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By Beth Stibal |

Which South Florida Beaches are Open?

Virus Outbreak Florida
People cycle and walk pandemic, Broward County. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Most Florida beaches have reopened, but with variety of restrictions. And in South Florida some beaches are open, and some are not. Here is the status of South Florida beaches compiled by FloridaPolitics.com

A protestor, who did not want to be identified, holds a sign reading “Please Open Beaches” as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference during the new coronavirus pandemic, Thursday, May 14, 2020, in Doral, Fla. DeSantis has signed an executive order for the gradual reopening of Miami-Dade and Broward counties on May 18. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Broward County: Beaches closed Beaches remain closed, but the Hollywood Broadwalk as of May 13 will be open to walk from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., reports Local 10. Municipal leaders in seven cities, including Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, expressed a desire to open beaches as of May 26, but County Mayor Dale Holness said it makes more sense to coordinate with Miami-Dade, The Miami Herald reports. Deerfield, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Pompano Beach all closed beaches starting March 18, according to Local 10 News. Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the rest of the beaches in the county closed as of March 20. Officials expect to coordinate any beach opening with Miami-Dade leaders.
A Hollywood police officer wears a protective face mask while walking along the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk during the new coronavirus pandemic, Wednesday, May 13, 2020, in Hollywood, Fla. The Broadwalk opened Tuesday for the first time since the pandemic, and is open for limited hours daily for exercise only. Broward County beaches remain closed. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Martin County: Beaches open with restrictions The county reopened beaches on May 4 with restrictions, according to TC Palm. But after seeing excessive crowds, access to the beaches was restricted to only county residents as of May 14, WPBF reports. Individuals have to sit at least six feet apart with social distancing enforced. Hobe Sound, which borders Palm Beach County, remains closed. County Commissioners have considered limiting beach access to weekdays and will revisit the discussion after Mother’s Day weekend, according to the Palm. County Commissioners previously closed all public county beaches as of March 22, according to WPTV. Miami-Dade County: Beaches closed Mayor Carlos Giménez on March 19 ordered all beaches closed in the community, the first South Florida jurisdiction to do so. While he has discussed developing a plan to reopen parks, Giménez made clear beaches are not planned to reopen yet in the Florida county with the most cases of COVID-19.
An entrance to a beach is closed, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Miami Beach, Florida’s famed South Beach. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Monroe County: Beaches open, travel restricted Kew West city leaders on April 27 opened all parks and beaches, according to the Key West Citizen. But it remains difficult for anyone not living on the Florida Keys to visit them. County Commissioners starting March 24 imposed limitations so only residents and limited workers could access the string of islands via U.S. 1; that restriction lifts on June 1. Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 30 issued a safer at home order closing down all nonessential business in South Florida counties until mid-April. County beaches never closed. However, Keys Weekly reports some municipalities closed beaches under their jurisdiction. Marathon reopened beaches on May 4, but will limit access to pavilions. Islamorada reopened beaches on May 4 to residents only Palm Beach County: Beaches open with restrictions County Commissioners tentatively set a plan for opening beaches on May 18, but only to county residents initially. Restrictions and timelines will be discussed further at a May 15 meeting. Municipalities will be allowed to decide if their own beaches remain closed, and Palm Beach city officials expect to take the issue up May 15 as well, The Palm Beach Post reports. Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order closing all Palm Beach beaches as of March 20, but left it to local government when to reopen them. DeSantis has lifted a statewide stay-at-home order but it initially remained in effect for three South Florida counties with the state’s highest numbers of infections. After Palm Beach County leaders suggested the community may now be on the other side of the curve, DeSantis agreed to allow Phase One reopening there as of May 11.

St. Lucie County: Beaches open County Commissioners voted to reopen beaches beginning April 28, and lifted all temporary restrictions on uses and activities as of May 7, reports TC Palm. County beaches closed March 23 after crowds failed to adhere to social distancing, TC Palm reports. Here is a status list of all the beaches in the state.