Coral Gables is also known by many as The City Beautiful, and for good reason. This neighborhood is lush, tropical and, simply put, beautiful. Coral Gables is one of Florida’s first intentionally planned cities, created by George Merrick in 1925. Can you picture the Mediterranean style architecture that this area is so well known for? We can thank Merrick for that. Have you noticed the Spanish street names? Merrick chose these names after reading Washington Irving’s book, Tales of the Alhambra. While Merrick’s influence on the area was great, he died nearly penniless.

Today, Coral Gables is thriving and considered by many to be the ultimate suburb. There are so many things to do that residents and visitors often have trouble deciding! Discover the gems that Coral Gables has to offer this Holiday season. Here are just a few of the events happening in The City Beautiful.

Downtown Coral Gables Holiday Market: December 17-18, 2021
Great for kids and adults. Expect Santa & Mrs. Claus sightings, snow, shopping opportunities, Christmas Carols and craft workshops.

NightGarden at Fairchild: Through January 2, 2022
Yuletide-themed activities, events and cocktails amongst a spectacular interactive light and sound show at the already-spectacular Fairchild Gardens.

Madeline’s Christmas: Through December 19, 2021
A musical theater show geared at children but fun for everyone at The Actors’ Playhouse at Miracle Theatre.

For 37 years, Santa’s Enchanted Forest has enticed thousands of children and adults alike to frolic around the Christmas-themed amusement park in Tropical Park. Last year proved otherwise, when the celebration was shut down due to COVID. Now it’s back in it’s 38th year. Expect to see its signature 90ft Christmas tree, hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights, Christmas karaoke and more in its shiny new home of Hialeah Park. The man of the hour, Santa Claus, will be waiting for you each evening for a photo op and the coveted chance to share with him the gift of your dreams.

Where did this South Florida staple come from, you might ask? Santa’s Enchanted Forest has been stealing hearts and minds since 1982. It was October when the Shechtman family created an elaborate walkway of Christmas displays and food stalls amid red and green twinkling lights that lead visitors to an almost 100ft Christmas tree to celebrate the holiday season. Thus the tradition was sealed. Two years later, a merry-go-round was added to the decor. By 1992, the park had nearly doubled in size and today it is a full-blown amusement park, complete with roller coasters and a ferris wheel, pizza and funnel cakes, carnival games and circus acts.

Love it or hate it, it’s here to stay. If you plan to call yourself a Miami local, it is imperative that you purchase your ticket and head over to uncover the magic that is Santa’s Enchanted Forest.

The 38th Annual Miami Book Fair is just around the corner! Every November, Miami is host to an 8-day celebration of all things literary. Local and international authors, well-curated and artfully chosen, kick things off with readings of their most recent masterpieces. The celebration then turns into a block party of sorts, known as the Street Fair. This fair appeals to young and mature alike. South Floridian students gather to play games, participate in theater performances, create arts and crafts and listen to stories. The Street Fair is best known for its Festival of Authors. This events invites close to 500 writers from all over the US, Latin America and Spain to discuss their written works and books of all kinds and for all ages are discussed.

For adults, there are plenty of poetry readings and author discussions. Such conversations run the gamut of fiction and nonfiction. All kinds of topics are touched upon, from self-care to politics to race to grieving, some humorous and others heartfelt. Talks are hosted in both English and Spanish by well-known authors and emerging writers.

The Miami Book Fair takes place on the Miami Dade College Campus in Downtown, Miami, with Fringe events taking place in Doral. Many readings can be accessed virtually. The official dates are November 14 – 21, 2021. Courses, readings and other events having to do with the Miami Book Fair take place year-round, both in person and virtually.

After a rather tense year and several months, what everybody really needs is a good laugh. Luckily, Miami has plenty of opportunities to do just that!

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It’s spring in Miami Beach and there is no better way to enjoy the nightly breeze than with a bottle of wine, a picnic dinner and the sounds of the New World Symphony.

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It’s easy to flip on Netflix to disconnect after a long day, but you will be doing yourself a disservice. Nature offers one of the very best methods of disconnection. The sunsets over Miami’s ever-growing skyline are simply unlike anywhere else, turning the sky a medley of orange, pink, yellow and violet. The best part about this amazing light show? It’s free! This evening, close your computer and head to one of these five simple spots on South Beach to enjoy a stunning culmination to your day.

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If you are looking for a way to connect with nature, there is no better place to start than the Everglades. This vast, subtropical ecosystem is home to a huge variety of wildlife. You’ll see alligators, crocodiles, manatees, turtles and plenty of birds. Made up of nearly 2 million acres of protected land, it is a World Heritage Site and is one of the most diverse ecosystems worldwide. The best thing about this National Park is that it’s right in your own backyard!

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It’s no secret that Miami is the place to be. If the crowds are getting to you and open, green space is calling, why not take a trip to Homestead? Located 30 miles south of Miami and known as the Gateway to the Everglades, Biscayne National Parks & the Florida Keys, Homestead is so often overlooked as an attraction all of its own.
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Miami and Miami Beach are unlike anywhere else in the world. Six time mayor of Miami Maurice Ferre once described the city as follows: “If you look at America, together with South America and Central America and the Caribbean, Miami becomes central; domestically (it is) not important but internationally, it is.” Miami has been critiqued and criticized by its urban American counterparts for decades, yet these “outsiders” fail to recognize that this complicated and layered seaside paradise doesn’t play on the same field. Miami is not “America”, per se, but rather an international safehouse that remains dedicated to maintaining the variety of cultures it represents. Joked about as the “Capital of South America”, Miami and Miami Beach depict traditions far outside the South American spectrum, with pockets dedicated to Haiti, Italy, Russia and more.
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Do you miss going to the movies? Well you are in luck. Carpool Cinema Wynwood is in full swing, taking you back in time to the good old days of drive-in movie theatres and broadcasting some of Hollywood’s time-honored flicks. Think nostalgic classics like Jurassic Park, Grease, Back to the Future and the Goonies! Read more