It’s been a while since I’ve shared travel content on the blog! Like many of you, I’ve stayed put inside for most of the year. However, last month while I was visiting Max in Miami, I had the opportunity to explore Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.
The Vizcaya mansion, which sits juxtaposed between the sea and tropical mangrove forest, was breathtaking. Estimated to have cost $26 million to build between 1914 and 1922, Vizcaya is worth $388 million-$8.7 billion today.
Since the property is tucked away in the inland forest of Coconut Grove, it’s easy to miss from the road. James Deering, a millionaire baron-era manufacturer and conservationist, intentionally chose this location for Vizcaya to protect the surrounding mangrove swamps and forest.
After parking my car, I walked down the manicured entrance drive that leads to the mansion, or what James Deering would’ve called the Villa. Inside, I was immediately struck by the bright, airy atrium and its luscious greenery. Each direction I turned, there was something beautiful to look at, from the skylights to the eighteenth-century Italian-inspired fountain.
Off of the atrium are several of Vizcaya’s 54 rooms, including the library, music room, and dining room. Unlike many historic American homes that are open to the public, Vizcaya contains the house’s original furnishings and antiques.
The upper floors of Vizcaya were under construction, so once I explored the ground floor rooms, I made my way outside to the East Terrace. There, I was greeted with a stunning view of Biscayne Bay. My sightline of the ocean was obstructed only by an ornate barge. Built of reinforced cast concrete and clad in native coral stone, the barge was designed as a breakwater to protect the estate from storms. It has withstood dozens of hurricanes over the last hundred years, although the statues were replicated in 2001 so the originals could be safely stored away. The Tea House, which sits off to the right of the barge, has also been tested by storms. It was damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and has since been restored.
Next, I wandered about the property’s ten acres of gardens. Modeled after the extravagance of Italian and French Renaissance gardens, the landscaping was immaculate with sculpted hedges, 400-year-old trees, and over 2,000 orchids. Not to mention the gorgeous Spanish moss, which I’ve adored ever since I was a little girl visiting Charleston. Interspersed among the subtropical greenery were soft and porous coral stone sculptures. I wished I had brought a book with me to Vizcaya because I could’ve sat and enjoyed the gardens all day.
A note on safety during COVID-19: I visited Vizcaya on a Monday morning and only encountered a handful of people during the time I was there, so I felt extremely safe. Everyone wore their masks inside the house. Outside, people slipped off their masks for a quick photo but I felt comfortable because I was never within six feet of anyone. On a weekend or holiday, Vizcaya could be busier. It is a popular spot for quinceañera photos, so keep that in mind when planning your visit.
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