Doral

Doral Park, just 2 miles from downtown Doral, is a primarily residential area divided by gated communities. When not enjoying the amenities at one of the neighborhood’s country clubs, locals can explore several public parks, including Morgan Levy Park. Students attend Miami-Dade Public Schools, which receive a B-plus from Niche. “Doral Park is considered one of the best communities in the Miami-Dade area,” says Realtor Ileana McNulty with The Keyes Company, who has been working in Doral for 31 years. “It’s in the middle of everything, so it’s easy to get to the beach or downtown Miami.” The neighborhood is about 20 miles from both Miami and the oceanfront. There are several country clubs in the area, including Doral Park Country Club, which McNulty says is “one of the best.” Club members can take advantage of the golf course, managed by Doral Golf Resort & Spa, and tennis courts or explore the Splash Park during the warmer months. At Doral Meadow Park, people can come together for a soccer match or a baseball game. A walking path connects the park to Trails and Tails, which features a playground and a dog park for furry friends. Morgan Levy Park’s amenities include sand volleyball courts, tennis courts and a community center. Doral Park Country Club opens its doors to the public for some of its major events, including Easter Sunday Brunch at the Silver Palms, Mother’s and Father’s Day Brunch and the annual New Year’s Party. Members can enjoy private social events throughout the year. Locals can also attend city events, including Art After Dark workshops hosted by the Doral Cultural Arts Center. Doral Park’s houses are organized by several subdivisions, many of which are gated. Sidewalks border the streets and cul-de-sacs, interrupted by wide driveways. Front lawns are decorated with palm trees and other tropical plants, while many backyards feature pools or offer views of the lake. New traditional homes with Spanish influence, such as red-tile roofs and stucco walls, sprawl across communities such as Doral Isles, while postmodern, geometric architecture can be found in the Landmark subdivision. “There are some single-family homes, townhouses and four condo buildings,” McNulty says. Prices for a single-family range from $600,000 to $1.4 million, although some properties in The Mansions at Doral can exceed $2 million. Townhouses typically cost $350,000 to $775,000, while condos tend to fall between $250,000 and $550,000. Parts of the neighborhood are considered a Special Flood Hazard Area, which means flood insurance is required for all federally backed mortgages and most private ones. Because of the city’s floodplain management, the National Flood Insurance Program has awarded Doral homebuyers a discount on insurance plans. There are two Publix locations in the neighborhood where people can get groceries: one in Doral Plaza, with casual eateries such as Panera Bread and Five Guys, and another in Delia Plaza, which includes the steakhouse Parrillada Familiar Da Silva. Locals can also visit Bocas Grill Doral for a Venezuelan meal and travel 2 miles to downtown Doral for more options. At The Doral Yard, people can gather for live music or a community event while trying one of the many local restaurants at the food court and grabbing a drink from the bar. The Miami International Mall is about 3 miles from Doral Park and features popular retailers such as Macy’s and H&M. Target, Walmart and Lowe’s are all about a 5-mile drive. Doral Park students attend Miami-Dade Public Schools. “Families move here for the school district,” McNulty says. Students can start at John I. Smith K-8 Center before attending Ronald W. Reagan/Doral Senior High School, which offers the Cambridge AICE Program, a college preparatory program managed by Cambridge University. Some students enroll in the public charter Doral International Academy of Math and Science, which teaches kindergarten through eighth grade. All three schools receive a B from Niche. Many residents rely on their cars to get around, with the Ronald Reagan Turnpike bordering the neighborhood to the east. People can catch a ride on the Doral Trolley or the Metrobus for public transportation. Miami International Airport is about 10 miles away, with a flight path that goes over the neighborhood and can lead to high levels of noise pollution. The nearest emergency room is Baptist Health Doral Hospital, less than 1 mile from Doral Park. Odors from the Medley landfill, located about 2 miles outside the neighborhood in the town of Medley, impact many of the people living in Doral Park. In 2020, the City of Doral announced a settlement with Waste Management that involved installing an odor control system and reducing the amount of waste added to the areas closest to the city.