This Miami Neighborhood Was Just Named One of the Top Five Coolest in the U.S.

We’ve done it again. For the sixth year running, Time Out surveyed thousands of city-dwellers around the world to get the scoop on the coolest spots in their cities. For the first time since launching the survey, a Miami neighborhood has been named among the top five coolest in the United States, and that neighborhood is Coral Gables.

To compile this year’s shortlist, we asked over 12,000 people to weigh in on their hometowns: Which areas are home to the best new restaurants and most exciting cultural happenings? Where are people meeting up, going out and having fun? The final ranking takes into account the insight and expertise of city editors and local experts who know their cities inside and out.

So how did Miami’s first planned community land in the nation’s No. 5 spot? Founded in 1925, Coral Gables is cool in a way not many places in Miami are. By no means understated, the “City Beautiful” trades out the velvet-roped gaudiness of Miami Beach for a more classic glamor, a pastel color palette for terracotta hues and the Atlantic Ocean for iconic swimming pools. But the Gables is so much more than its palm tree-lined boulevards and Mediterranean Revival-style architecture.

Seemingly out of nowhere, it’s become one of Miami’s most exciting foodie destinations, home to numerous homegrown concepts and Michelin-recognized spots (with even more on the way, if our suspicions are correct). The enclave boasts its own bustling downtown replete with locally owned businesses and cultural institutions including a longstanding indie cinema. And soon, Coral Gables will follow in the footsteps of New York’s High Line with its own lush, seven-mile cycling and recreational path, complete with public art and other amenities. 

Curious to find out more about why this Miami neighborhood has been deemed so very cool? Check out our definitive guide to Coral Gables, which includes up-to-date information on the area’s best restaurants and attractions, plus a bit more backstory and practical stuff like how to get around and have the perfect day.

The top five North American cities

1. Mid-City, New Orleans
2. Arts District, Los Angeles
3. Fort Greene, New York
4. Hyde Park, Chicago
5. Coral Gables, Miami

The top five cities worldwide

1. Laureles, Medellín
2. Smithfield, Dublin
3. Carabanchel, Madrid
4. Havnen, Copenhagen
5. Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Want to see how the rest of the world stacked up? Peruse our full ranking of the 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world right now and start planning your next great global adventure.