Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove

Miami’s original neighborhood was founded in 1873 by an eclectic mix of pioneers, artists, intellectuals and adventurers. The tropical oasis of Coconut Grove thrives to this day as Miami’s escape from the stress of city life. Coconut Grove is located in the middle of Miami, yet completely separate and quaint. It offers a warm, laid-back atmosphere of charming boutiques, sidewalk cafes and sailboats anchored at the bay. The neighborhood’s distinct bohemian flair allows one to unwind and relax every day of the week and any time of the year.

Coconut Grove has a number of outdoor festivals and events, the most prominent of which is the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Others include the King Mango Strut, which began as a parody of the Orange Bowl Parade, and which continues each year on the last Sunday in December. The Great Taste of the Grove Food & Wine Festival takes place each April. Each June, the Goombay Festival transforms Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove into a Carnaval (Caribbean Carnival), celebrating Bahamian culture, with Bahamian food and Caribbean music (Junkanoo).

The Grove has numerous restaurants, open air and streetside cafes, and several waterfront restaurants and bars. By night, the Grove becomes a center of nightlife frequented by locals, young professionals, students from the-nearby University of Miamiand Florida International University, and tourists.

Shopping is abundant in the Grove, with two open-air malls, CocoWalk, the Streets of Mayfair, and many other street shops and boutiques.

The Village Center, the three blocks radiating from and focusing on the intersection of Main, McFarland, and Grand Avenues, home to the majority of the retail and restaurant business in the Grove, is also home to three gyms, a multiplex movie house in CocoWalk, several parking garages, a state historic site, an elementary school, a City of Miami fire station, several large condos and residential rental towers, the Coconut Grove Post Office, and two sizable parks. Development and redevelopment continue to redefine and transform the area.