CHECK OUT MORE FROM OUR '7 DAYS OF SUBURBS' WEEK

Nestled east of Palmetto Expressway and north of Miami, Miami Lakes has three distinct features not often seen in other Miami suburbs: an attentiveness to New Urbanism — the urban design movement emphasizing walkability and outdoor living — curving roadways as opposed to grids, and lots and lots of trees. A fourth distinguishing feature, though, isn’t immediately obvious: Miami Lakes has political roots.

Florida State Senator Ernest Graham (1886-1957) owned the land that Miami Lakes sits on today. The Democratic senator unsuccessfully ran for governor, but his family found success in land development. Shortly after his death, the Graham family began construction on Miami Lakes in 1962. Although they stated it would be a 30-year development, improvements, and expansions continue to this day; the Graham family also still owns much of the land as well, and many of its projects have come from the family’s namesake development firm, The Graham Companies. 

Now, Miami Lakes is home to about 30,000 residents and more than 1,100 businesses. Let’s take a walk down the shady, tree-lined streets of Miami Lakes, which incorporated into Miami-Dade County in December 2000.

Homes

Miami Lakes’ homes line up with the start of its development. Many available homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s and feature a Florida ranch style with Mediterranean exterior details. Newer, more luxury builds are available at the suburb’s northern edge in the Royal Oaks neighborhood, and the Gramercy Park neighborhood features homes for sale built in the 1990s.

Considering its name, it’s no surprise that Miami Lakes features many lakefront properties. The abundance of lakes also requires more curved roadways than typical grid structures seen in other suburbs. Thanks to the Graham family’s early attention to New Urbanism, each neighborhood features an abundance of shady trees that create a charming feel with plenty of curb appeal. 

Businesses

Photo courtesy of Graham Companies

Also a Graham Companies creation, Main Street Miami Lakes is a shopping, dining, and entertainment hub within this charming suburb. Residents and visitors can pop into locally owned boutiques, bakeries, and restaurants at this outdoor shopping mall. Royal Oaks Plaza is another sprawling business hub with 40 restaurants and businesses. 

Parks and Rec

Photo courtesy of Royal Oaks Park

When you live in Miami Lakes, there’s a pretty good chance you’re in walking distance of a park. The town features 99 parks across 6.5 square miles as well as greenways and trails that create safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists to travel from A to B. What’s more, according to the Miami Lakes government website, even more trails are in the works.

The parks often have kids in mind, too, with mini parks and “tot lots” available with playground equipment. Larger parks include Optimist Park, with its four baseball fields, two soccer fields, four basketball courts, four tennis courts, batting cages, picnic pavilions and more. Royal Oaks Park features four multi-purpose athletic fields plus a bike trail, butterfly garden, and concessions stand. 

Getting to Miami Lakes From Downtown Miami

Photo courtesy of Palmetto Expressway

Miami Lakes is about 20 miles northwest of Downtown Miami and easily accessible via Dolphin Expressway and Palmetto Expressway.