Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Located on the shores of Sarasota Bay in Sarasota, Florida, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens cover seven acres and contain fifteen garden areas, including the Bamboo Pavilion, Cacti and Succulent garden, Banyan garden, Hibiscus garden, Tropical Food garden, Children's Rain Forest garden, and Waterfall garden.

The Christine Payne mansion on the grounds, serves as a museum with botanical exhibits. The picturesque gardens are a popular place for weddings, so it's not uncommon to see bridal parties taking pictures there.

The gardens are open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Cost of admission for adults is $19.00, and for children, $6.00.

Monkey Jungle

Today's garden destination is a little bit different.  It's Monkey Jungle, located in Miami, Florida.  This is a place where monkeys run free, and humans are enclosed in walkways.  There are over 400 primates here, most running free on nearly 30 acres. There are a total of 30 species represented, including gibbons, guenons, and spider monkeys.  Besides the monkeys (and you will see them - a troop of Java monkeys will greet you immediately!) , visitors can expect to see Amazonian rain forests and South American plants.

Monkey Jungle is open daily from 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM.  Cost of admission for adults is $29.95, and for children, $23.95.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Located in Delray Beach, Florida, Morikami Park covers 200 acres.  Its mission is to provide authentic Japanese cultural experiences that entertain, educate and inspire. The land was donated by an early Japanese settler, George Sukeji Morikami, and contains tranquil pine forests, nature trails, lakes, waterfalls, and of course Japanese Gardens, complete with Bonsai trees.

In keeping with its mission, classes, festivals, and youth programs all related to the Japanese culture are offered on the grounds and in the museum throughout the year.

The gardens are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Admission for adults is $15.00, and for children, $9.00.