The short answer
Our pick for New Year's Eve 2026 is Lettuce at the Miami Beach Bandshell. The funk band is playing two nights on its Cook Tour: Thursday, December 31 at 8:30 PM, and Friday, January 1 at 7:30 PM. The Bandshell is at 7275 Collins Avenue, at 73rd Street. We're at 7418 Harding Avenue, a couple of blocks north and one street west, so midnight is a walk away and so is bed.
We're not a party house, and we won't pretend otherwise. What we can offer is a New Year's that doesn't involve a taxi queue: a good band, an open-air room by the ocean side of Collins, and a quiet courtyard to come back to. This is the slower Miami, and it holds up well on the busiest night of the year.
About the shows
Lettuce is a funk band, and the Bandshell bills this as a two-night run to ring in the new year. Tickets are sold through the venue. A few things from the Bandshell's own FAQ are worth knowing before you buy:
- Rain: the venue is open-air under a canopy. Shows go on rain or shine, and rain isn't grounds for a refund.
- Refunds: tickets aren't refundable once bought. If the venue cancels or postpones, it handles refunds directly.
- Bags: personal-item size only. No backpacks.
- Drinks: there's a full bar and light bites inside. No outside food or drink. There's a free water refill station.
- Seating: if the show is set up for standing and dancing, there are a limited number of chairs. Ask at the check-in table if you need one.
- Club Boxes: 10 cabanas on a raised riser along the back wall, each ticket covering six admissions. For a group of six, that's the way to have a base for the night.
If you're choosing between the two nights, the January 1 show starts an hour earlier and makes a gentle first evening of the year. The December 31 show is the one that carries you through midnight.
December, if you arrive early
The Bandshell's calendar fills up in the two weeks before New Year's. These are the nights we'd plan around:
| Date | What | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed Dec 16 | Nicole Henry holiday concert | 7:30 PM | Her 13th annual fundraising holiday concert, supporting Miami Music Project and SAVE |
| Thu Dec 17 | North Beach Social: Mr. Pauer & Friends | 8:00 PM | Free with RSVP, the Bandshell's monthly community music night |
| Sun Dec 20 | Run Santa Run Miami | 7:00 AM | 5K, 10K and half marathon; proceeds benefit Clean Miami Beach |
| Thu Dec 31 | Lettuce | 8:30 PM | New Year's Eve |
| Fri Jan 1 | Lettuce | 7:30 PM | Second night |
Nicole Henry is Miami's own jazz and soul singer, and a holiday concert in an open-air shell in December is about as local as an evening here gets. Mr. Pauer's North Beach Social night costs nothing but an RSVP. Run Santa Run starts at 7:00 AM, which means an early night before it and a long breakfast after.
Calendars change. Check the Bandshell's events page before you book travel around a specific date.
Getting there and back
Walk. From our gate, head down to 73rd Street and across to Collins. If you're driving in for the night instead, North Beach parking is $2 an hour after 6pm, and the Bandshell recommends the municipal lot across the street at 73rd and Collins, the lot at 75th Street and Ocean Terrace, and the Deauville lot at 260 72nd Street. Expect those to fill on New Year's Eve.
Coming home at 1am is not a problem here. The Desk That Never Sleeps is staffed around the clock: keys, luggage, directions and quiet fixes at any hour.
New Year's Day, slowly
The courtyard is where the day really begins, and January 1 is the morning it earns that. The Breakfast Table is laid with warm croissants, fruit, cold-pressed juices and yogurt. The Courtyard Pool opens at sunrise and stays open until sunset. There's the infrared sauna in The Gym & Sauna, and the beach a short walk east, with sunbeds and umbrellas waiting for you.
Check-out is at 11:00 am. If you're catching the January 1 show as well, that's one more night to book.
Booking for New Year's
We have 29 rooms, so the week between Christmas and New Year's goes early. A few things to know before you book:
- Check-in and check-out: check-in from 4:00 pm, check-out at 11:00 am. Arriving earlier? Tell us your arrival time in advance and we'll do what we can, depending on availability.
- Taxes and fees: rates are in U.S. dollars and carry a 14% tax and a $50 resort fee on top of the nightly rate.
- Cancellation: we're small and privately owned, and our cancellation policy is strict. The penalty depends on the rate you choose, so read it at booking.
- Age: we welcome guests aged 12 and over.
- Payment: we're cash-free. Major credit cards only.
Everything here carries Felix's personal touch, from the commissioned art on the walls to the teak yacht-deck pattern underfoot. It's a calm place to start a year.