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.

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.

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.

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

The City of Coral Gables was founded by George Merrick. On February 5, 1916 Merrick married Eunice…read moreIsabella Peacock a daughter of the Miami pioneer family, the Peacocks. In 1921 he attended Rollins College in Winter Park. Shortly after he started planning the City of Coral Gables. It was one of the first planned communities in the United States. He took his inspiration from the City Beautiful movement that was popular in the 1900's. In 1925 Merrick's family moved to Miami from Pennsylvania to join him. It was two years after Henry Flagler brought the railroad to Florida and it was the dawn of the development of Florida. Merrick started selling lots in the city in 1921. He marketed the city as having 40 miles of waterfront property. He wanted all of the city landmarks to be connected by water. He offered gondola rides from the Biltmore to the Cocoplum neighborhood to prospective home buyers. Coral Gables was designed to have four entry arches. They are reminiscent of the medieval gates in Europe and were meant to show that Coral Gables is separate from the surrounding city. At first Merrick planned on developing the Country Club Prado section as the city's downtown. In the end he decided to move it east to be closer to the already established towns of Miami, Coconut Grove, and Brickell. Merrick wanted his buildings to be strictly Spanish and later the Mediterranean style that was popular during Florida's land boom years in the 1920's. Eventually he expanded his vision to include seven unique villages inspired by different international influences. Today they are some of the most sought after addresses in the city. The buildings in Coral Gables were so well made that they survived hurricanes before there were building codes. Among his many accomplishments, George Merrick also created the University of Miami. Thanks to George Merrick's meticulous planning many of Coral Gables historic landmarks survive today including the Venetian Pool, the Alhambra Water Tower, and the Miami Biltmore Hotel. The later years were not kind to George Merrick. The Florida land boom went bust due to two hurricanes followed by the Great Depression. By 1928 George Merrick was forced out of the city he founded and ended up in the Keys. He went bankrupt in 1929. He returned to the city two years before he died to serve as postmaster. He died in 1942 at the young age of 55. He and Eunice are buried under a very simple marker in Woodlawn North. You can learn more about George Merrick by taking a tour of his family home in Coral Gables. Today Coral Gables has a population of 50,000 people. It's nickname is "the city beautiful." The University of Miami is a major educational institution. Giralda Plaza and Miracle Mile are popular dining and shopping destinations. The Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables was founded in 1973 and they have been very successful in saving the historic landmarks in the city that make it so charming. Coral Gables is filled with ornate Mediterranean architecture and beautiful parks. Fairchild Botanical Gardens is a popular tourist destination for plant and nature lovers. Books and Books hosts a literary festival every November that attract authors and book lovers from around the country. The city is very pedestrian friendly. I could go on and on about my love of Coral Gables. If you haven't been in awhile it is time to rediscover the crown jewel of Miami.

Thank you to the Adult Activity Center and to the wonderful MISO Miami Symphony Orchestra for an…read moreamazing Mother's Day concert. First of all let me mention the fact that everything was free thanks to them, even the Valet parking at The Palace, across. The concert was amazing, wonderful music, genuine people and surrounded but distinguished people, in the area I love, Coral Gables. The hosts at the activity center were so nice and welcoming. My daughter and I had the opportunity to interact with them a couple of times and they are awesome. This place is impecable and we got to chance to be in one of their rooms where we enjoyed the concert. Spacious and great for the occasion. They offered complimentary refreshments, well presented and delicious. Thank you again, my family and I had a great time! Gracias al Centro de Actividades para Adultos ya la maravillosa Orquesta Sinfónica de Miami, MISO por un increíble concierto del Día de la Madres. En primer lugar, permítanme mencionar el hecho de que todo fue gratis gracias a ellos, incluso el servicio de estacionamiento en el Palace, de la calle de en frente. El concierto fue increíble, música maravillosa, gente genuina y rodeado de personas distinguidas, en la zona que me encanta, Coral Gables. Las anfitrionas en el centro de actividades fueron muy agradable y acogedoras. Mi hija y yo tuvimos la oportunidad de interactuar con ellas un par de veces y son increíbles. Este lugar es impecable y tuvimos la oportunidad de estar en uno de sus salones donde disfrutamos el concierto. Espacioso y genial para la ocasión. Ofrecieron merienda de cortesía, bien presentada y deliciosa. Gracias de nuevo, mi familia y yo la pasamos de maravilla!

Montgomery Botanical Center is a 120 acre garden, and it is such a private place that it is only…read moreopen about once or twice a year for the public. It is a nonprofit garden that was established in 1959. They specialize in conservation and collection of live specimens worldwide, especially those that are in risk of extinction. They concentrate on palms mostly. Research and education is their mission, in keeping with the legacy of Robert and Nell Montgomery, who loved cycads and palms and after whom the place is named. This couple is the same couple behind the founding of Fairchild Tropical Garden. MBC collects seeds from around the world and then germinates the plants for study and growth. MBC cooperates with many botanical institutions and countries around the world. I came for a tour during their annual plant sale. Several vendors were selling and educating the public on various exotic plants. Admission was only $5 each, and we got to take a tour. The tour is not on foot, your only option is to take a golf cart tour, provided by one of the volunteers. The entire tour is on a moving vehicle, so photo opportunities may be few. The estate on the grounds is beautiful, as are the bodies of water, the views, the pretty green acreage of land, and all the birds on site, such as peacocks. The tour is very short, perhaps 10 minutes or so. MBC's plant collections must comply with the following four core principles: -Plants must have scientific, conservation, and/or educational value; -Have a reasonable chance of growing on the property; -Be maintained following exemplary horticultural practices; and -Be incorporated into the collection in an aesthetically pleasing landscape design. A great way to spend a relaxing afternoon, while exploring a hidden gem in South Florida, a garden whose existence is practically unknown.

A private nonprofit botanical museum, and another legacy associated with Fairchild Gardens. This…read morePalm and cycad repository was founded by Robert and Nell Montgomery in the early sixties, and it has a number of rare and commercially unavailable species. They promote research dedicated to maintaining these plants within the landscape and to preserve them in the wild. They serve as a friend to the ornamental industry, conservationists, and rare plant aficionadoes alike. While they are not generally open to the public (and their gates are locked on most days), a number of educational and volunteer opportunities do exist. Please visit their website for more information, and/or to arrange a tour of the facilities: http://www.montgomerybotanical.org/Pages/About.htm http://www.montgomerybotanical.org/Pages/Visit.htm

Very cool. It's now become a place that I visit a few times a year for special events. I highly…read morerecommend it. It doesn't feel like you're in the city when you visit this place. You can bring kids or you can just come with adults. Awesome place. Very beautiful.

What a wonderful experience! I enjoyed visiting the NightGarden at Fairchild to get some holiday…read morevibes in our tropical climate. After 6pm, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden lights up with disco balls, fairies, and lots of light shows. My son loved the talking tree that you could talk to. I enjoyed the fun light show inside the Rainforest area. While their restaurant and cafe are closed at that time, they do have food trucks and a bar for this event!

Block Botanical Gardens is a must see and visit. It's a beautiful, peaceful paradise in the middle…read moreof South Miami. The place is a wonderful oasis to walk around and enjoy the natur.

Very nice and helpful man. Really helped me find and figure put what I needed. Could have not been…read moreany more helpful and seemed really passionate and knowledgeable about plants. Thanks a lot.

Mango, mango, mango à la Marcia, Marcia, Marcia…read more Seriously speaking, it was mango galore. Mango shaved ice, mango beer, mango bread, mango iced tea... you see where I'm going with this, right? If your dreams are made of mangos, here you can make those dreams a reality! And that I did, thanks to Yelp giving me and my lucky +1 free tickets to this glorious paradise. Cough - I *really* love mangos! Anyway, about the event... free parking and quite organized at that. Many volunteers. Going in at will call was a breeze and the event had many booths, including a tasting room, as well as open butterfly fields and gardens. Spent two or three hours of the day there. Weather was crazy hot. Thank goodness for the vendors giving free samples, alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike. My preferred vendor was Susilicious. Never had heard of her and now I'm obsessed with her bread (surprisingly not the mango one, but then again, I tried one of her non-mango ones). Desperately want more mango fun and apparently there's another festival coming up soon in South Beach. Might have to hit that one up, too. If it's like this one was, I can expect lots of yummy treats.

I was genuinely excited to attend the 2026 Mango Fest, but unfortunately the event was one of the…read moremost disorganized experiences I've ever attended. To begin with, the website does not provide enough information about what to expect, where to park, how entry works, or which activities require additional tickets. Had that information been clearly communicated beforehand, it would have prevented a lot of confusion and frustration. The problems started with parking. There appeared to be only one person directing traffic, and he looked completely overwhelmed. After sitting in the parking garage for about 15 minutes, security began telling vehicles to turn around. Fortunately, I didn't leave and eventually found a parking space. Once we reached the elevators, there were what looked to be well over 100 people trying to enter at the same time. There were no cones, barricades, or organized queue lines. People were cutting in front of one another, tensions were rising, and everyone was becoming frustrated. It took us approximately one hour just to get inside. Our tickets cost about $32 per person, nearly $100 for three people. However, even after finally entering the building, we had to stand in yet another long line just to receive wristbands. Eventually the staff appeared to give up on checking tickets altogether and simply handed out wristbands. Unfortunately, the confusion continued once inside. There was no guidance explaining how the event worked or where to go. Based on the advertising, I assumed mango tastings were included with admission. After waiting another 25 to 30 minutes in line, I discovered that the mango tasting required the purchase of a completely separate ticket. This was never made clear when purchasing admission. When I went to purchase the additional tasting ticket, I was told they were no longer selling them for another hour and a half because the lines were too long. During my entire visit, I spent almost all of my time standing in lines instead of enjoying the festival. I was only lucky enough to taste two mangoes. Considering the size of the crowd, there were surprisingly few vendors or activities. The event simply did not seem prepared for the number of attendees. What concerned me most was trying to speak with someone about these issues. I spoke with a volunteer named Ritu and politely asked who was in charge. She told me there was a director walking around somewhere but said she didn't know the director's name. I asked how I could identify or contact them, and every response was, "I don't know." She couldn't provide a name, description, or any way to reach the person responsible. That left me wondering how attendees are supposed to report concerns or resolve issues if volunteers don't know who is managing the event. I truly wanted this event to be successful because it has great potential. However, much better planning is needed. Clear communication before the event, organized parking, structured entry lines, better crowd management, more signage, clearer explanations about what admission includes, and staff who know who to contact when problems arise would dramatically improve the experience. I hope the organizers take this feedback seriously because Mango Fest could become an incredible annual event with better organization.