This is a sister garden of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, located in Coconut Grove. It's…read moregated and you have to reserve your time and ticket in advance on their website. On the day of my reservation, there was a high chance for downpours. I wish we had had more than 5 minutes to walk around before the heavens opened and it started pouring rain. We did make it over to the water, but didn't really get to see the whole garden other than the area where we parked. You'll only need an hour or less to see this place, it's small. Would I go out of my way to visit? No, but if you're in the area and looking for something new, then go for it. Entry was a bit annoying as I had to get out of the car to reach the buzzer to have the gate opened. No one was answering so we wasted 5 minutes just trying to get in. All in all, interesting little garden, but no where as spectacular as Fairchild.

The Kampong is open by advance reservation to visitors Tuesday through Friday and is a 9 acres (3.6…read moreha) botanical garden in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. It is one of the five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG). An admission fee is charged,The fee is 18.00 The Kampong was bought as a winter home by the famed horticulturalist David Fairchild and his wife Marian in 1916.For many years he managed the Department of Plant Introduction program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., searching the world for plants that could be useful and successfully introduced into the United States. Fairchild introduced around 30,000 plant species and varietals into the U.S. At his home in Florida, Fairchild created a garden that contained many of the plants that he obtained throughout his trips. In 1931 Marian's sister Elsie and her husband, Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, acquired the adjoining property on the north to use as their winter home.Fairchild and his wife made the Kampong their permanent home from 1928 until their deaths in 1954 and 1962 respectively. A year after David Fairchild's wife's death, the land was purchased by Catherine Hauberg Sweeney, a botanist and preservationist.[4] Sweeney maintained Fairchild's garden and was vital in its preservation for future use and study, securing its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1984 Sweeney donated the property to the then Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden (now National Tropical Botanical Garden), and remained its principal sponsor until her death in 1995. The Kampong's first director from July 1996 to February 1998, Thomas Lodge, oversaw completion of The Fairchild-Sweeney House renovations. He also was key in researching David Fairchild's role in the establishment of Everglades National Park. Larry Schokman served as Mrs. Sweeney's superintendent for 11 years, until 1984 when The Kampong became part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG), and Schokman became an NTBG employee. As director of horticulture and then assistant director under Lodge, Schokman maintained a close working and personal relationship with Sweeney until her death in 1995. He became director of The Kampong in 1998 and retired in August 2007. He died in October 2017. Following Schokman, David Lee was director of The Kampong from 2007 to 2009. Lee was formerly the chair of biological sciences at Florida International University, where he worked for 26 years. Lee helped to safeguard The Kampong's southern boundary from development encroachment, and provided guidance for The Kampong's board of governors. In 2009, Ann Parsons took on the role of director of The Kampong. Formerly the director of education at Norfolk Botanical Garden, Parsons, along with curator of living collections David T. Jones, were tasked with preserving the rich legacy of The Kampong while planning for the future. They are doing just that--in 2011, more than 5,000 guests visited the historic estate and garden through tours, educational programs and special events. Michael Maunder was Director from 2013 to 2016. Craig Morell, formerly the horticulturist at Pinecrest Gardens became the Director of The Kampong in 2017, retiring in May 2022. Appealing to a wider spectrum of visitors than ever before, The Kampong is an urban oasis with over 1200 species of fruit trees, palms, ethnobotanical plants and teaching collections for botanical study. These visitors are key in helping spread The Kampong message about the importance of protecting, preserving, and studying tropical plants. Today the Kampong's living collections include tropical fruits including pomelo, 23 cultivars of avocado, and 65 varieties of mango, palms, flowering trees, ficus, aroids, and bamboo.This garden serves as the mainland campus for the NTBG. In addition to the diverse living collections which are the core of The Kampong, there are living quarters for researchers and scientists, as well as meeting facilities for larger groups. The site is also well configured for weddings and outdoor functions of all varieties. The Fairchild-Sweeney House - designed by architect Edward Clarence Dean, constructed in 1928,as a combination of Spanish and Southeast Asian influences. A later renovation to the home incorporated more modern features and added a second floor over a portion of the home, resulting in an unusual blend of styles. Visitors included Thomas Edison and Henry

Attended a friend's wedding there. To start, the grounds were incredible. Waterfalls, swans and…read moreother wildlife throughout the property. A wonderful venue for any occasion, in my humble opinion. We were in a clear sided tent which was well illuminated and the air conditioning did not disappoint. The management has contacts for event management, music, food, decor, etc. I do not know if the family brought in their own music and catering or used the venue's, but both were very good. Highly recommend!

We sent an inquiry for my wedding because my boyfriend liked the venue online. However, Joseph…read moreDoyle was very rude, refusing to give us any information until we confirmed the date he said was okay (which, it wasn't, but if had the treatment been different and we liked it in person as much as we did online, we could have compromised). They can keep their garden, I'm not paying 21k to someone who does business like that.

This is a classic spot for photos and scenery! In the heart of Coral Gables. Use it to chill or to…read moretake photos, but regardless you'll have a good, calm time.

This is the Prado entrance which is located at the NW corner of the City of Coral Gables at S.W…read more 8th Street and S.W. 57th Avenue (Red Road). For years the Country Club Prado Arch has been a setting for photography, specially wedding, engagement, etc. George Merrick envisioned eight different entrances to Coral Gables inspired in Spanish hill towns; however only 4 were completed. This is the Prado entrance, a lovely spot to relax by the water features and fountains. This is a very popular place for photography for special events, I can say this is true as I saw confetti on the floor. Beautiful, classy, relaxing, this area transports you to Italy, France, Spain...

We were excited to visit this place but unfortunately left slightly disappointed…read more All of the exotic bird cages through out the gardens were empty. The landscapes were beautiful but we were excited about the animals too. The gardens close at 5:30 pm but they take the animals (donkeys, cow, goats and pig) away at 4 pm, which we didn't know. So they were being put away as we got there. The playground is nice, although not very big, my girls enjoyed it. The water park closes earlier than the rest of the gardens too. Overall a lot of the "experiences" seemed to be closed on the Sunday we visited. Not sure it was worth the drive.

There's something quietly magical about Pinecrest Gardens--it feels like a tucked-away paradise…read morewhere every path invites you to slow down and wander a little longer. Lush tropical greenery, hidden corners, and dreamy light filtering through the trees make it a natural playground for photographers, whether you're chasing golden-hour shots or candid moments. It's just as perfect for a peaceful solo escape as it is for a relaxed family day, with open spaces for kids to explore and plenty of serene spots to pause, reflect, and take it all in.

In all the years that I lived in Miami, I never once visited Viscaya; I live in shame. Mostly…read morebecause when you're local the mentality is, "why pay to see a fancy house? you can drive by coral gables or south beach and see them for free". I will say, the grounds are absolutely delightful, especially if you go in the Springtime as we did where flowers are all in full bloom, that alone is worth the ticket price. The architecture is exquisite! A feast for the eyes in so many ways. When we came to visit, they were doing renovations. You could see the water damage on the roof and walls, probably caused by one of the many Summer storms, because of that the tickets were at a discount that day but we were still able to appreciate the beauty of Viscaya. There are two cafe's. One in the garden of the main house, and another across the street where farm animals use to be kept. Surprisingly, the food and drinks are reasonably priced. The day we were there, a wedding was going to take place and there was a lot of commotion going on. Fancy tables being set up, fine china, crystal glasses, the whole works. We asked a security guard how much it costs to have a wedding reception there and he said: "Just to rent the space, no tables, no nothing, starting price is 100k". So if you have 100k lying around, and plan to get married soon, this could be an option for you. Jokes aside though; I'd definitely visit again.

Imagine being transported to a palatial European setting...except you're in Miami. We took the…read moremetro to Vizcaya and made the ten minute walk to the gardens. The property and history is pretty amazing. As many other reviews have mentioned, a good portion of the rooms and structures are closed for renovations. They have reduced the entry to $20 from $25 but it still was a little disappointing that the casino building and several rooms in the house were closed. Being that it was the offseason, some of the gardens did seem to be past their peak. We hope to return when everything is open in season and tour the whole facility.

On my first day of my Miami vacation, I NEEDED to get in the…read morewater. So, after a quick Google map search, I headed out to Matheson Hammock Park. While it's not your traditional beach, it certainly got the job done for me ‍ I honestly loved the lake like feel. The fact that there were small fishes grazing along the surf and the muddy like sand upon reaching the water (which definitely smoothed away some calluses while I swam)! It truly is a great beach for families with kids, something I learned there while entertaining a whole bunch of kiddos with my hula hoop (which I, personally, didn't mind since I love kids but wanted to give a heads up for anyone that's looking for something more kid free). Once the sun began to set, I grabbed some wine from the beach's restaurant. The wine was amazing and very reasonably priced but what was even BETTER? The song selection! I stayed a whole extra 30 minutes just to vibe out There couldn't have been a better way to start my vacation, honestly! I think it's more than worth it to visit this spot the next time you're in South Florida

Matheson Hammock has a special place in my heart. I grew up going here as a kid, and have grown to…read morelove it and appreciate it more as an adult. I recently came to take some photos for a friend and the scene was an absolute dream. From the beautiful trees that make it look like a fairytale, to the lagoon that gives it the perfect Miami signature touch -- every area in the park is lovely, relaxing and the no service makes it an even better way to disconnect!

Today, we visited this location and were pleasantly surprised, despite having low expectations. We…read morehad the pleasure of meeting the sole volunteer on site, a friendly individual with a deep love for the garden. He provided us with insightful information about the place and Japan . It's commendable to see someone dedicated to this endeavor. Our 25-minute experience was truly incredible!

I hadn't been in several years and this place has improved so much!! They added so much more to it…read moreand especially the extra color now is so great. Paid parking right out

Given that it is relatively new, I was lucky to come across this business in my landscaping…read moreservices search. They are knowledgeable and responsive and pure professionals. I can also tell they they love what they do. Services seem to be reasonably priced give the quality of the work and their online scheduling, text communication and online payments just make them so easy to work with.

An absolute nightmare. If you value your plants, don't make the same mistake I did. Trust &…read moreintegrity are so important when you are leaving the care of your tropical exotic plants in someone else's hands