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.

I have been here before but this time there was a lot of construction going on. I am glad to see…read morethat they are preserving the house for the future. We were able to see most of the rooms in the house and almost all of the garden. We were there the last week in April. The flowers were not popping as they were the last time I was there in July. I am not sure why that is. I do wish that they kept the ocean front a little cleaner. There has to be a way to clean up the sargasm and trash on a daily basis. Other than that, it was a great experience.

When visiting Miami this area is definitely worth adding to your list. It's literally a graffiti…read morefilled street art open air gallery filled with colorful, creative works on every corner and alleyway. They're plenty of eateries and shops to step inside and cool off and recharge along the way. You can easily spend half and day just taking it all in. They also offer guided tours but we chose to experience it at our pace. If staying downtown or just passing through this would defined be a must do to get a glimpse of the Miami culture, food and vibe. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

During my previous two visits to Miami, I'm not sure why I never made it here. While researching…read morenew places for this trip, the moment I saw a picture of Wynwood Walls, I knew I had to experience it in person. It is a world-renowned outdoor museum featuring, massive, constantly rotating, and vibrant street art from global artists. Founded in 2009, this walkable, family-friendly destination is surrounded by over 70 art galleries, boutiques, and cafes in the Wynwood Arts District. Wynwood is the street art district of Miami and possibly the most colourful neighbourhood in the world. Every single wall is a new experience. The talent, the detail and the bright, bold colors - amazing! Wynwood is a neighborhood just north of Downtown Miami and in between the two freeway bridges to South Beach. It was an industrial area for years, but developers revamped the place and now the warehouse buildings draw tourists in from all over the world to see the beautiful art. It was previously known as Little San Juan (El Barrio) because many people from Puerto Rico lived there, but since the area has been gentrified, it is less so. Parking: my suggestion, Park at 'Artem Apartments Garage/ Premium Parking - P2515' and walk 10 minutes.

Redland Tropical Trail, sometimes merely referred to as "Redlands," is a membership organization of…read moretourist oriented business sights generally covering an area located between the Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park south of Miami, Florida. The Redland Tropical Trail members include RF Orchids, Coral Castle, Everglades Alligator Farm, Schnebly's Winery, The Bonsai Garden, Robert is Here Fruit Stand, Monkey Jungle, Capri Restaurant, and Cauly Square Historic Village. Hitting all of these places, which I've managed to do, takes some time, as in four or five days if you do it right. Everglades National Park alone can take several days to cover and if you do go to Everglades National Park I highly recommend phoning the park in advance in order to get the correct schedule time for the HM69 Nike Missile Base Tour which the Redland's brochure fails to account for or mention.

We had the greatest time here today! Very interesting! They have lots of homemade yummy's, and even…read moreboiled peanuts! We bought all kinds of things to snack on like dried papaya, Keylime cookies, and pretzels! They have a cute petting zoo with lots of animals, and lots of cages of parrots. Tons of fresh fruits and veggies! Even a smoothie bar. It was an experience!

Gator Park is considered a premier airboat tour operator in the Florida Everglades. Airboat rides…read moredepart every few minutes, The Everglades National Park is known for its vast wildlife from endangered birds you won't find anywhere else to small creatures that live among wild alligators, this is a great wa see Florida as few people do. The Everglades' marine life includes more than 200,000 alligators, which we were guaranteed to see on our Everglades tour!. American crocodiles; fish, including large mouth bass, blue gil & catfish fill the water. There are more than 28 different snakes, some are venomous, along with elusive endangered Florida panthers. We parked for free & purchased our $35 tickets after showing our parks pass. We waited right :30 on line before we went on a 30 minute airboat ride. Pointed out were turtles, birds and three alligators. We were given ear plugs. We waited for the alligator show with John went into a pen with three large gators & babies. There was a gift shop with shirts, hats & gifts.

We were just getting ready for dinner and had to stop at the Gator Garden next to Villagio Italian…read morerestaurant. About a 100 x 50 foot garden or park like setting with many trees and plants with white lights. It looks absolutely beautiful at night with people taking a break on the benches around the garden.

Everglades National Park is truly breathtaking; there are barely words to describe it. I've been…read morevisiting this park since I was a kid and have been more times than I can remember, and it never loses its magic. The entrance fee is $35 per vehicle, and once you enter, I highly recommend stopping by the Visitor Center to check which park ranger tours are available that day and to get updates on weather conditions. The park map will be your best friend; aside from certain areas, cell service can be very spotty to completely nonexistent. I've explored almost all the trails throughout the Glades, and I definitely suggest packing accordingly and bringing plenty of snacks and water. If you're looking for an unforgettable experience surrounded by wildlife and natural beauty, this is the place to go. Every visit leaves you feeling serene, relaxed, and completely in awe of nature.

Absolutely an American treasure. I get a peaceful feeling visiting here, but I also feel energized…read moreby the amazing flora and fauna. As a dedicated border, I was delighted to find so many unusual birds here. The Ranger at the front gate glanced at my annual pass and handed me a free map. I didn't realize how important that map was until I found myself off the grid, which was marvelous. The number of different types of habitat was eye opening, and well explained on the map. Highly recommended. It's as impressive as the grand canyon.

Took a bit but i was able to get a buggy ride , the website is not working right at this time , but…read morei was able to book through the wildmans pizza shop # 239 -iam-wild . The buggy tour was great jeff new everything about the swamp , which was dry this time of year , he let us decide what type of nature we wanted , which was snakes we saw 3 but no pythons this time , 2 venomous though. Well worth the trip from ft lauderdale , after we went to the pizza shop for dinner , and theres also a shop with all snake skin items , and surprise dusty was there and let me get a photo . What a great day

Dusty "Wildman" gives you the true Everglades experience! With his snake hunting experience, he…read moreknows the Everglades like his backyard... It is his backyard! And don't forget to eat at Wildman's pythons and pizza!

Kicking off 2026 with a review from my time last month in Coconut Grove. Thoughts of my long…read moreweekend there brings a smile to my face. Not only did we luck out with beautiful weather, but we were able to walk around the area daily, patronize a handful of local businesses, and enjoy the friendly, charming vibe that this adorable area has to offer. There is plenty of shopping and people watching + dog watching to be had as well. Don't miss Coconut Grove if you're in the Miami area. A few highlights from my time there: El Bagel, Chug's Diner, Regatta Park, David T. Kennedy Park and the walking path there, and so many great little shops, boutique hotels, etc... Until next time, Coconut Grove!

It was a beautiful afternoon to wander around the Grove . There is so much construction here I…read moredon't really recognize it anymore. We have enjoyed many delicious restaurants & eclectic shops over the years. There is a lot of new residential construction next to beautifully carved old buildings. This was a Bahamian settlement in the 1870s, now celebrated in the Little Bahamas neighborhood and through historic sites. Coconut Grove is Miami's oldest neighborhood, known for its bohemian charm, lush canopy, and laid-back bayside lifestyle. It's along Biscayne Bay, this walkable village offers a blend of historic charm, high-end dining, sailing culture, and elite private schools. It is a premier residential area combining tropical surroundings with modern, upscale shops. There are still many banyan trees, but the roaming peacocks are history.

The coolest pool in town...literally! Venetian Pool is filled with water from the Biscayne aquifer…read more Its infamously cool waters can feel a little frigid to us locals, but it's a great place to beat the heat of summer in Miami. This beautiful public pool recently re-opened after extensive renovations. They have a small pool designated for children, and the main pool which is divided into shallow water and deep water. Also be sure to explore the grotto and the waterfalls. There are plenty of lifeguards around to keep everyone safe. The facility is well-outfitted with ample parking, a casual café, and M/F locker rooms with showers.

This place is ok. The water is very cold which would be very refreshing if I went on a hotter day…read more There are a ton of leaves in the pool and it definitely could use some maintenance to scrub rust off the sides and refinish the bottom. The caves were blocked off which was unfortunate. The lifeguards are very helpful with setting up chairs. But. The cost for everything really adds up. I didn't realize from their website that chairs would be 7$ each and a towel would be 10$ each. I also don't know that they don't serve food on weekdays which would've been nice to know so I could bring food with me. Also. The cafe is cash only which is not well advertised.

As a native South Floridian, I've heard of, and driven by signs for, Fruit & Spice Park for as long…read moreas I can remember, but today was the first time I ever actually went, and I'm sorry I waited so long! 37 acres of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and medicinal plants here for you to explore, and sample!! We started with a seasonal special event, the Mango Tasting Tour. Our guide, Madelyn was a font of knowledge about the park itself, the trees we were passing through, and the fruits we sampled. I think in the end it was about 8 different varieties and everyone on the tour had their own favorites. Then we went back to base for different tasting tour with Phillip, who showed us new areas of the park and we tasted another 6 fruits with him! Really cool fruits like longan and caviar limes, but also things I'd never heard of, like bael and bilimbi. Once our tours were done we went back to the gift shop / lobby for some cold drinks. They sell iced coffee, soda, energy drinks, Gatorade, and even beer, wine, and cider, so something for everyone. You can also simply walk the grounds on your own if you don't feel like riding around in a tram. Anything on the ground is up for grabs, so if you want to try something go ahead and taste it! They do have rules, no picking growing fruits, and you can't take fruit home, but they welcome you taking all the seeds you want.

The plant version of a zoo, this park is amazing! Trees of all kinds, where patrons can see how all…read morethings tropical grow - from the ice cream bean to baobob trees, from dragon fruit to mangoes, this is the only place in the continental United States where one can see over 500 varieties of fruit, nut and spice trees (even poisonous ones!) all in one setting. The path will wind and walk you around the property, where you can not only see the trees, but also the ponds and invasive iguana population. Beautiful little waterfall features are also on the property. We took the tram tour, offered daily at 11:00 and 1:30. Andrew was very knowledgeable, excited and passionate about his work and interests in gardening, and since there were just four of us on the tour, he offered samples of some freshly picked produce. He also shared interesting facts and information - the bananas we eat today are overproduced and so prone to disease, that likely we will no longer have them in the next 8 years! Instead, we should diversify our farming practices and learn to enjoy things like the dwarf Brazilian bananas, and any of the plethora other varieties.

I pre purchased tickets for $36, and in person they are $39. We arrived and were given an airboat…read moretime of 12:20pm. They like to keep you busy because we arrived just before noon and they had an alligator feeding at noon. They have a breeding pond with over 200 alligators, about five females to every one male. The feeding show took about 10 minutes and included some education about alligators and their breeding practices. We headed to the boat loading area and loaded up. We enjoyed a 20 minute airboat ride, mostly at high speeds, with some 360 and 180 degree turns. They warn that you will get wet and the front seats are the wettest. This is not a ride to see alligators. There are companies geared toward that elsewhere. This is more for the thrill. They also provide ear protection. Afterward, we grabbed some fried gator nuggets and walked around the park. They have baby gators, snakes and reptiles, emus, birds, and other animals that you can check out. They also have some encounters that you can pay extra for, but these also require paying admission. Then they had another show at 1pm, which included some gator wrestling, which basically was gentle and alligator friendly. They then offered people the chance to hold a baby gator at the end. It was a great experience and worth the $36.

Ok...I loved this experience! We went in a whim and really enjoyed ourselves. The airboat ride…read morewas shorter and not quite as "intense" as the hype, but it was still very fun. Saw lots of wildlife including tons of wild iguanas and a wild alligator (non farm/captive alligator). The collection of alligators was impressive. I really appreciated the notion of providing a life-long home for "nuisance" gators rather than killing them. Lots of other critters to see including bobcat, fox, snakes, tortoises... Generally just a cool experience with really friendly and enthusiastic staff.