10 Things to do in Coral Gables

Are you in for an adventure in the most historic places in South Florida? Then, Coral Gables is an excellent option. Coral Gables is one of the most explorable and historic places to visit in Miami Dade county, in the country of South Florida.

Coral cables are endowed with lots of fun attractions which draw in individuals from different parts of the world. This city is known for its beautiful mansions, tree-lined lakes, tropical rainforest, and exciting views from centuries ago. Coral Gables offers incredible restaurant options, waterfront views, lush greenery, swanky hotels, and urban and suburban options.

It has a beautiful butterfly display, coffee shops, Museums, parks, sidewalk cafes, Florida oaks, treasures in artistic style, and a lot more. It is in fact one of the best places that you won't want to return from because it is naturally and creatively beautified.

In this article, you'll get to know the best things to do in Coral Gables.

Here 17 Best Things to Do in Coral Gables

There are so many exciting things to do in Coral gables and beautiful places in this city. Luckily, we’ve written all you need to know about the top places to visit when you make a trip here and of course the thrilling activities you can do here.

1. Visit the Coral Gables Merrick House

Coral Gables Merrick house, also known as Merrick Manor is a historic house located at 907 coral way in Coral Gables, Florida. This Merrick house is one of the oldest places in South Florida and it has been listed on the National Register of Historic places since 13th April, 1973.

It was constructed in 1906 by Althea Fink Merrick and served as a residence to the family of the Merricks. However, George Merrick founded and reconstructed the city of Coral Gables, in 1925 which has given it worldwide recognition.

Merrick house is widely known for the family's legacy and historical landmarks. It receives visitors from different locations only twice a week to behold its beauty and creativity. These tours are led by dedicated and able docents. The Merrick house has lots of historic antique paintings, art, books, photographs, handicrafts and a lot more. A visit to the Merrick house is an exciting one!

2. Visit the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical botanic garden is one of the amazing places to visit in Coral Gables. It is endowed with lovely flowering trees, tropical fruits, species, vibes, aroids, and many more! The botanic garden has the biggest Palm collection in the United States with over 600 species, and it's officially recognized as the U.S. National palm collection.

It has natural communities such as Keys coastal habitat, Pine Rocklands,and Bahama collection. The most important part of the garden is the center for plant conservation, working along with consortium botanical gardens, which conserves and preserves plants.

Moreover, the garden has Museums, a laboratory on-site, and a study site. Most times, the staff in the garden organizes moral and educational exercises. These exercises are aimed at teaching and exposing children to nature and all its intent. They teach topics like ecology, botany, and the essence of plant preservation.

It has a lot of incredible things to offer. You can also decide to take a stroll into this beautiful garden to feel its beauty.

3. Spend Time at The Biltmore Hotel

You can also choose to go to the Biltmore hotel, they are fascinating. Biltmore hotel is one of the most luxurious and classic hotels in Coral Gables, Florida. It was developed and renamed "Graduate Providence" on April 2, 2019, as part of the AJ capital boutique chain "Graduate hotels" across the U.S. Yet, its Biltmore sign is still in use.

The Biltmore hotel welcomes lots of visitors over the years, including celebrities, politicians, mobsters, and bootleggers. And they spend most of their time in restaurants and bars. This hotel is neatly furnished with antiquities and hand- painted ceilings with one of the biggest swimming pools. Here’s more, it is recorded as one of the tallest buildings in Florida.

Are you a fan of golf or do you love playing golf? You should be excited because the Biltmore hotel offers opportunities for golf playing. They organize classes and coach golf players to be professionals. If you attend Jim McLean Golf School, at Biltmore hotel, they will definitely coach you on how to be the best player.

So, why not take time off to spend at the Biltmore hotel? You will love it!

4. Visit the Gablestage

Gablestage is one of the most long running and distinguished theaters in South Florida, it is the best of its kind and it is located in Anastasia Eve. This stage is known for its display of thrilling and exciting shows. In so many years, Gablestage has been producing quality shows that are relevant to the community of South Africa.

They also received an award as the prestigious South African theatre with over 200 nominations in the South African theatre scene. They reach a larger audience in South Florida by producing provoking and intriguing shows that solve contemporary problems.

Moreover, Gablestage works with Miami Dade public school’s cultural passport program to give access to cultural/educational outreach to children and teachers. At the outreach, the teacher and students often engage in a talkback session, about what they experienced. The exciting news about all these programs is that they are for free-of-charge. So, a visit to the gable stage is a worthwhile one.

5. Shops at Merrick Park

One of the best things to do in Coral Gables is to explore the shops at Merrick park. Shops at Merrick park are located in the heart of Coral Gables. They sell products and feature luxurious brands such as Burberry, Gucci, Tiffany, and many more. There are exciting and classic shopping, entertainment, fine dining, fitness, offices, and residences for individuals who love beauty and fantasy.

Just like other communities, Coral gables feature individuals who seek to live a high standard of living by providing high-quality and expensive brands of clothes and other accessories. They also provide lots of fitness equipment and varieties of food shops.

So, take your time and buy high-quality and classic wear at the Coral Gables shop. You will love it.

6. Visit the Historic Villages

Visiting the historic Villages is one of the amazing things to do in Coral Gables. There are about seven villages built by George Merrick, the founder of Coral Gables. These villages were inspired by Mediterranean style architecture. George Merrick built these villages to attract more homebuyers to the area.

These seven villages include: Chinese villages, French country village, French city village, Dutch South African village, the Italian village, the French provincial village, the Florida pioneer village.

If you take a tour round the villages, you'll notice that the buildings are townhouses constructed in a firmly knit square -showing the English and French villages in that region. Also, the villages are always filled with lots of fun attractions and historical places. Additionally, the hall is built with hollow tile and poured concrete with a flat, shingled roof. Taking a stroll in the historic village is adventurous.

7. Cape Florida Lighthouse

The Cape Florida lighthouse has one of the most exciting views in South Florida. The lighthouse is located in Miami-Dade County on the island of Key Biscayne. It is a beautiful historical place, which was previously destroyed by hurricanes, Indian attacks, civil war battles, etc., and its treasures still withstood its beauty and hardness. In this sense, this decades-old lighthouse has been destroyed and built repeatedly since its existence.

However, Cape Florida, which is situated at a landmark in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State parks still maintains its oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Although, it has been restored and rebuilt repeatedly since its existence in 1825.

You can go on a tour inside the cape Florida lighthouse, but these tours are only limited to some specific days. On the tour, the tour guides tell incredible stories about its existence and so on. But, the most amazing part of the tour is what you'll see after climbing the 109 stairs in the building, which is the "world's most beautiful views' '.

8. Coral Gables Museums

Coral gables museum is the most impressive and creative art Museum in Florida. It is situated at the former police and fire station areas. This museum is explorable and it is filled with amazing designs, architecture, historic landscapes etc. The Museums was once the city's first court, and went through several roles before it finally became a Museum. This Museum is well furnished with architectural gems, ornate, coral rocks and many fascinating rocks.

The museum is dedicated to preserving the history, culture, and architecture of the country. They feature exhibitions on a variety of topics, such as art, history and culture and its exhibition displays the rich history and cultural heritage of the community. In addition, the Museums also offers educational programs, events and public lectures.

You can visit the Coral Gables Museums for an intriguing experience.

9. Coral Gables Farmers Market

Going to the Coral Gables farmer market is one of the things you should do in Coral Gables. The market is a weekly event held in the city of Coral Gables, Florida. It usually takes place on Saturdays, from 8:00am to 2:00 pm. It has a lot of vendors selling fresh products, baked goods and other locally sourced food items. In addition, visitors can also enjoy the live music and delicious meals from local vendors.

This farmer's market is held between January and March, in Gables Youth center which is open to all. The market is a very great place to purchase high-quality products and assist small business owners and local agricultural produce.

Coral Gables farmer's market has a lot to offer and you won't want to miss out on any.

10. Have Fun at the Venetian Pool

The venetian pool is a public swimming pool in Coral Gables Florida. It was built in 1942 and ever since, it has become one of the most popular and historic places in the city. The pool is located at the heart of Coral Gables and is surrounded by lush, tropical landscaping. It features a series of pools connected by the waterfalls, caves and grottos, as well as diving areas and children's pools.

It has extinguishing characteristics which are its natural beauty and lovely atmosphere. The pool has been loved and enjoyed by thousands of individuals since 1923, with over 820,000 gallons of water.

Moreover, it has been drained and regained numerous times in the past for specific purposes. In 1981, It was listed as the only National Register of historic pools in the city.

This Venetian pool is open to all and it has varieties of amenities including lifeguards, poolside cabanas and a snack bar.

Final Thoughts
Coral Gables has lots of attractions, creative activities, educational programs and a lot more! That's what you shouldn't miss out on. Taking a visit to the Coral Gables will surely be worthwhile. So, which of the things do you want to do first at Coral Gables?