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Compass
1515 Sunset Dr., #408
Miami, FL 33143
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The Lizzie Padro Group
If your perfect day starts on calm Biscayne Bay with a coffee at sunrise and lines off by nine, Coconut Grove belongs on your short list. Here, marinas sit steps from leafy parks and the village, and the community orbits around boating, sailing and on-the-water gatherings. In this guide, you’ll learn where to dock, how to secure a slip or mooring, what living options truly deliver bay access, and the key checks to make before you buy. Let’s dive in.
Coconut Grove is Miami’s original waterfront village, set right on Biscayne Bay. You get a walkable lifestyle, active yacht and sailing clubs, and quick access to channels that put you in open water fast. You also have a real mix of options. You can live on a private island with a resident marina, keep a boat on a municipal mooring, or choose a condo steps from the docks and join a club for social and racing life.
Dinner Key is the Grove’s municipal hub for wet slips and moorings, operated by the City of Miami. The facility is large, with a reported 587 wet slips and more than 250 moorings serving vessels across a wide size range. Amenities include pump-out, restrooms and showers, laundry, dinghy dock and shuttle, 24-hour staff and security, plus live-aboard allowances. It sits beside Miami City Hall at the historic Pan Am seaplane terminal. For slip sizes, services, and the current waitlist process, review the City’s official page for the Dinner Key Marina and Mooring Facility.
Slip availability is dynamic. Many annual contracts are full and managed via first-come, first-served waitlists by boat length. Short-term and transient dockage can be possible, especially outside peak periods. If you’re aiming for a long-term slip, call the marina office early, know your LOA and draft, and get on the list.
Navigation note: Dinner Key sits in a protected basin with roughly 7 feet of draft at the slips, with approach options that include the Main Dinner Key Channel and Seaplane Channel. Depths vary. Always consult current local guidance and proceed with care, especially with a deep keel or during strong winter lows.
If you prefer a smaller private facility with on-site service, Grove Harbour Marina offers full-service yard capabilities, a travel lift, and convenient proximity to the village. Owners who want maintenance, haul-outs, and repairs handled in one place often choose Grove Harbour. Slip counts are far smaller than Dinner Key, so plan ahead for availability.
For guaranteed resident slips and concierge-style marina service, Grove Isle is the most direct path. The private island at 5 Grove Isle Drive has long been known for exclusive, gated living with resident marina access. The current development, Vita at Grove Isle, highlights private marina and island amenities as core features. If your priority is a dedicated home plus a predictable slip, developments like Vita provide a clear, if premium, solution. Expect additional marina or club fees on top of purchase price.
Day boaters with trailers often use public ramps across South Miami-Dade. A regional roundup of Miami-Dade boat ramps includes the Seminole and Dinner Key area, as well as Matheson Hammock and Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. You can scan a helpful list of area ramps on this Miami-Dade boat ramps guide when planning your logistics.
Coconut Grove has one of the most active small-boat sailing scenes in the country. The Coconut Grove Sailing Club runs adult and youth programs, regattas, and a full race calendar that livens up weekends. Two private clubs, Coral Reef Yacht Club and Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, anchor much of the local race and social life.
Visitors arriving by water can review practical approach notes and guest dock information posted by the clubs. For example, Coral Reef Yacht Club publishes directions by water and approach guidance that help you plan safe arrivals in the Dinner Key basin.
Membership details and guest access vary between clubs. If club racing, cruising fleets, or a robust social calendar are important to you, talk with each club about programs, reciprocity, and any house or initiation fees.
Developments that explicitly bundle homeownership with marina access are the simplest route to an assigned slip. Grove Isle is the local example, with Vita at Grove Isle marketing resident slips and concierge amenities as part of the lifestyle. This option trades a higher entry cost for predictability and ease.
Many bayfront or canal-front homes in and around the Grove offer private docks, or the potential to permit one. If you choose this route, dock condition and seawall history matter for safety, insurance, and maintenance. Always request permits, recent repairs, and elevation information. Flood zone classification and elevation can affect premiums and availability, so plan to review official resources like the Miami-Dade flood maps with your advisor.
Many mid-rise or tower condos along South Bayshore Drive deliver sweeping bay views and walkable access to the waterfront, but they may not include resident slips. Some buildings offer a small number of assigned slips or separate marina programs. Others rely on Dinner Key for resident access via slips or moorings. Before you buy, ask building management about boating policies, on-site storage for smaller craft, and any partnership with nearby marinas.
If you do not want to own a dock, the Dinner Key mooring field and municipal slips provide a practical alternative. Expect seasonal demand and possible waitlists. Transient and short-term options can bridge the gap while you wait for a long-term assignment.
Budget for these line items when you compare properties and marina options:
Use this quick checklist while you evaluate a property or boating plan:
Launch from Dinner Key in the morning, then set a course along the edge of the bay for an easy sail or power cruise. If you have family or guests, plan a midday tie-up and lunch ashore. Many local favorites are boat-accessible, and the basin is home to community watersports operators like Shake-A-Leg Miami. After an afternoon on the water, glide back in time for sunset. If you prefer land and sea in the same day, cap the evening with a stroll through Peacock Park or the bayfront path near The Barnacle Historic State Park.
Waterfront property in Coconut Grove sits at the high end of Miami pricing due to limited shoreline and strong demand. Recent snapshots in 2024 and 2025 placed neighborhood medians broadly in the multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollar range, often around the $1.6 million to $2.4 million band, with some enclaves far above that. Always verify current pricing and availability through the MLS and your advisor, since numbers and inventory change quickly.
To shop efficiently, match your boating plan to the right property type. If a guaranteed slip is non-negotiable, start with Grove Isle or similar resident-marina developments. If you prefer a single-family home, underwrite seawalls, dock condition, and elevation early. If you love views and a lock-and-leave lifestyle, choose a condo near Dinner Key and plan for a mooring or leased slip.
Ready to map your boating lifestyle to the right Coconut Grove home or condo? Our team pairs local waterfront expertise with yacht introductions and Compass Concierge to make the move simple. Connect with Lizzie Padro to tour on the water and on land, compare slip options, and plan a turnkey transition.
Compass
1515 Sunset Dr., #408
Miami, FL 33143
The Lizzie Padro Group