2701
DeSoto Blvd.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 460-5356
Website: www.venetianpool.com
Hours:
open Monday through Friday with hours
varying due to the season. Open 10am to
4:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays year round. September through March, the pool is closed on
Mondays.
Admission:
non-residents April through October is $8
for adults, $4 for children ages 3-12. November
through March adults $5 and children $2.00.
Children under 3 not admitted.
There
is perhaps, no greater symbol of the casual elegance
Coral Gables founder George Merrick wanted to
achieve than the Venetian Pool. Merrick’s uncle,
artist Denman Fink and architect Phineas Paist
worked together to bring the feel of old Venice to
sunny South Florida.
Surrounded
by towers (including an observation tower), offices,
a café and other areas, including a historical
exhibit and meeting rooms, all reflecting the same
Venetian grandeur and charm, the pool complex evokes
images of a more romantic era.
The
820,000-gallon pool, built from a coral rock quarry,
is fed by cool fresh water from the Biscayne
Aquifer, and maintained constantly at 76 to 78
degrees. Lushly landscaped with exotic ferns,
climbing allemande vines, birds of paradise, stands
of bamboo, huge, spreading ficus trees and royal and
coconut palms, the pool features a white sand beach,
a pair of cascades and coral caves and grottos for
swimmers to explore.
Though
the pool is an all-time hit with swimmers, it’s
also favored by many as a great place for weddings,
receptions, banquets, and other special events.
Helpful city staff can turn the facility from a pool
into an oasis.
Hint:
As beautiful a facility as it is during the day, the
Venetian Pool is even more beautiful and alluring at
night, with the Venetian lanterns illuminated,
casting a warm, inviting glow over the area.
