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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami Area HOTELS and MOTELS Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to view > 1960 - the Silver Sands motel, home of the Sand Bar restaurant, at 301 Ocean Drive, Key Biscayne
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1960

1960 - the Silver Sands motel, home of the Sand Bar restaurant, at 301 Ocean Drive, Key Biscayne

301 Ocean Drive, Key Biscayne, Florida


The was the first hotel south of the Crandon Park cabanas and the stretch of land and beach from the Silver Sands south was undeveloped for a mile or two and it was a great place to make out with your girl on a blanket or in the water in the mid-1960's. The Silver Sands was owned by Claughton Hotels, Inc. and they obtained a variance to put a nice restaurant named the Sand Bar restaurant on the east end of the above wing of the hotel so folks could dine overlooking the beach, surf and ocean. It was absolutely beautiful like being in Tahiti, the food was great and I have several fond memories of dining there in the mid to late 1970's.


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Nadine 20-Feb-2021 17:14
I used to meet after work with my sister-in-law Betsy, who was secretary to Ed Claughton at that time. I will always remember the waterfall window and the great food at that restaurant. Too bad Miami doesn’t have places like that today 2021. I loved all the comments from people who had a great experience at the sandbar and to the great people that worked there.
Nadine
Bill 24-Nov-2019 16:08
I learned to swim at the Silver Sands and I believe it was Dick Coutura (sp?) who taught me and my brother. It was the only motel on the island (1960's). Later my parents bought a place on Mashta Drive and then my grandparents rented a house from Mr. Zimmerman (?). They went to the Presbyterian Church every Sunday by the Yacht Club where my parents also had a boat. Across the canal at there house was Bebe Rebozo's place where Richard Nixon hung out in the winters (a lot of Navy Seals hanging around). I went back there in 1990 when I got married and there was bus service and wall-to-wall condos. Sad, but good memories.
Paul 05-Feb-2018 22:25
You know I think Adrianna's right. I said "Crow's Nest" but the upper bar was called the "Eagle's Nest" if I recall correctly (time messes with one's memory). It's been a long time but that didn't sit right after I mentioned it. Was very close to the gameroom in the bottom of the Sonesta. Don't forget the Goombay band that was always the last attraction in the 4th of July Parade and Dr. Hanwerker and his car!
Paul 05-Feb-2018 22:16
My older sister and I were taught to swim (better) there in the mid-60s by a man named Dick Catrer (sic). We lived on the Key (I guess I'm a Key-rat ;-). Our friends from Venezuela used to come stay there a lot so it became a second home during the summers. Nice to be on the beach. I dropped in after Andrew (live in NM these days) and the walkway out by the beach and around the sandbar was all uprooted and the place a bit of a mess, probably more from the ocean than the wind. I miss the beach, the pool the Sandbar and the Crow's Nest and just walking around in sand-covered feet in my bathing suit all day. Visited there often as I grew older but stopped visiting after Andrew. Glad it's not a huge condo these days but they need to work on getting the old character back. Just not sure there are enough people around to bring back the "old character" anyhow.
Don Boyd25-Oct-2016 16:45
Guest of 24-OCT-2016, thank you for posting that information. I haven't been over on the key in many years and I just figured that a big condo replaced it like the rest of the key. I'm sure there's some folks who would like to stay there just for old memories' sake.

Don
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Guest 24-Oct-2016 16:40
I still stay at the Silver Sands. No more bar...the pool is still so beautiful. The current owners haven't updated in forever and the rooms are not as clean as they could be with a bit of effort. But..it is still a beautiful spot to land and renew.
Jim Allcorn 26-Sep-2016 17:28
Worked at the Sonesta and used to go next door to the Sand Bar many nites meting friends and drinking Vodka Martinis. 1974-1976
Alan and Millie Raphael 09-Aug-2015 02:26
So many wonderful memories. Learning to swim there. Rescuing sea turtles; the Sand Bar breakfasts, the great staff. In 1989. my wondrful husband proposed to me upstairs at the Crow's nest and told me to think about it. I said yes by the time we got a table overlooking the ocean downstairs. That place was such a special part of our lives. We still miss it!
Conrad 04-Mar-2015 00:55
My wife Joan Sameth took swimming lessons at the Silver Sands pool.
I think this was in the late 50's or early 60's. I remember going to the motel
in the late 80's, but I don't think I stayed there. Did stay later at the beautiful
Sonesta next door. Both gone now. Too bad.
Don Boyd28-Feb-2015 22:30
Thank you for posting, Monica. I never knew when it closed and it's a shame that it wasn't rebuilt to keep the memories alive for a younger generation.

Don
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Monica 28-Feb-2015 20:40
I worked as a waitress at the Sand Bar from 1987 to 1992 till the last day. Hurricane Andrew destroyed it. I really loved working there!!
Monica
Don Boyd31-Oct-2014 18:20
Thank you to all the posters who have added a treasure trove of additional information about the Silver Sands and the Sand Bar. No one can remember everything, especially after this much time has passed, but collectively a bunch of folks can come up with a lot of details and memories to make the history far more complete.

Adrianna, thank you for your great memories and for taking the time to post them here.

Don
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Adrianna Still Cruz 30-Oct-2014 14:58
Hi! I used to dine there with my then boyfriend, now husband, in 1983 and 1984. We always started upstairs and the name of that part was "The Eagles Nest." I always had a "Planters Punch" which is a fruity rum concoction. At that time, Louis Archambeau played there on certain nights. He played at The English Pub across the street, as well as Tobacco Road. I remember he drank a lot and was always grouchy (I didn't DARE request a song, I'd seen him snarl at many a customer who approached him with a song request) but I'm not even saying that in a negative way, it was just part of the "scene."

We rented a room there once, in 1984, and I still have a matchbook with "Nov 1984" written inside. Can't believe it will be 30 years!

Adrianna Still Cruz
Guest 20-Jul-2014 21:58
There was also an upstairs unroofed deck for star-gazing & moonrises--great with good conversation & drinkcitos!

Laurie
Guest 11-Mar-2013 21:39
I worked at Jordan March 1966 to 1970 and after work on the late shift we would all meet at the San Bar, A great intimate place . We had wonderful times sharing cocktails and friendship. I remember the water that they would turn on to rinse the windows of the salt water. It was like being in a cottage in a sand dune.. Great memories sad I can's go back.
Jamie Downing 15-Jun-2012 08:31
Fantastic place. We visited as a family from the UK in 1978, when I was 7 years old (one of three visits) and can honestly say it holds the best holiday memories I have. It was in the days when the exchange rate was $2.40 to £1 so we ate in the Sand Bar every day! (the clam chowder was my favourite). I remember one year we stayed the world final of 'SuperStars' was being held at The Sonesta Beach. My father is still in touch with a regular from the Sand Bar (James Slowin). Fantastic place, fantastic memories.
Guest 02-Jun-2012 04:47
I shared 3 generations of family get togethers at the Sandbar from 1970's through 1990. A landmark, great memories from a one of a kind spot. I rent hotel rooms there now with my kids. They don't realize they're the babies from the old pictures from the 80's. Wonderful historical site!
Guest 08-Apr-2012 14:00
I also worked at Sandbar in 1975, and having som greate memories from there.I´ll remember Richard Ed Harvy John and all others from all over the world who worked there.As Richard says it was greate to work at deck in the night and hear the ocean.A lot of guests from all over the world was amazed at our cozy restaurant.
Thorbjorn"Eric"Axelson
Richard 21-Jan-2012 05:35
Wow. What memories. I remember Ed Harvey well. Recently out of college, I was a waiter at the Sand Bar off and on from 1972 to 1975. I remember watching Secretariat win the Triple Crown on TV in the bar in 1973. The Sand Bar was a magical place to work, breakfast, lunch or dinner. The diners were always great, the staff worked well together, and Mr. Harvey always just let us do our jobs. I especially loved working the tables out on the deck, where the lovers sat and watched the ocean. Terrific memories, for sure.

Richard
Don Boyd28-May-2010 02:28
Guest, thank you very much for providing that great information on the history involved with the above photo.

Don
Guest 27-May-2010 23:26
I am looking at the menu as I type this post. The menu tells the following: Key Biscayne was once a coconut plantation owned by he Matheson family (of Matheson Hammock fame). The Mathesons started constructing the Silver Sands Motel in 1956; it was the island's first ocean-front motel. Three years later (1959), the Claughton family acquired the motel from the Mathesons. In 1960, as part of the Silver Sands expansion, the Sandbar restaurant was built to serve motel guests and visitors. In 1986, the Silver Sands property was purchased by VMS Realty of Chicago IL. I know the Sandbar closed for good after Hurricane Andrew in August 1992.
Nancy Foye-Cox 27-Apr-2010 19:45
Eating near the water and the best seafood around is a memory we won't soon forget.
Nancy Foye-Cox 27-Apr-2010 19:42
I met my husband-to-be at the Sand Bar in July 1988 when a group of mutual friends had dinner there. I lived in Miami then, and he lived in New Mexico. We married in May 1989, and I moved to New Mexico. I still have the menu from the restaurant. When we moved to Ft. Lauderdale in 1994 and visited Key Biscayne again, the Sand Bar was gone... destroyed in a hurricane I think. We now live in Akron OH.
Guest 19-Feb-2010 17:40
Yes Bebe has it right "The bar had a large glass window overlooking the water. If you asked the bartender, he would press a button which would release a cascade of water on the outside of the window. I presume it was put in initially to clean the residue of salt off the outside of the window. What fun !!" I used to visit the Sand Bar after work at the Royal Biscayne Hotel.
Guest 11-Feb-2010 03:19
Aida
My name is Aida Hernandez, I also had the great privilidge to experience many romantic dinner at the Sand Bar Restaurant. I think it was the best place in town to eat sea food. I wish it could be rebuilt, I will cheerish thode memories for ever.
Ed Claughton 16-Jan-2010 13:40
Even though I wasn't old enough to partake in the cocktails I remember the sunken bar overlooking the beach. I can still smell the restaurant and see the colored glass candles on the tables with the plastic mesh around them. I was there almost every weekend swimming and going to the beach. It was wonderful!

Ed Claughton
Don Boyd30-Oct-2009 02:26
John, thank you for writing in with your memories and comments. You were a part of the history of this nicely remembered facility on Key Biscayne.

Don
john kilby 30-Oct-2009 00:45
My name is John Kilby,and I was the General Manager of the Silver Sands from 1972-1978-wonderful years on the Key-before the developers ruined it-I was hired by Ed Claughton in April of 1972-it was a great job-I loved the place in those days,and met a lot of interesting people from all over the world-it was definately a "very special place"no doubt about it-The Sand Bar was a great little restaurant a guy named Ed Harvey was the manager there-what can I say?Regretably its all finished-I am delighted to read these posts of custoners who enjoyed it as much as I did.-Take care John
Walt 29-Aug-2009 15:33
Yes, it was the Sand Bar and I spent many Friday afternoons there in the 1970's. Your dad was a customer of mine at the old one story United National Bank of Miami at 631 Brickell Ave. SunTrust Tower is now on that spot. We would close the bank at 2PM (except for the Drive-In tellers who remained open until 6PM) and head to the Sand Bar for a late lunch and cocktails to start the weekend. Wonderful memories!!!
Becky 25-Apr-2009 05:42
I remember this place when I was in my late teens. My sister used to take me there for lunch often. What a great place. It is a great memory of growing up. Part of who I have become is due to the Sand Bar and my experience there.
Don Boyd16-Apr-2009 15:44
Thanks Ed, I appreciate it. I couldn't have a better source than you on the name so I've changed the title and description. What a great place that was!

Don
Guest 16-Apr-2009 06:45
The correct name is the "Sand Bar". My father owned it and yes, what memories...
Ed Claughton III
Walt 13-Feb-2009 21:38
Oh my, I used to go to this place on Friday afternoons in the 1970's when I was a banker at the first bank located on Brickell Avenue. Ed Claughton who owned the place was a bank customer.
Bebe 09-Aug-2008 16:56
The bar had a large glass window overlooking the water. If you asked the bartender, he would press a button which would release a cascade of water on the outside of the window. I presume it was put in initially to clean the residue of salt off the outside of the window. What fun !!
Arieden 02-Apr-2008 00:05
I loved the restaurant there! It was a great place for a casual lunch overlooking the ocean. There aren't many places like that left in Miami anymore.
Susan 01-Feb-2008 04:35
I remember this place with the waterfall window overlooking the bay. Didn't it have those roll pleated turquoise leather booths?

It was one of those places you associated with martinis and Frank Sinatra songs.
Drew 13-Jan-2008 03:48
As I said under the other photo, the bar was a great place during the early 80s, while I was at UM. I remember it as the Sand Dollar. Kind of a "hut" design, with a balcony overlooking the ocean. Years earlier, while a kid in Miami (late 60s - early 70s), the bar/restaurant reminded me of something from "Gilligan's island."
Don Boyd07-Dec-2007 15:24
I've re-added the Sand Bar title to it because I recall that name also. I guess it's possible that it had three names over the years. Thanks for your input. Don
LMSHUT 07-Dec-2007 07:25
I remember it as the Sand Bar in the early 80's. Great place to take dates since you could get a drink and take a nice romantic walk on the beach. Also remember renting a room at this motel after my high school prom. Great memories!
Don Boyd18-Sep-2007 02:36
Thanks, I was leaning towards that name myself but I never know if I have beer damaged memory cells sometimes. I'll change it to the Sand Dollar.

Don
Guest 18-Sep-2007 01:18
My Wife says its the sand dollar,she went to the beach there regularly.
Don Boyd14-Sep-2007 16:17
You are correct, thanks for pointing that out. Was it the Sand Bar or the Sand Dollar? I added both names to the comments above until someone confirms which name it was. Don
Guest 14-Sep-2007 15:33
Isn't that where the "Sand Bar" restaurant was, in the back on the beach? They had one of the best fish sandwiches in town. I think this place got torn down after Hurricane Andrew.