9 things to do in Greater Miami

More Mediterranean Revival architecture can be admired at Deering Estate, the grand 1920’s Miami home of industrialist, environmentalist, philanthropist and art collector James Deering. His Stone House was built by famed architect Phineas Paist in the Mediterranean Revival style and a tour of the 100-year-old house gives you a glimpse into the life of his eccentric character. He used Stone House like it was his own private art museum, with big rooms displaying the intricate and colourful art he collected. He had such a big collection that it filled two houses in Spain.

While much of this art is no longer in Stone House, you can still see original pieces such as the headboard for his wife’s bed, fashioned from a 13^th century altar, and a 500-year-old stain glass window taken from Marcel in Spain. Downstairs, another surprise awaits as you enter a huge wine basement which secreted away Deering’s alcohol collection during the Prohibition Era.

Outside, the estate offers a chance to get close to nature and you can head out on kayaks on Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve to paddle in between the mangroves on the lookout for birds including herons, egrets and spoonbills, as well as manatees, nurse sharks and bull sharks. The paddle back to shore offers fine views of Stone House and its pretty neighbour Richmond Cottage.

Miami may be a city known for its urban delights, but there are many pockets of greenery to escape, away from the bustling streets and heat of the sun. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, for example, offers 83 acres of natural space brimming with more than 23,000 plants from more than 3,400 species, and boasts one of the largest collections of palms and cycads in the world. The garden is named after Dr. David Fairchild who created the space alongside a group of passionate plant collectors including environmentalist Majory Stoneman Douglas, landscape architect William Lyman Phillips and founder Robert Montgomery. The garden opened to the public in 1938 and has been delighting visitors ever since. You can explore the garden on free guided tram tours, guided walking tours, or explore at your own leisure. Be sure to take a stroll around the enchanting Native Butterfly Garden, and don’t miss the 2.5 acre rainforest with its cooling mists and colourful orchids that grip the tree trunks.

The orchids are an important part of the garden. Fairchild has established the Million Orchid Project dedicated to conserving the pretty flowers and planting them in urban landscapes, with the goal of growing and replanting one million orchids in the region. So far, they have grown up to 450,000.

Another Botanic Garden worth a visit is the smaller but no less tranquil Miami Beach Botanic Garden. Founded in 1962, the urban green space offers 2.6 acres of plant life where you can relax on seats around a fish-filled pond, near a Japanese bridge and at many other quiet spots dotted around the park.

There are worse places to sit outside with a glass of wine than at Schnebly’s winery. The southernmost winery in the US looks as exotic as its unique wines taste, and a seat under a shady cabana will offer you views over a peaceful waterfall feature and of the green garden surrounding it. Behind the estate are 96 acres of land where the fruit grows to make the vinos, but if you thought it was all grapes, you’d be mistaken. Schnebly’s wines are created using a creative concoction of tropical ingredients, and during a tasting tour you can try bottles: AvoVino – made from avocado, GuaVino –made using guava and tastes similar to a Sancerre, and its award-winning Lychee wine – any guesses what that’s made from?

 After your tasting, go on a tour of the estate to see the entire wine-making process, learn the history of the family and also see the on-site brewery.

With its vibrant murals, blaring music and bustling shops, Little Havana is an assault on the senses and it can be hard to know where to look, let alone start. Get to know the history and real character of this neighbourhood by going on a guided tour. Miami Culinary Tours Little Havana Food and Cultural Tour will quite literally have you filled to the brim on the flavour of the Cuban neighbourhood.

Traditional food takes centre stage on this tour, and during the two-and-half-hour walk, you’ll stop more times than you can count to discover delicious food and drink at locally-loved eateries. Sample an empanada at El Pub Restaurant, one of the oldest restaurants in the area. Sip on a refreshing mojito and eat a Cuban sandwich at Olds Havana while watching locals dance to the live music. Those with a sweet tooth are also in luck, and you’ll chomp down churros from ChurroMania and sample cheesecake-like ice cream from Azucar – a favourite local flavour is called ‘Burn in Hell Fidel’.

As well as the food, you will also stop to admire some of the many cultural sites in the neighbourhood such as the atmospheric Dominos Park, where locals gather to play the game, Cuban Memorial Boulevard Park which features an eternal flame to remember those who fought for Cuban independence and shops such as Havana Classic Cigar where you can see cigars being rolled. There will also be time to admire the street art. Damas de Blanco, which translates to ‘Ladies in White’ depicts women in white dresses holding flowers, telling the story of women who peacefully protest the imprisonments of their dissident family members by attending Mass wearing white then silently walking the streets of  Cuba. Elsewhere, other murals depict symbols of Cuba including cigars and dominos, as well as portraits of those who have given back to the community over the years including Celia Cruz and Pitbull.