Central Coral Gables

If you're looking for a beautiful South Florida community that blends its history and future together on every tree-shaded street, look no further than Central Coral Gables.

The city of Coral Gables is well known for being a gorgeous place to live. It was developed in the 1920s by George Merrick, who had a clear idea of the kind of community he wanted to build: a beautiful garden of a city. His vision came to fruition quickly, and by 1925 the city was incorporated. Today, Coral Gables thrives as one of the best places to live in South Florida, particularly if you're looking to be somewhere close to downtown Miami, which is less than 5 miles east.

Many facets of the city's history are interwoven with the day-to-day lives of Central Coral Gables residents. From the 1920s Spanish Revival architecture to the century-old oak and banyan trees in folks' backyards, the Garden City's bygone days give this community's lush streets inimitable character and charm. Due west, you'll even come across George Merrick's historic home, now preserved as a small museum. Due east, however, you stumble out of Coral Gables' past and enter its present as a lively destination of a city. Downtown Coral Gables sits within walking distance of any home in the neighborhood, making for fun weekend day trips and quick errands.

As for properties, mid- and low-rise condominium buildings fan out around Biltmore Way, which owes its name to the nearby 4-star Biltmore Hotel. These homes typically go for anything between the low $300,000s for a 600-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo to $7 million for a new construction, 4,974-square-foot, five-bedroom, eight-bathroom town house. While new construction does pop up in the area frequently, much of the architecture, particularly among single-family homes, utilizes the same rustic detailing that the historic homes here are known for. Spanish Revival is the main style of single-family homes in Central Coral Gables; whether sprawled across a ranch-style home or stretched up a multifloor mansion, you'll see a lot of arches, stucco, barrel-room tiles and balconies. Of course, some midcentury modern gems are also in the area, giving the neighborhood some architectural variety from home to home. Prices for single-family properties range from the high $1 millions to just over $5 million. You can land a three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 1,826-square-foot ranch-style home on an 8,384-square-foot lot for $1.9 million. That said, these residences don't come on the market often in this community, and they sell fast.

"This is one of the top neighborhoods in the Miami area," says Trent Alvarado, a local Realtor with Keller Williams Elite. "It's great for families, but it's home to a mixed crowd; people of all ages live here. There are plenty of parks nearby. Everything is within walking distance, even the Miracle Mile." Entertainment on the north side of Coral Gables often boils down to two words: Miracle Mile. This premiere destination for shopping, dining and more can be found downtown on main road Coral Way, between LeJeune and Douglas Road. Catch a performance at the Actor's Playhouse, or sidle over to the Café at Books & Books. This well-loved bookstore has been a city fixture since the ‘80s, selling books, knick-knacks, delicious food and coffee. Across the block, there's also Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar. You'll definitely want to this gastropub early on the weekend for their wildly popular bottomless brunch, including items like Tres Leches French Toast and cocktails, such as the "Don't Be a Prick" Margarita, containing prickly pear, Cazadores Blanco, basil syrup and fresh lime with a basil-salt half-rim.

Local students can begin school at Coral Gables Preparatory Academy, a mandatory uniform K-8 school rated with an A-minus on Niche. Students can remain there until high school or attend Ponce de Leon Middle, rated with a B on Niche, for grades six through eight. And for ninth grade up until graduation, there's Coral Gables Senior High, which received a B-plus rating from Niche. This high school boasts two magnet programs and five academies, including the academy of business, management and information technology.

Steps away from Coral Gables' gorgeous, trendy downtown and only moments away from main thoroughfares and major highways like U.S. 1 and I-95, Central Coral Gables lives up to its name as a beautiful, walkable, centrally located neighborhood.

Written By

Micaela Willoughby

Photography Contributed By

Yanan Sun

Video By

Jacob McAllister