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.

¡Azúcar! Celebrating Celia's 100th Birthday is the latest exhibit at the Coral Gables Museum,…read morehonoring Celia's trajectory and life. The museum is cozy and transmits a historic vibe, being set in the old firehouse station, and features a charming patio perfect for enjoying a refreshing afternoon or a starry night. The exhibit is beautifully curated and full of life, it truly immerses you in her journey and fills you with the energy of her achievements. It's inspiring to see Celia throughout all her phases, uplifting your spirit and reminding you of the incredible, adventurous experiences life can bring. I really appreciate when institutions pay homage to true Latin icons with all the glory that a symbol of Latin music and culture deserves. Even though the exhibit is small, it's a joyful little capsule of azúcar that reminds you that life is a carnival of happiness. La Reina Celia will always live on through us, every time we dance to her rhythms and step into her world. Just wish it would be a little bigger as the ticket might be a little bit expensive for the exhibitions space and offer (my only reason I don't that the final star it deserves). Coral Gables Museum, keep nourishing our spirit with exhibits like this.

Este consulado es horrible, implementaron un sistema de citas que no sirve para nada, se hacen…read morefilas inmensas y parece que no trabajan por el tiempo que se tarda.

Amazing gem on the University of Miami Coral.Gables campus…read more The museum is free, however there is limited parking.

The Lowe Art Museum is free to visit and offers a wonderful variety of art across many styles and…read moreperiods. Parking is available in the garage across the street for an hourly fee paid by meter. The only downside to our visit was the abrupt behavior of the rude staff -- at exactly 3:51 PM, they came in and announced that the museum was closed, turning off the lights without any prior warning. Official closing time is 4:00 PM, so a more courteous heads-up would have been appreciated.

What a delightful and incredibly informative tour of this historic home in the City Beautiful. A…read moregreat restoration project, both inside and out, and the docents' passion for the place comes through in every word of the hourlong tour. Super cheap too with plenty of parking out back.

This review is based on seeing the outside as the inside, was shut. I would like to come back to…read morealso see inside, maybe after the pandemic. Built in 1899 by Reverend Solomon Merrick, this residence, which served as the home base for Merrick's 3000-acre grapefruit plantation, grew from a modest frame house to one encased in coral rock. Solomon's wife Althea planted oaks, gumbo limbos, n rubber trees throughout her vegetable n cut flower gardens n lined the keystone walkways with low coral walls, conch shells, n crepe myrtles. In 1921 the plantation was transformed into a planned community by Solomon's son George who named his subdivision "Coral Gables" for the oolitic limestone pillars that ornamented his childhood home, preserved on a half-acre lot. At this time, Althea added a grotto, a bamboo grove, n a fish pond planted with water lilies n irises. Following the collapse of the land boom, the house became a boarding house through the 1940s. George's sister Ethel continued to add plantings n cared for the gardens until she passed away in 1961. At this time the property was purchased by W.L. Philbrick who funded the Merrick Manor Foundation. In 1976 the City of Coral Gables acquired the house n gardens n encouraged the Coral Gables Garden Club to undertake its restoration. Aided by historic photographs n personal interviews, the garden club worked with landscape architect Jonathon Seymour to restore the garden. Flowering b fruit trees native to Florida's high hammock were rejuvenated or replaced, the pond was restored, and a replica sundial was set in the cut flower garden. The house, restored to its 1920s appearance, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

This place is located about a half hour from downtown Miami. The drive isn't bad, but I'm not sure…read moreabout traffic in the area generally. We arrived here a bit after 1:30 p.m. on a Thursday. As we toured the gardens, I could see the road we came in on as it continued past some areas of the garden, and by 3 p.m. it was packed with cars at a crawl. So come early? The facility has ample parking on site. There is a main building that houses the gift shop, ticket counter, and a very small cafe. The gardens spread out behind it. Our tickets were free thanks to a Horticultural Society membership that my wife got. If you know that you'll be visiting at least a couple of sites like this within a year, it is worth checking on this to save some money on entry fees. There are paved paths throughout the gardens. You can walk the entire property, but they also offer hourly tram tours. We opted to do the tram first, and I think this is definitely the way to go. You can get a 1-hour overview of all the areas and then decide what to re-visit on foot afterwards. The focus of the gardens is tropical plants, though they have some other varieties as well. Our guide on the tram tour was quite good. He provide a historical overview and highlighted specific plants and architectural design choices as we drove around. Afterwards, we checked out the butterfly house and a few adjoining buildings. We also revisited areas with particularly nice views. My wife wanted to track down some Egyptian geese and also iguanas, both of which we'd seen on the tour. We were able to find both without too much effort. We probably spent 2.5 - 3 hours here. I enjoyed this more than I expected, and if you have any interest in landscape design or botanical gardens, this is a very worthwhile stop near Miami.

It was absolutely beautiful. Really enjoyed the main act for the Valentine's Day event…read more Things could be a little more organized as entrance to specific praise areas were not well indicated but overall a good experience. I would suggest that chairs lot be allowed or only be allowed in the back [in picnic area] as they block the views for everyone behind them that is actually sitting on the picnic blankets.

My husband and I visited this museum as part of our day trip to Miami. I wish parking wasn't so…read moreexpensive ($18 flat rate). It took us about 2.5 hours to explore the entire place including the planetarium show. The show that worked out best with timing was called "How to Die in Space: An Interactive Adventure Through the Cosmos." The girl leading it was wonderful but as you may figure by its name, the show was not a peaceful experience. There were a number of explosions that I think scared some of the kids in attendance. The other exhibits included one about flight, the human body/mind, an aquarium, dinosaurs, and general Florida wildlife. I can't say I learned a terrible amount of new information but it was fine. I appreciate the museum's mission and it probably would be cool for toddlers-little kids.

Erika and her colleague, truly made our visit special. She carefully prepared a Starbucks coffee…read morewith oat milk, cinnamon, and sugar-free vanilla, and you could instantly tell how much attention she puts into every detail. Her service was warm, attentive, and genuinely friendly, the kind that turns a simple coffee stop after a nice visit to the museum into a cool experience. Every sip was warming, but what stood out most was Erika's a d her colleague welcoming energy and care. It's a wonderful little add-on to an already fantastic day at the museum with your family, friends and even date. Bonus: they also offer food options like fries, hamburgers, and chicken nuggets, making it a great spot to recharge during your visit. Highly recommended! As well as the planetarium show, it is 100% worth the extra add on to the ticket.

an excellent collection of art. the surrounding area of the…read moremuseum is also very scenic and beautiful, definitely worth exploring and great places to take pix! have fun c.

So, this is a bit of a complex review to write because the take-away is that I loved my visit, but…read morethe experience left me wanting more, mainly because the subject matter of the main exposition was just not my cup of tea, but I can see how it would appeal to the Miami community because of their love for sports. The setting and location could not be better - totally breathtaking. Views of the causeway and Biscayne Bay / Downtown Miami are amazing. The architectural details with concrete and MCM inspired wooden accents are just perfect. The staff were knowledgeable and helpful, and definitely added to our experience, and the gift shop is great. The restaurant is excellent and has a thoughtful menu, with several items that are inspired by pieces from the permanent collection. The sports art exhibit took much more space than I would have liked. There is a LOT of money in Miami, and I would have expected a permanent collection or even visiting exposition that would rival museums in New York, Philadelphia, or Washington, DC. - modern art, Impressionism, renaissance, or other fine art would be incredible. That being said, I will definitely return to enjoy the museum, and look forward to seeing where their artistic directors take things in years to come!

On 2/28/26 5 of us went and were not admitted as we were 7 minutes late. We were told to email for…read morerefund or reschedule, which we did within 5 minutes. No where on website or ticket did it say no admittance if you are late. We got no refund or reschedule date. Do better!!

I totally love this exhibit, but then Starry Night is one of my favorite paintings, so I can't say…read moreI am an impartial judge. First off - getting tickets. Unlike other places where you can buy online and get a printed ticket, for this you have to download their app, purchase through it and show your phone to check in. I am not exactly thrilled at being forced to download another app but I guess that's where the world is heading. Parking - there are numerous garages and street parkings nearby, and even valet, some options less expensive than others. We timed to arrive a little early so we could circle around a bit to find parking on the street. The exhibit starts like a typical museum exhibit, some videos, some reproduced paintings along with caption, which gives you some basic background of Van Gogh's life and talent. The highlight is the main immersion experience. There are rugs and beanbags on the floor, as well as chairs and benches, for you to sit down and enjoy the looping show. The vibrant colors and emotive music really let you immerse yourself in his paintings. They also add some animation by moving parts of the painting (like a boat or the birds). There is minimal narration, except for a few lines of Van Gogh's words. Some may consider the pace a bit slow but I think it's perfect for letting you really sink into that feeling, whether it be the beautiful nature or the psychotic mind. I was also glad to pay the extra $5 for the virtual reality experience, which gives me a better understanding of his work, as you stroll along the village and see where he sets up his canvas, so to speak. The show suggests that the whole experience takes an hour, but I ended up staying for almost 3 (watched both the VR and immersive twice), and probably won't mind spending even more.