VENETIAN POOL

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.