Lincoln Road

by Martin O.

If you are a tourist visiting Miami Beach, you must visit the Lincoln Road Mall and stroll from Alton Road to Washington/ Collins Avenue. The best things about the Lincoln Road Mall.1) People Watching 2) Restaurant Reservations not needed 3) Stores are open until 11pm4) People Watching (Halloween on Lincoln Road is similar to Mardi Grais!)  The worst things about Lincoln Road1) Parking - (it's expensive and limited...the best place is the City Parking Garage next to Macys.) Make sure you feed the meter since they frequent ticket expired meters! You can park in "some residential spaces" until 6 p.m. South of Lincoln Road. Don't park in a posted No Parking area or you will discover the location of South Beach Towing.  2) Waiters/Waitresses - The service is rarely great. You almost always need to ask for water and the refill. The tip is virtually always included in the bill and there is usually an open space for tourists. Some restaurants charge for drink refills. At some restaurants, if you are having lunch, you will need to ask for the lunch menu or they'll give you the more expensive dinner menu. 3) Crosswalks - These are the only streets in Miami that Pedestrians think they have the right-of-way over cars. Every time I walk down Lincoln Road, I see a potential accident a pedestrians walk right through red lights and are almost hit by a speeding Miami driver. 4) Crowds - It can get very crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. 5) Bathrooms - There are limited public bathrooms on Lincoln Road so make sure you take care of business before leaving the restaurant.

by Paul W.

Lincoln Road is one of the gems in Miami/Miami Beach that is truly unique to this city.  In the daytime this is a great place to come and have breakfast or lunch in a relaxed, outdoor setting where you can sit outside, read, chat, people watch and take in the sights, do some shopping and find everything from clothing and shoes to nutrition and drug stores to souvenir shops, luggage and furniture. Plenty of restaurants and little cafes to fit any mood or appetite. At night, this place really comes alive, especially on the weekends. Again, great bars and restaurants for dinner, most stores remain open until late, there is a cinema and a few places to check out live performances and again, this area is great for people watching and there are several local characters who come here to sell their wares or to perform along Lincoln Road. Always a good mix of people both young and old and from all walks of life, and always a few on rollerblades and skateboards showing off their bodies (whether they should or not). One thing I always liked about Lincoln Road is that you can show up here as a couple or with a group, not plan ahead and usually always find something to do or see or somewhere to eat, as there truly is something here to fit any appetite, food preference, taste in music, mood, etc. You can even start off here and walk to the far end and have a romantic walk along the beach if that's what you're in the mood for, or move to Espanola way, Ocean Drive or any of the other areas which are nearby to Lincoln. As one other reviewer stated, parking can be one drawback here. There is some street parking to the sides of Lincoln Rd., but some is for local residents only. If you do park at a meter, know that they do come often to ticket expired meters or expired parking tags and aren't afraid to tow if you're parked illegally. There are a few parking garages adjacent to Lincoln Road, but some will cost you nearly $20 to park on the weekend. Aside from the parking, which isn't a major concern if you know where to go, Lincoln Road is great.

by Stefani M.

This shopping area has a nice vibe, its relaxing just to walk down the street surrounded by beautiful palm trees. There are some nice shops, but I think its more fun to just order a drink and a snack at a cafe and just people watch and enjoy the scenery.

by tere g.

The best part of visiting Miami Beach (or South Beach) was walking through the beautifully laid out, outdoor Lincoln Road Mall.  Not only could you shop the many stores or stop by for a drink at one of the many bars and restaurants lining this road, it was a great place to take in the South Beach scene and do some people watching.  Definitely will be back for some shopping if I'm ever back in the area!

by Michelle W.Eve C.scott s.

I LOVE people watching here!!! It's great no matter what day it is or time of day!! It's funny to see everything from the super swanky to the super sloppy all rubbing elbows together (even though they would rather not be) hilarious to watch people interactions! Airports used to be my favorite people watching venue, but Lincoln road trumps it for sure!!Go there, grab a table at a cafe or restaurant and get ready for the show. There are tons of places to choose from, so you should be able to find whatever you are looking for.The shops are great, some are a little on the pricey side. So, if you're not ready to drop some coin, window shopping might be your best option. If you have out-of-towners that, like me, think that people watching is an awesome spectator sport, BRING THEM HERE!!!Or if you just want some good food and good shopping, you can come here too :)Lincoln Road is the mecca of people-watching.  Whenever I have guests in town, Lincoln is definitely one of our stops.  It's the quintessential South Beach experience, whether you're into the whole SoBe scene or not.There are tons on restaurants, bars, and cafes where you can grab a drink, a nibble, or even embark on a gastronomic adventure.  There's plenty of stores for browsing, including lots of boutiques, and other shops you won't find elsewhere.  So while it bills itself as a "pedestrian mall," Lincoln Road offers so much more than that!Parking is plentiful - flat lots, and a massive garage litter 17th Street (and South Lincoln Lane, which often gets forgotten).  Make sure you put plenty of money in those meters though, cause the Parking Authority doesn't mess around!Lincoln road is a 5 star for several reasons. Great restaurants up and down the road and most of them have outdoor seating.  There are so many weird people on Lincoln that it is great to people watch.  The shops are alright, nothing like a big mall like aventura or anything, but cool little hip shops.  Everyone needs to experience a day if not more on Lincoln to get the experience of it.

by Charlie U.

Never a dull moment on Lincoln Road. A variety of shopping and dining to experiences in a unique setting. Something for everyone, day or night. Best bets: Books Books, DWR, De Leo Restaurant, Segafredo Cafe, Davids Cafe II.

by Christalle R.

Alot of the stores are out of my budget, but Lincoln Road was great for people watching and window shopping. I oogled over the abundance of cute dogs. I even saw a Siberian Husky inside one of the stores! I love that there was Jonathan Adler store here too. I bought a doggy tee-shirt at the American Apparel and perused the Apple Store.  Hubby and I walked Lincoln Road end to end pretty swiftly due to time constraints but I had a blast nonetheless.

by Michelle W.Eve C.scott s.Christine G.Shauna D.

I LOVE people watching here!!! It's great no matter what day it is or time of day!! It's funny to see everything from the super swanky to the super sloppy all rubbing elbows together (even though they would rather not be) hilarious to watch people interactions! Airports used to be my favorite people watching venue, but Lincoln road trumps it for sure!!Go there, grab a table at a cafe or restaurant and get ready for the show. There are tons of places to choose from, so you should be able to find whatever you are looking for.The shops are great, some are a little on the pricey side. So, if you're not ready to drop some coin, window shopping might be your best option. If you have out-of-towners that, like me, think that people watching is an awesome spectator sport, BRING THEM HERE!!!Or if you just want some good food and good shopping, you can come here too :)Lincoln Road is the mecca of people-watching.  Whenever I have guests in town, Lincoln is definitely one of our stops.  It's the quintessential South Beach experience, whether you're into the whole SoBe scene or not.There are tons on restaurants, bars, and cafes where you can grab a drink, a nibble, or even embark on a gastronomic adventure.  There's plenty of stores for browsing, including lots of boutiques, and other shops you won't find elsewhere.  So while it bills itself as a "pedestrian mall," Lincoln Road offers so much more than that!Parking is plentiful - flat lots, and a massive garage litter 17th Street (and South Lincoln Lane, which often gets forgotten).  Make sure you put plenty of money in those meters though, cause the Parking Authority doesn't mess around!Lincoln road is a 5 star for several reasons. Great restaurants up and down the road and most of them have outdoor seating.  There are so many weird people on Lincoln that it is great to people watch.  The shops are alright, nothing like a big mall like aventura or anything, but cool little hip shops.  Everyone needs to experience a day if not more on Lincoln to get the experience of it.I had a great time here!  Lincoln Road rocks! My husband and I spent our very last night here hanging out and people watching.  We also tried the the hookah at Deco Cigars and just hung out. Awesome place!  Like Shauna, I too saw the man who drove around with his rooster.  Where else can you see that?  There was also the man with the bikini top and tutu and one in a Dallas Cheerleaders outfit!  Cute!I love the vibe here!  If you go to South Beach, you've got to go to Lincoln Road.  I loved it here.  Awesome people watching, wonderful restaurants and anything goes here!  Don't pass it up.Oh! I saw the dude on the bike with the snowy white rooster! Its bright red comb was brilliant in the Miami sun. I had seen some travel show that talked about Mark and his rooster, Mr. Clucky. He was dressed in overalls which were hard not to miss as he slowly rode his bike up and down Lincoln Road. I never got a chance to stop him for a picture but then again, I'm not one of THOSE tourists.Otherwise, I spent about 7 hours on Lincoln Road the first time and then a few more hours on other days looking at various shops, restaurants and bars. As a street for shopping, it had all your usual suspects as well as smaller, independently owned stores. I do think in terms of outdoor malls, this one is a great one but at the same time, it's not exactly efficient. You're constantly dodging slow-moving crowds and shaking your head no to restaurant hosts trying to usher you into their cafes and restaurants. I preferred shopping along Collins as it was more low-key.Parking was difficult and if you're lucky to find a lot, feed it the max and stay put for a while.

by Cloudy C.

Best PEOPLE WATCHING spot EVER!  Parking is a bit steep and hard to come by but oh so worth it.  I always wanted to see the Miami pretty and not so pretty peeps and Memorial weekend was perfection.  I love Miami!

by scott s.

Lincoln road is a 5 star for several reasons. Great restaurants up and down the road and most of them have outdoor seating.  There are so many weird people on Lincoln that it is great to people watch.  The shops are alright, nothing like a big mall like aventura or anything, but cool little hip shops.  Everyone needs to experience a day if not more on Lincoln to get the experience of it.