Celebrate Valentine’s Day With One Of Miami’s Many Mysteries

 
This week is the week that we all put our love on display. Some call it a Hallmark Holiday and some wait eagerly for a surprise each year, but most every couple recognizes the day to a certain extent. We talk often here about restaurant openings, so thought to switch it up a little bit this year and suggest a day trip to explore a romantic tale as well as one of the biggest mysteries around; the Coral Castle.

This is a tale of the pain of loss, which is overcome by the power of love and Miami’s penchant for being a place for rebirth. Located about 25 miles south of Coconut Grove at 28655 South Dixie Highway in Homestead, the castle is an architectural anomaly. Constructed with over 1,100 tons of oolitic limestone before the invention of tower cranes, nobody really knows how it physically came to be.

Legend has it that Edward Leedskalnin was just 26 years old when his fiancé in Latvia opted to cancel their wedding just a day before the big event. He was so heartbroken that he immigrated to Miami and set out to work building a testament to his love despite his lack of formal training as an engineer. Mr. Leedskalnin was extremely eccentric and private, not allowing anyone to view his progress until it was completed.

The stone slabs he used were enormous including whole walls that are one stone, a large crescent moon, a dining table, and more with only the use of a few homemade tools. A few teenagers caught a peep of the progress at one point and reported back that he had entire stones moving like hydrogen balloons. We can only imagine that sight!

For years Mr. Leedskalnin would offer personal tours of the property. You just rang the doorbell and he would come down. The door closed behind you and he showed you his personal home, but he was not keen to answer too many questions. When asked how he moved the stones, he would just say that it’s easy if you know what to do. If you asked what was the reason behind the castle, he would vaguely claim it is for his “Sweet Sixteen”.

If you are interested in more of the story but are not eager for the drive, a longer synopsis is available on Wikipedia or the castle’s website.

The Scenic Route

There are several ways to venture down to the Homestead area, but we prefer the more scenic route for a leisurely trip like this. They are all around 30 minutes. If you drive South on Old Cutler Road until it turns into the Ronald Reagan Turnpike in Cutler Bay, you are already almost there.

After visiting the Castle Museum, there are many restaurants to choose from, particularly authentic Mexican spots.

We hope that you have an amazing holiday with your special someone.