Coconut Grove – Neighborhoods Miami Beach

Coconut Grove Travel Guide

Located south of Brickell Ave. It is a charming district with a very European taste. Coconut Grove features one of the best shopping with Coco walk and its numerous chic and good restaurants. This is a very dynamic neighborhood offering numerous fairs and exhibitions. There are a few quality hotels like The Mutiny and a well-developed vacation trend of home rentals. It is a good spot to practice sailing on Biscayne Bay, however, there are no bays.

Coconut Grove is best known for its quietly breathtaking natural beauty, a lush green landscape bordered by the shimmering blue waters of Biscayne Bay. From its beginnings in the late 1800s, this magical place has attracted tycoons, artists, writers, and musicians galore, and—truth be told—more than its share of kooks, eccentrics, and free spirits.

This is a place that had a public library and a school long before Miami. In fact, Coconut Grove was an incorporated city until Miami—spotting lucrative tax revenues—annexed the little village during a summer in the 1920s when many of its natives were out of town and evidently unaware of the vote.

Coconut Grove has been a haven of inspiration for such luminaries as Tennessee Williams, Robert Frost, and Alexander Graham Bell. Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the author of the seminal environmental work River of Grass, lived in the same little Grove cottage for seventy years until she passed away at 108.

Over the years, Coconut Grove has inspired lots of music. Musicians who lived and created here include Jose Feliciano, Joni Mitchell, Fred Neil, David Crosby, The Lovin’ Spoonful, and Jimmy Buffet. Jim Morrison performed here once, and they are still talking about it.

Located on the edge of Biscayne Bay, Coconut Grove is an eclectic village made up of funky cafes, incredible shopping, exciting nightlife, and great annual festivals and cultural activities. It was founded in the 1800s as a haven for Bahamian seamen. In 1925, the City of Miami annexed Coconut Grove, but it continued to retain its own identity.

Coconut Grove (the Grove) now rivals South Beach Miami with all its Art Galleries, upscale cafes, and restaurants. It has come a long way from its 60’s image of writers and artists. Soon you will notice that there is a lot of big money around. The marinas with rows of multi-million dollar yachts. You may want to check out the Fairchild Tropical Garden. Open 9:30 to 4:30 The admission was $8 last time I was there it is located 10901 Old Cutler Rd and is one of the biggest Tropical Botanical Gardens in America.

Goombay Festival

Annually in mid-June, a large festival takes place along Grand Avenue to celebrate the Bahamian culture in an abstract form of a thank-you. The Goombay Festival, as it has been named, turns the entire area into a Caribbean paradise.

The festival includes different native Bahamian dancing, foods, and music, and spotlights the heritage that the Bahamian people introduced to the Grove. Another point of interest in Coconut Grove is the Peacock Inn. This inn was built in 1882 and was the first hotel to ever be built on the South Florida Mainland. The Peacock Inn (formerly known as the Bay View Inn) was also built by the hard work of two English immigrants, Isabella and Charles Peacock. The couple sold their meat business in London and immigrated to Southern Florida looking for new opportunities.

Although we can tie many great things to the people of neighboring countries, The Grove also produces some home-grown American pride as well.

Some of the greatest minds, in their field of expertise, have drawn inspiration from this neighborhood. Alexander Graham Bell, Tennessee Williams, and Robert Frost are some of the more celebrated names that are called Coconut Grove home. Inspiration comes in many forms, but the most widely remembered is always music. The Grove has been pumping brilliant musicians into the music business for years. Some of this neighborhood’s past residents included Jimmy Buffet, Jose Feliciano, Joni Mitchell, Fred Neil, David Crosby, and The Lovin’ Spoonfuls.

It’s easy to understand why Miami annexed this small town almost 90 years ago. The tax revenue that Miami collects annually from this once-incorporated city adds a large chunk of money to its budget. Many historians and neighborhood preservation groups still speak badly about the acquisition of The Grove. Apparently, according to records of the event; a vote to annex the village was ordered at a time when most of the residents were not there to attend and no formal announcement was made stating that there would be such a vote.

Coconut Grove, with its serene bayfront setting, and casual ambiance has always attracted artists. In the 1950s, artists from all over the US and as far away as Europe settled in Coconut Grove and established studios. The Grove (as locals call it) became an artist’s haven.

Coconut grove is home to many outstanding events throughout the year. The most famous of them is the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Arguably, it is one of the finest arts festivals in the whole of the USA, and, for sure, one of the oldest, largest, and most diverse. Despite its tremendous growth since its birth in 1963, the emphasis is still on a one-to-one chat between exhibitors and art lovers. The festival is held on McFarlane Rd, South Bayshore Drive, and Pan American Drive.

Coconut Grove has some of Miami’s best dining, shopping, and nightlife. There are plenty of stylish nightclubs, funky cafes, and restaurants that serve up Cuban, Argentine, and Greek food.

Among the Grove’s attractions Villa Vizcaya and the Barnacle should be mentioned. Villa Vizcaya, now a decorative arts museum set in the midst of magnificent formal gardens, was originally the home of International Harvester Vice President James Deering. The house is designed in an Italian Baroque style. The Barnacle is the oldest home in Miami-Dade County still on its original site. It was built in 1891 by Commodore Ralph Munroe.

Activities in Coconut Grove

Information about activities and events in Coconut Grove, Florida including the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, the Coconut Grove Playhouse, the Improv Comedy Club, shopping malls, and more.

Articles About Coconut Grove

An article about a 24-hour visit to Coconut Grove, a city of Miami article about the community of Coconut Grove, and a Miami Herald article called “Coconut Grove: Soul of Miami”.

Attractions in Coconut Grove

Barnacle Historic State Park, the Kampong Garden, the Miami Museum of Science, James Deere’s Vizcaya mansion, and other tourist attractions in Coconut Grove.

Hotels in Coconut Grove

The Grand Bay Hotel, the Mayfair Hotel and Spa, the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, the Mutiny Hotel, the Grove Isle Hotel and Spa, and more large and small hotels in Coconut Grove.

Photos of Coconut Grove

Pictures of Villa Vizcaya, a historic Bahamian home, and the cemetery that inspired Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video.

Restaurants in Coconut Grove

Cafe Tu Tango, Mr. Moe’s Restaurant, the Oxygen Lounge, the Vino Wine Bar, and more restaurants and cafes in Coconut Grove.

Shopping in Coconut Grove

Information about the CocoWalk Mall, the Streets of Mayfair Mall (aka Shoppes at Mayfair), the Coconut Grove Organic Farmer’s Market, and more shops and shopping centers in Coconut Grove.

Web Sites About Coconut Grove

Official Web sites for the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce, Business Improvement Committee, the Coconut Grove Park Homeowners’ Association, and other Web sites focused on Coconut Grove, Florida.

Resources for Coconut Grove Residents

Information about schools, banks, post offices, churches, and other local services and resources for local residents in the community of Coconut Grove.

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