As another peak spring break weekend kicked off Saturday in Miami Beach, any person walking along Ocean Drive, which once saw thousands of co-eds and tourists this time of year, would find themselves asking, “Where’s the party?”
Another year of dozens of officers in full force, barricades blocking off streets and parking garages with steep flat rates has successfully stemmed the crowds to near-nonexistent levels, even for a typical, non-holiday weekend on the island.
Miami Beach’s first peak spring break weekend, from March 12 to March 15, saw the four-day Gymreapers Wodapalooza fitness fest along the sand and Lummus Park. Wodapalooza attracted thousands of visitors and is part of the city’s plan to rebrand Miami Beach in March as a fitness destination rather than a party hotspot.
READ MORE: It may be spring break in Miami Beach, but it’s hard to tell. Take a look
The city, with little doubt, has sweated off any notion of it being a party hotspot. On Saturday, crowds along Ocean Drive and the beaches were drastically smaller than even the prior weekend. The absence of the festival left a noticeable scar on crowd density, even though ATHX Games, a 2.5-hour continuous fitness competition, was in full swing on the beach.
However, spring breakers widely didn’t see the lack of fellow college students as a negative, but on the contrary, one the highlights of their vacation trips.
Christa Moore, 19, left, a student from Southern Union State Community College, and Kaliah Ridley, 21, from the University of Cincinnati, take a selfie as they visit South Beach during spring break on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida.
(Photo by Matias J. Ocner/mocner@miamiherald.com)
Kyia Core, 21, and her two longtime friends, students from Southern Union State Community College and the University of Cincinnati, were happy as ever on the sand, not giving any care to the lack of party around them.
On their first friend vacation outside of Alabama, Miami Beach was exactly how they imagined it to be and why they picked it in the first place.
“Miami Beach spring break is lit,” Core said. “Any more people and it would be a problem.”
She noted that while she isn’t exactly bothered by crowd sizes, she does feel safer with the lower volume as she said she is wary of someone drugging or attacking her in a place she hasn’t been to before.
A Miami Beach police officer looks on as people make their way down Ocean Drive during spring break on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida.
(Photo by Matias J. Ocner/mocner@miamiherald.com)
Tarush, a freshman from New York University, was also on his first friend vacation with his group of eight companions. While they primarily chose their destination for the beaches and for being far from the bitter winter of New York, the lack of mass crowds was a definite plus, he said.
Gianni Montgomery, 25, of Atlanta, comes to Miami Beach often, but this year was a tad more special as she celebrated her birthday last Sunday, she said. She vividly remembers the out-of-control crowds of spring breaks past and never wants to see them again.
“I like coming here because it’s quick to get to when I want a great beach,” she said. “I come almost every year and I like the calmer crowds.”
Gianni Montgomery takes a photo of Royale Elliott as they visit South Beach during spring break on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida.
(Photo by Matias J. Ocner/mocner@miamiherald.com)
Lucy Schmidt, an 18-year-old freshman attending Barnard College, lives in Miami-Dade and was grateful that her time as a spring breaker on Miami Beach was not like the years she remembered hearing about when she was younger.
“It used to be aggressive and rowdy, now it’s much nicer, and it feels welcoming,” Schmidt said. “It’s better for the locals. It’s nice to have the less chaos with people encroaching on other people, making it not as safe.”
Take a look at Miami Beach’s spring break scene on Saturday: