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I visited during the christmas holiday for a special evening lights event called Jungle lights-it's only open 6-8/9 at night and it's a perfect addition to the garden with a few dates available to see Santa and Mrs Claus and the model train set up in one of the buildings near the coffee/snack shop. It is nice to walk through and view the plants and lights and it also has a great gift shop with unique items that are not too pricey ! I did feel the cost per person for this event is high for how quickly you pass through $35 a person is steep but otherwise i'm a plant nerd so I enjoyed it so much. I will return for the daytime botanicals visit!
**INITIAL REVIEW** In Vero Beach, one of the most-popular places to visit is McKee Botanical Gardens. Established back in 1929 by Waldo E. Sexton, the gardens was supposed to be a kind of garden nursery that would house unique and exotic plants on more than 100 acres of land. Today, McKee Botanical Gardens is only a mere 10 acres (or less or something like that), as it is part plant and garden nursery and part tourist attraction. Nevertheless, it is one of the best places to visit during a visit to Vero Beach. Not to mention, many of the locals like to go multiple times to enjoy the gardens themselves. Though an address is provided, McKee Botanical Gardens (which I will shorthand simply to McKee for the remainder of this review), is located on US-1, about a five minute drive south of 20th Street, or the major street that passes through Downtown Vero Beach (where Ay Jalisco, American Icon Brewery, Indian River Citrus Museum, Indian River Chamber of Commerce, Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce, etc. are located). The single-person admission can be a bit steep depending on one's financial situation, but if you happen to want to come back to McKee more than once, especially during special events and showings, a membership is actually worth the price. Just visit three times in a year and you will have paid off the price of the membership. McKee is set up for patrons to enjoy everything the garden has to offer via a loop. It is up to you to go clockwise or counter-clockwise. There is the Hall of Giants, Spanish Kitchen, large mushroom, bamboo pavilion, numerous bridges - including the iconic stone bridge - a waterfall, and many other things to see. The upper-left area of the garden is a dedicated education and play area for children. Besides the special showing events, McKee also hosts an array of activitives especially for youngins'. As a matter of fact, McKee is one of the locations you must visit and complete an adventurous task as part of the Indian River County leg of the Treasure Coast Kids Quest. I must also stress that the eatery in McKee, the Garden Cafe, serves an excellent selection of food, which includes burgers, sandwiches, soups, pastries, and drinks. I had an iced coffee and a sandwich and it was delicious. For me, I have been to McKee twice, once with my good friend Heather, and the second time with my family, celebrating mother's day with my mom. Both times were a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend anyone to come to these gardens if you can. Ultimately, both visits were everything I can ask for, ergo I am giving McKee a five-out-of-five rating. Does that mean they are perfect? Nope, but when it comes to ratings, the five-out-of-five means that despite any understandable conditions showing that we are all human, McKee Botanical Gardens is worth the money and the experience.
Love this place, have gone several times. Different exhibits at different times of the year. Highly recommend. We finally became members, so I can go as often as I want.
Absolutely beautiful! Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. With the freeze that Florida suffered this winter I thought for sure the Botanical Garden would not look very good. Much to my surprise it was beautiful as ever and their origami exhibit was beautiful as well
Beautiful gardens, friendly staff. It was a perfect day, slightly breezy and not too hot yet to walk around the acres of trails. Definitely recommend the kaleidoscope plant viewing piece. We were here during the Florigami event. Great picture opportunities. Happy we made this a stop on our trip through Vero Beach. And stop by the cafe, worth the wait if there is one, strawberry dragonfruit refresher was a cool treat.
18 acres of attractive woods. Originally one of Floridas largest attractions before I 95 was built, now a shadow of its size but what is there is well done. Pretty unique children's jungle area. Plenty of flowing water setting off many local plants and trees. They have historic kitchen area and old barn which explains rich history. Closed for a number of years before being renovated by local volunteers. Work still ongoing but pretty much all done and now just adding touches. Not that much else to do except the beaches in Vero so 5 stars because of no competition but in itself worth a visit to anyone who likes ornamental forests, old Florida history and about 1-1 1/2 hours of entertainment. They have a reasonable cafe and lots of free parking.
This place is definitely a hidden gem I never knew existed. Beautiful gardens with winding pathways , ponds full of Koi fish and lily pads and gorgeous butterfly gardens. Right now they have an exhibit of life-size Lego sculptures which are amazing to look at. There's a children's area with a splash pad, a café, which we could not eat in because there was a garden club having a meeting but it smelled amazing when we walked by, and a cute little gift shop where we made pressed pennies to keep for souvenirs. On top of that they have knowledgeable, friendly tour guides. We definitely will come back.
When you come here make sure you grab a map because there is a lot to see! Great place to come with a significant other, family, and or kids. There is an even a kid section which is nice for the parents to relax and the kids to have fun. Lots of different plants, flowers, and nature to see! One of my favorite sections was the musical area. Very relaxing and cool. It is very large so you will spend quite some time here. There is a souvenir shop and a place to eat here too.
Most beautiful place ever!! Kate our tour leader did an incredible job, thank you!! So happy I did the tour, great place will definitely go again!!
Six months ago, long-term great friends moved to Vero Beach. What do you get, as a new home gift, for someone who has just about everything? We bought them a membership to their new, local botanical gardens, McKee Botanical Gardens. After their first visit, they said they loved the gift and the lovely gardens. So, when we visited this past weekend, we decided to go together and see for ourselves. We were not disappointed. The garden is separated into various areas, including bamboo, live oak, lily ponds with waterfalls, butterfly and children's garden and more. In general it is a rustic garden, with many dirt paths interwoven with paved paths. One of the more interesting things, that I had never seen in a garden before, was a circular display of plants built into a turntable, that was labeled, "Turn Me." There were taleidoscopes mounted above. Very cool! *See my photos! When we were ready to leave, we opted to convert our admission into an annual membership, especially since the McKee gardens has member discounts and reciprocity with many other botanical gardens, including ones closer to our home, i.e. Mounts Botanical Gardens and Flamingo Gardens. We will be back...
We attended the Jungle Lights tonight and really loved it. There were so many beautiful light displays of animals as well as holiday themed pieces. Highly recommend paying this place a visit while the Lights are up through the holidays. Everyone working there was so nice and helpful and friendly.
out of this world stunning. really incredible kids adventure area, so the garden is fantastic for the entire family. so rich in history and so many amazing tropical plants.
This place was absolutely amazing. 15$ a person to get in and there is plenty to see!! They have a splash park inside for the kids. Must come visit was packed the parking lot but it's so big inside that we were alone on all the paths. It's so freaking beautiful. I would for sure come back. Plenty of parking. Don't have to pay to park.
A botanical garden visit in early March can be a dicey proposition... unless that garden is McKee. The combination of a jungle, plenty of water features, and the whimsy of colorful art make this garden a great place to visit even before many of the plants are blooming. Last year's (2025) whimsy was florals made from Lego bricks. This year it's sculpture mimicking origami. They call it "florigami," and there are lots of imaginative examples throughout the gardens. If you are hungry or thirsty during your visit, the garden café is delightful. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit of about 2 hours. The admission price is a bit steep, but they do accept entry using the AHS reciprocal membership... so if you're a member of another botanical garden (that's far enough away) you will get in for free. read more
The botanical garden at night feels less like a stroll and more like wandering into a living storybook. Lights tucked into trees, glowing sculptures appearing out of the darkness, reflections in the water that look too intentional to be accidental. At one point I genuinely felt like I walked through a portal, took a few photos as proof, and got politely sent back to reality. The installations were the highlight for me. Birds glowing in the dark like forest guardians, glassy light columns that felt more spell than sculpture, and paths that made you slow down without realizing it. Even the massive tree stump felt ancient, like it had seen some things and wasn't in the mood to explain. It's worth noting this is a separate seasonal event, not standard daytime admission. Tickets are priced higher than regular entry, which makes sense given the lighting, installations, and overall production. Just something to be aware of when planning your visit. It does get crowded, especially in popular spots, so patience is required. This isn't a rush-through kind of experience anyway. It rewards wandering, pausing, and letting your eyes adjust. Also worth noting, this is prime territory for phone photography. Low light, rich colors, and reflections everywhere. If you like capturing atmosphere, you'll leave happy. If you're looking for something peaceful, immersive, and just a little bit magical, this is absolutely worth it. Just don't be surprised if you lose track of where you are for a moment. That might be the point. read more
We loved the experience at McKee Botanical Garden. There's a lot to see and learn. Great history of how it came about and who was kind enough to donate to this beautiful garden. Lots of unique plants, relaxing place to walk around. They even have some beautiful spots where you can sit and relax and enjoy the beautiful garden. Lots of parking and even a great little restaurant that made delicious food. Highly recommended. read more
2 months ago
I visited during the christmas holiday for a special evening lights event called Jungle lights-it's only open 6-8/9 at night and it's a perfect addition to the garden with a few dates available to see Santa and Mrs Claus and the model train set up in one of the buildings near the coffee/snack shop. It is nice to walk through and view the plants and lights and it also has a great gift shop with unique items that are not too pricey ! I did feel the cost per person for this event is high for how quickly you pass through $35 a person is steep but otherwise i'm a plant nerd so I enjoyed it so much. I will return for the daytime botanicals visit! read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
**INITIAL REVIEW** In Vero Beach, one of the most-popular places to visit is McKee Botanical Gardens. Established back in 1929 by Waldo E. Sexton, the gardens was supposed to be a kind of garden nursery that would house unique and exotic plants on more than 100 acres of land. Today, McKee Botanical Gardens is only a mere 10 acres (or less or something like that), as it is part plant and garden nursery and part tourist attraction. Nevertheless, it is one of the best places to visit during a visit to Vero Beach. Not to mention, many of the locals like to go multiple times to enjoy the gardens themselves. Though an address is provided, McKee Botanical Gardens (which I will shorthand simply to McKee for the remainder of this review), is located on US-1, about a five minute drive south of 20th Street, or the major street that passes through Downtown Vero Beach (where Ay Jalisco, American Icon Brewery, Indian River Citrus Museum, Indian River Chamber of Commerce, Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce, etc. are located). The single-person admission can be a bit steep depending on one's financial situation, but if you happen to want to come back to McKee more than once, especially during special events and showings, a membership is actually worth the price. Just visit three times in a year and you will have paid off the price of the membership. McKee is set up for patrons to enjoy everything the garden has to offer via a loop. It is up to you to go clockwise or counter-clockwise. There is the Hall of Giants, Spanish Kitchen, large mushroom, bamboo pavilion, numerous bridges - including the iconic stone bridge - a waterfall, and many other things to see. The upper-left area of the garden is a dedicated education and play area for children. Besides the special showing events, McKee also hosts an array of activitives especially for youngins'. As a matter of fact, McKee is one of the locations you must visit and complete an adventurous task as part of the Indian River County leg of the Treasure Coast Kids Quest. I must also stress that the eatery in McKee, the Garden Cafe, serves an excellent selection of food, which includes burgers, sandwiches, soups, pastries, and drinks. I had an iced coffee and a sandwich and it was delicious. For me, I have been to McKee twice, once with my good friend Heather, and the second time with my family, celebrating mother's day with my mom. Both times were a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend anyone to come to these gardens if you can. Ultimately, both visits were everything I can ask for, ergo I am giving McKee a five-out-of-five rating. Does that mean they are perfect? Nope, but when it comes to ratings, the five-out-of-five means that despite any understandable conditions showing that we are all human, McKee Botanical Gardens is worth the money and the experience. read more
5 months ago
Love this place, have gone several times. Different exhibits at different times of the year. Highly recommend. We finally became members, so I can go as often as I want. read more
7 months ago
6 months ago
Absolutely beautiful! Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. With the freeze that Florida suffered this winter I thought for sure the Botanical Garden would not look very good. Much to my surprise it was beautiful as ever and their origami exhibit was beautiful as well read more
7 months ago
Beautiful gardens, friendly staff. It was a perfect day, slightly breezy and not too hot yet to walk around the acres of trails. Definitely recommend the kaleidoscope plant viewing piece. We were here during the Florigami event. Great picture opportunities. Happy we made this a stop on our trip through Vero Beach. And stop by the cafe, worth the wait if there is one, strawberry dragonfruit refresher was a cool treat. read more
18 acres of attractive woods. Originally one of Floridas largest attractions before I 95 was built, now a shadow of its size but what is there is well done. Pretty unique children's jungle area. Plenty of flowing water setting off many local plants and trees. They have historic kitchen area and old barn which explains rich history. Closed for a number of years before being renovated by local volunteers. Work still ongoing but pretty much all done and now just adding touches. Not that much else to do except the beaches in Vero so 5 stars because of no competition but in itself worth a visit to anyone who likes ornamental forests, old Florida history and about 1-1 1/2 hours of entertainment. They have a reasonable cafe and lots of free parking. read more
2 years ago
This place is definitely a hidden gem I never knew existed. Beautiful gardens with winding pathways , ponds full of Koi fish and lily pads and gorgeous butterfly gardens. Right now they have an exhibit of life-size Lego sculptures which are amazing to look at. There's a children's area with a splash pad, a café, which we could not eat in because there was a garden club having a meeting but it smelled amazing when we walked by, and a cute little gift shop where we made pressed pennies to keep for souvenirs. On top of that they have knowledgeable, friendly tour guides. We definitely will come back. read more
2 years ago
When you come here make sure you grab a map because there is a lot to see! Great place to come with a significant other, family, and or kids. There is an even a kid section which is nice for the parents to relax and the kids to have fun. Lots of different plants, flowers, and nature to see! One of my favorite sections was the musical area. Very relaxing and cool. It is very large so you will spend quite some time here. There is a souvenir shop and a place to eat here too. read more
5 months ago
5 months ago
5 months ago
Six months ago, long-term great friends moved to Vero Beach. What do you get, as a new home gift, for someone who has just about everything? We bought them a membership to their new, local botanical gardens, McKee Botanical Gardens. After their first visit, they said they loved the gift and the lovely gardens. So, when we visited this past weekend, we decided to go together and see for ourselves. We were not disappointed. The garden is separated into various areas, including bamboo, live oak, lily ponds with waterfalls, butterfly and children's garden and more. In general it is a rustic garden, with many dirt paths interwoven with paved paths. One of the more interesting things, that I had never seen in a garden before, was a circular display of plants built into a turntable, that was labeled, "Turn Me." There were taleidoscopes mounted above. Very cool! *See my photos! When we were ready to leave, we opted to convert our admission into an annual membership, especially since the McKee gardens has member discounts and reciprocity with many other botanical gardens, including ones closer to our home, i.e. Mounts Botanical Gardens and Flamingo Gardens. We will be back... read more
We attended the Jungle Lights tonight and really loved it. There were so many beautiful light displays of animals as well as holiday themed pieces. Highly recommend paying this place a visit while the Lights are up through the holidays. Everyone working there was so nice and helpful and friendly. read more
3 years ago
This place was absolutely amazing. 15$ a person to get in and there is plenty to see!! They have a splash park inside for the kids. Must come visit was packed the parking lot but it's so big inside that we were alone on all the paths. It's so freaking beautiful. I would for sure come back. Plenty of parking. Don't have to pay to park. read more
I've wanted to go here for years -- since it was reopened. Knowing we would be in Vero for the holidays, I made online reservations. We came on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but they were closed due to flooding. Luckily, we were able to come back again on Friday. Some background-- The original 80 acres were bought in 1922 to be a citrus farm, but instead was developed into a tropical garden as a tourist attraction. It closed in 1976 and was sold for condo development. The remaining undeveloped 18 acres was bought to be preserved in 1994. And only started to be restored about 20 years ago. This 18 acres are now the current garden. We were only able to walk and see one side or about half on the garden paths in the time we had. After watching a short film, passing by the "bells", we entered the "hall of giants". A huge table, exhibits, and written history displays. Walking over the "stone bridge", we went past the "fan palm" path looking at all the trees and plants on the way. Even without kids, we wanted to see the "new" (2020) "children's garden" area. Kids were really enjoying the splash area and fountain. (Bring towels!). Plus climbing all over and through the pirate ship and village. We returned via the middle "main jungle trail" past the date palms and waterfall. We ended our visit at the gift shop, of course. Bought the obligatory post card to say, "wish you were here" to northern friends. We will definitely have to come back when next in the area -- to see the rest of the Garden we missed. They have periodic exhibits too -- like the glass one coming in January 2023. read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
A beautiful Botanical garden situated on Route-1 in Vero Beach. The gardens are well kept & clean. There is an area for kids to climb & explore. Will be great to visit in April where every thing blooms. I visited in November, the weather was perfect. There were enough plants in bloom. Nice area for photos. read more
2 years ago
i'll keep this short.....MEH not great, kind of boring, like walking through your neighbor's estate garden. nothing unusual or spectacular. didn't even stay longer that an hour. i wasn't impressed. after going to sunken gardens in st. pete, this place can't compare. disappointing to say the least read more
1 year ago
Best jungle holiday lights and displays with sounds. Awesome Bavarian town model trains exhibit. Excellent childrens garden with pirate ship, interactive musical exhibits and splash pad fountains and waterfalls throughout garden. Great programming for adults and children. Educational tours and classes. Super yummy Garden cafe. Nice staff and volunteers. Incredible history, a must see! read more
11 months ago
We went to Orlando for vacation in September. On one of our "down" days (away from the parks) we went to McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach. This is a unique garden with many varieties of tropical plants, very nice trails to walk through and view them and it's great for pictures. The giant mushroom is tall enough for you to stand underneath. The tropical plants and waterways are unique and have some plants you won't see anywhere else. I recommend going here when you are in Florida. read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
Definitely worth the small entrance fee. Definitely plan on coming back soon and the girlfriend loved it as well. Completed the children's treasure hunt and managed to luckily see the giant mushroom. read more
3 years ago
We went with my friend specifically wanting to see the "giant mushroom." We were not told upon arrival that there were many areas sectioned/closed off, and that mushroom area in particular. When we were leaving, I told the staff up front how disappointed we were that so many areas were closed off, given no notice and the mushroom in particular was not accessible. The woman at the desk said I could access it through the Bamboo Pavilion. I told her that was also blocked off, and she didn't even know that. read more
While researching what to do in the area McKee Botanical Gardens came up as highly suggested so we decided to give it a go... and I'm so glad we did! We entered through the gift shop were some sweet ladies assisted us. Providing us with a map and general suggestions on where to begin. You really cannot go wrong in choosing where to start. The Gardens are filled with various plants and trails to walk through. Lizards were sunbathing on cactus, flowers were blooming, butterflies were dancing and the fish were enjoying themselves in one of the many gorgeous lily ponds. I never knew there were so many different kinds! There are many shaded areas to walk though and enjoy the lower light plants...and to keep somewhat cool during the Florida sunshine. With many different areas and species of plants there is something for everyone to see. Even the kiddos. Don't forget your pic by the giant mushroom! Exiting through the gift shop also subbed as a quick AC break. Such a cute garden to visit. If I'm in the area, I'll definitely return. read more
Really beautiful botanical park that you can easily spend a few hours in. Love all the different flowers and the assortment of bromeliads, gingers, orchids, palms, hibiscus and too many others to name. The walk around the garden is gravel and the canopy of the trees make it more enjoyable because of the heat and shade. The sculptures were made of recycle flip flops found on the beach and this was really cool.These sculptures are throughout the park. I really enjoyed the energy the plants gave off, a very calming effect . The water lilies were all in bloom and this was very pretty . At this park there is a restaurant that serves the meal of the day, beer or wine. The gift shop has some cool stuff but over priced. If you are in the area make It a point to come in. Admission is 15.00 for adults ,seniors 13.00 . Don't forget your mask. read more
Took my college kiddo to the botanical gardens over the Christmas holidays. Admission was $15 for adults and you are provided a map guide at the window. It would be nice if they offered a student discount, but they do offer discounts for young children and seniors. You can also purchase an annual pass. The garden decor was splendid for the holiday season with a featured "Gnome House" filled with gnome scenes, lollipops and cupcakes lining some of the pathways, panda decorations playing violins, a huge blow-up Santa upon entrance, and a giant snow globe. We went during daylight hours, however the trees and pathways were draped with holiday lights which I'm sure were beautiful in the evening. The children's play area was full of little ones checking out all of the features including a pirate themed area. The garden is a good place to teach children early to appreciate their natural surroundings and to find creative fun while exploring. I would say children 5-8 would get the most enjoyment in the area designated for kids. The gardens were more exciting because of the holiday decorations, and I'm not so sure how much younger children would appreciate the experience without themed decor. We were fortunate that we went on an overcast day, and the heat and insects were not a factor. Plan your visit around the weather because it can get quite hot, and the bugs can be pesty. There are dispensers for bug repellent on-site, but you may also want to pack your own. You cannot take food or drinks into the park, but they do have a little cafe and offer ice cream treats once inside the garden area. They also have a small gift shop. It is nice that this area has been preserved, and that there is a place to go to take a relax stroll, unwind, and decompress. I recommend you go at least once. read more
Went to Vero Beach to visit family and were looking for some fun, inexpensive activities to do while we were there. McKee is a great option for adults and kids alike! When we got there we received a map of the grounds that contained so much cool preserved nature. It was like a self-guided nature walking tour, and we were surprised to even see some dinosaur sculptures in this tour (Odd, but we found it kind of fun!) As an out of state visitor, this was such a fun under $20 activity to do instead of the typical trip to Disney or Universal. I would highly recommend it! read more
McKee Botanical Gardens has such an interesting history. It used to be much larger and was called the Jungle Gardens; a major Florida attraction before Disney became popular. Unfortunately the success of the central Florida amusement parks became the downfall of the Jungle Gardens and a lot of the acreage was sold to developers. What remains now is a lovingly restored part of the original Jungle Gardens, with a variety of beautiful plants. Interesting are the Royal Palm Grove with towering majestic palms, the bamboo court, the little bridges and waterways throughout, the lover's bridge, the Hall of Giants. It's a pleasure to stroll the park and see the water lilies, the orchids and the other beauties. And since a few years it's fun to go with children as they added the Children's Garden. A fairy tale like part of the gardens with giant toadstools, a pirate boat in the trees, water fountains to play in, giant musical instruments and more. Definitely worth visiting with children and/or grandchildren. read more
4 years ago
This lovely botanical garden is worth the trip, whether you have children and spend time in the children's garden and splash pad or just there for a nice stroll, this garden is for you. The paths are well groomed and fairly level, lots of benches and shaded areas. Beautiful streams wind around the property with different gardens intermingled around them. The Spanish kitchen is tucked away but should definitely not be missed. I was fascinated by the Stick Wood sculptures as well as the glass tower that was tucked near the meditation garden. This property is not huge but a nice size. They do not allow outside food but they do have an excellent cafe with made to order salads and such as well as a kids menu. read more
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More info about McKee Botanical Garden
350 US Hwy 1
Vero Beach, FL 32962
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(772) 794-0601
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http://www.mckeegarden.org
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Review Highlights - McKee Botanical Garden
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