Infuse a little history into your Miami vacation with a visit to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. Originally built as a winter home for one of the city's founders, James Deering, it is a living and breathing space, which combines the unique artistry of Europe and the Americas, with a bit of Miami style.
Best and worst time to go to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
The museum is closed on Tuesdays. The museum opens at 9:30 a.m.; get there early to beat the afternoon heat when visiting the Gardens portion.
Must see/do at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
The main draw of the museum is the lush gardens including tons of unusual and endangered plants and historic trees, as well as statues, busts, and urns.
Admission to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Admission is free for children 5 and under. Admission is in the $18 range for others, with a discount for children 6-12, seniors, students, visitors using wheelchairs, and military.
Parking and public transportation to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
The museum is centrally located on US 1 in north Coconut Grove and with easy access to I-95. Free parking is available on premises. If traveling by Metrorail, get off at Vizcaya Station and follow directions at the crosswalk.
Food at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Overlooking the swimming pool, the charming café offers a delicious selection of salads, sandwiches, ice cream, and other snacks.
Insider tips for visitors to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
A Citi Bike station is available at the museum. Also, make sure to check out the museum's event schedule prior to visiting to find out about any special events including the Moonlight Garden Tours, ConSerVations, and swanky galas.
Author's bio: Mandy Baca has lived in Miami for 27 years. She is a freelance writer for various Miami publications.
What began as a modest bird-centered attraction nearly 80 years ago has now bloomed into a full-fledged theme park. Originally called Parrot Jungle, Jungle Island spotlights an array of birds, plants, reptiles, mammals, and more. Entertaining shows, interactive wildlife tours and even a private beach off the coast of Biscayne Bay continues to make Jungle Island one of Miami's must-see legendary landmarks.
Best and worst time to go to Jungle Island
The best time to go to Jungle Island is when the weather is cooperative. Jungle Island is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Each day provides a different schedule of shows and tours. Even though the weekends are more crowded than weekdays, it's still better to visit the park on a good weekend weather day to aptly enjoy all the park has to offer.
The worst times to go to Jungle Island are on certain holidays and during inclement weather. Some holidays, like Halloween, bring special themed events, shows, and activities (and discount admission). The downside to that is the increase in crowds. Because Jungle Island is a fully outdoor park, bad weather will put a damper (no pun intended) on your visit.
Must see/do at Jungle Island
Winged Wonders: Since the park was originally built as a bird-theme attraction, birds are an important part of Jungle Island's history. This show wows visitors with the awesome and surprising capabilities of these winged creatures.
VIP Safari Tours: Get a true-to-form safari experience on this guided tour, where you get to experience real life interaction with monkeys, lemurs, and a host of other animals. Select the 1.5 or 3 hour tour, and receive admission to the park, free parking, a private tour of the park, and other amenities as part of your package.
Admission to Jungle Island
Visitors can purchase general admission tickets, or they can select from daily passes that include tickets to one of the park's interactive animal or water attractions. Other ticket options include annual passes, and VIP Safari Tour packages. For an additional fee, you can add on extras like access to the petting barn and the Kangaroo Konnection exhibit.
Parking at Jungle Island
Onsite parking is available for a nominal fee. If you book your tickets to the park online, you can also pay for parking in advance. Some packages, including the VIP Safari Tour and the Annual Value Pass includes complimentary parking. See package details for more information.
Public Transportation to Jungle Island
Miami-Dade Transit operates four routes that provide direct service to Jungle Island, including Routes S, C, M, and 120 Max. Information on fares and schedules can be found on the transit website.
Food at Jungle Island
At Lakeside Café, visitors can indulge in casual comfort food, including fresh sandwiches, pizza and other popular plated dishes.
Insider tip for visitors to Jungle Island
Check the forecast before planning your trip, and call ahead if the skies start to get a little cloudy. Inclement weather can impact the park's hours of operations on a certain day (including abrupt early closure).
Author's bio: Shawanda James is a busy freelance writer, wife, and mom of four in Miami. She giddily writes about travel on the It's All Travel Blog. She's written local and national articles for CBS. Follow Shawanda on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+
