This place is still so lovely especially at Christmas. We have been here countless times and Christmas every year. It never gets old. It's so beautiful and every step are colorful lights. They have music playing and right now I feel like I can fall asleep. It is dog friendly here so bring your pup to walk around and love on the lights and take lots of pics. This season is through Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 and closed at 9:30 PM. $10 suggested donation. Must stop for Xmas! read more

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I always enjoy going to the Florida Botanical Gardens throughout the year just for walks around the beautiful gardens. But my most favorite time of year to visit is definitely during the holidays, as their holiday light display is one of the prettiest in the area. For just a $10 donation to these wonderful gardens, you get to enjoy endless beautiful lights throughout the gardens, filled with the whimsy and magic of the holidays. How do you make a beautiful place even more incredible? String endless amount of twinkling lights through it and fill it with color and holiday magic. The volunteers here are always so sweet, and the gardens offer free parking to make your visit easier than ever. read more

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The gardens are absolutely beautiful! I was thrilled to see that they support neurodiversity by offering sensory aids. As a person with autism, this made me feel so seen and included. I can't wait for my next visit. The gardens are gorgeous and there's so much to do and see! Thrilling place!!! read more

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Today was our first time visiting the Florida Botanical Gardens outside of the Christmas season. Without the Christmas decor, there wasn't much to see or do during our visit in late October and we left within half an hour of our arrival. The concession stand was closed on Sunday afternoon and there were only a few other people exploring the gardens. We spent the majority of our visit playing with the musical exhibits and the sandbox. My boys enjoyed the climbing areas and would have enjoyed the mud and water table, but we skipped both since they were wearing new shoes. I would try the park again in the spring, but this was a disappointing visit in October and I am glad they weren't collecting the $10 suggested donation since we didn't stay long. 5 stars at Christmas, but 2 stars when there are no flowers or Christmas lights. read more

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Definitely worth a stop! During the holidays, they have a special event in the evenings from 5:30-9:30PM for the Christmas lights display ($10 suggested/recommended donation). We came for the regular botanical gardens in the day, but thought the Christmas trees were still a nice touch. They have various areas, like the tropical plants area, wedding garden, fruits and vegetables garden, and the wetlands walkway (among a few). Our favorite was the tropical plants area, which had a nice secluded trail. Our least favorite was the fruits and vegetables garden - maybe it was a bad season because everything looked dead when we were there. Admission is free to the public, thanks to the generous support of Pinellas County. A great place to visit with the family. read more

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Plenty of parking. Part of the gardens is closed Monday and Tuesday which we didn't know when we looked up the Botanical Garden. Admission is free. Beautiful gardens with butterfly garden and music garden as well as small nature trails. They had little gift shop with snacks and drinks as well. Donations are appreciated there is a little box outside that you can slide some cash or checks in there. Spent couple hours walking around will have to go back to check out the Heritage Village as that's a large portion of garden. read more

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I did not know this part was in existence. The location is tucked into a neighborhood and I'm so glad I stopped by...the park is beautiful. I wish there had been more butterflies out, but just walking around and seeing the different parts of it was a bit experience I will definitely return when I am on that side of town. read more

A hidden gem! Great for a nature stroll with lots of amazing plants, flowers and trees. They've just built a new children's discovery garden with interactive areas for kids that my daughter loves. We love to pick up some food and have a picnic here. The only downside is they close so early--around 5pm most days! We love to come here to take our annual Christmas photo. read more

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There were so many different species to see. I loved the herb garden. Plenty of trees to provide some shade here and there but I recommend bringing water to stay hydrated and sunscreen. read more

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This review is for the Florida Botanical Gardens Holiday light show. The light displays were very nice and festive. Well designed. Not many pictures since I read on one post site to not to take pictures but I se that many do take pictures. There were a few street performers set up playing music and some vendors and food trucks. A dj set up playing some swing music and many visitors dancing to the holiday swing toons. Some of the light displays were sponsored by a few local patrons. They were beautiful. This events hours are 5:30pm-9:30pm, outside of their typical 7am-5pm hours. I typically would give a place like this 5 stars but we had three negative interactions total with the staff at one entry point. One staff member on their way out to the parking lot as I was walking in said something like "this isn't a place for a dog!!" I fully researched this venue and it's dog friendly ( there were many other patrons with dogs there). I was behind our group of 7 since I took a few pictures before entering the grounds. One member of my party came back and said "I thought you said kids under 12 are free and $10pp donations recommended, they said it's $70 for all 7 of us" There were 4-5 staffed at the entry were walked in collecting money. We had one under 12 and for the staff member to go right on to say $70 appeared to be taking advantage of people. I decided for our group we would not be donating until we walked to another donation point or walked out. As I passed he snarkly said "thanks for your donation". Super unprofessional. We walked through another exit and as I was trailing our group and noticed that all these check in points were blocking the entry ways and the staff were all telling visitors the cost like it was an admissions table. This is confusing since the article I read said the event was free and donations were encouraged but something to do on a budget. On our way out we had one more negative comment from that staff member after they thought we were beyond hearing distance saying..."and that was the group that...". While it was fun and beautiful - I'm not sure I recommend anyone to support a staff like this. read more

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The Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo are a (free!) peaceful spot not far from the beaches geographically, but very far, nature-wise. There's parking on the east and west borders of the Gardens. We've taken many a stroll on winding paths among benches and tropical foliage (and no sand :-). We've seen interesting sculptures here and there, which change periodically. In March 2025, we had a family gathering of 20, and chose more-or-less opening-time here on a Wednesday so we could catch some picnic tables without any competition. There's a small patio near ample parking in the Majeed Discovery area, at the north end of the west side of the Gardens. That area has a playground, and at least one small building sometimes used for kids' activities. We had around six picnic tables to ourselves, and shared some family stories, with occasional passers-by listening in on the more entertaining ones. We brought some pastries and snacks, but note, alcohol isnt allowed. We posed for a photo by one of the sculptures, a remembrance of a pleasant casual lunch together. read more

Florida Botanical Gardens - I think this is a Cordaline "Hawaiian" Ti plant, Just beautiful! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Largo, Florida

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Today I visited the northern areas in this magnificent park. The park is too large to see everything in one visit. I saw the wedding garden which has many beautiful potted plants and architectural details. I loved the topiary garden. A large section of the northern area of the park is under construction. I look forward to seeing the results next winter. I'm not sure why it was closed, but the building near Ulmerton Rd that has restrooms was closed today. read more

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This place was much larger than I expected at least according to the map, and I ended up spending 1.5 hours meandering through the many trails. I like how all the paths are interconnected and easy to navigate. Plus free admission and direct access to the nearby Heritage Village/history outdoor museum. I was not expecting to see much when I went in January, but my camera had a huge fill! I got to see monarchs and monarch caterpillars in the butterfly garden, as well as great egrets, herons and an alligator in the ponds. Some of the trees in the tropical fruit garden were fruiting, and I saw mushrooms and woodpeckers along the nature trails. Hard to believe I saw that much in a park in such an urban area. read more

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Beautiful as usual! The suggested donation has increased from $5 last year I believe to $10. read more

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I love visiting the Florida Botanical Gardens! The local wildlife, birds and frogs, the native plants, the beautiful walkways by the water are all so captivating & well taken care of. My favorite time to visit is during Christmas to see all the beautiful lights displayed. I also enjoy visiting their gift shop and supporting this wonderful place. read more

Hidden gem. We stopped by on vacay and the grounds just go on for days. Looks like they're under constructing for a cool kids area. Free and totally worth the stop. read more

Florida Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Largo, Florida

A peaceful, beautifully maintained oasis. We visited on a weekend and still found quiet spots to explore. Loved the butterfly garden and the bridges. It's the kind of place that slows you down--in the best way. read more

My first visit to the Florida Botanical Gardens was at Christmas, for the gorgeous lights! We had a leisurely stroll through the gardens and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and some great lights, too! Because we were here at night, we knew we wanted to go back to see the gardens in the daytime. The only thing that would have made our daylight visit better would have been seeing an alligator! But, we settled for a snake instead. Love watching the birds, the turtles and seeing the gorgeous plants. read more

We enjoyed strolling through the gardens. We especially liked the butterfly garden. We brought our dog who enjoyed the park as well! read more

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It was a very special place to be married with 49 other couples on Valentine's Day! It was fun to see all the other couples dressed for their occasion. read more

I highly recommend this garden! Take a stroll and wander around! Take your time. Be in wonder! I love this place! There is ample parking. The holiday season is magical here! Lights everywhere in every color! Thank you Largo Botanical Gardens for hosting us belly dancers this evening!! We greatly appreciate being able to perform for the Florida Botanical Gardens and giving your guests a holiday memory! read more

Florida Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Largo, Florida

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This is a free garden and an enjoyable walk through. Paired with Heritage Village, it makes for a fun afternoon. Even on its own, it's a decent size to take up some time. There are also plenty of butterflies around the flowers. I don't see an indication on the website, but the building is closed on weekends, and it would have been nice to have restroom access, but aside from that, it's a beautiful space that's great to visit in the spring. read more

Me and my Mom are visiting from out of state and we enjoyed our visit here. It was a nice and peaceful walk. I saw plants I've never seen before, thriving. I saw wildlife too, including 2 gators! This really excited me, as my last 2 road-trips to Florida I spent hours searching for gators and the best I found were eyes along the water as it got dark. We also found some surprise knit creations hidden that really delighted my Mom. read more

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We have strolled through the many Hillsborough parks, which I have found very nice. For some reason the Botanical Gardens never caught my attention, but somehow it did and I am so glad to visit here. First, the experience is free, which I can't comprehend as everything is well taken care of and in good condition. Most of the paths are shaded, which was helpful on this hot, humid day. There were so many varieties of plants, flowers and trees, I didn't know which direction to look. There are benches everywhere to sit and enjoy the serenity. We didn't see much wildlife but I am thinking it's because it was so hot. There were numerous buildings, including a gift shop, and several restrooms. There are signs everywhere which can teach you about what you are viewing. There is even an area where you can hold a wedding, which would be lovely. So happy I discovered this place and now I want to go back during the holidays to see how they decorate everything. read more

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Majestic, artsy and lush. The Florida Botanical Gardens is a treat to venture through and to photograph. Best $0 spent during the pandemic. Quiet during weekdays. Ample parking with a short walk to the gardens paths. During my last visit groups were spread far apart, giving plenty of room to take it all in. The essence of it all was quite beautiful. Whether you're in the mood to admire industrial artworks, stroll through nature trails or explore gardens full of exotic plant life -look no further! read more

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Went here with two daughters, three granddaughters and two teen friends, to see the Holiday Lights display. We were lucky to be early enough (5:30 PM to 9:00 PM) to get parking by gift shop and an easy access. Suggested donation of $10 for ages 12 up. But when they saw my Viet Nam veteran shirt, they told me to go on in! I expected a lot of lights and was not disappointed. Along with the lights were also several singers, a Santa flutist / singer and even a troupe of Belly Dancers! And sprinkled throughout were several snack and drink stands and restrooms. A lot of walking but my wife brought her walker and we stopped often to sit and take in a display or just to rest. Very nice. read more

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For a wonderful outing during these stressful times, I would suggest that you stop by the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo. It's located near the bend in Ulmerton Rd. The parking is free. The Gardens are very relaxing and it takes just about an hour or so to really get a good sense of the park. We walked around all of the trails and discovered a number of special areas of flora and fauna. We particularly liked the succulent plant area and the formal gardens/wedding areas. A lot of the Center for Fishing and Interactive Museum appeared to be closed. I assume that it's because of the pandemic. While we were strolling around the Tropical Fruit Garden area, a Florida Botanical Gardens' volunteer called us over to a Kaffir lime tree to smell the fruit. She was so sweet and really highlighted our visit to this beautiful park within Pinellas County. If you haven't been there yet, you should! read more

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My partner and I visited the Florida Botanical Gardens. It is a beautiful place with many different trees, plants, and flowers. There are pretty views and photo ops at the gardens. We had fun looking at where the plants are from and their names. This park is not very big and will not take much time. We spent about an hour here and walked all the trails. Worth an visit and it is free! read more

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The garden is pretty big to walk around. Very well kept. Definitely a good stop when you are in the Tampa area. It is more on Saint Petersburg side. Free parking and free admission all year round. That's awesome read more

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We visited this location to celebrate two friends deciding to join their lives together before the SCOTUS determines that marriage equality is not the right path for our country. The grounds of the Botanical Gardens are lush. Though we did not go past the butterfly area, we were most impressed. I loved the musical Instruments that encourage participating together. We were told that there's been a large gator seen that morning in the lake! I love Gators! I do hope the kindness rocks folks in pinellas county lace this place with their smiles, as it seems to be the perfect outlet, with wonderful paths and lots of shady nook's read more

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Went here to check out to see some beautiful garden and it was on our list. It was a very sunny day and saw some nice plants, some creatures, and of course the landscape. There was some constructions that made us detour and didn't get to check out everything minus the one star. Very peaceful and a good time to stroll and be at peace with nature. We did get to see some baby alligators, lucky we didn't see the mama. Or maybe she was watching us watching her babies. Who knows?! But that was fun and their veggie/fruit garden was pretty cool. Saw how a papaya is grown and some bananas. Would come back again when I'm in town. read more

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Had such a great experience here visiting for the lights. It was a perfect night to walk around and see all the different light displays. All the lights and grounds are so beautiful but my favorite is the tree decorated in the wedding garden, it's stunning. We haven't had the chance to visit the garden during the day but are excited to do so. Can't wait for the children's garden as well that is being built right now. read more

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This is such a beautiful place to visit. Several easy walking trails, native plants and flowers, wild animals, even an arts and community center. Don't miss out on their holiday events, like the Christmas lights and black history month festival! read more

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Florida Botanical Gardens is dog friendly and free (including free parking too). But donations are accepted and appreciated. I came here for a visit with my husband and our little girl dog on a Friday afternoon, around 1 pm. After parking, we decided to visit the heritage village first, which have historical buildings that include homes, a general store, railroad depot, schools and a church. Then we walked over to the garden. This garden was bigger than I had thought and enjoyed walking around the different gardens. My favorite was the wedding garden. It is beautiful and great for couple photos and of course to get married at as well. I thought the quotes about love on the ground was a nice touch. If you happen to be in this part of Florida, it is worth a visit. read more

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Free and open to the public, this is a great option to explore while taking in fresh air & enjoying a blend of native and exotic plants. When we stopped by this weekend (late July 2023), a large portion was closed off as they transformed a section to a more child-focused area, and even though the park is open 7 days a week, the gift shop was closed (on a Sunday, non-holiday), which was a bummer as I love to pick up ornaments from each botanical garden I visit. I'm looking forward to coming again when everything is open, but until then I recommend bringing water & taking advantage of the benches in the shade so you can enjoy the space without overheating in Florida's hot summers. read more

100% yes yes and yes. The Florida Botanical Gardens is a FREE, yes I said, free Garden that is right next Heritage Village. It's a great escape with a variety of walking paths that are great for taking an hour or two stroll. They have snacks too! The arrangements here were beautiful and lots of areas to sit and enjoy the view. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

Florida Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Largo, Florida

We attended the Holiday Lights Festival at the Florida Botanical Gardens and it was such a joy! We went on a Saturday night which is their busiest night and that was a slight negative; the crowd was so large that it made it harder to experience everything but it still gets 5 stars! There are signs up suggesting if you can to visit Sunday through Thursday to avoid the crowds, I would agree and next year, we will try to attend during the week, Don't let the crowds scare you off though if you can handle a crowd because this is a fun experience. It's free to get into but they do suggest a $5 per adult donation. The gardens are free year round and the money they raise from donations especially from this event helps keep it free for everyone. Parking is free as well and we found a place easily and didn't have to walk very far to enter. Please note, this is a walking event. You will do a decent amount of walking. It is not strenuous and there are plenty of places to stop and relax although seating is limited everywhere on large crowd nights for the holiday light events. Keep that in mind if this matters to you for any reason. The park is always dog friendly even during the lights festival. We brought our dog. It was a little daunting with the large crowd but she had a good time. Now to describe the gardens and lights festival. I think to truly enjoy the garden, you should go during the day but the lights are so awesome at this annual event! There are many, many displays and the garden certainly keeps a nature/animal friendly theme. I'm not sure which section was my favorite but it might be the wedding garden. It was so lovely! There is also the main courtyard where you'll find refreshments and nightly entertainment! I'm including photos for your viewing please but the photos don't really convey the entire experience, so go and take it in! Don't miss the info center and the gift store. I really enjoyed it and even bought a few items. I learned from the nice ladies running the store that it's non-profit and all the money earned from the store goes back into the gardens. How nice! My one criticism and suggestion to the garden would be if there is any way possible to make the info center and gift shop area dog friendly that would be great. My boyfriend had to wait outside and watch our dog while I went in to the center and shop. He would have enjoyed coming in as well. I understand the concerns with the shop since it's a small area with many smaller, breakable trinkets. I can't imagine any of the thousands of strollers that night moving around in there either but it seems the area outside and in the info center could be dog friendly. I do want to again acknowledge how nice it is to have all of the gardens dog friendly! Don't hesitate to enjoy this amazing place. We are so lucky to have such a cool, beautiful garden like this for our community. Thank you to all the volunteers who help keep this garden going! read more

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There have been numerous reviews and videos speaking highly of the garden. When we arrived, half the place was closed for construction, including the gift shop. The landscape looked nice, exotic plants, sightings of critters, and even a dedicated wedding venue. Unfortunately, we went during a bad time, but I would like to be back. read more

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Nice free place to take a walk, plenty of trails. Also some nice photo opps where they host weddings etc. we did see a crocodile and plenty of birds. Outside of that though it was just okay, some flowers etc but not as amazing as I'd hoped. Worth a visit though and get some fresh air :) read more

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Amazing evening with beautiful lights ! Admission is free but they strongly suggest a $10 donation per person. Which is reasonable, given the well maintained grounds and variety of light displays. We came here years ago and recall there being a Mr. and Mrs. Santa, along with hot cocoa Café. Although that was missing this year, it is still worth the trip. There was one food vendor upon entering from the white parking lot with reasonably priced funnel cakes, corn, dogs, hamburgers, hotdogs, and a variety of other snacks . walking the grounds and taking pictures while absorbing everything took about an hour and a half. We've been to Busch Gardens, as well as Lowery park zoo for Christmas festivities this year, and I would say this is the least expensive and most laid-back. Also less stress with an infant . What would be most memorable on this trip is my nine month old learning a new word "cactus!" Why of all the lights and visual enchantments she chose this word I will never understand. Let's just hope she doesn't become too friendly with these sharp succulents. Will definitely come back, preferably during the day so that we can see the variety of plants, flowers, and succulents. read more

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