Coral Gable's Miracle Mile

The Miracle Mile is a boulevard running through Coral Gables lined with restaurants and boutiques, some upscale, others less so. The north end of the mile has a wonderful vintage Dennys while the south end is anchored by Coral Gables' magnificent City Hall. It's comparable to Park Avenue in Winter Park or Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale.

I couldn't resist snapping a shot of the Ponce de Leon street sign, my first reference to the Spanish explorer this year.

The 1,600 seat Miracle Theater opened on the Mile in 1948. The City purchased the Deco beauty in 1990 and spent $6.5 million dollars revitalizing it; the restoration was completed in 1995. Today it is leased by the Actor's Playhouse theater company.

Much of the architecture of Coral Gables is Mediterranean Revival style, including this beauty that today houses a bank. Behind most of the historic structures are contemporary high-rises, some of which are designed in the same style.

We window shopped at Carroll's Jewelers the day before they closed their doors for good. The 63 year-old business fell victim to the tough economy and the owner's desire to retire. While not every store front was occupied on the Mile, it appeared that most of the vendors were hanging tough during this current economic.

While it doesn't have the raw energy of South Beach, the Mile has a good mix of vintage charm and urban hipness. As our hotel was just down the street, we returned several times, and I never tired of exploring this interesting stretch of South Florida.

State Archives of Florida