Coconut Grove, Miami: My Local-Style Travel Guide
- House of Undine
- Jun 27
- 3 min read
Watch above, or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Everyone talks about South Beach. Nobody talks about Coconut Grove. I went back to this little neighborhood in Miami with my mom this spring, and I came home convinced it is the quietest luxury secret in the city. It is the oldest neighborhood in Miami, it is walkable and calm, and lately the most powerful people in the world have been quietly moving in. Here is my local-style guide to where to stay, where to eat, and what to do in Coconut Grove.
Where is Coconut Grove, and why is it special?
Coconut Grove is its own neighborhood inside Miami, about 15 minutes south of Brickell, right on Biscayne Bay. It is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in all of Miami, founded in 1873, more than 20 years before Miami was even a city. It has always pulled in artists and writers and musicians. Tennessee Williams, Alexander Graham Bell, Robert Frost, David Crosby, Jimmy Buffett, and Madonna have all called it home at one point. You are a little removed from the city, but only an Uber away, so you get the calm without losing the access.
Where to stay in Coconut Grove
Mr. C Miami, full stop. It is my favorite hotel in the world right now, and I do not say that lightly. It is not the biggest or the grandest, but the service is the kind I grew up with and almost never see anymore. You walk in and feel like family. You have a view of the bay from your room. I came back a year later and it was the same staff, greeting us like we never left. I get into exactly why I am obsessed in the episode.
Where to eat in Coconut Grove and beyond
The food map is the best part. In Coconut Grove we did dinner at Carbone Vino, the wine-forward sister to the iconic New York Carbone, and the service was unreal. We also went to Casa Tua for the vibe. For coffee, Panther Coffee is right there, a small-batch local roaster. Green Street Cafe is the breakfast and people-watching spot. There is a quick-service place across from it where I had the best orange juice of my life, and a sweet little bookstore with a Vietnamese place tucked inside. A little outside the Grove, Mandolin Aegean Bistro in the Design District feels like being dropped into Santorini. I save my favorite spot and its punchline for the episode.
Things to do in Coconut Grove
Mostly, walk. The Grove is small and walkable, lively in a way I miss back home. For shopping, head to Merrick Park in Coral Gables, an open-air mall still in full swing with a beautiful Nordstrom. And by total chance, our trip lined up with Miami's first ever citywide Wellness Week, which the city is using to reframe itself from party town to wellness capital. I scouted a wellness studio and went to the festival, and a few things happened that felt like more than coincidence. That story is the heart of the episode, so press play up top.
Quick questions
Is Coconut Grove worth visiting in Miami?
Yes. It is calmer and more walkable than South Beach, right on the bay, and most people overlook it. Go at least for lunch and a walk.
Where should I stay in Coconut Grove?
Mr. C Miami is my pick. Small, beautiful, bay views, and the warmest service I have found anywhere.
How far is Coconut Grove from downtown Miami?
About 15 minutes south of Brickell. Close enough to get into the city quickly, far enough to feel calm.
What is there to do in Coconut Grove?
Walk the neighborhood, eat well, grab coffee at Panther, and shop at Merrick Park in nearby Coral Gables.
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