The City of Miami has never been a sleepy town, but rather a city under construction and development since Henry Flagler was enticed by Julia Tuttle and Mary and William Brickell to bring the railroad south from Jacksonville. Flagler’s railroad finished laying its tracks previously in1894.
Miami became a chartered city in 1896 with only 25 registered voters, all of whom required to be men. South Beach’s Lincoln Road, an outdoor mall, hosts fine restaurants and bistros, lush foliage, art galleries, and boutique stores. Winter weekend features a daytime flea market, fruit and flower markets. Not to be missed is the Miami Beach Convention Center and the Holocaust Memorial. The “Beach Experience” requires more time.
We pass Bayside Marketplace in the downtown with 100 shops and kiosks, the complimentary light rail which crosses the Miami River onto Brickell Avenue, the international financial district. The New Mary Brickell Village is an area popular with corporate and millennial visitors and residents alike.
On the edge of Coconut Grove is Miami’s version of an Italian Palazzo with John Deering’s Estate, Vizcaya. Then down to the historic Bahamian fishing village of Coconut Grove, We will travel its charming streets, the Coconut Grove Theatre, and its exciting shopping district. Plus many surprises.
A magnificent gift to the people of Coral Gables is the lush foliage and formerly gas lit streets of the “City Beautiful” in 1925 by George Merrick. Mansions, the Biltmore Hotel, and the community’s Venetian Pool graces it’s residential area.
See the University of Miami and onto Little Havana if time permits. Explore with us as we view the past and the dreams of the future.
