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1. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Sea horses and frogs in an architectural gem
Carved light fixture
Miami’s iconic sight on Biscayne Bay, the palatial Vizcaya is a monument to early 20th-century opulence and one man’s admiration for all things European. Millionaire industrialist James Deering commissioned the 30-plus-room mansion to be built in the style of an Italian palazzo, and filled it with fine furnishings and art. For families, the greatest interest lies outdoors, on the waterfront and in the gardens, where carved dragons, mermaids, and frogs spitting water into basins await.
Key Features
1. Courtyard A glass dome was added in the 1980s to protect the museum’s art collection. The leaded glass doors offer views of the bay and gardens.
3. Swimming Pool The pool, complete with a diving platform, is partially covered. The doors at the back of the pool lead to a café and shop.
4. Deering Suite The master bedroom overlooks the bay. In the bathroom, the gold-plated swan-shaped faucets dispensed both fresh and salt water.
5. East Terrace An outdoor paved space overlooking the bay and a barge built to buffer the shoreline from waves. The barge is decorated with mermaids and dolphins.
6. Dining Room This sumptuous room was used mainly for entertaining. Its ornate ceiling is decorated with carved motifs of snakes and sea horses.
7. Maze Garden South of the East Terrace are the Secret Garden, the Theater Garden, and the Maze Garden, a favourite with families.
8. Garden Mound and Casino Steps lead to the elevated mound, with its gazebo-like house or “Casino.” The ceiling has paintings of angels and minstrels that seem to look down on visitors.
The Lowdown
Address 3251 S Miami Ave, 33129; 305 250 9133; www.vizcaya.org
Metro Metrorail to Vizcaya station. Bus Metrobus 48
Open 9:30am–4:30pm daily, closed Tue, Thanksgiving Day & Dec 25. Gardens: till 5:30pm
Price $36–48; under 6s free
Cutting the line Arrive early to explore the site by audio tour or to join a guided tour.
Guided tours Vizcaya runs guided tours in English daily (schedule varies, call for timings) and in Spanish at 2pm Sat–Sun. Self-guided audio tours are available in five languages, but sell out quickly when the museum is crowded.
Age range 6 plus; not suitable for younger kids as the interior of the house is strictly hands-off.
Activities Special maps and guide sheets are available for young visitors.
Allow 2 hours
Wheelchair access Yes
Café Vizcaya Café
Shop Vizcaya Shop
Restrooms Near Vizcaya Café and Vizcaya Shop, south of the house entrance, and southwest of the gardens
Good family value?
Reasonable prices and impressive gardens and mansion interiors make this great value for money.
Letting off steam
Hit Bayside Marketplace (401 Biscayne Blvd, 33132; 305 577 3344; www.baysidemarketplace.com) for a half-day or so of shopping and dining, catch a boat excursion, or rent jet skis. Some of the shops here specialize in kids’ toys and clothing.
CocoWalk, an open-air shopping mall in nearby Coconut Grove
Eat and drink
Picnic: under $25; Snacks: $25–50; Real meal: $50–80; Family treat: over $80 (based on a family of four)
PICNIC Cacique’s Corner Restaurant (100 W Flagler St, 33130; 305 371 8317) is one of a number of downtown eateries selling quick Cuban take-out items that can be enjoyed on the waterfront at Bayside Park.
SNACKS Vizcaya Café (ground floor, north wing of Vizcaya; 305 856 8189) serves sandwiches, burgers, and snacks. Seating is indoors in a library setting and outdoors near the pool. Kids’ meals come with French fries and applesauce. Top them off with a dark-chocolate-dipped Key lime popsicle.
REAL MEAL Tradewinds Waterfront Bar & Grill (401 Biscayne Blvd; 305 416 6944; www.tradewindsbarandgrill.com) offers pierside dining. There are inexpensive lunch specials, plus seafood, ribs, steaks, and hot fudge sundaes.
FAMILY TREAT Seasons 52 (321 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, 33134; 305 442 8552; www.seasons52.com) is part of a small, Florida-born chain, with a healthy menu that is great for families concerned about their eating habits. Everything is fresh, seasonal, and under 475 calories.
Shopping
The Vizcaya Shop, in the museum’s north wing, has a vast range of gifts, including postcards, books, and jewelry. The museum is also close to the shopping districts of Miracle Mile, CocoWalk, and Bayside Marketplace.
Footwear and other merchandise in the plush Vizcaya Shop
Find out more
DIGITAL For more information about the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, download worksheets from the Vizcaya website, www.vizcayamuseum.com.
Next stop…
CHARLES DEERING ESTATE
James Deering decided to build a winter home in Miami because his father had moved there, and his half-brother, Charles, had also built a splendid home. The Charles Deering Estate, 14 miles (23 km) to the south of Vizcaya, makes for a fitting family reunion of historic sites.
KIDS’ CORNER
Quiz-caya
1 James Deering built Vizcaya to imitate the palaces of a European country. Do you know which one?
2 What did James Deering build to protect the mansion’s shoreline from wave erosion?
3 Which creatures decorate the ceiling of the main Dining Room?
Sea horses and sailing ships
James Deering repeatedly used symbols representing sea horses, and ships known as caravels, throughout his home and gardens on the bay. How many of each can you spot?
SHAPELY GARDEN
The gardens of Vizcaya are called “formal gardens” because, like the grand gardens in France and Italy, they are laid out in geometric shapes.
Dream home
James Deering built the home of his dreams in Miami, sparing no expense, though he would often ask his architect “Must we be so grand?”. If you had all the money it would take, what kind of house would you build? Using the maps and floor plan you received at Vizcaya as examples, draw the floor plan and grounds of your dream home.
Answers:
1 Italy.
2 A stone barge.
3 Snakes and sea horses.
2. Calle Ocho – Little Havana
Cubanos, café leche, and dominoes
A game of dominoes in Domino Park, Calle Ocho
Cuban refugees settled around Calle Ocho, meaning Eighth Street in Spanish, in the mid-20th century; another major influx occurred during the Mariel boatlift of 1980. Today, the Cuban population constitutes a majority on the streets of Miami. Stroll along Calle Ocho to experience Cuban culture and food. Stars inset along the sidewalk remember Latino celebrities such as baseball player Sammy Sosa and singer Celia Cruz. Windows open onto restaurants and bakeries where locals order Cuban sandwiches and papaya shakes. Cigar-makers roll fragrant leaves and stores sell pleated guayabera shirts and tables made for slapping dominoes. In Domino Park, the games go on all day and well into the night.
Take cover
To get an overview of downtown Miami, board the Metromover (www.miamidade.gov/transit), an automated, elevated transportation system that goes round in a 2-mile (4-km) loop. The ride is fun and free, and the closest boarding station is at 59 SE 8th Street.
The Lowdown
Metro Metromover from downtown. Bus Metrobus 6 from downtown.
Visitor information Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, 1601 Biscayne Blvd, 33132; 305 350 7700; www.miamichamber.com
Guided tours Little Havana Tours (www.littlehavanatours.com) offers themed guided tours on the arts, music, and local secrets.
Age range 6 plus
Allow Half a day
Eat and drink SNACKS Tinta y Café (268 SW 8th St, 33130; 305 285 0101), a typical Cuban café, offers sandwiches in full and half portions. Do try the papaya or mango juice. REAL MEAL Versailles Restaurant & Bakery (3555 SW 8th St, 33135; 305 444 0240; www.versaillesrestaurant.com) serves American and Cuban dishes.
Festival Carnaval Miami celebrates Latino culture (Feb or Mar).
3. Pérez Art Museum Miami
A palette of cultures
Located in bayside Museum Park, the PAMM focuses on modern and contemporary international art. The works – displayed in six galleries spread over three stories – highlight Miami’s position as a cross-cultural hub. The artists represented hail from both North and South America, as well as the Caribbean, reflecting the cosmopolitan make-up of the city.
Letting off steam
The lush and lovely Bayfront Park (301 N Biscayne Blvd, 33132; 305 358 7550; www.bayfrontparkmiami.com) may have one of the coolest playgrounds ever. It features a pirate ship, trampolines, and a play sculpture depicting a life-size wave with a dolphin, a sea turtle, and a manatee surfing it.
Kids playing with the giant Pink Snail outside Miami Children’s Museum
The Lowdown
Address 1103 Biscayne Blvd, 33130; 305 375 3000; www.pamm.org
Bus Metromover and Metrobus route 103/C are best for getting around downtown. Trolley Biscayne.
Visitor information Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, 1601 Biscayne Blvd, 33132; 305 350 7700; www.miamichamber.com
Open 10am–6pm Thu–Tue (to 9pm Thu)
Price $44–56; under 6s free (free on 1st Thu & 2nd Sat each month)
Guided tours Available Thu–Tue year-round; check website for details.
Age range 5 plus
Activities Special hands-on art activities for kids; check website for details.
Allow 1–2 hours
Wheelchair access Yes
Eat and drink SNACKS La Sandwicherie Brickell (34 W 8th St, 33130; www.lasandwicherie.com) offers French-style sandwiches, juices, and tasty smoothies. REAL MEAL Rigatti’s Café (100 S Miami Ave, 33130; 305 377 1672) is an Italian restaurant that serves pasta, soups, salads, and sandwiches.
4. Miami Children’s Museum
Kids playing grown-up
This museum immerses families in the worlds of finance, business, health, art, and Miami’s tropical beat. Become a rock star in the music recording studio, dress up as a policeman and hop on a motorcycle, operate an ATM machine, and cook in a Miccosukee Indian chickee (hut). Try to limbo dance aboard a cruise ship, then shop in a replica Publix supermarket. Do not miss the Castle of Dreams exhibit – possibly the biggest sand castle ever built. Children can climb into it, slide out of it, and feel the texture of sand from around the world.
Letting off steam
Kids can play in the Peace Playground (on site) and enjoy a picnic at the tables on the plaza.
The Lowdown
Address 980 MacArthur Causeway, 33132; 305 373 5437; www.miamichildrensmuseum.org
Bus Metrobus 113/M or 119/S from downtown
Visitor information Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, 701 Brickell Ave, Ste 2700, 33131; 305 539 3094
Open 10am–6pm daily
Price $72; under 1s free
Cutting the line Call ahead to check if schools or groups will be visiting.
Age range 2 plus
Activities Download kids’ activity sheets from the website.
Allow 2 hours
Eat and drink PICNIC The Food Court (401 Biscayne Blvd, 33132; 305 577 3344; www.baysidemarketplace.com) has lots of take-out food counters. Take the picnic to the adjacent Bayfront Park. SNACKS La Moon (97 SW 8th St, 33130; 305 860 6209; www.lamoonrestaurant.com) serves authentic Colombian food, although kids will love the arepas (corn cakes) and hot dog toppings.
A colorful parrot at Jungle Island, home to a variety of birds from all over the world
5. Jungle Island
Parrots and monkeys and a liger? Oh, my!
Begun as a parrot attraction in Coral Gables in 1936, Jungle Island has grown over the years, and now houses animals native to Florida and from around the world. Parrots and macaws remain a major focus, and families can feed and have their pictures taken with the brightly plumaged birds. There are also a lorikeet house, a petting farm, wallabies, penguins, kangaroos, and a liger – a cross between a lion and a tiger. The park hosts shows and keeper talks throughout the day.
Take cover
At the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science (1101 Biscayne Blvd, 33132; 305 434 9600; www.frostscience.org), formerly the Miami Science Museum, indoor adventures include the stunning Frost Planetarium, the three-level aquarium, and various permanent exhibits such as River of Grass, which explores the ecosystem of the Everglades.
The Lowdown
Address 111 Parrot Jungle Trail, 33132; 305 400 7000; www.jungleisland.com
Bus Metrobus 113/M or 119/S from downtown
Visitor information Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, 701 Brickell Ave, Ste 2700, 33131; 305 539 3094; www.miamiandbeaches.com
Open 10am–5pm Mon–Fri & 10am–6pm Sat–Sun
Price $146–60; under 3s free
Cutting the line Book tickets online and save time.
Guided tours The park offers special tours, including Jungle Encounter, Lemur Experience, VIP Safari tours, and guided audio tours in English and Spanish.
Age range 2 plus
Allow 2 hours
Eat and drink SNACKS Lakeside Café (on site) offers pizza, wraps, and burgers. REAL MEAL Batch Gastropub (30 SW 12th St, 33130; 305 808 5555; www.batchmiami.com) has a reasonably priced menu of light, fun pub fare.
KIDS’ CORNER
Jungle Island mind games
1 Invent names for more animal combinations like the liger. Can you draw your fantasy mushed-together animals?
2 Did you see the sausage tree? You can’t eat the sausage-like seeds, but what kinds of food would you like to see grow on trees? Can you draw those trees?
The Real Cuban Sandwich
Miami and Tampa sell some of the best Cuban sandwiches. Cuban bread – crusty on the outside and soft inside – is a crucial ingredient. The sandwich layers ham, roast pork, cheese, and pickles. The mark of a good Cuban sandwich is in its pressing. Sandwich-makers use a heavy, hot iron to heat and melt the sandwich ingredients.
Critter cookbook
Now that you know how to make a Cuban sandwich, think of recipes that the animals you met at Jungle Island and in Miami’s parks might like. The penguins at Jungle Island might like fish popsicles. How would you make them? Can you think of others? Find clues in the signs telling you what each animal eats, and while watching the feedings.
6. Miami Seaquarium®
Huge water-critters for little squirts
The world’s longest-operating aquarium, the Miami Seaquarium® is the place where episodes of the 1960s TV show Flipper were filmed. You can find a variety of marine life at this aquarium, including sea lions, manatees, sea turtles, stingrays, and sharks, as well as crocodiles. See them in the exhibits that re-create their habitats and during the 10–20-minute feeding period. Special events such as feeding sea lions bring kids up close to the animals. An elevated ropes course with 18 challenges, a playground, fish aquariums, as well as remote-controlled boats and trucks provide further entertainment for the family.
A child observing an exhibit at the Miami Seaquarium®
Letting off steam
Kick up sand on Hobie Beach (Rickenbacker Causeway, 33149; 305 361 2833) – also known as Windsurfer Beach because of its relatively dependable winds. The beach is good for fishing, taking in the views, running off excess energy, or simply relaxing on the sand. There is also free beachside parking.
The Lowdown
Address 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, 33149; 305 361 5705; www.miamiseaquarium.com
Car Route 102/B from downtown. Bridge toll $1.75 round-trip
Visitor information Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 88 W. McIntyre St Ste. 100, 33149; 305 361 5207; www.keybiscaynechamber.org
Open 9:30am–6pm daily
Price $140–60; ask about family rates; under 3s free ($10 parking)
Cutting the line Order tickets online and save $2 per ticket.
Guided tours Sea Trek Reef Encounter lets visitors walk through an underwater tropical reef wearing a special breathing helmet, while the staff feed the fish.
Age range 2 plus
Allow 4 hours
Eat and drink SNACKS Pink's Hollywood Hot Dogs (on site) offers a choice of tasty toppings with their hot dogs. REAL MEAL Donut Gallery Diner (83 Harbor Dr, 33149; 305 361 9985; www.donutgallerydiner.com) serves breakfast, and sandwiches and entrées for lunch, as well as a good selection of salads, but no donuts.
Festival Bunny Palooza has Easter egg hunts and rides (Mar–Apr).
7. Virginia Key Beach Park
A park with a history
This beach park was developed in the 1940s, before desegregation. In those days, it was inaccessible by car. Some of the old structures, such as the covered Dance Floor, can still be seen at the main entrance, where there are also picnic areas, a playground, and a soccer field. The western entrance to the park has more of a family feel, with thatched chickee umbrellas and another playground. Like all of the Virginia Key–Key Biscayne area, the park is extremely popular with cyclists.
Take cover
Drop in at Toy Town (260 Crandon Blvd #43, 33149; 305 361 5501; www.toytownonline.com) for a shopping break. The store stocks educational and other toys and baby equipment. It also has a teen fashion section.
The Lowdown
Address 4020 Virginia Beach Dr, 33149; 305 960 4600; www.virginiakeybeachpark.net
Car Route 102/B from downtown Miami. Bridge toll $1.75 round-trip
Visitor information Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 88 W. McIntyre St Ste. 100, 33149; 305 361 5207; www.keybiscaynechamber.org
Open Sunrise–sunset daily
Price $5–8 per vehicle
Age range All ages
Allow Half a day
Eat and drink PICNIC Winn-Dixie (604 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, 33149; 305 361 8261; www.winndixie.com) has a deli and bakery. Pick up ready-made sandwiches and dessert for a beach picnic.FAMILY TREAT The Rusty Pelican (3201 Rickenbacker Causeway, 33149; 305 361 3818; www.therustypelican.com) gives diners a choice of sushi, small plates, sandwiches, and grilled seafood and steaks, along with views of Biscayne Bay.
8. Crandon Park
Fun for all the family
Most tennis fans will probably recognize Crandon Park as the host of the Miami Open, an annual tennis tournament. This expansive park takes up a third of Key Biscayne and offers an 18-hole golf course, a marina, cycle paths, a carousel and amusement area, a playground, 3 miles (5 km) of gorgeous beach, a garden, nature trails, a nature preserve, and a nature center. It also hosts a number of recreational and environmental programs.
Touch tank at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center
Take cover
Named for the hero who helped save the Everglades, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center (www.biscaynenaturecenter.org) occupies Crandon Park’s north end. It displays exhibits that introduce the park’s ecology along its trails. Kids will enjoy the touch tank and shell exhibit.
The Lowdown
Address 6747 Crandon Blvd, 33149; 305 361 5421;
Car Route 102/B from downtown Miami. Bridge toll $1.75 round-trip
Visitor information Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 88 W. McIntyre St Ste. 100, 33149; 305 361 5207; www.keybiscaynechamber.org
Open 8am–5pm daily
Price $5–6 per vehicle; $7 parking fee on weekends
Cutting the line Arrive early, especially on weekends. Avoid visiting during the Miami Open in March.
Guided tours Eco Adventures (www.miamiecoadventures.org) leads biking, canoeing, and kayak-snorkeling tours.
Age range All ages
Activities The nature center hosts various programs. Check website for details and “Kids Only” page.
Allow Half a day to a full day
Eat and drink PICNIC La Nouvelle Boulangerie (328 Crandon Blvd, 33149; 305 365 5260; www.laboulangerieusa.com) offers fresh pastries and sandwiches for a picnic in Crandon Park. FAMILY TREAT Cantina Beach (455 Grand Bay Dr, 33149; 305 365 4500; www.ritzcarlton.com/keybiscayne), in The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, has Mexican and American choices, plus fruit smoothies, on its kids’ menu.
9. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Come one, come all
Often listed among America’s top beaches, the park’s beach remains relatively uncrowded because of the causeway toll and park entrance fee. There is plenty to do here: renting bikes and kayaks, eating at the two restaurants, hiking the nature trail, running around in the playground, and climbing the 109 steps to the top of its Cape Florida Lighthouse, which was built in 1825. The park has been designated part of the National Underground Railway Network to Freedom due to its role in helping slaves escape to the Bahamas.
Take cover
Explore the little brick Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage nearby. There are exhibits on the life of the keeper’s family, period-furnished rooms, and kids’ toys from the past. An orientation video is screened in the old cookhouse.
Inside the Cape Florida Lighthouse, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
The Lowdown
Address 1200 S Crandon Blvd, 33149; 305 361 5811; https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/bill-baggs-cape-florida-state-park
Car Route 102/B from downtown. Bridge toll $1.75 round-trip
Visitor information Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 88 W. McIntyre St Ste. 100, 33149; 305 361 5207; www.keybiscaynechamber.org
Open Park: 8am–sunset daily. Lighthouse grounds: 9am–5pm Thu–Mon
Price $8 per vehicle
Cutting the line Arrive early on weekends and during the winter and spring seasons.
Guided tours There are guided tours of the lighthouse 10am & 1pm Thu–Mon.
Age range All ages
Allow Half a day
Eat and drink REAL MEAL Lighthouse Café (on site; 305 361 8487; www.lighthouserestaurants.com) offers breakfast dishes, sandwiches, and Cuban entrées. FAMILY TREAT Boater’s Grill (on site; 305 361 0080) serves burgers, pasta, and fancy seafood dinners.
KIDS’ CORNER
Animal descramble
Rearrange the letters below to find the names of Miami Seaquarium® animals:
1 EOOLCRDIC
2 ARKILELEHLW
3 AENTEMA
4 HPODLIN
5 AHSKR
CRAZY PLANTS
South Florida grows some funny plants found nowhere else in the US. Their names often give away what they look like. On the trails at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, and at the beach, see if you can spot the Spanish Bayonet, with dagger-like leaves, and the Strangler Fig, which wraps around trees.
Critter bingo
Divide a sheet of cardboard or paper into nine squares by drawing two lines across and two lines up and down. In each square, write the name of one of the animals below, which you might see on Key Biscayne – in captivity or the wild. When you do see one, put an X in the box. When you have three boxes with Xs across, up and down, or diagonally, call out “BINGO!”
1. Squirrel
2. Clown fish
3. Osprey
4. Zebrawing butterfly
5. Moray eel
7. Sea lion
8. Manatee
9. Shark
Answers:
1 Crocodile.
2 Killer whale.
3 Manatee.
4 Dolphin.
5 Shark.
