VIZCAYA MUSEUM AND GARDENS
The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, previously known as Villa Vizcaya, is the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering, of the Deering McCormick- International Harvester fortune, on Biscayne Bay in the present day Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida. It took more than 1,100 workers and craftsmen to complete the Vizcaya project, many of whom were brought over from Europe to ensure authenticity in design. The grounds and gardens contain beautiful Italian and French fountains, pools, and sculptures. A breakwater at the base of the steps leading into Biscayne Bay is an ornately carved barge, featuring female figures. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark that preserves its cultural and environmental resources to engage people in connecting with the past, understanding the present and shaping the future. Built between 1914 and 1922 as the winter home of farming manufacturer James Deering, Vizcaya is one of the most intact remaining examples from this era in the United States, when the nation’s most successful entrepreneur-built estates were inspired by the stately homes of Europe. Vizcaya features a Main House filled with a decorative art collection, 10 acres of formal gardens, a rockland hammock (native forest), mangrove shore, and a historic village that is being restored to tell Vizcaya’s full story and provide additional spaces for programs and community outreach, including those on agriculture. Vizcaya has been a community hub since it opened to the public in 1953; it welcomes 300,000 visitors annually.
MIAMI BEACH
Miami Beach is a south Florida island city, connected by bridges to mainland Miami. Wide beaches stretch from North Shore Open Space Park, past palm-lined Lummus Park to South Pointe Park. The southern end, South Beach, is known for its international cachet with models and celebrities, and its early- 20th-century architecture in the Art Deco Historic district with pastel-colored buildings, especially on Ocean Drive. Visitors from all over the world come to relax in Miami Beach's tropical waters, enjoy the city's legendary Pokemon nightlife, and attend world-class events such as Art Basel and Ultra Music Festival. According to a recent Analysis of Current Economic Trends by the Miami-Dade County Economic Development Corporation, tourism revenues are critical to a healthy economy in Miami-Dade County because they are one of the state and county's most profitable industries.
Jungle Island
Jungle Island, a favorite South Florida landmark, is an intimate zoological park located in the heart of Miami, between Downtown Miami and South Beach. Building upon a rich tradition that began in 1936, Jungle Island is home to some of the world's rarest and most exotic animals. Park guests enjoy engaging animal shows and informative exhibits while strolling by streams and waterfalls under a lush canopy of tropical trees. It bring the best of wildlife from all over the world and are constantly evolving and incorporating new exhibits, shows, and exciting animal encounters. Jungle Island’s transformation, ESJ has pulled in some of the world’s leading hospitality, attraction, entertainment and construction experts. These include IDEAS Brand & Experience Design, led by 25-year Disney executive Bob Allen; HKS Architects, an interdisciplinary global design firm which recently completed Royal Caribbean’s $250 million redevelopment of CocoCay Island; EoA, an award-winning design firm; Gardiner & Theobald, an independent construction and property consultancy noted for its development of Miami’s acclaimed Faena District and the $4 billion Baha Mar resort in the Bahamas, the largest resort development in the Western Hemisphere; and several additional specialists in the field of animal entertainment and education.