Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Coconut Grove, Florida was a wonderful place to spend part of the day. Vizcaya was built by agricultural industrialist James Deering, who wintered on the property from 1916–1925. Today, the incredible European-inspired estate includes a main house filled with art and furnishings, ten acres of gardens on Biscayne Bay, and a hardwood native forest. Below is a photo of the amazing roots of a local banyan tree.

It is a National Historic Landmark and an amazingly beautiful Florida destination. Built between 1914 and 1916, the estate originally included 180 acres and a farm designed after Northern Italian villages of the day. John Deering died in 1925. In 1926 a major hurricane damaged the grounds and formal gardens. In 1952 the County purchased the estate and remaining grounds at a very reasonable price from the heirs. It was extensively renovated and demands lots of upkeep.

It was interesting to visit in the early Florida winter. The air was crisp and smelled of moist fall leaves. The sounds of fountains in the background reminded me of a babeling brook. Among the banyon and hardwood trees, I noticed many wild coffee plants and young papaya trees. I was lucky enough to see a night anole lizard, native of Cuba. These can grow to eighteen inches long, head to tail and even eat other lizards.

Cameras are not allowed in the house, but the formal gardens, exterior statuary, and archetecture are a dream come true for photographers. There are so many elements to study from the immensity of the estate to the minute details of an orchid. I took this shot because I like the modern street signal and antique light. It shows how Coconut Grove has grown up and how valuable it is to preserve its history.

The orchids are new to Vizcaya and are available through a million dollar donation from the David A. Klein Foundation. There is an area of orchids outside and they are seen in various places in the house.

I love the color of the vegetation on this weathered shoreline wave breaker. The upper steps and dry seaweed deposit shows a past level of Biscayne Bay.

The tree damage from hurricane season is still being cleared and pruned. More hurricane Wilma photos are available on the Vizcaya website. Wilma lashed out at statues, trees, and many archetectural elements in our highest storm count season yet.

Vizcaya is self-sustaining through visitors, private functions and weddings, model photo shoots, the gift shop, donations and fund-raising. Their website VizcayaMuseum.org has additional details on the history of Vizcaya, upcoming events, and information on support.

Basic tours are free and run every 15 to 30 minutes from the main entrance. Our guide, Stan was friendly, informative, and fun. I learned that the father of sculptor, Alexander Calder designed the wave-breaking stone barge in the bay, how to recognize Rococo, Baroque, Neo-Classical, and Renaissance furniture and decor in the Vizcaya house, and lots of features that I would have overlooked. The tour adds a tremendous amount and on a positive note, leaves you wanting more.

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
3251 South Miami Avenue
Miami, Florida 33129
Open Daily: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
House Closes: 5:00 pm - Garden Closes: 5:30 pm

305-250-9133

In 1940 a developer created the name to add flair. The mile comes from the walk down one side and back down the other. It seems like more than a mile today, but what a pleasant walk. Even if the stores are out of your price range, and believe me they very well could be, the window shopping is fun. If you get caught in the rain, like we did, the many colorful awnings can keep you dry.

There are a number of world famous bridal shops as well as jewelry stores, gift shops, stationery stores, European furniture stores, galleries, clothing stores, and much more on this street. The official website ShopCoralGables.com claims over 170 shops and 40 places to eat.

During our walk, we stopped for lunch at John Martin’s Irish Pub and Restaurant and had a nice time. The place was huge and yet cozy. I would recommend it, but there are so many choices. There may be someplace else that fits your style.

Parking is not too much trouble as there are meters and angled spots on every inch of the street. I read in a guide book that high prices and competition from other malls draw some of the traffic away from the mile. You not only feel safe here, but could very well feel underdressed at times. During the week your dining clientele includes lots of business men in ties, smartly dressed female executives, and stay-at-home wives with gold cards. I’m not sure how it is at night or on the weekends, but I’m sure that at any time - the better you dress the more courteous your service in both the shops and restaurants.

CocoWalk is the most centralized area and features outdoor cafes, restaurants, a 16-screen movie theatre, comedy club, shops, and bars. Open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday until midnight. Restaurants and nightclubs remain open until 3 a.m.

You will not have the parking woes that you find at South Beach. The Village claims to have over 2000 parking spaces (including the parking garage).

To learn more about Coconut Grove, visit CoconutGrove.com.

The architecture and decor of the building was the most unique that I have seen in a hotel. The style incorporates Spain, the Far East, and a touch of Art Nouveau. Kimpton Hotels, which currently has 38 hotels, renovates properties around the world and keeps many of the original elements in working order.

It was nice to stay in a place that his taste and history as CocoWalk seems like such a recent addition to this very old and charming neighborhood. The style is very organic from the moment you enter the hand-carved entrance doors.

Each room opens to a view of the open-air courtyard and its reflecting pools, tropical plants, green patinated caste bronze flying birds and artistically welded, wall-mounted lighting features. Explore the hotel and the array of secluded seating areas via open, spiral staircases or a pair of antique glass elevators.

The staff was excellent, courteous, and made us feel welcome. When we arrived, our bellman gave us the much appreciated tour of our room and its special features. Our wall-mounted 42″ flatscreen television was an obvious plus, and it could be angled to be seen from various parts of the room including the jacuzzi on the private balcony.

All rooms are suites, feature beautiful marble and tile from the bathroom to the individual balcony. The furniture and decor were fabulous and very functional. Room amenities included twenty-four hour room service, Miami Herald at the door, a mini-fridge, microwave, two sinks, large automatically lit closets, and luxurious bathtub. Little things that were a nice touch included the hairdryer, extending wall mirror, cotton balls, and q-tips.

Hotel benefits were access to the fitness center, salon and spa, Ginger Grove Restaurant, free wireless internet access, coffee and tea in the lobby each morning, and the free cocktail or wine each evening.

The internet was only reliable in the courtyard or lobby. The signal was not strong enough to penetrate all that tile in our fourth floor room. Mayfair is beginning to incorporate internet access and keyboards on the plasma televisions.

Our off-season rate through orbits was very reasonable - $199 plus tax. This may change as the rooftop pool with bar and private cabanas opens in 2006. A second restaurant, the Mayfair Grill is also almost complete. At check-out be prepared to find a $25 a day valet parking charge on your bill. This is fairly standard for Miami. I was surprised to not find a fee for the daily cleaning service.

I would highly recommend this hotel to guests looking for the perfect blend of luxury and eccentricity. You will hear various city sounds especially via an open terrace door, so request a room on the fourth or fifth floor if you want to distance yourself. Condos are also being constructed across the street and some rooms will have this to contend with.

The chain has an extremely socially conscious attitude. They recycle to a high-degree, print on recycled paper with soy ink, and use environmentally friendly cleaning products, and pesticide-free organic coffee. Kimpton donates and promotes social responsibility via The National AIDS Fund, The Trust for Public Land, Dress for Success and many other programs.

The Kimpton Hotels brochure mentions a South Beach property to open in Fall 2006.

Dine with a great second floor view overlooking Virginia Street and the entrance to CocoWalk. Enjoy a full sensory experience with decor lush with texture, exotic lighting and candles, soothing music, and an Asian fusion menu. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The lounge serves drinks into the night.

Ginger Grove

3000 Florida Avenue
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Tel: 305.779.5100

Outlet stores with discounted prices include: Banana Republic, Borders, Bose, Brooks Brothers, Off 5th Saks Fifth Avenue, Polo Ralph Lauren, Zales, and more in addition to about 100 regularly-priced stores.

Download a PDF map of mall layout and stores by category.
Map and Directions to Miromar Outlets.