The Neighborhood of North Bay Village
Community Info
North Bay Village is an enclave within the neighborhood of North Beach. It is bounded by Indian Creek in the south, the Isle of Normandy to the north, and Biscayne Bay to the east and west. The neighborhood is known for its lush tropical landscaping and beautiful views of Biscayne Bay. Like most of the areas island communities, there is one road into the neighborhood with a guardhouse, making it exceptionally safe and quiet. Architectural Styles range from Spanish Mediterranean to Modern. A great place for growing families and avid boaters.
Here are just a few things that make the North Bay Village neighborhood stand out:
Normandy Shores Golf Course: Classic 78-plus-year-old golf course with all the amenities of a professional course. Completely renovated in 2008, renowned architect Arthur Hills designed the new course where the highest ranked inaugural amateur tournament – the South Beach International Amateur – is played.
Great Security: The neighborhoods guardhouse is manned 24/7, and all the visitors auto tags are logged as a security measure. This provides residents with a layer of safety that keeps the islands secure.
Privacy: Though not completely private, having a one-road access point does have its benefits. For the most part, anyone entering the islands either lives there or is doing work there. The resulting lack of traffic makes the streets safe for children and romantic walks under the tree canopy.
A short history of the North Bay Village neighborhood:
- Carl Fisher developed the island by dredging more than two million cubic yards from Biscayne Bay.
- The Normandy Shores Golf Course was completed on December 18, 1941. A golf hot spot in the 40’s and beyond, legendary golfers Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, and Peter Thompson have competed there. Additionally, so have some of questionable historical characters – like mobster Charlie the Blade and hustler Three-Iron Ward.
Restaurants & Attractions
Some of our favorite places to dine around North Bay Village:
Tacos 222: At first glance, as the pastel blue and pink on everything overwhelms you, you may ask yourself why you’ve come here. But then you remember. Tacos. One of Miami’s weird and fun hangouts, Taco 222 serves up tacos for the 21st century. Famous for their vegan offerings – like Vegan Chorizo and Vegan Pastor tacos – it has all the adventure of amazing street food and a roadside motel of the future. Obviously, they celebrate Taco Tuesday weekly, with amazing specials on margaritas. But it may be their David Lynch-worthy Karaoke nights that has earned them a special place in the neighborhood’s heart.
Benihana: I know – it’s a little touristy, but Benihana’s somewhat of a mainstay in the neighborhood. America’s first Japanese teppanyaki (the type of grill) restaurant came to Miami in the early seventies. In 2019, the original building was demolished and a beautiful new establishment rose out of the rubble in early 2020. Don’t worry – though the surroundings have changed, the food and entertainment have not. You can still risk your life during dinner while knife wielding chefs toss shrimp tails into your shirt’s front pocket. The reward for your courage? A delicious plate of grilled meat, fish and veggies – teppanyaki style.
Shuckers: Part boater’s oasis, part sports bar, Shucker’s is a local LEGEND. It is the very definition of a hangout, if you were in the 1960’s. Locals come here to slow the pace of life and enjoy incredible views from their table. Some come in on their boats, tie themselves off on a slip and enjoy meals and drinks ship-side. The menu contains your basic comfort foods, but you should start with their award winning Special Grilled Wings.
Favorite things to do in and around North Bay Village:
Happy’s Stork Lounge: Crowned “the Divingest Dive Bar in North Bay Village,” by the Miami New Times, the legend and lore of this 60+ year old establishment deserves a page of its own. It’s more than dive-y joint with a punching machine and a jukebox, it’s a microcosm of NBV locals; from downtown lawyers to exhausted construction workers, everyone feels tolerated here. Open to 5AM, it is the mandatory stop before heading home after a night out. But for us, one of the cool things about Happy’s is that the original owners name was a guy called Happy. Imagine.
There’s always the beach: Not to point out the obvious, but the North Bay Village neighborhood is on an island, and near a plethora of beautiful beaches. Don’t like sand? Go out on your boat (or charter one), rent a jet ski, go deep water fishing – there is an ocean out there with oceans worth of possibilities. So we say try it all. Leave no experience untested.
Location, location, location. North Bay Village puts you a stone’s throw away from the pleasures of South Beach, as well as some of Miami Beach’s cozy hangouts. Bottom line? Living in the North Bay Village neighborhood is one of South Florida’s many wonderful experiences where residents get the best of many worlds – from the cultural to the bohemian, from the reclusive to the sociable – Miami Beach and Miami have you covered. Have fun creating an amazing life.
North Bay Village Demographics
- There are people 2,623 living in North Bay Village.
- The median age of North Bay Village residents is 36, which makes it a fairly young community.
- In the lower island, 73% of the population is married and almost 90% on North Bay Village Island are married.
Distance to popular areas
South Beach: 4.4 miles
Design District: 5.3 miles
Midtown: 5.6 mile
Wynwood: 6.2 miles
Downtown Miami: 9.3 miles
Brickell City Center: 9.8 miles
Miami International Airport: 11 miles
Aventura Mall: 10.4 miles
Neighborhood Schools
Public:
Treasure Island Elementary School – Grades PK-5
North Beach Elementary School – Grades PK-5
Nautilus Middle School – Grades 6-8
Miami Beach Senior High School – Grades 9-12
Private:
Holy Spirit Church & Inst / Miami Beach Academy – Grades PK-1
Are you in love with North Bay Village?
Email or call me (305.318.8557) to learn more, talk about what’s available and hopefully visit a few of these amazing homes. I can’t wait to show you around.