Miami Beach Art Deco & Hidden Gems Walk + Trolley Tour

Art Deco architecture, gangster history, and the streets where Miami Vice was filmed

A 2.5-hour walking and trolley tour of Miami Beach covering the Art Deco Historic District, Ocean Drive, South Beach, and South Pointe Park with a live English-speaking guide. You'll enter the interiors of historic hotels, visit the Versace Mansion, walk a 1-mile pedestrian mall, and hear stories about the Jewish developers, Cuban refugees, Hollywood, and organized crime that built this "Billion Dollar Sandbar"—plus the filming locations from Miami Vice, Scarface, and The Birdcage. Small group tours keep the experience personalized, and the guide offers insider tips on local restaurants, bars, and hidden gems beyond the standard tourist route.

Step-by-step itinerary

Miami Beach walking and trolley tour

• Arrive 15 minutes early
• Walk Miami Architectural and Art Deco District
• Visit interior of historic hotels
• See famous dive bar from 1926
• Explore South Beach nightlife history
• Visit Mediterranean-style cobblestone village
• Stroll 1-mile open air pedestrian mall
• View Versace Mansion on Ocean Drive
• Walk South Pointe Park and promenade
• Experience Mango's Tropical Cafe entertainment
• Stop at Art Deco Visitor Information Center
• See Scarface Hotel filming location
• Visit Mac's Club Deuce dive bar
• Attend Drag Queen show at The Palace

The Experience

The tour starts in the Art Deco Historic District at Ocean Drive, where your guide walks you through the most relevant Art Deco buildings in South Beach and takes you inside several of them. You'll learn how the architecture was preserved and what shaped this neighborhood from the 1920s onward. The route covers both the famous sights—the Versace Mansion (the third most photographed house in the United States), the 1-mile pedestrian mall with over 200 shops and restaurants, and Mango's Tropical Café, the #1 nightclub in South Beach—and the places most tourists skip: a clandestine gambling spot hidden inside a 1920s Mediterranean village, the oldest dive bar in Miami (opened 1926), and rooftop speakeasies where bookies and bootleggers once operated.

A trolley carries you between stops, but this is a walking tour—you'll be on foot for about 2 hours in Miami's heat. Bring a hat, water, and sunscreen; the guide keeps you in the shade when possible and makes stops inside buildings, but you're outside for an extended period. The tour touches on art, history, architecture, pop culture, and local cuisine, weaving in stories about the legendary nightlife of the late 1980s and the celebrities, gangsters, and pioneers who made Miami Beach what it is. You'll see the Scarface Hotel on Ocean Drive (where the infamous chainsaw scene was filmed) and other locations from Miami Vice and The Birdcage.

South Pointe Park closes the tour at the southern tip of Miami Beach, where you can see the South Beach shoreline, cruise ships at the Port of Miami, Downtown Miami's skyline, and Fisher Island across the water. The guide is a professional holding a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management and will offer recommendations on where to eat and drink beyond the tour route. Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in; the tour cannot start once it has begun or if you join partway through.

What’s included

• Exclusive access to the interiors of historic hotels and landmark structures.
• insider tips and recommendations from your guide on local restaurants and bars.
• insights into hidden gems and secret locations beyond standard tourist routes.
• 50% off cocktails and drinks all day at a historic Art Deco hotel on Ocean Drive.
• 50% off the online Miami Undiscovered Travel Guide.
• discounts on bike rentals and tours in South Beach with your ticket.
• private tours and Spanish-language tours available by inquiry with Sobeach Tours.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by SoBeach Tours

Is this one for you?Book the standard group tour if you want the full Art Deco and South Beach story with other travelers and a professional guide's expertise; choose a private tour or Spanish-language option if you prefer a smaller group, a personalized pace, or to hear the history in Spanish—both are available by contacting Sobeach Tours directly for a 25% discount.

Traveler reviews

4.96★★★★★★★★★★

47 verified traveler reviews

5 ★45

4 ★2

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What's inside the Versace Mansion on Ocean Drive?

The Versace Mansion, also called Villa Casa Casuarina, is a Mediterranean Revival palace lined with Gianni Versace's signature Medusa logo in gold. It sits on Ocean Drive and is the third most photographed house in the United States; the tour includes views and context about the designer's life there until his death in 1997.

Does the tour actually go inside historic hotels?

Yes, the tour includes exclusive access to the interiors of historic hotels and other landmark structures along Ocean Drive and in the Art Deco District, so you see the architecture and design details up close rather than just from the street.

How much walking is involved?

This is a 2.5-hour tour with about 2 hours of walking outdoors in Miami's heat, plus trolley rides between points. A trolley is used to move from one location to another, but the bulk of the experience is on foot, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water.

What are the filming locations you'll visit?

The tour covers locations from Miami Vice, Scarface, and The Birdcage, including the Scarface Hotel on Ocean Drive where the chainsaw scene was filmed, plus other spots tied to Miami's Hollywood history and the gangster era of the 1980s.

Will I learn about the history of South Beach's nightlife?

Yes, the guide shares stories about South Beach's legendary nightlife during the late 1980s and takes you to the most famous nightclub of that era, plus other historic bars and entertainment spots that shaped the neighborhood's reputation.

What's at South Pointe Park?

South Pointe Park is a green space at the southern tip of Miami Beach with views of the South Beach shoreline, cruise ships at the Port of Miami, Downtown Miami's skyline, and Fisher Island. The tour ends with a stroll along the promenade and South Pointe Pier for photos.