Entry No. 19 — the Miami file — filed under: ghost tour
Deering Estate After Dark — Ghost Tours, Night Hikes & Moonlight Kayaking
A 1920s waterfront estate whose grounds hold a prehistoric Tequesta burial mound runs seasonal historic ghost tours where guests are welcome to bring their own EMF meters, dowsing rods and pendulums, plus separate monthly Moonlight Kayak tours out onto Biscayne Bay.
The story
By day, the 444-acre Deering Estate in Palmetto Bay looks like a pristine slice of 1920s waterfront luxury. What standard day-trippers often overlook is that the manicured coastal preserve sits directly atop ancient land—including a five-foot-high prehistoric Tequesta burial mound holding human remains. Once dusk settles over Biscayne Bay, the estate drops its museum pretense and exposes a much weirder underbelly.
The fall ghost tours (running October through November from 7:30 to 9:30 PM) don't rely on cheap jump scares or theatrical actors. Instead, guides take you through historic structures like Richmond Cottage and down toward the boat basin, breaking down documented reports of a disembodied cry heard by the water and a child's spirit lingering indoors. They even invite you to bring your own investigative tools—EMF meters, dowsing rods, and pendulums are all fair game on the walk.
If tracking electromagnetic spikes isn't your speed, the estate runs monthly Moonlight Kayak Tours from October through May (7:00 to 10:00 PM). Launching into Biscayne Bay after hours puts you out on ink-black saltwater with the quiet outline of the mangrove coast behind you, offering a rare look at Miami's shoreline completely stripped of neon.
What it's like
Show up early to park and navigate the dark entry paths before your tour starts. If you're joining the ghost walk, bring your own dowsing rods or EMF gear—the guides welcome personal meters, but the estate won't supply them. For moonlight kayaking, prepare to get wet, bring a headlamp, and check the weather forecast beforehand, as wind on Biscayne Bay can make night paddling surprisingly strenuous.
The move: Book the Ghost Tour (7:30–9:30pm, guides recount the reported cry near the boat basin and the child's spirit in Richmond Cottage) one visit, then come back another month for the 7–10pm Moonlight Kayak Tour across the bay.
- 📍 Palmetto Bay / South Miami
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 16701 SW 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33157
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Deering Estate — Tequesta Burial Mound & Cutler Fossil Site — Visit the estate's prehistoric Tequesta burial mound during daytime hours to understand the deep history of the grounds before coming back after dark.
- Sadowski Viewing — Southern Cross Astronomical Society Observatory — Located less than a mile away in Palmetto Bay, you can follow up a night kayak or ghost tour on a Saturday with stargazing through Miami's largest public telescope.
- Wild Night: Night Tour — Zoo Miami — If walking around dark preserves appeals to you, trade the ghosts for nocturnal animal habitats five miles west at Zoo Miami's after-hours tour.
Good to know
When do the ghost tours and night kayak tours happen?
Ghost tours are seasonal, running during autumn (October through November) from 7:30 to 9:30 PM. Moonlight Kayak Tours operate monthly during full moon cycles from October through May, between 7:00 and 10:00 PM.
Can I bring my own paranormal investigation equipment?
Yes. Guests on the historic ghost tours are explicitly encouraged to bring dowsing rods, EMF readers, and pendulums to check for activity around Richmond Cottage and the grounds.
Where is the estate located?
The estate is located at 16701 SW 72nd Avenue in Palmetto Bay, sitting along the coast of Biscayne Bay in South Miami-Dade.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · miamidade.gov · miamiandbeaches.com
last checked: 2026-07-19