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.
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.
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 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.
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.