In the March issue of Recommend, two of Recommend’s editors roamed around their hometown while on a press trip in Miami. One of the spots we visited was Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, a national historic landmark of agricultural industrialist James Deering, who used the property as his winter home in the 1910s.
When you visit Vizcaya, it’s a step back in time. All the rooms are kept in their original decor; even the kitchen features the plates and fancy china used by the Deering family. The property features the main house with 34 rooms that showcase over 2,500 art objects and furnishings, 10 acres of European-inspired gardens, an orchid collection, and 25 acres of endangered primary growth forests.
This home-turned-museum still holds an important role, as it’s hosted the Summit of the Americas, the signing of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, and has welcomed Presidents Reagan and Clinton, as well as Queen Elizabeth II, Spain’s King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, and Pope John Paul II. The rooms, the detailed rugs, the paintings and decorations, and the stunning sunroom filled with greenery all take a visitor back to a bygone era. Your guests can spend the afternoon strolling the home and gardens, and have lunch on property at the onsite restaurant.
For more information, visit vizcaya.org. Entrance fees are $18 for adults, and $6 for children 6 to 12. Read more about us playing tourist in our hometown in the March feature, Miami’s Cultural Side.
