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We've compiled the best of the best in The Tampa Bay Area - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
A hidden gem just north of downtown, this garden is a magical place for children and their families. Connect with nature and explore this whimsical world featuring more than 2 acres of gardens, old trees, and imaginative outdoor play structures. The center also regularly presents kid-friendly events—story times, nature walks, arts-and-crafts workshops, and gardening programs—and has a costume room and cottage where children can play dress-up.
Florida flora and fauna shine in more than a dozen gardens and natural areas at these botanical gardens, open to visitors for free nearly every day of the year. You can wander through areas devoted to native plants, cacti and succulents, and a butterfly garden. You never know what sort of wildlife you might encounter—alligators, birds, and turtles—in the Aquatic Habitat, consisting of a gorgeous retention pond and McKay’s Creek.
Orchids make up nearly a third of the 20,000 species of flowers and plants here. You can stroll through the Tropical Display House, home of orchids and colorful bromeliads gathered from rain forests, and wander the garden pathway past plantings of bamboo, ancient banyans, and mangrove forests along Little Sarasota Bay. Although spring sees the best blooms, the greenhouses make this an attraction for all seasons. A bonus is a spectacular view of downtown. There are rotating exhibits of botanical art and photography in a 1934 restored Southern Colonial mansion. Enjoy lunch at the Selby House Cafe. The garden also owns and operates a second location on the Historic Spanish Point campus ( 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey), which is home to the region's only butterfly experience.
A cool oasis amid St. Pete's urban clutter, this lush 4-acre plot was created from a lake that was drained in 1903. Explore the cascading waterfalls and koi ponds, and walk through the butterfly house and exotic gardens where more than 50,000 tropical plants, flowers, and birds from across the globe thrive amid groves of some of the area's most spectacular palm trees. The flock of wading flamingos is a favorite here.
