Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead, Florida, boasts over 37 acres of gardens, orchards, event space and an historic home site that houses a visitor center and cafe. Each year Fruit and Spice Park hosts the International Orchid Festival, Mango Festival plus many more, drawing in vendors and buyers from around the world. Fruit and Spice Park is a perfect location for outdoor events, botanical roadshows or an exciting educational stopover on your way to the Keys.
Best way to get to Fruit and Spice Park
Fruit and Spice Park is located in rural Homestead, south of Miami. There is no public transportation in the area so a car is needed but plenty of free parking can be found in the fields surrounding Fruit and Spice Park.
Best time to visit Fruit and Spice Park
A great time to go is during the International Orchid Festival which draws thousands of orchid enthusiasts and features the displays of exotic orchid vendors from around the globe. While winter is great for the mild weather, it is better to go during the growing season of spring, summer or fall when there is an abundance of fruit to sample.
Admission to Fruit and Spice Park
Admission is between $2 and $10 for children and adults and kids under 6 are free. Open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Christmas.
Must see sights and activities at Fruit and Spice Park
Mango Row is a must see at Fruit and Spice Park, rows of mango orchards featuring 160 different varieties of mangoes. The International Orchid Festival is usually in May or June which makes a great day trip. During the spring and summer months vegetable gardens with fresh seasonal bounty are grown and harvested for sampling along with the native and exotic plant species that can be found on the premise. Tastings of the seasonal fruits and vegetables from the gardens are available at the tasting counter in the Park Store including mangoes, 70 varieties of bananas, dragonfruit, guava, and many more exotic offerings. Classes such as Intro to Beekeeping, horticulture, and orchid maintenance are available, visit their website for a full class list and availability.
Other places to visit near Fruit and Spice Park
On the premise of Fruit and Spice Park is the Mango Cafe to grab a refreshing smoothie, salad and wrap. Smoothies are made with many fruits and vegetables grown on site and picked at the peak of freshness. Nearby Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead is the huge nursery RF Orchids which is worth stopping by if you're going to be in the area.
Insider tips for Fruit and Spice Park
Unlike most botanical gardens or orchards, you are actually allowed to eat the fruit straight off the trees and bushes, sampling anything your heart desires. In fact, tasting is encouraged. Guided tours of the park include samples of exotic fruit that mostly likely you haven't come across anywhere else.
Author's bio: Wesley Slack is a freelance writer in the South Florida area.
The heart of Florida's unique natural landscape can be found at Everglades National Park. Covering more than one and a half million acres of land, this national park serves as an active habitat for dozens of wildlife indigenous to the state. Everglades National Park isn't just for nature lovers; it's prime opportunity for all types of visitors to encounter a vivid wilderness experience, whether you're looking to see a different side of the big city, a cool history lesson, or something new to do during your visit to Miami.
Must see and do at Everglades National Park
- Park Tours via Boat or Tram: A guided tour through this expansive national park provides an awesome opportunity parts of the park that may be difficult to get to on your own. It's also a great way to get a vivid snapshot of a crocodile wading through the wetlands, or a hawk gliding across the sky. Shark Valley Tram Tours and Everglades National Park Boat Tours are the park's two leading tour companies, and operate tours throughout the year.
- Camping: It's one of the most popular things to do here. Everglades National Park offers two camping options for visitors: Frontcountry and backcountry camping. The former can accommodate RVs and tents; the latter offers beach campsites, elevated campsites, and can be accessed from the water.
- Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center Gallery: Through creative works of art, the beauty of The Florida Everglades is on display. It teaches visitors about the history of the park, and its importance to local, national, and global ecosystems. The gallery holds monthly exhibits to highlight the work of the artists that have contributed pieces to the gallery.
Best and worst time to go to Everglades National Park
The best time to visit are from November to May. Because Miami winters are still quite warm, the combination of that and the reduction in rain makes it much more enjoyable to enjoy the outdoors (and it keeps lots of bugs away).
The worst time to visit the national park is during "the wet season," which runs from June to early November. This also coincides with hurricane season. Temperatures often reach record highs, humidity is accelerated, and showers and thunderstorms are extremely frequent. This may agitate visitors and make visiting the park an uncomfortable experience.
Admission to Everglades National Park
The park is generally open around the clock, year-round. Admission fees include rates for private vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and commercial tours. Everglades National Park also offers annual passes that provides limitless visits during a 12-month period. Separate fees apply for campsites, and may vary based on location.
Wildlife at Everglades National Park
The park is home to nearly three dozen endangered and threatened species, including the American Alligator and Crocodile, the Atlantic Ridley Turtle, and the Florida Panther. Other animals that can be seen at the park the Bobcat, West Indian Manatee, Florida King Snake, and the White Ibis. Visitors can also explore more than 150 species of native plants at the park.
Insider tip for Everglades National Park
The park is accessible by car and boat. Three points of entry exist if getting to the park by car. In Homestead is the main entrance to Everglades National Park. Everglades City, a coastal city on US 41 (also known as Tamiami Trail in Miami) houses the Gulf Coast entrance. Boaters are welcome to access the park in their vessels, and can come way of the Florida Bay or the Gulf of Mexico.
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+.