There are a number of different activities you can enjoy while visiting the Ft. Lauderdale area. Next time you’re looking for a relaxing day trip with your friends and family, reserve a van rental and treat them to a day at the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.

The Vizcaya Museum & Garden History

The Vizcaya Museum and Garden was built in 1914, in the middle of a decade in which Gilded Age cultural standards were enlivened by the irreverent spirit of the dawning Jazz Age. This Italian Renaissance-style villa and garden, set on Biscayne Bay, was originally built for a Chicagoan industrialist obsessed with Europe. This wildly extravagant piece of architecture houses European relics and art from the 16th-19th centuries.

The Vizcaya Museum & Gardens is located in Miami-Dade County and accredited by the American Association of Museums. It is also recognized as a United States National Historic Landmark. Vizcaya has hosted some of the world’s most distinguished guests such as Queen Elizabeth II, President Ronald Reagan, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, as well as Pope John Paul II.

What To Expect At The Vizcaya Museum

The furnishings in this elegant chateau are just as they were originally, including early versions of such amenities as a telephone switchboard, a central vacuum-cleaning system, elevators and fire sprinklers. The East Loggia looks out onto the bay, with the exit guarded by a vast telescope. In the southern end, you will find the gardens, an angelic stretch of land overflowing with fountains, pools, greenery, a casino and a maze.

At the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens you can experience and learn more about early 1900’s art, interior design, architecture, landscape design, horticulture and the environment. Here you will see the role that internationalism played in the history of the United States and Florida.

Strolling through the gardens on a quiet summer’s day is described as magical; it is no surprise that several guests have returned to this destination to be married. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens offers its Daytime Garden as a location for those wishing for a private and romantic wedding location.

If you are interested in art, a quiet afternoon, a romantic getaway, or early 1900’s architecture, we highly recommend you visit the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens on your next trip to the Fort Lauderdale area. If you need a way to get your group to the Vizcaya Museum, call Carl’s Van Rentals and ask about our available van rentals. We want to make life easier for all of our customers, which is why we are located across Florida in the Jacksonville, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale areas. If one of our offices isn’t located near you, we provide you with a one-way van rental option, meaning we will deliver any one of our van rentals to you. Contact us at 800-565-5211 to reserve a van rental today or request a reservation online.