While the city of Doral is emerging as a must-see destination in Miami with challenging golf fairways, world-class shopping and fine dining, the city is also alive with art. You can discover impressive pieces by world-renowned artists in unexpected public spaces like new shopping centers, a luxury hotel and even a park.

exterior of Intercontinental Doral — The InterContinental at Doral Miami is home to ever-changing art exhibitions

Check-in to Check Out Art

If you check-in for a stay at the InterContinental at Doral Miami or pop in for dinner and drinks at the hotel’s Blue Matisse restaurant or Nau Lounge, you’ll be treated to an unexpected dash of culture. Take an “art walk” through the hallway between the lobby and the conference rooms, and you’ll discover walls of well-curated art. The hotel is centered on giving back to the community and has paired up with White’s Art Gallery, whose Art Director, Jeniree Blanco, curates a beautiful new exhibit for hotel guests and visitors to see. Every few months, the art changes and features mostly local artists with an emphasis on artists from Latin America. Think of it as a pop-up exhibit where you’ll always experience something new and different.

CityPlace at night — CityPlace Doral is a bustling center for shopping and dining

The Art of Shopping

You may be surprised to learn that even shopping and dining districts in Doral offer visitors the chance to immerse themselves in art. As soon as you enter CityPlace Doral, a “mini-city” packed with a maze of delicious restaurants and trendy boutiques, you’re greeted by fountains that actually “dance” to music. The fanciful fountains show off colorful water productions choreographed to music by a wide range of artists such as Beethoven, Andrea Bocelli, Lady Gaga and even Miami’s own “Mr. 305,” Pitbull. There are plenty of chances to catch this unique spectacle. The water show happens daily between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. in the Entertainment Plaza. Enjoy art exhibits, live painting and music on the third Saturday of every month from 6 until 9 p.m. when CityPlace Doral, in partnership with ReEnvision Art Gallery, hosts its Doral Art & Sip cultural series.

At the entry to Downtown Doral, another shopping and dining destination located in the heart of the city, visitors are welcomed by two 30-foot steel sculptures created by internationally recognized sculptor John Henry. The pieces, decked out in Henry’s signature vibrant red color, seem to reach toward one another and create a gateway and landmark entry point for the community. The sculptures are appropriately named “Bienvenido y Despedida,” which means “Welcome and Goodbye.” So, whether you’re coming or going, it’s the perfect spot for a photo to remember your time painting the town red in Doral!

park in Downtown Doral — Stop by Downtown Doral Park to view “Micco"

Wide Open Spaces for Art

Also in booming Downtown Doral, at the three-acre Downtown Doral Park meant for picnicking and playing, you’ll discover one of the most impressive pieces of art in the city, “Micco.” The mammoth sculpture, named after a Seminole term that means “wise leader,” was created by Miami native Michele Oka Doner, a world-renowned artist who is well known for creating numerous public art installations throughout the United States, including “A Walk on the Beach” at Miami International Airport. Oka Doner says she modeled the sculpture after pieces of bark that she collected, and she created her masterpiece with special concrete with stone aggregates. It was conceived as a new gateway from the Everglades to the city and took the artist three years to conceptualize and complete. “Micco” was meant to provide shelter from the Miami heat and to be a gathering place, and that’s just what it’s become for visitors and locals. If you look closely, you’ll see that the native plants sprouting out from the structure are growing and changing — just like the city of Doral.

Looking for more art? Head to school! The façade of Downtown Doral Charter Elementary School is adorned with a mural by Richard Haas, who has produced drawings, paintings and etchings for small and medium-sized cities. The mural features kids happily bouncing balls and sliding down poles. More art is being approved every day, so every time you visit Doral, expect to see another piece or sculpture popping up somewhere in the city.