Head to Miami’s Coral Gables to find elegance in your next Florida getaway
We get it. When you dream of vacationing in Miami, you think of beaches and swaying palm trees. But we’re here to make a case for a serene stay in the elegant suburb of Coral Gables, located around 30 minutes from Miami Beach and less than 20 minutes from downtown Miami.
Driving into the Gables, you’ll swoon over the Mediterranean Revival-style homes draped in canopies of old trees, and streets distinctly marked with both Spanish and Italian names. There’s the hush of a residential area, yet its main streets like Miracle Mile and Giralda Avenue are dotted with shopping boutiques and cafes that hum with activity. The Coral Gables vibe is a mix of young families and dog lovers who are there for the walkability, rich history and culture, and culinary gems.
Cranes stretching to the sky signal the area’s rapid growth, and the city celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2025. Once you visit, though, you’ll see that even at a 100 — Coral Gables is just getting started.
Loews Coral Gables Hotel
The most substantial growth is happening in the central business district, where the newly built The Plaza Coral Gables, a hub of dining, shopping and entertainment, echoes the city’s Mediterranean style with a touch of Manhattan sophistication.
Anchoring the plaza resplendent with illuminated fountains, international public art and patches of green spaces is the new Loews Coral Gables hotel, crowned with a cupola that’s become a ritzy beacon in the skyline and an entrance that feels liked you’ve rounded New York’s posh Park Avenue.
There’s nothing like sleeping in a sparkling-new hotel — and the Loews Coral Gables is pristine, with a mix of modern touches and a staff that bends over backward to remember names and preferences. It’s already on the Michelin Guide’s 2024 list. The hotel is abuzz with a mix of vacationers and locals who come to hang at the circular bar, where the mocktails are just as good and festive as the real libations (Loews has created a whole program around alcohol free and low-alcohol craft cocktails).
The open kitchen of Americana Kitchen caters to the welcoming atmosphere, with the chefs dishing out a variety of delicacies like mile-high seafood towers with king crab legs and oysters, a giant shrimp paella smoked up with chorizo, mojo chicken packed with flavor and artisanal pizzas from the glowing wood stove oven. There’s seriously something for every taste.
Rooms are spacious with modern bathrooms, and some rooms even have terraces with access to the rooftop pool. There are 23 suites that will make you never want to leave; with bathrooms that flaunt TVs that can be viewed from the soaking tub, spacious living rooms, and wet bars for entertaining. Pets are also welcome for a fee, and there’s an even an in-room pet menu and special amenities like dog bowls and treats.
Head to the breezy rooftop pool, which surveys Coral Gables and where attendants roam the area with complimentary refreshing treats. You’ll mingle with locals who’ve come for the day on a Resort Pass to use the pool. Book a cabana for the day to enjoy a gratis fruit platter, chips and salsa, and a fridge stocked with everything you could want. When you’re done sunning by the pool, head to the nearby even lawn to play games. There is also a small yet elegant spa where guests can book a massage, facial or pedicure (I loved the pedicure that comes with a decadent soak, massage and foot mask). Depending on when you’re staying, check the hotel website for deals that cater to locals, cruisers, families and pets.
The Loews is within a 15-minute walk to both Miracle Mile and Giralda Avenue, but as The Plaza Coral Gables continues to grow, you may not want to venture far. There’s often live music in the park, and soon to open is Pinstripes Coral Gables, an adult playground of bowling and bocce where you can sip on a fine bottle of wine and nosh on gourmet dishes. There’s already a solid roster of restaurants like popular Cuban sandwich spot, Sanguich de Miami.
Culinary hits in Coral Gables
In a neighborhood where Hillstone used to be the only game in town — the city now has grown-up tastes thanks to the arrival of Michelin chefs and independent heavy hitters. On Miracle Mile, Vinya Table Coral Gables is beloved for its expansive wine market and scratch kitchen that churns out dishes that pair best with wine.
Extreme care is placed into making every dish, which is evident in star dishes such as the patatas bravas, wedges of paper-thin potatoes crowned with tuna tartare and caviar; simply grilled artichokes sprinkled with panko crumbs; seared duck that sits atop a crispy rice that’s cooked with the duck jus and short ribs; and any of the housemade pastas. On Tuesdays, when there’s no corkage fee, the echoes of bottles popping are a frequent sound; and the daily happy hour is meant for sampling an array of dishes at a reduced price.
Elevated newcomers include Bouchon Bistro by lauded chef Thomas Keller (of French Laundry fame), nestled inside the historic La Palma building. Act like a local and pop in for fresh oysters and martinis at the bar; or settle in the stylish dining room to work your way through French classics that include escargot encased in puff pastry and seared foie gras that melts in your mouth.
Keller has perfected the chicken: it takes three days to prepare the juicy, crispy-skinned bird which should be paired with a side of the silky, pureed potatoes that are as smooth as the butter that you know it took to make them taste so sinful.
Hidden inside a professional building, the tiny, Michelin recommended Zitz Sum is worth finding. While the menu constantly changes, the Colombian chef puts together flavors and ingredients (with inspo from Asia to Italy) in wild ways that somehow all work. The tasting menu is the best way to get a feel for the depth of the chef’s creativity.
Other restaurant favorites include Graziano’s Market Coral Gables, an Argentine market/restaurant known for their housemade empanadas; Luca Osteria for simple Italian classics done right; and bread and pastry queen, Madruga Bakery.
Things to do in Coral Gables
Beauty is everywhere you turn in Coral Gables, and unique tourist spots worth visiting are the lush oasis of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the 1920s Venetian Pool, a huge, spring-fed pool with grottos and waterfalls.
You can’t visit Coral Gables without spending time at the Biltmore Miami Coral Gables Hotel, a National Historic Landmarks hotel that’s held court in the Gables since 1926. Step inside the grand lobby to gaze at dramatic painted fresco ceilings and regal columns, and peer into wooden cages with chattering birds.
Don’t miss the hotel’s beloved afternoon tea in the lobby where the sounds of a harpist dreamily floats through the air. The formal setting offers a chance to relish the storied atmosphere and dine off pretty plates and cups adorned in flowers and butterflies.
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Choose from an exquisite menu of 15 teas that range from chai to tropical, and then pluck from a tiered platter flaunting cucumber sandwiches on olive bread, curried egg salad, goat cheese and fig jam tartlets, and a flurry of dainty desserts and scones. Dade Heritage Trust offers free walking tours at The Biltmore at 2 p.m. every Sunday that focus on the hotel’s architecture and rich history. We suggest savoring the hotel’s famous Sunday brunch and then hopping on the (reservations required) walking tour.
Coral Gables is on the cusp of becoming the next Beverly Hills, yet it still clings to its heritage and laid back elegance that warrants a place in a Miami getaway.
This story was originally published July 31, 2024 at 5:16 PM.
