Miami aims to break up with spring breakers

In a social media campaign, Miami Beach, FL, said it would be implementing new rules ahead of the most popular time of the year for visitors: spring break. Rather than welcoming tourists, the campaign sent a clear message to potential visitors: we’re breaking up with you.

The Florida city released this ad campaign on Friday, March 9, 2024, outlining Miami’s plans for stricter rules for tourists.

Considering that many students chose to go to Miami for Spring Break, these updates can cause travelers to be affected by changes due to the behavior of previous visitors.

“I go [to Miami] every year with my family. With how crazy inflation is, I can’t imagine it being any more expensive than it already is,” said OH senior Ava Lang.

According to nbcchicago.com,

the social media campaign occurred a year after Miami Beach declared a state emergency following two fatal shootings during spring break, but it was the third year in a row that Miami Beach had enacted emergency measures to control uncontrolled crowds.

The ad calls out visitors who “want to get drunk in public and ignore laws, rather than enjoying the city respectfully for the city’s culture.” Furthermore, the adshows clips from last year of incidents that were happening, such as two fatal shootings during spring break. These events were “Miami´s breaking points.

While the pandemic slowed some things down, reckless spring break tourists solidified in the area in 2021, USAToday reporting more than 1,000 arrests made among partiers. The increase in violent behavior caused Miami to feel that they had no other option but to enforce rules.

Miami Beach officials said the city would implement curfews, bag checks, restricted beach access, DUI checkpoints, and expensive parking fees. By increasing law enforcement, the cities plan to crack down on the chaos.

OH senior Lang agrees with these crack downs.  “As the years have gone on, people have gotten more chaotic, and there have been more spring breakers each time that have been causing trouble,” said Lang.

Many feel as though placing these restrictions will resolve the amount of violence and chaos going on; however, people who go every year may have to deal with problems with cost and getting to enjoy their time genuinely.

“I do feel restrictions should be put on visitors, even though I do not go to Miami. I have been seeing a lot of videos. It looks super chaotic,” said OH senior Alexandra Bartell. 

Miami officials have made it clear that the residents will not have expensive parking or restricted access to the beach, as well as cardholders, employees, and permit holders.

The city will not be allowed to have sidewalk seating for cafes that are along Ocean Drive and are limiting access to the beach.

Last year, one Miami Beach commissioner said police were outnumbered by a lawless crowd that can’t be controlled. NBC News then reported that hundreds of arrests were made and dozens of guns were confiscated during last year’s spring break. 

As Miami is determined to keep spring breakers away, other places may want to improve their experiences for new visitors as well, so that people can have fun at an affordable prices as well.

“Somewhere I would recommend people go is like the Wisconsin Dells or Michigan. They both have really fun activities,¨ said Lang.

Note: For a fun look at a spring break alternative, see our 5042 SATIRE story, published April 1!