During the entire month of August, Fairchild is offering free admission to visitors on Sundays. It’s the perfect opportunity to walk Fairchild’s grounds, have a family picnic or simply sit on a bench and read your favorite book while overlooking 83 acres of lush tropical paradise.
Some of Fairchild’s highlights include the Vine Pergola, where a display of some of the most amazing flowering vines can be seen in bloom year-round; The Palm Allée and the Overlook, where shady passages open up to sunny views overlooking Fairchild’s lakes, giving the impression of indefinite space; The rainforest, where the soothing sound of waterfalls and the cool shade make it a summer must-see; and, of course, the Bailey Palm Glade which has become one of the most popular photos spots, because of its breathtaking view of Fairchild’s lakes and lowland areas. Visitors can ride a brand new state-of-the-art tram for a narrated tour that includes the history of Fairchild as well as explanations of its glorious plant collections!
The oldest major cultural institution in Miami-Dade County, Fairchild was incorporated in Florida in 1936 and opened to the public in 1938. Fairchild was named for Dr. David Fairchild, the nation’s foremost economic botanist and founder of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Plant Introduction Section, who retired to Miami. Many of the plants still growing at Fairchild were collected and planted by Dr. Fairchild, including a giant African baobab tree near the historical Gate House Museum.