Immediately upon entering the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, one can see the opulence and elegance of this mansion that was once the winter home for James Deering, vice president of his family’s agricultural machinery company. Located in the Coconut Grove area of Miami, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens sits on 50 acres of land along the Biscayne Bay. This stunning home was built from 1914-1922 and is now owned by owned by Miami-Dade County, who now operates this as a museum open to the public.
Vizcaya consists of 70 rooms that exude European architecture, design and antiques. Everywhere you look you can find something interesting and unique to enjoy. Vizcaya has many technologies common to the Gilded Age, and the home even had the first telephone system in Miami-Dade County. You can easily spend a day exploring the home and the gardens here.
Outside the home, Vizcaya has 10 acres of gardens that embody classical French and Italian Renaissance gardens. The gardens are designed to almost be like separate rooms within the larger gardens. You can find a fountain garden, maze garden, secret garden, and more here. With four hundred year old trees to an extensive orchid collection, there’s plenty to explore in the gardens of Vizcaya.
This Tea House was one of my favorite spots on the property. Sitting right on the water, I can just imagine enjoying afternoon tea while enjoying the views or spending time out here reading a good book. It looks like the perfect place to relax.
The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is located less than five miles from downtown Miami and it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.
