Miami, away from South Beach and all its temptations, which I needed!

The hotel is a luxurious property, with two rooftop pools, two onsite restaurants, a fully equipped gym, and a poolside bar serving delicious craft cocktails.

Despite being a lot more work, and aching head to toe the following day, it was worth it for the views I had of the Miami skyline!

And being located at Jungle Island, either before or after your treetop-trek you are invited to explore Jungle Island too, and see the various wildlife such as flamingos, lemurs, and capybaras.

Find out more and book for yourself here.

Address : 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami FL 33132

Thriller Speedboat Adventure

Yet another thrill-seeking activity – this time on the water.

After my morning amongst the treetop canopies, I headed to downtown Miami to depart on my ‘’Thriller Speedboat’’ tour.

The tour departs from Bayside Marketplace and is a 45-minute sightseeing cruise onboard the Thriller Miami Speedboats.

And being open 24/7, it should be pretty easy to schedule a visit on your next trip to Miami!

Address: 2991 Coral Wy, Miami, FL 33145

Gay Events in Miami

Of course Miami is home to a number of huge gay events. You can see the skyline of Downtown Miami, Port Miami and the cruise ships docked here, as well as the shoreline of South Beach stretching north.

South Pointe Park itself is relatively small but lovely to walk around – there is a small playground, picnic and barbeque facilities, a jungle gym, and if you have come down here to exercise, there are several winding paths throughout the park for running, cycling or roller skating.

There is also direct beach access from South Pointe Park, with chairs and umbrellas available for rental.

Check out Muscle Beach, I mean, Lummus Park

Okay, I had to include this one.

The restaurant is located in Upper Buena Vista in downtown Miami, in the Design District, so I would couple a lunch here with exploring the area. The notable gay events in Miami to look out for are: