Palmetto Bay is a nice, upper middle-class neighborhood, where homes are actually spaced out on…read morelots, not crammed together (a rarity in overcrowded Miami-Dade County), there are good schools, parks, and it is quite safe, at all hours of the day and night. As if that weren't enough, it boasts two lovely historic homes: the Charles Deering Estate, which holds several events throughout the year, and the beautiful Thalatta Estate, used as a popular wedding venue. Both of them are waterfront properties.
My mother lives in Palmetto Bay and enjoys the relatively peaceful commutes to the grocery store, The Falls and Dadeland Mall. She always boasts about how quickly she gets to places, unlike me, living in gridlocked Miami Beach. She also doesn't have a pesky association to deal with, nor is she woken up by the sound of cars honking (again, stop rubbing it in, mom!).
As Michelle C. pointed out, there have been some very stupid decisions when it comes to spending funds that the municipality receives from the taxpayers. I agree with her about the brick crosswalk -- it was not only unnecessary and an illogical expenditure of money, but it makes for a very bumpy car ride. I remember not too long ago when they closed the area between 77th Avenue (Palmetto Road) from 144th Street all the way to 152nd Street. The road was closed for at least a week, if not longer. I figured it was to repair the asphalt, or maybe upgrade drainage or sewage, but no. They closed the road for 1-2 weeks...to paint bicycle signs. Unfortunately, dumb politicians and careless spending seem to be the norm these days everywhere in the country.
Fair warning: the cops are ticket happy here, so be careful, and yes, they hide in church parking lots and behind bushes. I got a ticket some years ago for turning left on a yellow light. The female officer was not very friendly and just wanted to sit there and argue with me about the color of the light -- never mind the fact that someone turning after me was not pulled over and given a traffic infraction ticket as well, but she would not hear of it. I guess on the plus side, the fact they are watching out for traffic infractions means that they must also be watching out for crime and thefts, so inhabitants of the village ought to feel very safe.
In Palmetto Bay, it isn't uncommon to see people riding around Old Cutler Road and the neighborhoods in golf carts. This is especially true during Halloween and while visiting other neighbors or running local errands. The new Palmetto Bay library is very nice, and holds a lot of free events, such as yoga classes in the evenings, storytime for kids, and even language classes. I believe Coral Reef Park has yoga classes in the evenings too. The Charles Deering Estate holds a few outdoor events, such as canoe tours, and jazz nights. Their Valentine's Day Jazz Under the Stars event and their Deering Seafood Festival are some of their most popular events. They are highly rated and very popular, so if you're looking to impress your sweetie with something romantic and atypical, consider a night out in Palmetto Bay!