"Inspired by Charles Deering's love for seafaring, adventure, and the natural beauty of Biscayne Bay, the estate will be transformed into a festive wonderland filled with nautical elegance, ocean-inspired décor, and holiday magic." That is how estate event planners described this year's holiday theme to Community Newspapers' Palmetto Bay News. The theme is "Historic Holidays Décor: Tides & Tidings," and the estate's holiday events calendar runs it from November 27, the day after Thanksgiving, through January 6, 2027.
The building most people picture when they hear "Deering" won't be part of it. The Stone House has been closed to the public since April 28, 2025, for a full restoration. That makes this the second holiday season in a row without it, and the estate has planned around the gap. This year the décor, the gatherings and the best moments are in Richmond Cottage, on the water and after dark.
What's happening to the Stone House
Charles Deering built the 13,900-square-foot Stone House in 1922 to look like a centuries-old Spanish fortress. It has reinforced concrete walls 18 and 24 inches thick under a limestone veneer, and its roof was laid with handmade Cuban barrel clay tiles. The architect, Phineas E. Paist, went on to become Supervisor of Color for the Coral Gables Corporation in 1923 and set up the review process now known as the Board of Architects.
The restoration covers every interior and exterior architectural and structural element. It includes a new roof, repairs to all doors, windows, shutters and screens, a new air conditioning unit on the third floor, and electrical and HVAC repairs. R.J. Heisenbottle Architects and HB Construction are doing the work alongside the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department and the county's Office of Historic Preservation.
The roof is the most interesting part. Those Cuban tiles crossed from Havana to Miami by steamship during the Florida land boom, because South Florida had no suitable clay deposits for the Mediterranean Revival look. Crews are removing them, documenting them and saving them to put on display in the museum later. If you'd like to see the project before you visit, the 100 Ladies of Deering produced a short film called "Restoring a Legacy – Stone House at Deering, Chapter 1: The Vision and Preparation".
The closure affects more than the holidays. The estate's Summer Cabaret Concerts, normally held inside the Stone House, are on hold during the restoration. The daily 11:30 a.m. guided museum tour now covers the Stone House from the outside and Richmond Cottage from the inside. The estate is telling the house's stories through Stone House Next Door, a series of exhibitions inside Richmond Cottage.
Richmond Cottage carries the décor this year
With the Stone House out, Tides & Tidings fills Richmond Cottage with blue-and-silver trim, twinkling lights, and garlands inspired by coral and mangroves. The estate's creative team works with the Deering Estate Foundation, the 100 Ladies of Deering and volunteers, and local groups have each taken a room.
- Dining Room and Breakfast Room: Pottery Barn
- Kitchen: the Rotary Clubs of Perrine, Cutler Ridge and Palmetto Bay
- Garden Room, Film Room, Children's Room and stairway railings: 100 Ladies of Deering
- Scholar Room: Indie-Annie Jones
- Hotel Room with Bathroom: Stephanie and Dulce Michell
- Orientation Room: artists-in-residence Susana Behar, Debora Rosental and Aida Tejada
- Paranormal Room: Genealogical Society of Greater Miami
- Front Porch: Pinecrest Garden Club
- Back Porch: Palmetto Bay Garden Club
The décor is included with general admission: $18 for adults 15 and older and $10 for children 4 to 14, plus tax. Deering Estate Foundation members and children under 4 get in free. The estate is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the gates close at 4 p.m., and it is closed on Christmas Day.
That 4 p.m. gate time limits a regular visit. You can see the décor by daylight, and you need to be out before the light over the bay softens.
Three December nights run until 9
The Holiday House Tour & Campfire changes that. On December 8, 16 and 22, the estate reopens from 5:30 to 9 p.m. for a self-guided tour of the decorated Richmond Cottage. Staff are on both floors to answer questions. After the tour, guests head outside to a campfire overlooking Biscayne Bay, with marshmallows provided.
Tickets are $20, and your ticket time applies only to the house tour. Introductions start at 6, 7 and 8 p.m., and you can arrive any time between 5:30 and 8 p.m. and spend time at the campfire before or after. Tour capacity may be limited. Foundation members get 10% off with a promo code from the Foundation, which they need to request before buying.
The house tour isn't the only evening program. On December 9, a naturalist leads the Night Hike & Campfire through the tropical hardwood hammock to Cutler Creek, listening for great horned and eastern screech owls along the way. It runs 7 to 9:30 p.m. and costs $25. On December 11, the Deering Estate Foundation hosts Mistletoe & Martinis from 7:30 to 11 p.m., with tickets from $175 to $1,800.
The other half of the season is on the water
The estate's location on the bay matters more this year, with fewer indoor rooms open, and the December boat calendar is full.
| Date | Program | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 5 | Historic Kayak Adventure from the boat basin, with a naturalist | 9 a.m. to noon | $50 |
| Dec. 12 | Lighthouse Cruise | 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | $90 |
| Dec. 13 | Holiday Bay Cruise aboard the Pelican Skipper catamaran | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | $65 |
| Dec. 20 | Wildlife Kayak Adventure | 9 a.m. to noon | $50 |
| Dec. 26 | Lighthouse Cruise | 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | $90 |
| Jan. 2 | Historic Kayak Adventure | 9 a.m. to noon | $50 |
The Lighthouse Cruise uses a 45-foot Corinthian catamaran and follows a route led by a Biscayne National Park ranger. The Dec. 26 sailing is the last one of the year.
For early risers who'd rather stay on land, the December 12 Bird Walk runs from 7:30 to 10 a.m. for $20. It starts at the Visitor Center. The estate sits within the Biscayne Bay Important Bird Area, and roughly 200 resident and migratory species have been recorded there. The daily 12:30 p.m. Nature Preserve Tour runs October through May, so it's available all season.
The daytime anchors: Saturday, Dec. 5, and Thanksgiving weekend
The busiest day on the holiday calendar is Saturday, December 5. Story-Time & Photos with Santa runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. as part of Tides & Tidings: Holiday by the Bay, a full day of holiday traditions, seasonal treats, local shopping and family activities that lasts until 4 p.m. Both are listed at $10 to $18. The same morning, the Historic Kayak Adventure in the table above leaves the boat basin at 9, so a family could put both on one calendar.
The Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 29, is Museum Store Sunday. The Visitor Center gift shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as one of more than 2,250 museum stores taking part this year. For families with school-age kids home over the break, Winter Camp runs December 21 to 23 and December 28 to 30, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at $45 per day.
The weekend of Nov. 14, before the décor goes up
The holiday season at Deering starts after Thanksgiving, but the weekend of November 14 is already full:
- Saturday, Nov. 14: A Bird Walk from 7:30 to 10 a.m. for $20, Community Action Days from 9 a.m. to noon for volunteers 15 and older, and a Lighthouse Cruise from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $90.
- Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15: The 25th edition of the MIAMI short FILM FESTIVAL screens from 7 to 9 p.m. in partnership with the estate, with tickets from $16 to $20.
- Sunday, Nov. 15: The 14th Annual Vintage Auto Show runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., presented with the Antique Automotive Club of America–South Florida Region and sponsored by Peterson's Harley-Davidson South. Advance tickets are $14 for adults and $7 for children through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, then $18 and $10. Meet the Artists-in-Residence runs the same day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an online RSVP through Eventbrite.
Later in the month, a Night Hike & Campfire is set for November 18, a Wildlife Kayak Adventure for November 22, and another Lighthouse Cruise for November 28.
Booking around the closure
Estate tickets are sold online through Park Link. According to the estate's Plan Your Visit page, general admission tickets are final, with no refunds, exchanges or rainchecks, and specialty tours and events are generally nonrefundable unless the listing says otherwise. That matters most for the capacity-limited programs. Holiday House Tour tickets lock you into a 6, 7 or 8 p.m. house-tour slot, and each cruise date runs once.
Deering Estate is at 16701 SW 72 Ave. in Palmetto Bay.
Part of what makes Palmetto Bay feel like home is having an estate like Deering down the street, and Pam keeps track of these local happenings as closely as she tracks the market. If you're thinking about what's next for your home here, Pam Mayers and The Mayers Group would be glad to talk it through. Let's Connect and Schedule a Consultation.
