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Fantasies of Spring Break in Florida evoke images of scuba diving in pristine waters and luxuriating beachside beneath the southern sun, but springtime travelers to the state looking for relaxation and a connection with nature really ought to check out Florida's many renowned botanical gardens.
The best botanical gardens in Florida offer experiences of whimsy at every corner. Beyond resplendent plant life, Florida's botanical gardens feature opportunities to join in unique classes and events, appreciate revolving art exhibits, play amongst the butterflies, and much more.
What To Know About Visiting Florida's Botanical Gardens
What To Wear When Visiting Florida's Botanical Gardens
Visitors should dress comfortably and wear suitable walking shoes. Park-goers will often be walking outside in hot Florida temperatures.
What To Bring When Visiting Florida's Botanical Gardens
Pack plenty of water, snacks, comfortable footwear, money for a gift shop or café purchases, a camera, and a stroller for children who may need one.
What To Do When Visiting Florida's Botanical Gardens
Many parks offer guided tours, a variety of classes and events, and rotating art exhibits for visitors to explore.
How Much Do Botanical Garden Memberships Cost?
Membership costs vary from one park to the next. Membership dues help fund research and maintenance in the botanical gardens and offer free admission, gift shop discounts, access to members-only hours, etc.
Best Time To Visit Florida's Botanical Gardens
Florida's botanical gardens are in full bloom from early spring through summer, though springtime visitors will enjoy a bit of respite from Florida's hot and humid summer climate. From March through May, garden visitors will experience an eruption of color, and Orchid lovers will enjoy the elusive flower in all its glory. Winter in Florida's botanical gardens can bring its own sense of magic, with less traffic on the trails and many parks lit up under holiday lights.
Best Florida Botanical Gardens
Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg
The Sunken Gardens earned its name in 1911 when George Turner, Sr. purchased the 6-acre compound. He used clay tiles to drain an existing lake on the property, uncovering a rich soil 10 feet below sea level, where he began work cultivating his gardens. Today, this luscious Florida botanical garden is home to over 1,000 species and some of the oldest plants in Florida. A highlight of these grounds is the local flamboyance of flamingos, which were famously reported "hunkering down" in park bathrooms to take shelter during Hurricane Ian in 2022. Visitors to these historic St. Pete botanical gardens enjoy park events like weekly yoga classes, guided garden tours, and an Earth Day scavenger hunt.
- Cost: Adults: $15, Children (age 2-17): $6, Seniors:$12
- Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10 AM- 4:30 PM, Sunday: 12-4:30 PM, Closed Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
- Time To Explore The Grounds: 1 hour
- Membership Cost: $$
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables
Just outside the city lies Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, commonly regarded as one of the best botanical gardens in Miami and voted the Best Botanical Garden in North America by USA Today. Boasting 83 acres and 2.1 miles of walking trails, this park offers something for everyone. The park's features include seven pools and eleven different lakes spread out across its Water Gardens, the Geiger Tropical Flower Garden, Whitman Tropical Fruit Pavillion, a vine pergola, a flowering tree arboretum, butterfly gardens, and so much more. Fairchild offers unique events weekly, like art classes in the park, yoga & meditation, and a monthly Dog Date Stroll for horticulturally inclined pups and their owners. Fairchild's Mango Festival offers fruit tastings and mango cocktails every summer. Spring brings the beloved Orchids in Bloom Festival, featuring vendors, lectures, and a competition for the top prize in the Orchid show. On select Thursdays, visitors to these Miami botanical gardens flock to Sip and Stroll, a live music event offering food and craft cocktails under evening light in the gardens.
- Cost: Adults: $24.95, Seniors: $17.95, Students: $15.95, Children (age 6-17): $11.95, Children under 5: FREE
- Hours: 10 AM- 5 PM, Closed Christmas Day
- Time To Explore The Grounds: 2.5 hours
- Membership Cost: $$$
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota
These iconic Sarasota botanical gardens span 45 acres across two separate compounds; the Downtown Sarasota and the Spanish Point campuses. The downtown campus has been designed as a "bayfront garden oasis," while the Spanish Point campus highlights native fauna in Sarasota County. The Marie Selby Gardens holds education and scientific study core to its purpose. The downtown campus is home to an Orchid Research Center, Gesneriad Research Center, and Bromeliad Research Center. The park offers various tours, the most unique among them being the Selby Gardens by Boat tour, which includes a campus-to-campus cruise, educational and interpretive narration, and lunch provided at the Spanish Point campus.
- Cost (Downtown Sarasota): Adults: $26, Children (age 5-17): $11, Children under 4: FREE (Spanish Point): Adults: $16, Children (age 5-17): $11, Children under 4: FREE
- Hours: 10 AM- 5 PM, Closed Christmas Day
- Time To Explore The Grounds: 2 hours
- Membership Cost: $$
Florida Botanical Gardens, Largo
Florida's biggest botanical garden encompasses 100 acres of fauna nestled among the McKay Creek in Largo, Pinellas County's third-largest city. This public park is free to enjoy, open to leashed pets, and features a Butterfly Garden, Native Garden, Cactus & Succulent Garden, and Tropical Fruit Garden, to name a few! The Florida Botanical Gardens have also broken ground on the Majeed Discovery Garden, a children's garden that will span 2 acres adjacent to McKay Creek on the park's southern border. In addition, pamphlets are available onsite for self-guided Herb Garden and Palm Garden tours. Visitors to the gardens should also explore the neighboring Heritage Village, a 21-acre living history museum. Winter in the park is especially magical; Holiday Lights in the Gardens draws park-goers to experience the place lit up beneath the luminescence of colorful LED lights.
- Cost: FREE
- Hours: 7 AM- 5 PM
- Time To Explore The Grounds: 1.5 hours
- Membership Cost: $