Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is one of Miami's most extraordinary landmarks -- a 34-room Italian Renaissance-style villa built in 1916 as the winter residence of industrialist James Deering. Situated on Biscayne Bay in the Coconut Grove neighborhood, the estate encompasses the main house, 10 acres of formal gardens, and a decorative stone barge that serves as a breakwater.

The mansion itself is filled with European antiques, art, and decorative objects spanning the 15th through 19th centuries. Thirty-four rooms are open for touring, each meticulously designed in different European styles -- from a Renaissance-era reception room to a rococo music room. For children, the audio guide (included in admission) provides accessible context, and the sheer visual richness keeps their attention.

The gardens are where families tend to spend the most time. Designed in the Italian Renaissance and French Baroque traditions, the gardens feature fountains, grottos, secret gardens, sculptures, and mazes. Kids naturally gravitate toward the grotto -- an artificial cave with dripping water and coral rock formations.

The series of garden rooms, each with a different theme, gives the experience a sense of discovery.

The stone barge at the water's edge is Vizcaya's most iconic feature. Shaped like an ornamental vessel and positioned as a breakwater to protect the estate's small harbor, it's decorated with sculptures and offers views across Biscayne Bay. Kids are immediately drawn to it and love the feeling of being on a ship.

Vizcaya works for families with children ages 5 and up. Younger children enjoy the gardens and outdoor spaces but may not have patience for the interior rooms. The estate offers a kid-friendly scavenger hunt through its app, which gives children specific things to find in each room and garden area. Strollers are permitted in the gardens but not in the main house.