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South Florida Day Trips

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, located on Old Cutler Road in Coral Gables just south of Miami, is a nice outdoor venue with a lot of Florida history. It’s been a local attraction in Florida since it opened in 1938. More than just a tourist venue, it is a sanctuary for locals to stroll amongst exotic tropical plants and enjoy the many man-made lakes.

Fairchild Garden Lake Area
Fairchild Garden Lake Area

The 83-acre facility also operates as a conservation research center, partners with the local universities for research and is home to the American Orchid Society. They have even partnered with NASA to assist in developing edible plants for space missions.

Dr. David Fairchild, retired and moved to Miami in 1935 and along with a group of plant collectors and horticulturalists worked on plans to create a botanical garden. Robert Montgomery, a local businessman and plant enthusiast purchased the site in 1936 and named it after his good friend Dr. Fairchild. Much of the land was later deeded to Miami Dade County.

Sculpture of a women sitting on a bench
Time for a pause at the Fairchild Garden

Many of the plants in the current gardens were originally planted by the group. Look for the original African baobab tree amongst the many exotic palms, cycads, bromeliads, and orchids.

The garden is home to many varieties of exotic fruit trees, including Durian, which is a rare luxury in the Orient. If you’ve never smelled durian, you are lucky. They ban this foul-smelling fruit from planes and public areas! My brother once brought some durian chocolates home for me, and I gagged on the smell.

There are also over 700 species of flowering trees, and the gardens even has a 2-acre rainforest featuring waterfalls and cascades. This is the only rainforest in the continental United States. It incorporates an artificial misting system to provide moisture to the many plants collected from the Amazon area.

Fairchild Garden Tropical Rainforest
Fairchild Garden Tropical Rainforest

Fairchild even reintroduced three native orchid species back to Florida including the cockleshell, cowhorn, and the Florida butterfly orchid. He also introduced the tiger orchid to the garden which is the largest orchid known to exist.

Jurassic Garden
Jurassic Garden

Stroll along the many walking paths. The gardens are easy to get around. There is also a tram. During our visit, there was a display of various dinosaur sculptures which had all the kids very excited!

We took a long walk around the lake area which was nice. We also really enjoyed the butterfly exhibit, Wings of the Tropics.

There are many pavilions dedicated to educational programs and the garden hosts weekend festivals as well as art exhibits. Check the website for current activities and events.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden visiting hours

Daily: 10 am to 4 pm

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden entry fees
  • Adults: $24.95 (AAA $2 discount applies)
  • Seniors (65+): $17.95
  • Children (6 to 17): $11.95
  • Children (5 and under): FREE
  • Fairchild members: FREE
  • Parking: FREE

Another beautiful garden to visit in South Florida is the Morikami Japanese Gardens. For more butterflies be sure to check out Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, located just north of Fort Lauderdale.

By Nathalie

Avid Traveler and Master Scuba Diver
Sharing stories, photos and insights about the places I’ve visited. Simply sharing my experience and giving travel tips to help others plan their own dream trip and travel independently.

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