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Miami Herald

Spring break rules keep Miami Beach crowds small and calm as second peak weekend begins

As the second peak weekend of spring break in Miami Beach kicked off Friday, the vibe was lively but subdued, and crowds were thin. In other words, mission accomplished — at least so far — for city officials, who for a second consecutive year have imposed draconian measures to deter spring breakers from visiting and to try to quell the rowdy atmosphere and violent incidents that have sullied the month of March in South Beach in the past. The scene was similar to last weekend and seemed to reflect the success of a city-funded social media campaign, a reality show spoof in which actors depicted a spring break gone wrong due to strict rules and police crackdowns. Miami Beach officials have been blunt about their desire for those looking to party hard and break the law to go elsewhere — or face parking closures, increased towing fees and a heavy police presence. On Friday afternoon, a mix of young visitors and families lounged on the beach and strolled along Ocean Drive. Barricades lined the street in front of hotels and bars, where sidewalk seating is banned, and Miami Beach police patrolled the area in cars and ATVs. Some college visitors said that, while the mood was muted, they were still happy to spend spring break in sunny Miami Beach. Sara Dupee, a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, said she learned about the city's spring break restrictions on TikTok but decided to visit anyway with several friends. 'Miami is still pretty,' she said. Dupee's friend, fellow University of Cincinnati sophomore Amber Jackson, admitted that the nightlife on their first evening in Miami Beach on Thursday was 'dead.' 'But we made it fun,' said Jackson, explaining that the group strolled around South Beach and went out to dinner. 'We still enjoyed ourselves.' Diamond Shanae, who was visiting Miami Beach from Houston to celebrate her 25th birthday with friends, said she was disappointed to learn that the city was shutting down beach entrances and clearing people off the sand around 6 p.m. 'We came from Houston, Texas, to have a good time, so that's what we're here for. It's outrageous,' Shanae said, adding that there had been 'no rules' when she visited for spring break in 2021 — a year in which city officials ultimately implemented an 8 p.m. curfew and police used SWAT teams to try to disperse raucous crowds. Police were preparing Friday evening to set up license-plate readers on the Julia Tuttle and MacArthur causeways entering the city, a measure that will cause lane closures and significant delays. A DUI checkpoint was also set up along Fifth Street. Citywide arrest totals are down in March from last year, according to data provided by Miami Beach police. Officers had made 352 arrests this month as of Thursday, a 13% dip from one year prior as of the same date. About 14% of the people arrested have been out-of-state residents, the figures show. 'For the second year in a row, Miami Beach is experiencing another safe and vibrant Spring Break,' Mayor Steven Meiner wrote Monday on social media. 'With a strong police presence, we are ensuring a secure environment as residents and visitors enjoy our first-class beaches, restaurants and hotels.' The strict measures have been controversial among South Beach business owners. Some have said they are necessary to address reputational harm the city has faced due to stampedes and shootings during past spring breaks, while others argue the crackdown is overly harsh and has hurt their bottom line. READ MORE: 'There needs to be sacrifices.' South Beach businesses trade spring break sales for safety Bigger crowds, but mostly calm, in Fort Lauderdale In Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night, crowds were noticeably bigger than the ones in South Beach. Thousands of visitors were in good spirits as they packed the sidewalks, beaches and bars. Though the Fort Lauderdale Police Department reported 'larger crowds this year,' there have not been any major incidents regarding spring breakers. After videos of what appeared to be an impromptu boxing match on the beach circulated online, officials confirmed 'similar incidents have occurred in years past and mostly involve locals who mutually agree to participate.' No injuries were reported. Police presence was high on Fort Lauderdale beach, but tensions were low. Spring breakers happily sunbathed on the sand, sipped pink slushy cocktails at Señor Frog's, flirted on the sidewalk and neglected to apply sunblock to their already pink shoulders. 'I like the environment. It's super chill. You don't really have to worry about too much,' said Cadence Woolfork, a 19-year-old University of Kentucky student who was visiting Fort Lauderdale with her friends. 'You can just come here and have fun.' Woolfork and her friends noticed the stark difference between the scene in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach, which announced it was 'breaking up' with spring break last year. The friend group briefly checked out South Beach earlier in the week, only to find that 'it didn't seem like spring break.' Fort Lauderdale, on the other hand, is the place to be — Woolfork said she had such a great time last year in Fort Lauderdale for spring break she made sure to come back this year. 'Come to Laudy! It's so much fun,' she said. 'It's worth the money. You need to experience it at least once in your college life.' Riley Kozak, a 24-year-old Florida Atlantic University student, said Fort Lauderdale is 'worth the parking fees.' 'It's a lot better than Hollywood and Dania Beach because there's a lot more people from out of state that come down here, a lot of people from out of the country that come down here, too,' he said. 'A lot better clubs to get into, like Rock Bar. A lot more girls to talk to.' READ MORE: 'Come to Laudy! It's so much fun!': See what Fort Lauderdale spring break looks like Josiah Garcia, a 22-year-old aspiring content creator and Trinity Baptist College student, was trying to get spring breakers to participate in games like tug-o-war and a hot dog eating contest for a grand prize of $10. Originally from Broward, Garcia said he's never seen Fort Lauderdale 'popping' like this. He believes that some spring breakers that would've gone to Miami Beach came to Fort Lauderdale. 'Miami has been so restrictive, I mean, with good cause. I understand it,' he said. 'That's definitely drawn everybody to Fort Lauderdale, and hopefully, the same problems don't persist up here.' Police and city officials have said they have no way to know if Miami Beach's rejected spring breakers have chosen Fort Lauderdale instead. Several spring breakers told the Herald that they planned on coming to Fort Lauderdale regardless of Miami Beach's policies. The two cities have certainly spread completely different messages. While Miami Beach is sticking to its breakup, Fort Lauderdale said spring breakers are welcome so long as they behave. Both cities launched comedic reality TV show-themed marketing campaigns this year. In Miami Beach's 'Reality Check' PSA, actors portrayed a group of friends whose spring break — and friendship — falls apart because of the city's strict policies. Fort Lauderdale, meanwhile, made a 'Love Is Blind' dating show parody in which spring breakers fall in love with the city but are shocked to learn about the rules. 'Come for the fun, but remember to play by the rules,' Fort Lauderdale Police Department Chief William Schultz says in the video. 'Love may be blind, but we'll be watching.'