Things to Do in Coconut Grove Miami: Six Top Picks

Is Coconut Grove worth visiting?

Yes, Coconut Grove is worth a day if you like gardens, historic houses and boats more than beaches. Miami's tourism board calls it the center of sailing in Miami, and it holds three of the area's best-known green spaces. The Grove is also one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, so the streets feel calmer than South Beach.

The historic sites are Vizcaya and the Barnacle. Vizcaya's own site calls the estate a National Historic Landmark. The Barnacle is a historic state park on the bay. The Kampong is a garden, not a historic house, but it was the home of the plant explorer David Fairchild.

For food and shopping, the Grove's business district lists restaurants such as Amal, Ariete, Bartaco, Bayshore Club and Barracuda Taphouse & Grill. Its shop list includes Books & Books, Alice + Olivia, Buck Mason, Moscot and Merlau on Commodore Plaza. The directory does not give a street for each place, so check the address before you walk over.

Most visitors pair it with the rest of the city. A bus tour in Miami covers downtown and the beaches, but we could not confirm that a hop-on hop-off route stops in the Grove. Plan Coconut Grove as its own half day or full day.

Best Things to Do in Miami's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 4 listings that mention Coconut Grove: two helicopter flights, a city tour and a jet ski trip. That tells you something useful. Coconut Grove is a place you explore on your own, and few tours are built around it. Our verdict is plain: skip the tour here. Doing it yourself is enough, because the Metrorail and the free trolley reach the Grove and most sights are short walks apart.

Key Takeaway Plan Coconut Grove as a self-guided day: Vizcaya or the Kampong in the morning, the bayfront at noon, and CocoWalk in the evening.

1. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens: the big sight

Vizcaya is the biggest reason to come to Coconut Grove. Doors open every day except Tuesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Vizcaya's hours and admission page lists adult tickets at $20 through October 2026 and $25 from November 1. Children 6 to 12 pay $10, and children 5 and under are free.

The estate has a Main House, formal gardens and a café. It takes a good part of a day, so start here in the morning. Our full guide to Vizcaya Museum covers the Metrorail walk, the dress rules and the café hours.

2. The Barnacle Historic State Park: a house on the bay

The Barnacle is a historic state park on Biscayne Bay. The tourism board describes it as a 40-acre site in the heart of the neighborhood. Expect a calm stop after Vizcaya, with bay views and shade.

The bay is the main view in the Grove. From the Barnacle you look out over Biscayne Bay. At Vizcaya, the East Terrace overlooks Biscayne Bay. The tourism board says David Kennedy Park, off South Bayshore Drive, covers more than 20 acres of bayfront green. Peacock Park and Dinner Key add open water, sailboats and the marina.

The park's own page was not readable to us, so we do not list its hours or its price here. Check the Florida State Parks page for the Barnacle before you go, because historic house tours often run on a set schedule.

3. The Kampong: a tropical garden with a short week

The Kampong is a botanic garden at 4013 South Douglas Road. The garden opens Tuesday through Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with last entry at 3:00 p.m. Sunday and Monday are closed days, according to the garden's visit page.

Reservations are encouraged, partly so that parking is ready for you. You can pick a self-guided visit or a guided tour followed by free time. The page lists no general ticket price, so call (305) 442-7169 or check the booking page. Dr. David Fairchild, a plant explorer, lived here and named the garden after villages he saw in Malaysia.

Pro Tip Plan the Kampong for a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday morning, and arrive before the 3:00 p.m. last entry.

4. Peacock Park: a free bayfront break

Peacock Park is a city park at 2820 McFarlane Road. The park opens every day from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., according to the City of Miami. The park has a playground, picnic tables, bike racks, bathrooms and waterfront access. Dogs are welcome on a leash.

Miami's tourism board puts the park at more than 9 acres. That makes it a good lunch stop with kids, because you can sit, run around and watch the water for free.

5. CocoWalk and Grand Avenue: eat, shop, watch a movie

CocoWalk is the Grove's shopping and dining center, at 3015 Grand Avenue, where McFarlane Road meets Grand Avenue. The Grove's business district says the neighborhood has more than 80 restaurants and 40 shops. A movie theater is part of the complex, and a rooftop and plaza host small events.

Inside CocoWalk, the cinema is Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas. CocoWalk's dining page lists Grand Public Kitchen + Bar, Al Bacaro, Chop, Narbona, Sushi Garage, sweetgreen and Salt & Straw ice cream. The complex also has offices and shops, but its home page names no single store.

Parking in the CocoWalk garage is priced by the hour. On the page when we checked, the weekday daytime rate was $10 for one to two hours, with a $35 maximum, and weekends were a $17 flat rate. Prices can change, so check CocoWalk's getting here page before you drive. If you come by Metrorail, you skip this cost.

6. Dinner Key Marina and Regatta Park: the sailing side

Dinner Key Marina is on the bayfront, and the tourism board describes it as Florida's largest marina. Regatta Park, at the marina, is named for the sailing races that often dot the horizon. Walk the waterfront at sunset if you like boats.

If you want the view from above, a private helicopter flight over Miami, from €169 per person, flies over South Miami and Coconut Grove. The flight lasts 20 minutes, takes up to 3 people and is run by Magic Air Tours. Riders rate it 4.9 from 131 reviews, and it has free cancellation. These ratings come from GetYourGuide on 23 October 2026, and we did not check them ourselves. The airport fee of $19 per person is paid on site, and the meeting point is 14359 SW 127th St, well south of the Grove. Children under 3 and people over 287 pounds cannot fly.

A flight is the wrong choice if you came for gardens and quiet. It shows the bay in minutes and is no substitute for a walk through the Grove.

How to choose among the things to do in Coconut Grove Miami

Pick by the day of the week and the time you have. Vizcaya is closed on Tuesday, and the Kampong is closed on Sunday and Monday. The parks and CocoWalk are open every day, so they are your backup on those days.

The best neighborhoods are the ones you can cross slowly and still be glad you stopped.

How to get to Coconut Grove without a car

The Metrorail is the easiest way, and it costs $2.25 per trip, according to Miami-Dade Transit. Trains run from 5 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, and the Coconut Grove station is at 2780 SW 27th Avenue. The county has approved a fare rise to $2.75 in January 2027. For passes and other lines, see our page on getting around Miami.

From the station, the free City of Miami Coconut Grove trolley takes you into the neighborhood. According to the county's schedule data, the route starts at the station and stops along Grand Avenue and Bayshore Drive. It runs Monday to Saturday, with no Sunday service. The City of Miami does not publish a Coconut Grove-specific wait time, so allow some slack.

With a day for the whole city and no car, a 5-hour small-group city tour with hotel pickup covers Coconut Grove with South Beach, Little Havana and Coral Gables. The price is from €53 per person. Tours by Max Inc runs it with up to 14 people, and it has free cancellation. It has one review so far, a 5.0. Think of it as a sampler. You see the Grove in a stop or two, not a full day.

Where to go next: Little Havana

Little Havana is the natural next day after Coconut Grove, and it is a different world of food, music and domino games. A Little Havana tour page lists the walking and food options. One pick is a 3-hour Little Havana food tour, from €75 per person, run by Secret Food Tours. Guests rate it 5.0 from 25 reviews, and it has free cancellation. The group meets at the Bay of Pigs Monument, 806 SW 13th Ave. Tips and transport are not included.

A food tour is the wrong choice if you plan to eat at CocoWalk that night. Pick one big meal and skip the other.