The Area
Miami is part of an area collectively known as the “Gold Coast”. It is known as such because so many wealthy northerners brought their $$$ down in winter and had big estates and fancy condos built for their snowbird lifestyle The Miami Metro area lines the southeast Florida Atlantic coast and includes Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Palm Beach/West Palm Beach, Hialeah, Hollywood and Boca Raton. Miami and the surrounding area is majority Hispanic in part due to proximity to the original homes of those who have immigrated. Cuba is only a couple hundred miles away and The Bahamas only 100-160 miles away. The majority of people here speak Spanish and Miami truly feels like the most International city in the U.S.
Brickell
Young Professionals
As with most cities Downtown draws tons of young professionals. The massive condo/apt buildings that line one of the more famous neighborhoods, Brickell. Sitting on the water, overlooking Brickell Key, and surrounded by shopping, amazing dining options, bars and nightclubs. Unlike much of the area Brickell also has great public transportation options with free trolleys, the Metro-Movers and the Metrorail to scoot you around town. There are a lot of good options but we’d suggest at least starting with Brickell if you’re moving here to be in the action.
- Brickell
- Wynwood
- Downtown
Coral Gables
DINK/SINKs
Coral Gables and Coconut Grove are interesting options for couples with no children. Coconut Grove has an incredible walkable social scene that rivals Miami for quality of food, bars and shopping. If you can afford it this is a compelling place to start your search. Coral Gables is a bit more affordable, as it is a bit more off the water and has more traditional housing than the “Grove”. It also has its own social scene and walkable commercial district.
- Coral Gables
- Coconut Grove
- Midtown
South Beach
LGBTQ+
Only a few other cities rival Miami for the richness of the LGBTQ life and culture in Miami. If you’re looking then start with the South Beach neighborhood. Imagine the Castro but glamorous, filled with all-night parties, access to sun, sand and surf, and bathed in extremely cool Art Deco architecture. Wynwood and the adjacent Design District also acts as a hub of the Miami LGBTQ community. It used to be a relatively empty warehouse district that is now an incredibly hip arts center filled with galleries, boutiques, breweries, cafes and clubs.
- South Beach
- Wynwood
- Design District
Coconut Grove
Families
Coconut Grove is Miami’s oldest neighborhood and is the most popular for families in the city. It has tall oak trees (rare for Florida), tons of parks and has bike riding trails for families to spin around town. It’s extremely walkscore friendly and you’ll feel good about it because it has 24/7 police surveillance making it one of the safest neighborhoods in Miami. It has the great private and public schools and the local CocoWalk commercial district has a movie theater, shops and Silly Monkeys Playhouse, where the kiddos can take art, music classes and just play and explore.
- Coconut Grove
- Weston
- Brickell
Edgewater
Retirees
Edgewater is a popular neighborhood for retirees. Right next to the happening neighborhoods of Wynwood and the Design District, it has a bounty of great condo options and easy access to shopping and entertainment. The University of Miami Hospital and Jackson Hospital are minutes away and prices are reasonable relative to some of the other neighborhoods nearby.
Bal Harbour is a technically a suburb of Miami but it sits at the north end of Miami Beach and is famous for upscale shopping and beautiful oceanfront resorts, condos and apartment buildings. Retirees who want the beach but want to be a bit removed from the city pick Bal Harbour.
- Edgewater
- Bal Harbour
- Miami Beach