{"id":50553,"date":"2016-11-30T09:50:03","date_gmt":"2016-11-30T15:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=50553"},"modified":"2018-02-23T13:04:26","modified_gmt":"2018-02-23T19:04:26","slug":"10-reasons-coral-gables-next-vacation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/11\/10-reasons-coral-gables-next-vacation\/","title":{"rendered":"10 reasons Coral Gables should be your next vacation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coral Gables<\/a>, with its stately 1920s mansions and tree-shaded boulevards, isn\u2019t just a pleasant excursion for your mom and dad anymore. With an evolving food, bar and hotel scene, you too might be just as likely as them to book your next vacation there. Less than 10 miles south of Miami, the city is reinventing itself and becoming a destination in its own right.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 great Florida family vacation ideas\u2014that aren’t Disney<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Photo

Photo courtesy of the Colonnade Hotel<\/p><\/div>\n

Revitalization abounds in Coral Gables, namely at the Hotel Colonnade<\/a><\/strong>, which just completed an $18 million renovation. Already a beauty with vaulted ceilings and a grand staircase in the lobby, the hotel’s tres chic<\/em> Latin vibe is now accented with a new, eye-catching stained glass \u201crosary\u201d style window and oversized Murano glass chandeliers. There\u2019s a state-of-the-art game room with a pool table, shuffleboard, mega TVs, a bar area and much more.<\/p>\n

\"Miracle

Miracle Mile | Photo courtesy of Roberto Montoya<\/p><\/div>\n

The Hotel Colonnade is just the tip of the iceberg. There\u2019s also a $21-million neighborhood-wide streetscape project<\/strong> that will shape the city\u2019s legendary Miracle Mile and Giralda Avenue. Improvements will include wider, more walkable sidewalks, additional outdoor dining and new trees.<\/p>\n

Coral Gables’ restaurant and bar scenes are flourishing, too. Cooper 29<\/strong>, a new speakeasy, is upping the Miracle Mile’s cool factor. Try the handcrafted libations, like Cooper\u2019s Mule with Grey Goose chia seed-infused vodka, aloe juice, kombucha fermented tea, lime and fever tree ginger beer; or the Hibiscus 29 with Facundo Neo silver rum, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, hibiscus shrub and bergamot acid foam. Delight yourself with apps like short rib sliders and truffle mac and cheese with white cheddar, fontina cheese, crispy pancetta and toasted bread crumbs. The DJ plays old-school R&B jams, reggae and other songs that create a laid back, feel-good mood.<\/p>\n

Another hot spot is The Local<\/strong>. This cozy pub boasts 18 rotating beers on tap and prides itself on serving locallysourced food. The eating is good: Think blue crab hushpuppies with Mississippi comeback sauce, hot fried chicken oysters, and flatbread with house-made morcilla, Florida gouda, grilled onions, and roasted pear. If you don\u2019t fancy beer, go for the craft cocktails like Baby, I Got Your Honey, made with Hendrick\u2019s gin, fresh lemon juice, toasted lavender honey and cucumber. You don\u2019t want to miss the Seven Dials<\/strong> restaurant either.<\/p>\n

ALSO:<\/strong> And one great reason to sign up for Orbitz Rewards (Hint: It’s the instant rewards!)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Biltmore

Biltmore Hotel<\/p><\/div>\n

But there\u2019s plenty to do besides eat and drink in this city of 65,000. If you want to find out why Coral Gables is called \u201cThe City Beautiful,\u201d take a historic walking or bike tour<\/strong> with Dr. Paul George, whom you can find through the HistoryMiami Museum. Be ready to ooh and aww at the palatial Mediterranean Revival style homes, and landmarks like the gorgeous historic Biltmore Hotel<\/a><\/strong>, a 1926 National Historic Landmark resort, where presidents and celebrities alike have stayed.<\/p>\n

\"Venetian

Venetian Pool | Flickr CC: Lima Pix<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Meanwhile, you\u2019ll swear you stepped back into the glory days of Hollywood if you take a swim at the stunning Venetian Pool<\/strong>, created in the 1920s from a coral rock quarry. The 820,000-gallon pool is fed with spring water from an underground aquifer. The scene is breathtaking with palms trees, loggias, porticos, two waterfalls, large lookout towers and the famed bridge. All that is yours to enjoy for a mere $10.<\/p>\n

\"Bill

Bill Baggs Cape FloridaState Park<\/p><\/div>\n

Keep soaking up that Florida sunshine by venturing over to Key Biscayne\u2019s Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park<\/strong> with it\u2019s beautiful beach, historic lighthouse, kayaking, biking and fishing. For Cuban fare, do eat at the park\u2019s Lighthouse Caf\u00e9<\/strong> or the Boater\u2019s Grill<\/strong>. If you\u2019re in the mood, grill your own goodies on the barbecue pits. Coral Gables is also a short drive to Little Havana<\/strong>, the Miami neighborhood that is all things Cuban. The Ball & Chain<\/strong> nightclub there is where you\u2019ll hear some of the best live music in Miami. It has a long tradition of showcasing top talent from the days when Billie Holiday, Count Basie and Chet Baker performed there. The food and cocktails are just as good as the music.<\/p>\n

Looking to spend some time on the green? Golfers have their choice of the Biltmore Golf Course or the Granada GolfCourse<\/strong>. And art lovers aren\u2019t left out either, as Coral Gables is home to the Lowe Art Museum<\/strong> and dozens of galleries.<\/p>\n

\"Orbitz,<\/a><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stately classics and hip new offerings make this your new Florida vacation destination.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":51295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1695,44],"tags":[2519,1803],"class_list":["post-50553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destinations","category-florida","tag-coral-gables-vacations","tag-miami-vacations"],"acf":{"api_active":null,"api_title":null,"api_excerpt":null,"api_featured_image":null,"api_lob":null},"posts_api_cpm_point":[{"name":"","description":"","thumbnail":"","address":"Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, FL 32830, USA","latitude":"28.385233","longitude":"-81.563874","icon":"\/images\/icons\/marker.png"}],"yoast_head":"\n10 reasons Coral Gables should be your next vacation | Orbitz<\/title>\n<meta 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