Is Central Kendale Lakes safe?
Kendale Lakes, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Central Kendale Lakes as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Central Kendale Lakes
“Go. Central Kendale Lakes is a calm, well-established suburban community in southwestern Miami-Dade County with very low violent crime. It offers a secure and family-friendly environment for visitors, provided you have a vehicle to get around.”
About the area
Central Kendale Lakes is a predominantly residential, Hispanic suburban neighborhood centered around golf fairways, man-made lakes, and neighborhood shopping centers. It features a quiet residential fabric with strong community ties and low safety concerns.
- Suburban
- Family-Friendly
- Golf Community
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Central Kendale Lakes
Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 51/100
There is no dockless or municipal bike-share system available; biking is largely limited to residential subdivisions and perimeter sidewalk paths along main thoroughfares.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are consistently far below county and national averages.
- Solid median household incomes and high rates of owner-occupied housing with low vacancy.
- Peaceful, well-lit residential subdivisions with minimal through-traffic.
Cons
- Occasional opportunistic property crime, such as vehicle break-ins in retail plaza parking lots.
- Heavily congested arterial roads like Kendall Drive (SW 88th St) create pedestrian and traffic hazards.
- High car dependency makes navigating the area on foot impractical.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal in Central Kendale Lakes, though panhandlers are occasionally seen at major arterial intersections along Kendall Drive.
What Central Kendale Lakes is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and safe, with locals jogging, walking dogs, and picking up morning coffee at neighborhood plazas.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Active and generally orderly, with steady traffic around schools and strip malls.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet residential feel as families return home and local restaurants see steady, relaxed dinner crowds.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very tranquil with almost no pedestrian activity; residential roads remain calm while commercial lots empty out.
Transit, parking and getting around
Miami-Dade Transit provides bus service through routes like the 72, 88, and 104, which connect passengers to the Dadeland North and Dadeland South Metrorail stations located roughly 6 to 8 miles east.
Parking is abundant and free throughout the area, with large surface lots in shopping centers and private driveways in residential sectors.
Things to do in Central Kendale Lakes
- Play a round of golf or practice at the 27-hole Miccosukee Golf and Country Club.
- Walk or exercise around the green paths at Kendale Lakes Park.
- Explore authentic Cuban and Latin American bakeries and casual eateries along Kendall Drive.
Local favorites
- Miccosukee Golf & Country Club · Golf Course & Event Venue · 4.2★ (1820)Historic 27-hole championship golf course featuring open fairways, a driving range, and a banquet facility.
- El Rinconcito Latino · Cuban Restaurant · 4.4★ (3150)Bustling, casual neighborhood fixture serving hearty Cuban comfort classics, breakfast specials, and juices.
- Pinecrest Bakery - Kendale Lakes · Bakery · 4.3★ (1480)Popular 24-hour Cuban bakery offering pastelitos, sandwiches, specialty cakes, and strong cafecito.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.