Fun Things to Do in Coral Gables

Coral Gables is a city just south of Miami with a tropical feel in a very upscale atmosphere.  With so many things to do in Coral Gables, we thought we would feature our favorite places to go and see in our “city beautiful.”

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.  For locals and visitors alike, Fairchild is an enchanting place to visit.  There is so much to see from fragrant tropical plants and flowers to the world’s largest collection of palms, this is the perfect place to spend a relaxing day exploring the gardens, science village and special events.  The Science Village features an interactive exhibition that showcases nature at its most elaborate with over 3,000 butterflies and more in which visitors of all ages can participate.  It captivates and mesmerizes everyone who steps into this venue of exploration.  In addition to offering some of the most beautiful flowers, trees and plants, the garden is a catalyst for education and conservation.  We love the annual events like the Mango Festival in July and the Bird and Edible Garden Festivals in October.  For kids, the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden offers Free Days at Fairchild every first Wednesday, June through November – no better way to keep kids thinking and learning through the summer!

Matheson Hammock Park.  For anyone who wants to be at the beach very quickly, Matheson Hammock Park is the perfect place.  As the first county park in Miami, this 630-acre park showcases a man-made atoll with palm trees all around the area.  This is great for families who want to let their kids safely play in the water and enjoy a day at the beach.  With a snack bar, restaurant and picnic areas, it really makes for a perfect day in the Florida sunshine.  Kite boarders love launching at Matheson because of the calm waters and active breezes.  On top of all of this, there is a full-service marina that accommodates vessels up to 50 feet.  After spending one day there, everyone will see why we love Matheson so much.

Venetian Pool.  The Venetian Pool is just simply cool.  One of our clients calls it a “chunk of paradise” and that is it in a nutshell.  Made from a coral rock quarry in 1924 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, people from all over the area come to spend the day at this magical wonder.  We always suggest it to clients as a “must see.”  The interesting thing is that it is the largest fresh water pool in the United States where the water is displaced every day from artesian wells – over 800K gallons EVERY DAY! 

Family Day on Aragon.  The second Saturday of each month between 11am and 4pm, Coral Gables Museum, Coral Gables Art Cinema and Books and Books join forces to offer a family friendly day of cultural activities.  It includes story-telling, music movies in an air-conditioned theatre (after all, this is South Florida) and so much more -- even pilates!  We love going to each place by itself but, as a group effort, they really hit the nail on the head as a wonderful Gables event.  For families, this is a very inexpensive day where everything is free or extremely discounted.  Kids love the movies and stories and parents love to meander through the museum. 

Miami Science Museum.  For now, it is a Coral Gables landmark…until the completion of the Frost Museum of Science in Brickell.  Located just across from Vizcaya, there is so much to see and do at the Miami Science Museum.  Current exhibits showcase moving things, hurricanes, Miami climate and more.  Other fascinating things to see are the planetarium, an energy tracker, Florida birds and other exhibits.  Kids can participate in summer camps and other summer fun.  We always recommend this place to clients because it is enthralling to see everything.  To take it one step further, the new museum set to be completed in 2015 offers a virtual tour on the website so that anyone can watch the progress of the new construction.

Much More to See and Do

With so much more to see and do, these are five of our favorite things to do in Coral Gables.  Surrounded by phenomenal Coral Gables real estate, residents are so fortunate to have these outstanding venues at their doorsteps.  No wonder everyone loves Coral Gables!