Wonder Gardens

Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs is a 1936 Florida roadside attraction that has remained largely unchanged in spirit for nearly 90 years — an intimate, genuinely charming mix of botanical garden and small zoo in a lush, overgrown setting that feels like Florida before the highways and theme parks arrived.

The property houses flamingos, alligators, native Florida wildlife, and the attraction that sets Wonder Gardens apart: free-flying macaws that roam the garden and land on visitors. This is not a performance — the birds move throughout the property at will, and an encounter where a large macaw lands on a child's shoulder happens organically. For kids who have never experienced anything like it, this is the kind of memory that outlasts any theme park ride.

At approximately 2.5 hours from Orlando, Wonder Gardens makes more sense as a component of a Southwest Florida vacation — Naples, Marco Island, or the Bonita Springs/Fort Myers area — than as a standalone Orlando day trip. Families spending time in Southwest Florida should add this to their list. The admission price is modest, children under 3 are free, and the property has real character.

The facilities reflect the property's age — this is not a polished, modern nature center. Some enclosures are older. But the animals are well-cared-for, the botanical setting is beautiful, and the overall experience is authentic Florida nature tourism at its most charming.