Vizcaya Museum and Gardens sits on the shore of Biscayne Bay near Coconut Grove, a historic estate whose house and formal gardens run down to the water. On a visit you walk the terraces and paths. From a helicopter over the bay you see the whole layout at once, with the gardens set against the trees and the bay in front. It is the landmark of the southern shore, and the shortest flight on the Miami hub is built around this part of the city.
That flight is the Miami Skyline and South Miami 20-Minute Helicopter Tour. It spends about 20 minutes in the air, about 30 minutes in total, and costs from US$199 per person with a minimum of 2 guests, or from US$398 for two. The route follows South Miami, Biscayne Bay, the Coconut Grove shoreline, the Coral Gables coast, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Matheson Hammock and Tahiti Beach, with Brickell Key and Downtown seen from a distance and Virginia Key and Key Biscayne far off.
The South Beach, Downtown and Islands tour also names Vizcaya, Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, then adds South Beach, Fisher Island, Key Biscayne, the Venetian Islands and the Port of Miami. It is about 30 minutes, from US$299 per person, minimum 2. If Vizcaya is one of several sights you want, choose that tour; if you want a short, calm flight along the southern shore, stay with the 20-minute tour.
Be clear about what the short flight skips. The 20-minute route does not reach South Beach or Fisher Island, and it sees the Downtown towers only from a distance. There is no landing at Vizcaya, and the flight does not include entry to the museum or gardens; you see the estate from the air. Flights need good weather, and if yours is cancelled for bad weather you can choose another date or a full refund. If you want to walk the gardens, plan that as a separate visit on the ground.
All flights are private: the helicopter carries only your group of 2 or 3, with a window seat for everyone. Prices are per person with a minimum of 2, so a couple pays for two seats and a third guest adds one more. From Vizcaya the southern shore continues towards the Downtown and Brickell skyline, which you see across the water on this flight and much closer on the 30-minute tours.
Your flight leaves from CR Aviation at Miami Executive Airport (Kendall-Tamiami), 14359 SW 127th St, in south-west Miami, with free parking. Arrive 30 minutes early for check-in, the waiver and a photo ID check; the person who paid must show the card used. A US$19 per person airport fee, paid at check-in, is added to the tour price. Weight limits apply and differ by tour, from 250 lb (113 kg) per person on some tours. Cancel at least 24 hours before for a full refund. For Vizcaya and the southern shore in 20 minutes, book the Skyline and South Miami tour.
Ver Vizcaya Museum and Gardens desde el aire: Miami · Miami Skyline and South Miami 20-Minute Helicopter Tour.