Pinecrest Gardens
Vibe: Romantic, Tropical
Pinecrest Gardens is one of Miami’s most enchanting hidden gems for small weddings and elopements. Dating back to 1936, this 14-acre botanical garden was the original home of Parrot Jungle — one of Miami’s earliest attractions — and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Parrot Jungle Historic District. Nearly a century of growth has created something magical: towering banyan trees, a native cypress slough, lily ponds, and gentle streams where turtles and koi drift beneath the walking paths. Every corner of this garden feels like a storybook.
Hidden tropical garden meets century-old banyan ceremony spaces.
Hidden Garden
Pinecrest Gardens sits on the old Parrot Jungle grounds, and the Hidden Garden is its quietest corner: a pocket of green enclosed by banyans, cypress, and a thousand varieties of tropical plants. It’s built for intimate ceremonies, not crowds, which makes it one of the best elopement spots in Miami-Dade for couples who want lush instead of sand. The canopy keeps it cool and the light soft, so your photos hold up at almost any hour. Twenty minutes from Coral Gables and a world away from the beach.
Hammock Pavilion
The Hammock Pavilion is the heart of Pinecrest Gardens, a historic 12.5-acre botanical garden on the National Register. Stone trellises, cobblestone walkways, koi ponds, and a canopy of hardwood hammock surround it, and a roof overhead means the weather isn’t holding your day hostage. It holds more people than the Hidden Garden a few paths away, so it’s the right call once your guest list has grown past a handful but you still want something green and quiet instead of a ballroom.
Everything you need to know
Pinecrest Gardens is one of South Florida's most storied ceremony locations — a 14-acre subtropical garden with a history that goes all the way back to 1936. Originally home to the world-famous Parrot Jungle, it welcomed visitors (including Winston Churchill and the Queen of England) for over six decades before the attraction relocated.
Location Highlights
- Historic former home of Parrot Jungle (1936–2002)
- 14 acres of subtropical gardens
- Towering banyan trees and cypress slough
- Lily ponds and waterfalls
- Multiple unique ceremony pockets
- Quiet, shaded, and full of character
Location Highlights
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