The Coral Gables Museum, with a mission to celebrate, investigate and explore the civic arts of architecture and urban and environmental design, is highlights the City Beautiful through its largest outdoor exhibit — the City of Coral Gables itself.
The museum offers several tour programs that showcase the urban plan, neighborhood streets, historic architecture and lush landscaping that the city has to offer. One can choose from walking tours, bike tours or waterway canoe tours.
If you choose the walking tour, you can stroll through the Gables every Saturday at 11 a.m. The one-and-a-half-hour tour begins at the Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Ave., and will take you through downtown Coral Gables where you will learn about the past and present businesses occupying the buildings along the route. This tour also stops in building lobbies and public areas to discuss the new projects taking place in Coral Gables.
The walking tour is $5 for museum members and $10 for non-members, which also includes admission into the museum’s six galleries.
Bike tours take place the third Sunday of every month beginning at 10 a.m. The tours depart from the Coral Gables Museum and are conducted in conjunction with Bike Walk Coral Gables, meaning each tour is themed differently.
The most anticipated theme of the fall will take place on Oct. 18 and is called Birthday Bash — a celebration of the city’s 90th birthday along with Bike Walk Coral Gables’ Founder Robert Ruano’s 60th birthday. Other Fall themes include A Wheelie Great Ride on Nov. 15 and Holiday Road on Dec. 20.
‘If you don’t have your own bike to bring with you, you can rent a bike from No Boundaries Sports, across from the Museum at 220 Aragon Ave. Rentals must be arranged in advance of the tour. The bike tours are $5 for museum members and $10 for non-members and include admission to the museum.
The Coral Gables Museum partners with Miami-Dade County’s Eco-Tours for the Gables Waterway Canoe Tours, which take place on the last Sunday of every month. Participants meet at the Coral Gables Museum at 9:30 a.m. and embark on a guided tour down Coral Gables’ famed waterway. This tour does require reservations as seating is limited, with no more than 12 paddlers on each tour.
The canoe tours are $40 per person, which includes transportation to the waterway by Miami Dade County’s Eco-Tours, equipment and museum admission.
More information about tour dates and themes can be found at www.coralgablesmuseum.org.
