Last Updated on March 26, 2024
Thinking of visiting Coconut Grove? You’ll trade the urban bustle of Miami for shady streets with canopies of gracious, old oaks.
Here clapboard cottages, bungalows, and Spanish-style homes lie tucked behind coral rock walls and white picket fences.
Visiting Coconut Grove
Wild peacocks with their lapis-colored tails freely strut their stuff along narrow lanes. In the marinas, blue-and-white sailboats shine against the serene backdrop of Biscayne Bay.
The small-town atmosphere and waterfront setting are two reasons that many happily call Coconut Grove home.
Historic house tours, quaint shops, and waterfront activities make “the Grove,” an excellent choice for an Authentic Florida mini-escape.
History of Coconut Grove
Out-of-towners have been falling in love with the Grove for over a century. One of the very first settlers, Ralph Middleton Munroe, ventured down from chilly Staten Island, New York, in the late 1800s.
The Barnacle Historical State Park
Munroe became so enamored of this remote paradise that he bought a waterfront parcel of land. In 1891 he built a house he named “the Barnacle.”
Here with his wife Jessie and their two children, this transplanted New Yorker-designed boats, founded the area’s first yachting club, and cultivated a fascinating circle of adventurers, fellow visionaries, writers, and artists.
Throughout his life, Munroe remained deeply committed to conserving Coconut Grove’s natural beauty.
Today, you can tour the Barnacle and visit the bay-front grounds, which contain some of Miami’s only surviving tropical hammock.
A volunteer leads you through the simple but well-designed two-story home; family possessions, from hand-hewn toys to an early refrigerator, create a sense of life in a different era.
It’s worth looking on the Barnacle Society’s website for special events, like the Barnacle Under Moonlight concerts. This event encourages you to bring a picnic and listen to live tunes out under the stars.
The Barnacle Historic State Park Address: 3485 Main Hwy, Miami, FL 33133
Peacock Park
Make sure to stroll a few blocks over to Peacock Park. This grassy expanse, fronted by mangroves, is named after English couple Charles and Isabella Peacock.
They built Miami’s very first hotel here in 1883. Back then there were no roads, and the mail arrived by boat.
Decades later, in the 1960s and ’70s, hippies, protestors, and musicians used the park as a hang-out, making Coconut Grove synonymous with wild bohemia.
Today the park holds several festivals, including Woodystock, the Reggae Festival, Grovetober Fest, and the hugely popular Coconut Grove Arts Festival.
But many also love Peacock Park’s quiet times, when they can walk out on the little boardwalk and spot stingrays and pufferfish skimming the ocean floor.
Peacock Park Address: 2820 McFarlane Rd., Miami, FL 33133
Kayak or Paddleboard the Bay
For those of us who aren’t content with simply looking at the sea, Miami Water Sports provides an easy way to explore Biscayne Bay.
You’ll find this kayak and paddleboard rental outfit at Dinner Key Marina, where 27th Avenue dead-ends into Bayshore Drive.
Their office resides inside a boat, and depending on the tide, it can require a little agility to get aboard.
Once the helpful staff sets us up with kayaks or paddleboards, take your time, paddling among small mangrove islands where egrets, herons, and cormorants love to perch.
Miami Water Sports Address: 3400 Pan American Dr. Pier 9 Slip 912, Miami, FL 33133
Downtown Village Shopping
Back on land, locals and visitors alike enjoy ambling through Coconut Grove’s compact “downtown” with its quaint shops, restaurants, and bars.
You can start on McFarlane Road, which runs by Peacock Park. (History buffs should keep an eye out for the coral rock Housekeeper’s Club, founded by early settler Flora McFarlane.)
Tucked away on Commodore Plaza is the This ‘N That Shop, a church thrift store that has yielded unexpected treasures, like a cute Lilly Pulitzer shirt and inexpensive used books.
This ‘N That Address: 3155 Commodore Plaza, Miami, FL 33133
Plymouth Congregational Church
To fully appreciate Coconut Grove’s charms, take our advice and make a detour through the residential area.
Ride a bike or drive down Main Highway to Plymouth Congregational Church on Devon Road.
This beautiful, coral rock house of worship was built by a single Spanish artisan, from 1916 to 1917. It’s been used as a backdrop in films and remains a popular location for Miami weddings.
Plymouth Congregational Church Address: 3400 Devon Rd., Miami, FL 33133
Coconut Grove Houses
Then take a short journey through the neighborhood, to see a variety of Grove houses, from historic cottages to Mediterranean Revival mansions.
Palm trees, masses of bougainvillea, gumbo limbos, and oaks grow in a profusion of green.
Here’s my inside scoop for not getting lost: follow Devon Road until it dead-ends on Hibiscus, veer left, and take an immediate right on Avocado Avenue.
After one block, take a left on Plaza Street, go two blocks to Palmetto Avenue, and then head left on Palmetto until you reach Hibiscus again. Go right on Hibiscus and continue until you’re back on Main Highway.
Drive or cycle slowly, and you may just see some of Coconut Grove’s signature wild peacocks. It’s even better if you get the chance to wander on foot.
Villa Vizcaya Museum
There’s plenty more to do in our adopted home turf, from the impressive Villa Vizcaya Museum to the Kampong, the home, and the gardens of famous naturalist David Fairchild.
In the historically Bahamian neighborhood Village West, you’ll discover the bright pink Christ Episcopal Church, which church-goers founded in 1901.
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens Address: 3251 S Miami Ave., Miami, FL 33129
Interested in visiting some of our other favorite gardens? Check out Four Florida Gardens.
Coconut Grove Farmer’s Market
On Saturdays, people flock to the Coconut Grove Farmer’s Market on Grand Avenue for organic veggies, fruits, and home-baked bread.
We love buying a chilled coconut, which the vendor slices open so you can drink fresh coconut water with a straw.
Vendors are out from 10 am to 7 pm, rain or shine, every week.
Coconut Grove Farmer’s Market Address: 3300 Grand Ave., Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Read more about why we love farmer’s markets, and some of the other markets we love.
While it may not be as glitzy as South Beach, Coconut Grove reconnects visitors to Miami’s past and the authentic pleasures of life on the bay.
If you’re in town, make the most of your visit, and enjoy this tropical, seaside village.
Authentic Florida guest blogger, Laura Albritton, is the author of Miami for Families. Laura and her husband Zickie have a travel blog, Island Runaways. She is also a documentarian.
Check out these other destinations and articles Laura has covered for us:
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