The 6 Best Cities in South Florida
While “South Florida” has no official geographic designation, it generally references a 90-mile stretch on the Atlantic side between Jupiter and Miami. In this article we’re going to discuss the 6 Best Cities in South Florida: Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, and Miami.
Our family lived here in 2023, and traveled extensively up and down the coast. This much we can tell you: These cities are quite different from each other despite how they all run together along the Interstate-95. Each city has pros and cons — some more cons — that could dramatically affect your good time on vacation.
If you don’t know us yet, honesty is our priority. So here’s the Spoiler Alert: We don’t like every town. We believe it would be a disservice to you to give a less-than-honest assessment. You can choose what to do with the information.
When you’re done, be sure to check out The 25 Best Things to do in South Florida.
We hope you enjoy the article!
The “Highly Recommended” Cities in South Florida:
1. Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is the finest city in South Florida, home to the nicest beaches and fanciest homes on the coast. And not only is this the most beautiful place on the coast, but it also accommodates visitors better than all the other towns. Clearly Fort Lauderdale wants you there.
The public beaches are long and wide and as nice as any in South Florida. There are multiple zones for tourists to eat, drink, and stir up trouble. The general vibe is fun and breezy. And unlike other cities in South Florida, the waterfront villas are on full display, which ups the ambiance substantially.
The Bottom Line: This is your best chance at a good time in South Florida. These are our favorite beaches, too. Great access to other towns and attractions.
Highlights Include: Las Olas Beach; Las Olas Boulevard; Flamingo Gardens; Bonnet House; The Isles (Venice Canals).
Read more about Things to do in Fort Lauderdale.
2. Jupiter / Juno Beach
Jupiter is the hidden gem on the Gold Coast of Florida, a wealthy beach community 90 miles north of Miami. Because the town isn’t built around tourism, sun-seekers will find Jupiter provides a pleasant change of pace from the more frenetic resort-towns.
This was our home last year, so our longest look at the region was in the Jupiter/Juno Beach area. No one would ever accuse this region of being down to earth, but Jupiter is as close as it gets. In addition to a great vibe, there are a handful of solid attractions for entertainment.
The Bottom Line: The wealth is apparent, it is not ostentatious. The community is active in a subtle way. The waterways and beaches are beautiful. And people are quite friendly!
Highlights Include: Juno Beach and Pier; Loggerhead Marine Life Center; Dubois Park; Jupiter Lighthouse; Blowing Rocks Nature Conservatory.
This is the best city for a chill South Florida vacation. Read more about the Things to do in Jupiter, Florida.
The “Less Than Recommended” Cities in South Florida:
3. Boca Raton
Boca Raton is a retirement mecca for the wealthy situated between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Widely considered one of the best places to live in the USA, Boca is known for its beautiful beaches, wildlife conservation, golf courses, and high-end restaurants.
The name of the city is French for “mouth of the rat” and references how the rocky shoreline would chew through boating ropes. It’s an ironic name. When you’re walking around Boca Raton looking at the opulence, the last thing you’re thinking about is rat mouths. Or maybe now it’s all you’re thinking about?
The Bottom Line: Boca doesn’t have much for the tourists beside a beach, some parks, and a very nice shopping hub. If that’s exactly what you’ve looking for, this would be a fine place to lodge.
Highlights Include: Red Reef Beach and Park (rat central); Mizner Park (Ferrari central); Gumbo Limbo Nature Center; Boca Raton Museum of Art.
If you love to travel, or love the idea of traveling more, better, or different, we have something we would like to give you. It is our professionally designed e-book and it is FREE of charge. We think it’s pretty great, and we’re pretty sure you’ll like it, too. It’s called, “Cultivating a Lifetime of Travel”. Click HERE. and we’ll send it on over!
4. West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach and Palm Beach are well-known towns in South Florida. Originally created as a humble city for Henry Flagler’s hotel employees, West Palm Beach has become synonymous with wealth and Florida leisure.
Today’s rendition of West Palm Beach is more metropolitan than its modest beginnings. Yachts are in abundance and condominiums command 7-figure investments. Still, ordinary people gather in this town, whether for holiday celebrations or weekly farmer markets. There are an assortment of good attractions in the area, so West Palm Beach has a little bit for everyone who visits.
The Bottom Line: The exclusivity on the outer Palm Beach is almost prohibitive, and downtown West Palm Beach isn’t interesting on its own. Unless you are shacking at The Breakers, we wouldn’t recommend staying here. This is more of a “day trip” or “live here” place.
Highlights Include: Henry Flagler Museum (strong recommend); WPB Green Market (also strong recommend); Norton Museum; Manatee Lagoon; Mounts Botanical Garden.
Read more about the Things to do in West Palm Beach.
The “You’ve Been Warned” Cities in South Florida:
5. Miami Beach
As you can see in the photo above, the city of Miami Beach is a throwback to the 1950’s. Strategically parked antique cars and refurbished hotel facades from another era highlight the iconic, foxy-looking strip that runs through town. There is no shortage of outdoor dining and stylish lodging in Miami Beach.
You know what else is in large supply? Uncultivated tourists. For the sake of crucial honesty and at the risk of sounding rude, if you have any sophistication to your character whatsoever, do not stay here. It is a classless, shameful atmosphere of the trashiest people alive grinding their posteriors on the wind like dogs.
The Bottom Line: You might visit to look at the architecture, which is very cool, yet there’s a high probability you’ll leave thinking more about the sleaze just under the polished exterior. The obnoxious elements are naked and hollering right in broad daylight and they outnumber you by infinity.
Highlights Include: South Beach; 1950’s style architecture; the afflicted.
6. Miami
Miami is known for its salubrious climate and year-round sunny skies. The city is also a cultural hub boasting iconic Art Deco architecture from the 1920s, and Little Havana is home to a large, Cuban population. South of Miami are Key Biscayne and Virginia Key. Two national parks are within driving distance, Biscayne and Everglades.
The downtown is clean, and if you’re staying in a hotel the water views are abundant. However, the roads poorly accommodate the growing population, making the city feel congested. In addition to the general “crowded” feeling, the city itself doesn’t have a good vibe, and comes off as an impersonal place with an odd mix of inhabitants.
The Bottom Line: Miami isn’t worth the effort. There are equally nice beaches in other towns. Enjoy the highlights in greater Miami, but stay somewhere else.
Highlights Include: The Vizcaya (fantastic); Bill Baggs State Park; Leaving Miami sign.
An Honest Conclusion
As you can tell, we are not South Florida fanboys. There are parts we love (Ft. Lauderdale and Jupiter), and parts we can live without.
Miami carries this romantic notion of music and rhythm and love making on world class beaches… slap that thought right out of your head. It borders on hellhole. Most hotels in Miami and Fort Lauderdale require valet parking or paid parking at $40-50/day, and carry resort fees as well.
Your very best tourist maneuver would be to stay in Fort Lauderdale and visit Boca Raton and South Beach on day trips. Get a good look at Miami Beach from the window of your car, waving hello and goodbye to the gyrating hoard. See the Vizcaya, for sure. And the Flagler Museum in WPB is another superb, gilded-age mansion.
The quietest vacation would be a VRBO condo somewhere between Delray Beach and Hillsboro Beach, which flank Boca Raton north and south, respectively. Just sit on the beach and forget the world.
Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless, travel happy, and stay the hell out of Miami!