Things to do in Kendall: the zoo, a train museum, a $8 garden and a bayfront estate
Kendall's best outings with hours and prices: Zoo Miami, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, Pinecrest Gardens, Deering Estate and the big parks and malls.
Resumo
- Big day out: Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152 St: opens 10 am; Zoo Lights from November 27.
- Next door: Gold Coast Railroad Museum: Wed to Sun, $12 adults, $10 kids 3 to 12.
- Cheap and close: Pinecrest Gardens, 11000 Red Rd: $8, splash pad 9 am to 4 pm.
- On the bay: Deering Estate: 10 am to 5 pm, $18 adults, nature tour 12:30 pm daily.
- Park day: Kendall Indian Hammocks Park: 7 am to 7 pm, skate plaza and disc golf.
Pair Zoo Miami with the train museum next door for one full day, and keep Pinecrest Gardens or Deering Estate for a shorter morning: Kendall's sights are spread out, so plan by area, not by list.
Antes de ir
- Kendall is a car neighborhood: the zoo, the train museum and Deering Estate are miles apart, so plan one area per half day.
- Zoo Miami opens at 10 am and recommends arriving at opening because capacity is limited.
- The zoo bans outside food and drink, and it has been smoke-free, vapes included, since January 1, 2026.
- On Zoo Lights dates the zoo closes at 4 pm, with the last ticket sold at 3 pm.
- The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Pinecrest Gardens' splash pad closes when it is below 75°F or when there is lightning.
- Deering Estate stops admitting visitors at 4 pm.
Kendall-area outings: hours and prices
| Place | Address | Hours | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoo Miami | 12400 SW 152 St | Opens 10 am; closes 4 pm on Zoo Lights dates | Check zoomiami.org; prices not on its visit page |
| Gold Coast Railroad Museum | 12450 SW 152nd St | Wed to Fri 11 am to 4 pm; Sat and Sun 10 am to 4 pm | $12 adults, $10 ages 3 to 12, $8 seniors 65+, free 2 and under |
| Pinecrest Gardens | 11000 Red Rd | Daily 9 am to 5 pm; splash pad 9 am to 4 pm | $8 ages 2 to 64, $5 seniors 65+, free under 2 |
| Deering Estate | 16701 SW 72nd Ave | Daily 10 am to 5 pm; last admission 4 pm | $18 adults 15+, $10 ages 4 to 14 |
| Kendall Indian Hammocks Park | Kendall | Daily 7 am to 7 pm, weather permitting | Fees not listed on the county page |
| The Falls | 8888 SW 136th St | Mon to Thu 11 am to 8 pm; Fri and Sat 10 am to 9 pm; Sun 11 am to 7 pm | Free |
Military visitors get in free at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum and Pinecrest Gardens. Deering Estate is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas; the train museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
zoomiami.org, goldcoastrailroadmuseum.org, pinecrestgardens.org, deeringestate.org, miamidade.gov; The Falls hours from simon.com as returned by search; checked October 2026
Zoo Miami is a big walking zoo at the south end of Kendall, and it is the one Kendall sight worth a whole day. It opens at 10 am. The zoo's visit page does not print ticket prices; buy on its online shop, which also lets you skip the ticket line. Discounts that need a photo ID, such as military, senior and reciprocal zoo members, are sold on site only.
The calendar is busy this season. The Bugtopia giant-insect exhibit runs until October 31, the 14th annual Zoo Run is on Saturday, November 14, 2026, and Zoo Lights runs on select nights from November 27. On Zoo Lights dates (November 27 and 28; December 4 and 5, 11 and 12, 18 to 23 and 26 to 30) the daytime zoo closes at 4 pm.
Leave the cooler in the car: outside food and drink are not allowed, and picnic tables are outside the entrance.
Pinecrest Gardens
Pinecrest Gardens is a village-run garden just east of Kendall with lakes, a playground and the Splash 'N Play splash pad. Admission is $8 for ages 2 to 64, $5 for seniors and free for children under 2; parking is free.
The garden opens daily from 9 am to 5 pm, and the splash pad from 9 am to 4 pm, closing when it drops below 75°F or there is lightning. Hours change on festival and holiday days.
Deering Estate
Deering Estate is a historic estate on Biscayne Bay in Palmetto Bay, south of Kendall. It is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, with no admission after 4 pm. General admission is $18 for adults 15 and over and $10 for children 4 to 14.
The guided Nature Preserve Tour is included with admission. It runs once a day at 12:30 pm from October 2026 through May 2027; sign up at the main gate, first come first served.
Onde ficam
The train museum next to the zoo
The Gold Coast Railroad Museum sits at 12450 SW 152nd Street, the second entrance on the right next to Zoo Miami, which makes it the easy add-on after a zoo morning. It opens Wednesday to Friday from 11 am to 4 pm and on weekends from 10 am to 4 pm.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for children 3 to 12 and $8 for seniors 65 and over; children 2 and under and military visitors are free. AAA members get buy-one-get-one, and Museums for All visitors with EBT or WIC pay $3 for up to four people. Train ride days are on a separate page, so check before you promise anyone a ride.
Parks and malls for the in-between hours
Kendall Indian Hammocks Park is the big county park in Kendall. It opens daily from 7 am to 7 pm, weather permitting, with a 14,000-square-foot outdoor action sports plaza for skating, three disc golf courses, a 32-acre nature preserve, a nature-based playground for ages 5 to 12 and misting stations for hot days.
For shopping or a rainy hour, Kendall has two Simon centers. Dadeland Mall is at 7535 N Kendall Drive. The Falls, at 8888 SW 136th Street on US 1, is open Monday to Thursday 11 am to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday 10 am to 9 pm and Sunday 11 am to 7 pm.
Perguntas frequentes
What is Kendall, Florida known for?
Zoo Miami is the big draw, alongside Dadeland Mall, The Falls and big county parks such as Kendall Indian Hammocks. Pinecrest Gardens and Deering Estate are a short drive east and south.
What time does Zoo Miami open?
10 am. On Zoo Lights dates from November 27, 2026 it closes at 4 pm, with the last ticket sold at 3 pm.
How much is the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?
$12 for adults, $10 for children 3 to 12 and $8 for seniors 65 and over, per its site in October 2026. Children 2 and under and military visitors are free.
How much is Pinecrest Gardens?
$8 for ages 2 to 64, $5 for seniors 65 and over, and free for children under 2. Parking is free and the splash pad is included.
What is free to do in Kendall?
Kendall Indian Hammocks Park lists no entry fee on the county page and opens 7 am to 7 pm, with a skate plaza, disc golf and a nature preserve. Walking The Falls costs nothing.
Mais guias
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