Golden Beach Relocating Guide

Sandwiched between the Intercoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, Golden Beach is the dream destination of many Americans. This quiet little town on the Northeast corner of Miami Dade County is a prime real estate location as well as hub of celebrity homes!

In case you’re considering Golden Beach as the destination for your next home, you’ve landed on the right page. We’re going to explore both ends of Collins Avenue as well as everything in between.

Read: Check out our real estate guide on Miami Springs, FL too.

Golden Beach At a Glance

Golden Beach is regarded as one of the oldest municipalities in Miami Dade, incorporated back in 1926. It was incorporated as a town and it still holds the same status. The vision of the calm place came from G. Ralston and R.W. Ralston.

These 2 brothers surveyed the area that used to be a deep mangrove forest back in the day. The quiet shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean gave them the idea of creating a small, intimate community, separated from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Well, we might be stretching it a bit thin. It’s not like there were plenty of cities in Miami Dade in the 1920s. But the concept still holds to this day. Golden Beach remains one of the most upscale and tranquil places in all of Florida.

The Ralston brothers started constructing their dream town under their business “Golden Beach Corporation”. They spent millions to clear out the forest, secure the ocean, lay electrical lines, bridges, and everything else you see now were built one after the other.

The town was then incorporated under a special act of the Legislature of the State of Florida. The oceanfront plots were sold for $7,000 each while Ocean Blvd (Collins Ave) plots went for $2,000. While it may sound like a bargain now, the amount was still substantial in the 1930s.

Fast forward to today, Golden Beach holds its integrity in terms of its class and the vision of the Ralston brothers. Several world-famous personalities have owned homes in the past and some even do! Some notable names would be Bill Gates, Eric Clapton, Ricky Martin, Paul Newman, Sammy Sosa, etc.

Population and Geography

Believe it or not, the population of Golden Beach is around 1,000 only! It plays along very well with the mere 1.8 square miles of area. The entire area can be seen with one bird’s eye view! You know why?

It’s because there are no high-rise buildings or commercial properties within the town limits! It’s not like the town’s economy is hurting or outside investors are not interested. Rather, it was part of the Ralston brothers’ original plan. There still can’t be any high-rise construction of commercial development.

The 1,000 or so people in the town live across 364 homes. This number pretty much remains constant as all the plots are already occupied. Also, this is one of the very few towns in the world where all the properties are residential as well as they’re single-family properties!

This limited supply and upscale community have made Golden Beach the dream place to live, as mentioned earlier. At the same time, celebrity endorsements sent the property prices in this area through the roof! More on in the economy section.

Among the residents of the town, over 60% are Non-Hispanic White. The next biggest demography is Hispanic or Latino. Then there are some mixed-race people, some Asians, and other races.

What’s Golden Beach’s Economy Like?

You already know that there can be no commercial activity within Golden Beach limits according to the current law. But don’t mistake this town’s economy as weak. Let us give you a hint. Almost 94% of the residents are homeowners!

Also, the median property value is more than $6 million! Of course, it comes to the city’s 1%-ers who have made their wealth elsewhere. And they’ve chosen Golden Beach as the leisure resort.

Due to its upscale residents, the security is not the same as in other cities or towns in Miami Dade county. The town hall takes responsibility for safety. There is a very large police force compared to the population who patrol up and down Collins Ave. This area is also famous for its speed traps. Perhaps more speeding tickets have been issued on this road than anywhere else in Florida.

All of this goes to show that you have nothing to worry about in this place’s economy. However, if you’re planning to open a business where you live, Golden Beach might not be the right choice for you.

Quality of Education in Golden Beach

As you’d expect from a city with 2 square kilometers of area, there are no schools or colleges within the town limits. However, the greater Miami Dade School District serves the residents of Golden Beach.

But within 20 minutes drive radius, you can find any great options to send your kids to. Some of the best schools in this area are

• School for Advanced Studies – North
• Norman S. Edelcup/Sunny Isles Beach K-8
• North Dade Center for Modern Languages
• Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High School
• Highland Oaks Middle School
• Marvin Dunn Academy for Community Education

For higher studies, the same options as surrounding cities apply to Golden Beach. Check out the list below.

• Sha’arei Bina Torah Academy for Girls
• Barry University
• Vargas University
• Miami Dade College
• University of Miami
• Florida International University

Things to Do in Golden Beach

There might not be any high-rise buildings or commercial properties in Golden Beach but it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. The perk of living in a tightly packed neighborhood in Miami Dade is that everything you want is at a stone’s throw! Let’s check out some spots you can explore when you have some free time on your hands.

Loggia Beach Park

The direct result of not having commercial properties in an area is that there are more natural places. Loggia Beach Park is often considered the crown jewel of this lush town. You can not only visit there anytime you like but also reserve it for private events by booking through the town hall.

Loggia Beach Park is not the only spot you can go for a walk on a sunny afternoon in Golden Beach. Places like Massini Park, Tweedle Park, Singer Park, etc. are all open for exploration too! All of these parks are packed with outdoor activities like kayaking, soccer, tennis, frisbee, and everything else you can think of!

Aventura Mall/Intracoastal Mall

Sure, this is located outside the town limits. But it shouldn’t take you any longer than 10 minutes to drive there for all your shopping needs. If you’re okay with adding another minute or two for the drive, you can always go to Intracoastal Mall.

Both of these locations offer the crème de la crème of brands for you to pick from. It makes sense considering the upscale nature of the neighborhood.

Oleta River State Park

Located right outside of the Intracoastal Mall, Oleta River State Park is yet another place for you to appreciate the natural beauty of Miami Dade. Surrounded by the large water body directly connected to the Atlantic Ocean, this is a great place for family hangouts and adventure water sports. And if you’re lucky enough, you might catch glimpses of the iconic Florida alligators!

Ocean Drive/Miami Art District

If you start driving North on Collins Avenue, you’ll land on Ocean Blvd first and eventually on the historic Ocean Drive. Many of the establishments in this place are hundreds of years old, standing strong encompassing the architectural beauty from a different time.

An interesting thing about this area is that it’s pretty much copied and pasted in the Rockstar classic video game, GTA Vice City. The name of the location is changed to Ocean Beach. If you’ve played the game, you must’ve gone through the road many times!

Art and Culture in Golden Beach

If you drive in either direction through Collins Avenue, you have beautiful art districts. On the south side of the town, you have the infamous Miami Beach. Needless to say, the glamorous culture of the Miami hub will always be there when you drive in.

Miami Beach Culture Crawl

This monthly event is always there on the 3rd Thursday of the Month, appreciating the local Miami culture from 6 pm to 9 pm. The event is free for all which means you can just show up. From art galleries to museums to public exhibitions, nothing is off-limits for this event.

Miami City Ballet

In case you’re looking for an unconventional form of art, Ballet sounds good. The Miami City Ballet is the best in class near Golden Beach where the most prestigious dancers come from across the country to perform.

Coconut Grove Art Festival

One of the longest-running cultural events in the Miami metropolitan area. It already went to 58 years of celebration, the 59th loading in 2023. This allows you to witness 3 days of artistic madness under the starry sky of Miami.

From culinary displays to live performances, there’s barely any room to breathe! Entries start from a mere $20 so it’s a must-visit in our opinion if you move to Golden Beach.

Places to Eat & Drink

Similar to the rest of the areas you look at when considering a place to stay, Golden Beach falls short in terms of places to eat. Again, it comes down to the restrictions on building high-rises and any other commercial property.

Thankfully, you can take a short drive to nearby cities like Bal Harbour, Adventura, or Sunny Isles to get your food cravings met. To cater to the upscale community we’ve been referring to, these cities have some of the finest dining places in all of Miami Dade.

Check out our top picks.

• Juniper On the Water: Located at the iconic Ocean Drive at Hallandale Beach, this place is a flavor bomb in itself. The main theme is American Mediterranean where you’ll find steak, seafood, and other continental cuisines on the menu.
• K-Town: If you’re a fan of teas, bubble teas to be specific, K-Town at Adventura is a must-visit place for you. The Tiger’s Milk Bubble Tea is the staple of this place and we highly recommend trying it if you haven’t before.
• 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen: Another gem hidden in the plain sights of Adventura! Woodfire cooking is pretty much a lost art in this modern era. But the owners of this restaurant have decided to give it another shot. From rotisserie meat to pizzas, everything is fair game here!
• Bartaco: Just reverse the syllables and you’ve got your menu. It’s a taco bar in Adventura that commemorates the beach culture of South American countries like Uruguay and Brazil. The food (taco) might be simple but the presentation and the top-notch quality are what will bring you back over and over.
• WoodOne Ramen: In case you’re craving gourmet ramen in Miami, it doesn’t get any better than WoodOne Ramen at Hallandale Beach. It’s a short drive from Golden Beach where you can find many other traditional Japanese dishes along with Ramen.

Highways and Transportation

Well, considering the tiny area of the town and water boundaries on both sides, there’s not much room for roads, let alone highways. The only way that goes through the town is Collins Avenue. It’s a mile-long road that connects all the waterfront properties with the other lots on the island.

Due to its small area and upscale community, there are no public transport within the town. Pretty much every resident has their own transport.

Political Status

The town might be very private and intimate but it still follows a government system preferred by big metropolitan areas. Of course, we’re referring to the council-manager system. The day-to-day affairs are carried out by the town manager and supported by the town clerk.

The community elects its mayor every 2 years. At the same time, 4 council members are elected as the chairs of the council. The town council then appoints the manager and the clerk.

The current mayor of Golden Beach town is Glenn Singer. The manager and the clerk are Alexander Diaz and Lisette Perez respectively.