If you live in Tampa, you probably spend a lot of time around concrete, asphalt, or on the road (it’s a pretty big city, after all). But sometimes, it can be nice to get away from the hustle and bustle. If you’re looking to escape for an hour or so and enjoy a gorgeous green space, check out these 5 botanical gardens near Tampa.
1. Florida Botanical Gardens
The Florida Botanical Gardens is a 150-acre garden in Largo with a diverse collection of plant types, including some beautiful rose bushes. Explore themed gardens as you adventure through their 26 different garden areas. Florida Botanical Gardens also puts on an annual Holiday Lights in the Gardens event every winter, when the gardens are lit up by gorgeous Christmas lights!
Cost: Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Certain events (including the Holiday Lights) require admission fees.
Days and Hours: Open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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2. USF Botanical Gardens
As the name suggests, the USF Botanical Gardens are located just off the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. Surprisingly large for such a small space, the gardens consist of 7 acres of purposefully planted mini-gardens, as well as another 6-7 acres of wild, native land to explore. If you love the gardens, they also offer a plant shop where you can bring a piece of them home with you!
Cost: $5 per person. Admission is free for students, faculty, and staff.
Days and Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (The Plant Shop closes at 3:30.)
3. Sunken Gardens
Just over the bridge in St. Petersburg, Sunken Gardens is a garden lover’s paradise, featuring a pollinator garden, multiple ponds, exotic birds and flamingos, and much more to explore. The garden is full of thousands of tropical plants, including orchids, bougainvillea, bananas, palms, and papayas, along with native Floridian plants that call the Sunshine State home. With so much to see, not to mention the garden’s over 100-year-old history, it’s no wonder that the attraction was marked a Local Historic Landmark, and it’s entrance added the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Cost: $18 per person. Discounts available for seniors, children, AAA, and military.
Days and Hours: Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
4. Palma Sola Botanical Park
Palma Sola Botanical Park in Bradenton is a hidden gem that even many locals haven’t heard of. The area for the botanical park previously housed a 10-acre nursery, but is now home to Bradenton’s one and only botanical park. While it’s a bit of a smaller area, it’s full of a diverse range of plants, from bromeliads to succulents and hibiscus plants. Check out the rare fruit trail for a glimpse at some unique exotic fruit species.
Cost: Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.
Days and Hours: Open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. Check the park calendar for special events and event park closures.
5. Hollis Garden
Right in the heart of Lakeland (a short drive from Tampa), Hollis Garden is a formal botanical garden inside Lake Mirror Park. It showcases over 10,000 flowers and plants arranged in a series of patterned displays, water features, and sculptures. We love Hollis Garden and recently featured them in 13 Ideas For The Perfect Date Night In Lakeland.
Cost: Admission is free.
Days and Hours: Closed Mondays. Open Sunday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (June-August). Open Sunday – Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (September-May). Hours vary by the season.
Take a drive down the road or to the next town over, and check out these 5 botanical gardens near Tampa. You might discover a new plant or two to take home, too!
