Neighborhood 48H guide
Coral Gables: Where to Stay & What to Do in 48 Hours
The Biltmore’s tower, a swim at the Venetian Pool, books and tapas off Miracle Mile.
Coral Gables is a 1920s planned city southwest of Downtown, built in Mediterranean Revival style: tree-lined streets, the Biltmore Hotel, the Venetian Pool carved from a coral-rock quarry, and Miracle Mile’s shops and restaurants.
Photo gallery
Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Jesper Rautell Balle · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Averette · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Phillip Pessar · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Why stay here
Downtown Gables is walkable, it’s about 10 minutes from the airport, and Coconut Grove and Little Havana are close.
Who it's for: Couples, families and architecture lovers who want a quiet, leafy base, plus University of Miami visitors.
Pros
- Beautiful, leafy streets
- Historic landmarks like the Biltmore and Venetian Pool
- Close to the airport
Cons
- Quiet at night
- 25–35 minutes to the beach
- You’ll want a car for anything beyond downtown Gables
48H in Coral Gables
A swim at the Venetian Pool, the Biltmore, tapas and books.
11:00 – Venetian Pool
Swim in the 1924 spring-fed pool with grottoes and waterfalls.
16:00 – The Biltmore
Walk the lobby and grounds of the 1926 hotel.
19:30 – Bulla Gastrobar
Spanish tapas on Ponce de Leon.
10:00 – Day 2: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
A 15-minute drive south for palms, cycads and a rainforest.
16:00 – Books & Books
Independent bookstore and café in a 1927 building off Miracle Mile.
Named recommendations
Real places with links to their official site or a Maps place page. We do not invent hours, prices, or ratings.
Eat
Eat
Bulla Gastrobar
2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd
Spanish tapas and drinks in downtown Gables.
Official site / map →
Shop
Shop
Books & Books
265 Aragon Ave
Miami’s favorite independent bookstore, with a café and author events.
Official site / map →Shop
Miracle Mile
Coral Way, Douglas Rd to LeJeune Rd
Downtown Gables’ main street of shops, restaurants and a theater.
Photo: Averette · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Official site / map →
See / do
See / do
The Biltmore Hotel
1200 Anastasia Ave
1926 landmark hotel with a Giralda-style tower and a huge pool.
Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Official site / map →
Outdoors
Outdoors
Venetian Pool
2701 De Soto Blvd
Spring-fed 1924 public pool in an old coral-rock quarry. Reopened after renovation in December 2025.
Photo: Jesper Rautell Balle · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Official site / map →Outdoors
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
10901 Old Cutler Rd
83 acres of tropical plants, a butterfly conservatory and lakes.
Official site / map →
Where to stay
Specific named properties—not vague city-wide searches. Expedia stays use tracked Creator links; others open the hotel's official site.
Roam48 may earn a commission when you book a stay through Expedia or Vrbo links on this page, at no extra cost to you. All commercial stay links use rel="sponsored nofollow".
Hotel · Expedia
The Biltmore Hotel – Miami – Coral Gables
1200 Anastasia Ave
Historic 1926 hotel with a very large pool, golf course and spa. Daily resort fee.
Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Check rates on Expedia →Hotel · Expedia
Hotel Colonnade Coral Gables
180 Aragon Ave
1926 building on Aragon Ave, steps from Miracle Mile and Books & Books.
Check rates on Expedia →
Vacation rentals
Prefer an apartment or whole home in this neighborhood? Browse Vrbo listings for Coral Gables.
Browse vacation rentals in Coral Gables on Vrbo →Other ways to spend 48 hours in Miami
- South Beach — Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, the beach across the street, Cuban breakfast at Puerto Sagua.
- Mid-Beach — The Fontainebleau, the Faena District and a boardwalk along the sand.
- Bal Harbour / Surfside — Quiet north-end beaches, Bal Harbour Shops and Thomas Keller in a 1930s beach club.
- Wynwood / Design District — Murals at Wynwood Walls, Panther Coffee, KYU, then designer shops and ICA a few blocks north.
- Downtown / Bayfront — Bayfront Park, PAMM on the water and a free Metromover around the towers.
- Brickell — Glass towers, Brickell City Centre, Brickell Key at sunset and dinner at Komodo.
- Little Havana — Dominoes at Máximo Gómez Park, live music at Ball & Chain, a ventanita cafecito at Versailles.
- Coconut Grove — Banyan-shaded streets, Vizcaya’s gardens and dinner by the bay at Glass & Vine.
- Key Biscayne — An island of beaches across the Rickenbacker, with the 1825 Cape Florida Lighthouse at the tip.