Coral Gables ?? What to do ??
 

How close to the beach & South Beach ? Good restaurants, I am open to suggestions.

Lots of shopping in Coral Gables (Miracle Mile), close to Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, and Miami Beach (South Beach) is over MacArthur Causeway. Coral Gables in on the mainland and the Miami Beaches are on a barrier island separated by Biscayne Bay.

Coral Gables is about 20 minutes to the beach. It does have a nice shopping street and some good restauarants in its smallish downtown area but it is really not a touristy area.

It's true the Gables isn't touristy (I used to work in the area), but it has a ton of restaurants. Norman's and Ortanique on the Mile are two that come to mind. As far as things to do, the Venetian Pool is kinda neat. It's a pool carved out of a coral rock quarry. Coconut Grove is nearby - it's a shopping/entertainment district with outdoor cafes, etc.

The Venetian Pool is someplace I have always wanted to visit. It is frequently showcased on The Travel Channel.

We've swum in the Venetian Pool and it really is an amazing place! The website is www.venetianpool.com and it has the history, photos, etc. It's a fresh water--this means COOL water, even in the heat of summer--pool complete with waterfalls and lagoons. The neighborhood in which the pool rsides dates from the 1920s and is itself very interesting to walk or drive around in.

A good Cuban restaurant is Hugo's. It's a very small place, downtown, and serves the most delicious, authentic Cuban food we've ever had. Prices are moderate, and it's home cooked.

You're making me want to get back to this area and check it out more, sometime soon, dln.