Coral Gables, Florida, is a Miami-Dade town on the Jupiter-to-Key West coast. This guide covers 13 beaches, parks and attractions, 12 places to eat and 19 upcoming events, kept current from official sources. Top picks: Matheson Hammock Park, Local spring substitutes and Bakery pilgrimages. Nearest towns: Coconut Grove (0.9 mi) and Miami (5.5 mi).

Last updated September 7, 2026. Events refresh daily; places are hand-picked and re-checked monthly.

Coral Gables is the City Beautiful, planned in the 1920s around Miracle Mile, the Biltmore Hotel and the spring-fed Venetian Pool. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and Matheson Hammock's man-made atoll pool are the outdoor draws, and the University of Miami fills the fall weekends.

For the live version of everything below, open the Coral Gables page: things to do · events · where to eat.

Beaches & Parks in Coral Gables

  • Matheson Hammock Park (Coral Gables) — Man-made atoll pool flushed by the bay, mangrove trails, next to Fairchild Garden. Price: $5–7/car · Dogs: leashed.
  • Local spring substitutes (Coral Gables / FTL / Riviera Beach) — South Florida has no natural springs — they all sit north of Orlando. Local stand-ins: the spring-fed Venetian Pool in Coral Gables (1924 lagoon pool, $23, closed Mondays), the atoll pool at Matheson Hammock, the Snyder Park dog lake, and Peanut Island's snorkel lagoon.
  • Off-beach dog swims (Various) — Snyder Park dog lake (FTL), Canine Cove at South County Regional Park (West Boca), Lake Ida Dog Park (Delray), Amelia Earhart Bark Park dog pools (Hialeah), Perrine Wayside (Palmetto Bay). Dogs: yes.
  • Fall dog events (Various) — Fairchild Dog Dates (monthly), Riverwalk 'Mutts & Martinis' / Hound Halloween (Oct), LOOP Pooch Parade, Delray Howl-O-Ween (late Oct), Wynwood Halloween dog costume contest, Humane Society of Broward Walk for the Animals (typically Nov). Check goriverwalk.com, bringfido.com/event and Eventbrite as dates post. Dogs: yes.
  • Dog-friendly weekend-away hotels (Various) — Kimpton Shorebreak & Goodland (FTL; no fee, no size limit), The Ben and Canopy (WPB), Brazilian Court (Palm Beach), The Seagate and The Ray (Delray), Hard Rock Guitar Hotel and Margaritaville (Hollywood), Kimpton EPIC / Surfcomber and 1 Hotel (Miami Beach), Biltmore (Coral Gables), Mayfair House (Coconut Grove). Dogs: yes.

Attractions & Activities in Coral Gables

  • Kiteboarding & wing foiling (Crandon Park & Matheson Hammock) — Miami Kiteboarding (IKO; $200/hr private, 3-hr $650) and Miami Kiting. Season starts with November's fronts (steady 15–25 kt); Sept–Oct are for light-wind lessons and foiling. Adventure Sports USA teaches on Pompano/Hillsboro beaches — closest to home.
  • Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Coral Gables) — 83 acres. Monthly 'Dog Dates' admit dogs — check ticketapp for Oct/Nov dates. Price: $25 · Dogs: Dog Dates only.
  • Venetian Pool & Biltmore (Coral Gables) — Spring-fed 1924 lagoon pool (closed Mon); free Sunday history tours at the Biltmore. Price: $23 · Dogs: no.
  • Deering Estate (Palmetto Bay) — Two historic homes on 444 bayfront acres; October ghost tours, canoe tours, Nov 15 vintage auto show. Price: $22 · Dogs: no.

Shopping & Markets in Coral Gables

  • Pinecrest Gardens Farmers Market (Pinecrest) — Sundays 9–2 Outdoors and dog-friendly on a leash unless noted. Dogs: leashed.
  • Shops at Merrick Park & Miracle Mile (Coral Gables) — Open-air Neiman/Nordstrom; restaurant row and pedestrian Giralda Plaza. Dogs: yes.
  • Dadeland & Dolphin Mall (Kendall / Sweetwater) — Big enclosed malls (Dolphin has Bass Pro, D&B, CineBistro). Dogs: no.

At Night in Coral Gables

  • Cinema (Various) — Savor Cinema / Cinema Paradiso (FLIFF — Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival typically Nov), O Cinema South Beach, Coral Gables Art Cinema, iPic Boca/Delray dine-in, Swap Shop drive-in.

Where to eat in Coral Gables

Casual & Family

  • Bakery pilgrimages (Wynwood / MiMo / Coral Gables / WPB) — Zak the Baker, El Bagel (cult line), aioli, Bachour. $.

Date Night

  • Shingo ★ (Coral Gables) — Omakase, 14 seats. Serene counter. $$$$$ · book ahead.
  • Zitz Sum (Coral Gables) — Modern dim sum.
  • Bachour (Coral Gables) — Pastry.
  • L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon ★★ (Design District) — French counter. The only two-star in South Florida; theatrical counter, flawless classics. $$$$$ · book ahead. (in nearby Miami, 5.5 mi)
  • Ariete ★ (Coconut Grove) — Cuban-American. Foie and plantain, canelones — "Miami on a plate". $$$$. (in nearby Coconut Grove, 0.9 mi)
  • Boia De ★ (Little Haiti) — Italian-ish, 20 seats. Funky wine, outrageous pastas. $$$ · book ahead. (in nearby Miami, 5.5 mi)
  • Cote ★ (Design District) — Korean steakhouse. Butcher's Feast; loud and fun date night. $$$$ · book ahead. (in nearby Miami, 5.5 mi)
  • Elcielo ★ (Brickell) — Colombian avant-garde. The chocotherapy course (you wash your hands in chocolate). $$$$$. (in nearby Miami, 5.5 mi)
  • Hiden ★ (Wynwood) — Omakase, 8 seats. Hidden behind a taco shop; door code by text. $$$$$ · book ahead. (in nearby Miami, 5.5 mi)
  • Le Jardinier ★ (Design District) — Vegetable-forward French. Elegant garden room. $$$$. (in nearby Miami, 5.5 mi)
  • Los Félix ★ (Coconut Grove) — Mexican, heirloom masa. Casual and starred; also a Green Star. $$$. (in nearby Coconut Grove, 0.9 mi)

What's on in Coral Gables

The next 10 events on the Coral Gables calendar (dates are America/New_York; confirm with the organizer before you go):

  • Unthreaded Stories — Fri, Sep 11 · Festivals & Markets. Explore “Unthreaded Stories,” a group exhibition of artists’ books, and meet local artists during Red Thread Art Studio’s September Open Studios.
  • Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony — Fri, Sep 11 · Community. Coral Gables Fire and Police Departments will gather to commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy.
  • Country Line Dancing Miami — Sat, Sep 12 · Fairchild Garden · Festivals & Markets. A Night of Country Music and Good Old-Fashioned Line Dancing, featuring the Back Country Boys Live. Price: Regular admission applies
  • Fairchild Boots & Blooms — Sat, Sep 12 · Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden · Festivals & Markets. Country music and line dancing.
  • Plant Bazaar — Sat, Sep 12 – Sun, Sep 13 · Fairchild Garden · Festivals & Markets. Hosted by the Bromeliad Society of South Florida, featuring 12–15 vendors selling bromeliads, orchids, and tropical plants. Price: Regular admission applies
  • Park(ing) Day — Fri, Sep 18 · Festivals & Markets. Turn a parking space into a public place!
  • International Coastal Cleanup — Sat, Sep 19 · Community. Get ready to join millions of volunteers for the world’s largest one-day volunteer effort for our oceans and waterways.
  • Gables Bike Tours — Sun, Sep 20 · Community. Join BikeWalk and Coral Gables Museum for fun, educational bike tours around the city.
  • Moonlight Garden — Fri, Sep 25 · Fairchild Garden · Festivals & Markets. Experience the Garden after dark and discover a different side of Fairchild beneath the full moon. Price: General Admission
  • Coral Market at the Merrick House — Sat, Sep 26 · Festivals & Markets. The Coral Market showcases all things vintage in a historic setting: the Merrick House.

See the full list, refreshed daily: Coral Gables.

Getting there and planning your day

Coral Gables sits at 25.721, -80.268 in Miami-Dade. Parking rules, beach access and permits are on the City of Coral Gables site; the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau calendar lists county-wide festivals; check the National Weather Service Miami – South Florida forecast before a beach or boat day (summer storms build after 2 pm); snorkelers and anglers should read the NOAA tides: Virginia Key, Biscayne Bay; Miami-Dade Transit (Metrorail, Metromover, buses) is the car-free way in; the official Zoo Miami page has hours and entry fees.

Nearby towns

Each has its own page in this guide:

Official sources and further reading

We link to primary sources so you can verify hours, fees and dates:

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