MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Spring break has returned to Miami Beach. Call it Breakup 2.0.
As thousands of college students head to South Florida, Miami Beach officials joined other districts in their efforts to put their crowd control plans into place.
“I grew up in Miami, so I know all about the spring break craziness,” said Ori Perez, who is visiting Miami Beach.
City officials said there is no coming back from Miami Beach’s toxic relationship with the wild times over the month of March.
“Years prior, we’ve had shootings, people have died on our streets, on the iconic Ocean Drive neighborhood, and it’s unacceptable,” said Miami Beach Police spokesperson Christopher Bess.
A month of high-impact measures on the weekends kicked off Thursday night, similar to last year’s spring break.
“It was really bad, like, for some time, so it’s cool that the city is taking initiative and keeping people safe,” said Perez
On the first, second and fifth weekends of March, visitors can expect $30 parking, a $532 towing fee for nonresidents, and limited beach access on Ocean Drive.
“I can understand, I can fully understand how crazy people came here,” said spring breaker Franco Vedda.
Vedda may be visiting for spring break, but he said he and his friends don’t have wild and crazy plans.
“I think it’s not going to affect us, because we’re not all the time, like, partying,” said spring breaker Juan Valencia. “We are very calm guys, so I think it’s not a problem.”
But police worry it could get bad on the third and fourth weekends, when crowds are expected to be the biggest. Officials said that’s when the rules will be the strictest.
There will be $100 parking fees, as well as curfews, heavy police presence, street closures, DUI enforcements, security checkpoints, and no sidewalk seating along Ocean Drive.
Restaurant employees on Ocean Drive sang the benefits of the city’s enforcements.
“I think it’s for the right cause, because it can get wild and dangerous here,” said Camila, a restaurant employee.
After the sun set on Thursday, 7News spoke with Julia Postarnak, a Miami Beach resident who’s member of a skating group that meets to skate down Ocean Drive.
They normally meet up at Fifth Street and Ocean Drive, but for the past two years, the location has changed for spring break season.
“Our plan is to move our activity for the spring break month up north to 54th Street, just to avoid the traffic and tickets,” said Postarnak.
For the most part, Postarnak said, she likes the rules.
“I like to see the police presence,” she said.
The restrictions, although tough, are being enforced in an effort to keep residents and visitors safe.
“I think it’s a good thing,” said one woman. “Yes, a very good thing.”
“There is more police here,” said another woman. “Yeah, it’s good. It’s good.”
“Just make sure to be safe and, yeah, just be safe and do the right thing,” said Perez.
For more information about Miami Beach’s 2025 sping break rules, click here.
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