One mile of public sand, properly explained.
Where to get on, where to park, when the light is best and which stretch is quietest. The stuff hotels won't tell you because it's free.
The village's public entrance is at 96th & Collins, on the Surfside border — metered parking (about $1–2/hr, 4-hour limit), restrooms and an outdoor shower by the path, and a bike-share station on the south side. (The pretty 102nd Street path is residents-only.)
The cabana rows belong to the St. Regis and Sea View beach clubs — some rent to non-guests on slow days; call after 10am. Or bring a chair: the sand below the tide line is public and gloriously free.
Sunrise is the show — the beach faces due east. Low tide mid-morning leaves a wide, firm walking strand; for sunset, walk the Jetty Walk at the inlet. The village publishes no lifeguard schedule, so treat the water as unguarded unless you see a staffed tower.
The beach path — a mile of jogging, gossip and golden retrievers.
The paved path runs the full length of the village between the dunes and the towers. Walk it at 7am and you'll pass half the neighborhood; rent a bike at the inlet end and do it properly.