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If you’re visiting Golden Beach, Florida for the first time, you’ll be impressed. This beach community is home to some of the biggest names in business and entertainment.
Golden Beach is actually a private community, so access to the beach will require that you own property or that you are a registered guest. Don’t worry, there’s a work-around if you are okay with walking.
I’m a curious guy, so I wanted to see this private beach and view the million-dollar properties. It wasn’t easy to understand the rules of this beach, nor was parking a breeze.
In the sections below, I’ll share a little more about this exclusive beach and how normal people can enjoy it as well.
Where Is Golden Beach, Florida
Golden Beach is part of Miami-Dade County. It’s a short stretch of sand that sits directly south of Hallandale (Hollywood Beach area) and north of Sunny Isles.
A1A, Beachfront Avenue, is the only road that goes through the town. In the 1980s the town decided to block other roads to keep “criminals” and tourist from exploring.
There are (mostly) walled beach properties to the east and gated roads to the west along the intracoastal.
Golden Beach is considered a town, but there are less than 1,000 residents and many of the houses are seasonal homes. Fun fact: Golden Beach has the 3rd highest percentage of Israeli residents in the United States (which is still a tiny percentage).
Beach Access To Golden Beach, Florida
I grew up in California and I’m well-aware of beach access rules and tricks that communities use to deter beachgoers.
Some beach-front homeowners use illegal gates or signs to keep visitors away. Other residents place potted plants in front of walkways to hide beach access paths.
Golden Beach, Florida has a more straightforward approach. They offer no beach parking and they don’t allow street parking. This makes it pretty tough to get to the beach if you can’t park nearby.
It’s also impressive that the community doesn’t provide beach access paths to the beach from A1A. Once you are on A1A in Golden Beach, you’d have to walk through someone’s property to reach the beach.
>>read my Must-Have Beach Items article
Let’s take the exclusivity to an even higher level – visitors are not allowed to sit on the beach because beach ownership extends to the “median high tide” level (which is tough to measure). The community pays security personnel on the beach to remove non-residents attempting to sit on the beach.
These rules were obviously created long ago and I can understand why elites choose to live here – they can keep some of their privacy. It’s also clever how a community can enact rules to make it virtually impossible to access their beach (no public parking in the town, really?).
Visiting Golden Beach, Florida
While visiting Golden Beach isn’t easy, there are ways you can enjoy the sand and the sun. The easiest way is to access the beach from Hallandale Beach, about .5 miles to the north (read my Hallandale Beach tips).
Consider parking for free at Walmart. It’s a 10-minute walk to Hallandale Beach.
The demarcation between Hallandale and Golden Beach is clear by the contrast of people on the beach and the lack of high-rise buildings. Only single-family homes are in Golden Beach.
I was able to walk the length of Golden Beach. Of course, I had to walk at the “median high tide mark” to ensure I wasn’t trespassing on private sand.
Once you’re clear of Hallandale Beach, Golden Beach opens up and only has a handful of people walking. There is a lifeguard tower halfway down the beach where Golden Beach residents hang out with their families, however, most of the beach is empty.
Houses In Golden Beach
It must be amazing to wake up to a beach sunrise on your own private beach. I imagine some visitors spend more time looking at the houses than they do looking at the ocean.
Tommy Hilfiger, Ricky Martin, and Bill Gates have owned homes along this stretch beach. These homes sell for millions of dollars and after learning about the town’s exclusionary privileges, the town’s laws and the beachfront land are likely as valuable as the houses themselves.
This is Tommy Hilfiger’s house which he has listed at 24 million dollars.
This was Ricky Martin’s house which was sold for almost 13 million dollars.
The beautiful home of a Ft. Lauderdale attorney sold for 19 million in 2019.
This home looks more like a condominium complex.
Where To Stay In Golden Beach
The only option to stay in this town is to buy a house or make friends. There are no hotels in Golden Beach. There are plenty of options nearby and a few high-rise resorts in Hallandale Beach.
I like the Hyde Resort because it’s on the beach. This would only be a 10-minute beach walk to reach Golden Beach.
The DoubleTree is across the street from the Hyde as well and has good views of the intracoastal.
To the south, Sunny Isles has several more options to stay at the beach. The Marenas Beach Resort, Sole Miami, and The Trump International Resort are all beach resorts that offer luxury and views as well as excellent restaurants.
Visit Aventura Mall
If you’re in the area, you might as well visit one of the best malls in South Florida. Aventura Mall has it all, including high-end shopping, a movie theater, and dining.
It’s only a few mile drive from Golden Beach and it might be a good way to take a break from the sun.
Where To Eat In Golden Beach
Baleenkitchen is a well-received restaurant at the Sole Miami. It features a moderately priced menu with expensive views of the ocean. Their happy hour (4-6pm) is worth a look and they have $4 beers – not bad for a classy place.
The Beach Bar At The Newport Pier is a good spot to relax. How about a casual meal on the pier in Sunny Isles? The pier offers beers and common dishes for a reasonable price. Walk the pier and take a few beach photos.
Etaru at Hallandale Beach offers one of the best sushi restaurants in South Florida. Etaru has an amazing view of the ocean, it’s in close proximity to the beach, and there’s a happy hour that is hard to beat. After walking the beach, stop by Etaru and see for yourself!
Summary
Golden Beach is a hard to access beach. Although it’s a private beach with strict rules, you are allowed to walk near the water.
Spending a morning at Golden Beach can be an enjoyable experience. You can remove yourself from the high-rise buildings and enjoy beautiful views of the ocean and of houses.
If you’re into architecture you’ll see a mix of modern and classic designs.
There will be locals on the beach (most likely near the lifeguard tower and there will be other walkers who are there to enjoy the views.
The toughest part about visiting Golden Beach is the parking – there is none! Park at Hallandale Beach or in Sunny Isles and make the trek. I wouldn’t walk this far every day, but I enjoyed the walk from Hallandale Beach (I walked 3-4 miles roundtrip).
For hotels and food, you’ll need to find a place in Hallandale Beach or in Sunny Isles. The “town” of Golden Beach doesn’t not cater to visitors.
Have a great time visiting Golden Beach.
