These exclusive hangouts range from beach clubs where you’ll always find a sunny seat to exclusive lounges, dining clubs, and sports-focused spaces with padel courts. And while, in some ways, this concept feels like a thing of the past, members-only clubs in Miami are popping up now more than ever.
“[There’s] a growing desire for exclusive, sophisticated, and personalized experiences that cater to a variety of interests,” says Maryam Miranda, owner and operator of Seaspice and AIR, a new members club slated to open this summer. “Offering an escape from Miami’s conventional club scene, private clubs allow for a more curated and intimate social environment to see and be seen.”
Miami is now home to at least a dozen members-only clubs, but the thirst for this type of experience dates back more than 100 years. Pioneered by The Bath Club, which remains open today, locals have been visiting members-only clubs since 1926, when a trip to the venue meant rubbing shoulders with the airline industry’s William Boeing, jewelry magnate Pierre Cartier, and former President Herbert Hoover.
Now dining clubs with sky-high prices like ZZ’s Club dominate the scene alongside other spaces geared toward a younger generation at a more affordable price point. So whether you want to get in on the fun yourself or simply gawk at sky-high prices and wild application questions, here’s everything you need to know to join the most exclusive members-only clubs in Miami.
Miami Beach
The Bath Club is Miami Beach’s oldest private membership club and when it opened in 1926, it was the preferred hideaway for wealthy businessmen and world leaders. In 1996, entrepreneur Don Peebles became the club's first Black member and would go on to purchase the property, keeping the club’s sophisticated ambiance and promoting “inclusive exclusivity.” The Bath Club reopened in 2021 after extensive renovations and the historic beach club includes a fine dining restaurant and cocktail lounge. Outside, guests have access to a pristine stretch of beachfront, a sparking pool, and clay tennis courts.
How to get in: To start an application, you’ll have to first fill out a membership inquiry form that asks questions about your education level, greatest achievement, and favorite travel destination. Questions about membership can be directed to membership@thebathclub.com.
Miami Beach and Miami River
If you're the designated reservation-booker in your group, the MM CLUB membership is going to be of interest. This new membership offers access to exclusive dining and lounge experiences in Miami and Orlando with menus curated by chef Michael Michaelidis, known for helming the Riviera Dining Group. You’ll get preferential status and last-minute bookings at MILA, Casa Neos (which is scheduled to open this summer in Miami River), and AVA MM in Orlando. If that’s not enough, MM has partnered with Vanquish Yachts to offer members eight-hour rides on a 12-person V45 yacht, which also comes with a captain and steward.
How to get in: Prospective members can join with a referral from two current members and an approved application, which is sent out after completing an online intake form. For more information, please email info@rivieradininggroup.com.
Design District
This exclusive Miami District padel club is perfect for those who want to break a sweat in a state-of-the-art facility. Building upon the success of the company's New York location in Hudson Yards and Miami Seaplane Base padel clubs, both of which are accessible to the public with optional membership benefits, the Design District location serves as Reserve’s first members-only club, offering three, sleek glass-enclosed padel courts and onsite amenities like a pro shop stocked with high-end padel gear and Reserve-branded apparel. Membership also includes access to the Miami Seaplane Base location and comes with priority booking and access to special events and activations at both locations.
How to get in: The club is invitation only and interested parties can email designdistrict@reservepadel.com to inquire about membership.
Miami Beach
Tucked inside the Mondrian South Beach, Baia Beach Club opened in 2020 and features an indoor and outdoor restaurant, plus a gorgeous pool that overlooks Biscayne Bay. Beach Club members get discounted rates on food, and the restaurant features elevated dishes like fresh oysters, Galician-style octopus, and a hearty lamb ragu. If you’re into fitness classes, membership also gets you access to yoga and fitness boot camps as well as a $150 annual spa credit. Water sports enthusiasts can take advantage of the complimentary book dockage (for the first four hours) along with complimentary kayaks and paddle boards.
How to get in: Membership requirements include an application accompanied by a headshot. There’s a $200 enrollment fee and membership starts at $2,400 a year. For inquiries contact info@baiabeachclubmiami.com.
Miami Beach
Located in a restored Art Deco building that overlooks Miami Beach, Soho Beach House is an outpost of the London-based social club that’s a favorite of young professionals and creatives. The club’s outdoor spaces—outfitted with straw lamps, hanging patio lights, and preppy striped beach loungers—are a chill haven for after-hours drinks and mellow pool parties. The property is both a hotel and members club, and club members have full range of hotel amenities which include an eighth-story rooftop pool, beach chairs and loungers, spa, and an indoor/outdoor gym space. Cecconi’s, the property’s courtyard Italian restaurant, offers spaghetti lobster and wood oven pizzas, and the second-floor club restaurant serves up shareable plates of arepas and croquettes. Locals can soon join the brand's second location Miami Pool House, slated to open later this year.
How to get in: To begin the membership process, you’ll have to first create an online profile with a photo and short bio. Membership options include access to your local Soho House or to the global portfolio of Houses. Membership starts at $665.50 per quarter, and if you’re under 27, you’ll be granted a discounted membership until your 30th birthday.
Miami Beach
Home to a kaleidoscopic basement skating rink and bowling alley, The Miami Beach EDITION is also home to a chic private beach club. Opened in 2014, the beach club offers members beachfront loungers and daybeds with food and drink service, use of two pools, and preferred rates on spa treatments and hotel rooms. The poolside restaurant Tropicale has gorgeous ocean views and offers a long list of cocktails and local bites like Florida grouper tacos and jerk chicken sandwiches.
How to get in: The beach club has annual membership options for singles, couples, and families, and two member referrals are required. After filling out this online form, which asks applicants to describe why they have “the right profile” for the club, an application will be sent out. For questions, contact mb.membership@editionshotels.com.
Design District
If scoring a reservation at one of the many Major Food Group restaurants that have taken over Miami wasn’t enough, join ZZ’s Club. Since its debut in 2021, the private dining club has been a status symbol among Miami’s high-caliber foodies. The space includes a modern Japanese restaurant, a cigar terrace, and a lounge showcasing a range of music programming—and members also get enhanced access to other Major Food Group restaurants like Carbone, Chateau ZZ, and more.
How to get in: Apply for membership via this online form. The application asks about other club memberships and whether the applicant is left- or right-handed, plus requests preferences like favorite cocktail, favorite hotels, and more. The application requires two referrals, including one founding member. Membership is $3,500 annually, with a one-time initiation fee of $10,000.
Miami River
One of the newest kids on the block, AIR will debut this summer with a gold and teal lounge that resembles a luxury superyacht. That being said, the club prides itself on being "worldly and sophisticated, but not lofty and elitist." Located above the waterfront Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge (which has already been christened by guests like David Beckham and Beyonce) the invitation-only club is an extension of the famed restaurant and offers cocktails and elevated bites like caviar, koji cured salmon, and wagyu steak tartare. The club offers 180-degree views of the Miami River, and inside there’s a sleek, chrome-accented bar and a submarine-inspired DJ booth. Membership includes access to exclusive events and entertainment.
How to get in: To start the membership process, complete this online intake form. After submission, a team member will be in touch to start the application process. Contact info@airmiami.com with any questions.
