How to Spend 6 Hours in Miami: Fairchild Garden and Matheson Hammock
Updated October 12, 2026
One of the world's great palm collections grows on 83 acres at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, and Matheson Hammock Park's bayfront beach lies just up Old Cutler Road. Ride the free tram, walk the gardens, then end by the water at the park.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden opened in 1938 and is named for David Fairchild, a plant explorer who brought thousands of useful plants to the United States. It spreads over 83 acres of lakes, lawns, palms and a tropical rainforest, with a conservatory of rare plants and a butterfly garden. Matheson Hammock Park, its neighbor on Biscayne Bay, has a man made atoll pool filled by the tides and coral rock buildings from the 1930s. No bus serves this stretch of Old Cutler Road well, so take an Uber both ways. Both are open daily, and the walk between them is short.
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The 6 hour plan, stop by stop
Stops and travel: 3 hr 45 min to 5 hr of 6 hours
Highlights include the palm collection around a chain of lakes, the Tropical Plant Conservatory, the Wings of the Tropics butterfly exhibit and the Simons Rainforest with a waterfall. A free narrated tram tour loops the grounds and shows you where everything is. As of October 2026, adult admission is $24.95, and parking is free. The garden opens daily, and the Glasshouse Café serves lunch on site.
Tip: Take the tram tour first, then walk back to the two or three places you liked best. Wear a hat and bring water, since much of the garden is in full sun.
- Time here
- 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 30 min
- Website
- fairchildgarden.org
NaviTime to head out from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for Matheson Hammock Park. It's a 30 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
Matheson Hammock was Miami-Dade County's first park, opened in the 1930s on land given by the Matheson family, and Civilian Conservation Corps workers built its coral rock structures. A road through a mangrove forest leads to the atoll pool, a sandy swimming area ringed by a walkway and filled by the bay's tides, with views of the downtown skyline. Entry is covered by the parking fee, so arriving on foot or by Uber costs nothing. It opens daily from sunrise to sunset.
Tip: Walk out along the path around the atoll pool for the best view across the bay. Mosquitoes can be fierce near the mangroves, so bring repellent.
- Time here
- 45 min to 1 hr
- Website
- miamidade.gov
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