Coconut Grove

With peacocks roaming its winding, narrow streets shaded by sprawling live oaks, banyan trees and a host of tropical plants, Coconut Grove and its real estate is uniquely charming.

 

Tucked into dense vegetation, homes are warm and inviting with so much architectural character. Constructed in the 1800s, the county’s two oldest residences set the tone for the village’s building materials like coral, oolite limestone, Dade-County pine, and cypress. Other home styles such as tropical modernism and custom contemporary followed throughout the 20th century. Besides single-family homes from internationally published mansions to cozy cottages, there are upscale high-rise condominiums including the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove and exclusive gated communities with multi-family units along the water.

 

Contained by Rickenbacker Causeway, US-1, Biscayne Bay, and Coral Gables, the Grove is 15 minutes from downtown and South Miami. South Beach lies a tad farther northeast. Residents find everything they need including prestigious private schools like Ransom Everglades and Carrollton, Fresh Market grocery store, an organic farmer’s market on Saturdays, yacht clubs, and more than a dozen well-maintained waterfront and interior parks with playgrounds, jogging paths, and picnic areas. More nature is found at the internationally renowned Kampong botanical garden and the Barnacle Historic State Park. Vizcaya, a grand 1920’s estate with manicured grounds, is the piece de resistance.

 

The village BID has initiated improvements for its thriving commercial district’s quirky mix of independent boutiques and eateries and CocoWalk mall. The Grove has a proven track record of constant reinvention through the generations.