Ocean Drive has long been synonymous with Art Deco facades, palm-lined sidewalks, and an ever-moving parade of visitors. Now, a different kind of traveler is paying attention: the cannabis-curious tourist. While Florida remains a medical-only state—meaning adult-use sales are not permitted—demand for cannabis-adjacent experiences is surging, and Ocean Drive’s hospitality ecosystem is adapting fast.
Tourism volume is the foundation. Greater Miami set an all-time record with more than 28 million visitors in 2024, concentrating foot traffic in South Beach’s beachfront corridor and surrounding neighborhoods. That surge is precisely the kind of audience segmenting that fuels niche travel interests, including wellness and cannabis-adjacent activities.
Critically, traveler interest exists even in non-recreational markets. MMGY Travel Intelligence reports that “more than a third” of U.S. travelers are interested in cannabis-related activities on vacation, and half of those are keen to visit a cannabis shop—data that helps explain why Ocean Drive’s hotels, spas, and retailers are building offerings that sit comfortably within Florida law.
On the ground, that looks like CBD-forward wellness (think massages and recovery treatments using hemp-derived topicals) and curated education—experiences that do not involve intoxicating THC. The Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, a Miami Beach mainstay, openly markets CBD-infused massages as part of its spa menu, signaling mainstream acceptance inside the city’s luxury wellness scene.
At the same time, Florida’s medical cannabis infrastructure is large and visible to visitors—even if they cannot buy without a state medical card. As of August 8, 2025, Florida counted 921,698 active qualified patients and 727 dispensing locations statewide. In and around South Beach, medical dispensaries such as Curaleaf (Collins Avenue) and Surterra (Alton Road) are a short ride from Ocean Drive—useful context for medical travelers who plan to consume legally in private accommodations.
Rules matter on Ocean Drive. Public consumption of cannabis is illegal; Miami Beach specifically bans smoking marijuana, hemp, or cannabis on beaches and in parks, and the city enforces a broader tobacco smoking ban on beaches as well. Violations can result in fines or even jail time—an important reminder that cannabis-curious travel here is private, wellness-led, and compliant.
Visitors will also notice tighter oversight of hemp products. Florida regulators have stepped up enforcement against illegal sales to minors and continue to debate stricter rules, reflecting a statewide effort to keep intoxicating hemp in check while the medical program expands. For tourists, that means buying only from reputable, compliant retailers.
Put together, Ocean Drive’s “cannabis tourism” is not a free-for-all; it is a maturing, wellness-centered scene buoyed by record visitor numbers, high interest in cannabis-related experiences, and visible—but regulated—access points for qualified medical patients. Travelers come for the ocean and nightlife, then layer in CBD spa treatments, culinary exploration, and art-and-culture itineraries that keep consumption discreet and lawful. In short, Ocean Drive is becoming a hotspot by channeling curiosity into compliant, premium experiences—South Beach style.