a charming, historic attraction that originally opened in the 1930s. Set on about 3 to 3.5 acres of…read morelush, mature landscaping, the Wonder Gardens is home to a variety of rescued, rehabilitating, and non-releasable animals. We took our time wandering the pathways, admiring the beautiful habitats thoughtfully designed for each species. There's a strong focus on birds, and the variety here is impressive -- vibrant parrots, graceful flamingos, and so many unique feathered residents. Just as we made it to the final exhibit with the crocodiles, an announcement came over the speakers warning of lightning in the area. Guests were directed back to the gift shop for safety, and the staff began offering rain checks or refunds depending on when you arrived. We didn't inquire about either, though -- we had already thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and since the Wonder Gardens is a nonprofit organization, we were happy to support them regardless. Before leaving, we browsed the gift shop, which had a fantastic selection of animal-themed souvenirs, cute décor, and even artwork created by the resident animals -- such a unique touch. If you're in the area, Wonder Gardens is absolutely worth a stop. It's charming, educational, and your admission supports ongoing rescue and rehabilitation efforts. If you're interested in getting even closer to the animals, they also offer scheduled animal encounters, so be sure to check ahead for times.

We found this place while searching Yelp and enjoyed our visit there. Easy to navigate your way…read morearound and lots to see. My kids enjoyed seeing all the different animals! My only gripe was- they were cleaning the turtles and it would have been a really cool learning experience for the kids if they advertised those things/invited kids and families to come watch. They could have really turned it into a really cool educational moment by answering questions or talking about what they were doing while they were doing it. Even having a few seats people could sit in while they did it... this could apply to any of their daily things they do there to help the animals. Keep up the good work and help inspire the next generation!

Hidden gem! What a unique animal experience in Naples. Education based animal preservation. Our…read moretour guide was John, the owner, who is a wealth of incredible knowledge. We talked science, history, future, nature, everything. There is an incredible amount of programming available for children of all ages. Tours are donation based by reservation only! I couldn't recommend this more. You can tell John is like the animal daddy and loves all the animals. And they clearly love him. The animals are well loved and cared for! Go visit and help more people discover this gem.

We asked the owner to bring some of their animal Ambassadors to a welcome reception at our Naples…read morearea hotel. What a wonderful experience for guests - interactive and educational. Thank you Kowiachobee!

Brought a friend who was visiting from out of town to the Naples botanical garden, and it was one…read moreof the highlights of his visit. It never fails to delight. The grounds are so diverse and so well taken care of. You can download a map that will help direct you as you make your way around the gardens. There is a huge parking lot and many scooters for those who need them. The gift shop has a lot of unique and fairly priced items. This is one of the best places in the city of Naples to spend a couple hours out in nature.

05 March 2026…read more Beautiful day for a walk in the park. We went to the Botanical Gardens, Naples, Florida. This place is beautiful and serene. Naturally I took lots of photos & videos. The photos & videos speak for themselves. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and water or candy to keep your mouth moist. There are miles of trails here but not enough signage along the way to keep me from getting lost , as is my habit. There are a couple of waterfalls and colorful flowers planted along the path of some of the trails. There are Some Tiki Huts to sit & rest awhile. Also many benches along the trail to take a breather if so desired. So, come , relax and enjoy God's Green acre.

Are driver was great at keeping everyone up beat & happy when on tour. It is a great way to learn…read moreabout the history of Naples and everything that is around Naples to see and do.

The driver crashed us and we all got hurt . He should be vey sad for what he did. We got saved at 1…read moream

Super fun ride through the swampy mangroves. Places you could only go via air boat. Guide Josh has…read morelived here his whole life and provided tons of information. We saw two alligators when we got on, but none on the tour unfortunately. But, afterwards, there is a demonstration with the Alligator Whisperer, and he shows baby alligators that you can touch. It's a great activity for families and convenient if you're staying on Marco Island.

Such a fun outing! Our captain was very knowledgeable and somehow navigated skillfully through open…read morewaters and twisting trails thru the mangroves. We saw plenty of gators and bird life plus even got a brief history lesson. At the end there is an alligator "show". It's kind of honky-tonk but impressive nevertheless, with an option to pose holding a small alligator - perfectly positioned to capture their sign in the background. You know, I really don't mind helping promote worthy businesses and this was well worth our time & money!

My hubby kept telling about this great nature trail he has walked when we visited Naples (he'd wake…read moreup early in the hotel and sneak out while I slept).... but I finally got a chance to visit. The park is lovely... I love butterflies and as soon as I stepped out of the car, we saw many of them so I was sure it was going to be a good day. We started off on the asphalt pavement path and eventually ended up on the boardwalks too... the paths are very wide and great views of the forest and water areas. Saw many species of birds including an osprey in his huge nest. Loved the bridge that crossed the Gordon River and the lookout rest area nearby. If I visited in any cooler month and with less bugs, I'd give the park a 5 star but the bugs and the heat were tough.

After multiple failed attempts trying to find truly dog-friendly spots in the area, Gordon River…read moreGreenway was an absolute homerun. Beautiful scenery, peaceful walking paths, and plenty of space to enjoy nature with our pup without feeling restricted or unwelcome. The trails were well maintained, easy to navigate, and offered such a nice mix of greenery, water views, and shaded areas. It ended up completely saving our day after striking out at a few other places nearby. If you're visiting Naples with your dog and looking for a relaxing outdoor spot to walk, explore, and unwind together, this is definitely worth the visit.

The Corkscrew boardwalk is always a pleasure, even when the animals are hiding! On our most recent…read morevisit the first half of the boardwalk was quiet - some bird calls in the distance but no sightings. The second half was quite different - numerous bird sightings including a barred owl and numerous egrets, an alligator and, for the first time ever, two otters! Every trip is different- sometimes it is just a quiet walk in the woods, sometimes the animals decide to share with us. It isn't a zoo, it is nature so anything can happen.

I do want to say that I love Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and have been going since I was a kid. This…read moretime, I got to bring my kids who are 12 (twins). My caveat is, perhaps, to call the Sanctuary and see how dry it is? When we visited, there was no "swamp" to be seen for much of it, and I've been many times so I knew where the water was supposed to be but because of the drought - nope. This made about 75% of the boardwalk walk very boring for my kids as there really were no animals to see. It was only when you get to the lettuce lake area that we spotted a few alligators. I was not happy that we drove an hour for my kids to not see much and be bored (and frankly, so was I). The Audubon does a fantastic job, the visitor center is wonderful, and the info on the trails is great...but the "no swamp swamp" got to us on this visit.

J.N. Ding Darling is a nice little refuge area to visit in Sanibel. The visitors center is free to…read morevisit and is a good first stop for some small educational exhibits. There were a few activities including learning the basics to draw a duck and doing crayon impressions of wildlife for some take-home artwork. There's even a taxidermy collection. The staff was welcoming and willing to answer any questions. While the visitors center is free, you pay admission to enter the four-mile loop. We were traveling with a veteran, so our car was able to get free admission with their military pass. You can walk or drive. We decided to drive the loop. It's not super scenic, so walking is not really recommend when it's hot. Plus, there's not much to see when it's hot, hot, hot. You can pull over on the side of the road and get out as you please. We saw a few birds and fish, but nothing worthwhile. There is a resident alligator, but in the summer, he is in hiding. Fishing was a popular activity. The website showed some excursions like a tram ride and a boat ride (both at an additional cost), but we just stuck with our own car to explore the loop. I'd say it's worth a quick visit when you want to do something other than beaching. The park is closed on Fridays.

The last time we were here -- more than ten years ago -- there was no tram or drive through. They…read moreonly had dirt trails and as it had rained recently, we walked through some very muddy areas. This time, we decided to take the 4 mile drive. The drive costs $10 per car. You drive quite slowly. And you can stop at any point on the right side of the one way drive. There are scenic overlooks, and canoe launching sites, and places where folks fish. This wild life preserve did not have much of anything to see however! And definitely almost no wildlife. We saw one fish jumping -- a mullet -- and an osprey getting ready to dive down into the water . And one crow and one dove. No turtles or alligators. All we saw was basically trees and bushes and some water. All in all , it was rather a boring and disappointing experience.