Tourists Met With Tough Love as Miami and Fort Lauderdale Beach Crack Down on Spring Breakers

BY: CO-NEWS EDITOR / ISABELA RANGEL

Miami Beach, via Getty Images

Any Fort Lauderdale native (myself included) will tell you they’re used to witnessing firsthand the annual carnage that their peaceful beaches undergo during college spring break. The influx of sun-hungry spring breakers is notoriously known for transforming our coastal areas into a whirlwind of chaos comparable to that of a hurricane.

 However, as locals brace for impact, recent sets of regulations from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale beaches have been released to hopefully damper this and give locals, as well as tourists, a chance to enjoy the thawing South Florida weather. 

South Florida has a long history of being a go-to spot for spring break, and between the bustling beach boardwalks of Fort Lauderdale and the glittering Miami nightlife, it has not been easy for both law enforcement and locals to house these tumultuous crowds.

In 2023, Miami ended the season with a staggering 488 arrests and 105 firearms seized, numbers that became too big to ignore. In retaliation, police departments from both Miami Dade and Broward Counties published campaigns the following year, releasing two different statements but hoping for a similar outcome.

Determined to reclaim their city, the Miami Beach Police Department launched a “Breaking up with Spring Break” campaign last year and followed up with a “Spring Break Reality Check” for this coming spring. These initiatives didn’t just consist of a few warning videos but were backed with barricades, DUI checkpoints, beach curfews, and extreme parking restrictions all along the area. 

As a result, Miami Beach reported a sizable 18% reduction in spring break-related arrests the following year, with no shootings or fatalities to put a damper on one of the state’s liveliest areas.

Fort Lauderdale, on the other hand, opted for a tamer approach for the masses, welcoming tourists while standing firm on regulations. Their public safety website, after ensuring visitors, then goes on to list the city’s heightened safety measures, including increased police presence, restrictions on serving alcohol after 2 a.m., and daily beach clean-ups at 5:30 a.m. to preserve their shores.

Officers of the Fort Lauderdale Mounted Police make their rounds at Fort Lauderdale Beach (Romain Maurice for Fox News)

“Our city is known for its beautiful beaches, great weather, and exciting atmosphere, and we want everyone— residents and guests alike— to have a safe and enjoyable time,” Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis stated in a briefing. 

And the results? While the official stats from this year are still pending, Fort Lauderdale did experience a surge in spring break-related arrests in 2024, most likely in response to the increase of travelers going there over Miami Beach. Visitors like Madison Delgado, in retaliation to Miami’s unapologetic restrictions, declare that “Fort Lauderdale is way lit-er!” than the city’s southern counterpart. 

“Honestly, I don’t like this break up. This is horrible, this is toxic,” stated tourist Carys McDowell in reference to the Miami Beach “Breaking up with Spring Break” campaign. 

The differing proactive measures put in place by Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale push the idea of a new spring break: one where fun and safety can coexist for tourists and locals alike. 

In the end, these regulations are less about dampening the energy behind spring break and more about putting forth an effort to keep people safe and the beaches clean. As we move deeper into the warming months, the overarching goals for South Florida remain clear: to foster both a safe and lively environment where memories (and not mugshots!) can be made.