Walk among tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees at Flamingo Gardens or hop on the 25-minute narrated tram tour through rainforests, wetlands and groves for a small fee.
The garden is made up of many different sections. The Wray Botanical Collection boasts hundreds of trees. Among these is the largest tree in Florida, which towers an impressive 31 metres above the forest floor. Look out for exotic favourites like the dynamite tree with pods that explode and send seeds raining down.
Touch and smell the herbs and other fragrant plants in the Fragrance Garden and see if you can spot the ruby throat hummingbird that visits the Hummingbird Garden during the winter. In the Butterfly Garden, if you are very lucky, you may even spot the rare pink-spot sulphur butterfly.
Visit the restored weekend residence of the property's original owners, Floyd and Jane Wray, for a glimpse into life in Florida during the early 1930s. See family portraits, original furnishings and other items left behind by the Wrays.
Home to permanently injured Florida native wildlife such as alligators, bobcats, panthers, eagles, and of course, flamingos, the Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary offers visitors the opportunity to get up close to over 83 native species. Walk among 250 birds in the Free-Flight Aviary. Feed brightly-coloured Caribbean flamingos at the Flamingo pond and feast your eyes on majestic peacocks that roam the gardens. See the magnificent birds at the Bird of Prey Center and watch alligators sunbathe at the Alligator Lagoon. Lovers of big cats will delight in the Panther and Bobcat Habitat while the Big Pond and Turtle Walk features hundreds of water fowl swimming alongside turtles and tortoises.
Many events are held in the gardens throughout the year. Check the website before your visit to see what’s on.
Located in the town of Davie, Flamingo Gardens is about a 30-minute drive from downtown Fort Lauderdale. The gardens are open daily, except for Mondays from June to October, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. There’s a café on site which sells a selection of sandwiches, hot dogs and cold drinks. Visitors are not allowed to bring food in with them.
