MIAMI ESCAPES | COCONUT GROVE |
Just south of Downtown and the Beaches sits boutique shops, eclectic restaurants and Miami's original art gallery district. It's no surprise that Coconut Grove has become a home for for tycoons, artists, writers, and musicians galore, and truth be told, more than its share of kooks, eccentrics, and free spirits. Although this bustling district is one of the oldest in Miami, it seems to just be hitting its prime. Full of energy and creativity, the Grove is as busy as South Beach, but in a different way. Instead of attracting models and body builders, it draws in artists, writers and patrons of the arts. There are hundreds of fabulous shops and restaurants crammed within this small area, most of them located on the CocoWalk or on the Streets of Mayfair. The Coconut Grove Playhouse is one of the best live theater venues in the southeastern United States. Experience everything from world class shopping, golf, sailing, fishing, restaurants, night life, museums, animal sanctuaries and professional sports during your fun filled Florida vacation.
Coconut Grove is home the turn of the century manision Vizcaya. You can also spend your time on less cerebral pursites such as browzing the shops of the CocoWalk or the Streets of Mayfair. Restaurants and sidewalk cafes offer a kaleidoscope of flavors from every corner of the globe. Each night our variety of bars and nightclubs fill the center with sparkling lights, music and laughter.
Once known as an artist's community, there is a bike path along the Coconut Grove area that now offers shopping, and waterside parks. Many visitors’ bike or rollerblade into the Grove on the weekend, because of the bike path that enables travel from south and west of the area.
Coconut Grove has a secret -- just off Main Highway lies an oasis from the 21st century. That secret, The Barnacle Historic State Park, offers a view of Biscayne Bay and of Old Florida. Commodore Ralph Munroe's home and boathouse are right out of the 19th century and one can well imagine what life may have been like as he and his family made a home in the wilds of South Florida. A walk into the park passes through a tropical hardwood hammock. In the 1920s, it was representative of the original landscape within the city of Miami. Today, it is one of the last remnants of the once vast Miami Hammock. Enjoy sitting in the rocking chairs on the spacious porch used as a gathering place or on a bench under a tree for solitude.
Take a walk through Coconut Grove and don’t forget to visit the Coconut Grove Farmers Market. Enjoy the open-air organic market, where you'll find more than just the typical goods. Freshly harvested fruits and veggies await you, as well as freshly squeezed juices and raw fruit pies. Don't miss out on the organic deli or other herb specialties |
MIAMI ESCAPES | CORAL GABLES |
| Tree-lined boulevards, winding roadways and green spaces give Coral Gables, Florida its identity as "The City Beautiful." Shoppers flock to fine boutiques and specialty stores along Coral Gables' Miracle Mile to find the hottest new styles. Coral Gables restaurants appear on the culinary map for a variety of cuisines. Their elegant ambience and exacting service are taken for granted in Coral Gables, Florida - a city dedicated to fine living
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