What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 4pm Saturday 9am - 4pm Sunday 9am - 4pm

Wonder Gardens

Wonder Gardens Fun, immersive, and interactive for all ages...come and experience Wonder! Zoological park & gardens Our current Hours are 9AM-2PM.
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We are open daily (except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter Sunday). Admission is $12.00 for adults 13-64, $10.00 for seniors 65 and older, and $7.00 for children 3-12. Please consider the purchase of a membership and get unlimited free admission, reciprocal programs, and a 20% discount in the Wonder Shoppe. THE PAST
In 1936, the Piper family established The Reptile Gardens as a roadside attr

action along the newly built Tamiami Trail from Tampa to Miami. As the animal and botanical exhibits grew, the attraction’s name was changed to the Everglades Wonder Gardens to appeal to visitors. The Wonder Gardens captured the nostalgia, history, and wonder of old Florida, augmented with tropical flora and fauna from around the world. For nearly eighty-five years the Everglades Wonder Gardens has inspired, educated, and engaged our community and visitors with a one-of-a-kind experience. In April of 2013, the Pipers closed the Wonder Gardens, and local photographer and conservationist John Brady took over the property as a tenant and reopened the park. With the help of Ellie Krier, they started the formation of the non-profit 501(c)(3), Bonita Wonder Gardens. In July of 2015, the City of Bonita Springs recognized the economic, cultural, and historic value of this zoological and botanical attraction, and made a loan, enabling the nonprofit to purchase the 3-acre property and assets from the Piper family, saving it from potential commercial development. The property was later purchased by the City of Bonita Springs, while our charitable organization continues to manage all operations. Thus, began a new chapter of our public-private partnership to save this beloved attraction. THE PRESENT – YOUR WONDER GARDENS! Today, under the leadership of our Executive Director, Neil Anderson, and our board of directors, the Wonder Gardens is home to rescued and non-releasable birds and reptiles nestled among the sprawling banyan trees and plantings. While preserving the very best of The Wonder Gardens, the charitable organization cares for more than 300 resident animals, is upgrading wildlife enclosures, growing the botanical beauty of the property, adding education programs and events, and further engaging the community to enjoy this jewel in historic Downtown Bonita Springs. A historic icon, the Wonder Gardens stands as one of the few remaining cornerstones of Old Florida. Here, we tell a story of The Wonder Gardens’ past, present, and future, while educating our region about our environment and wildlife. Throughout its history, the Wonder Gardens has been supported by the community. Our partnerships with educational partners and businesses have allowed us to be contributing members of redeveloped and growing Bonita Springs. Visitors and Annual Memberships help us provide professional and high-quality care to our resident animals. Generous donor support allows us to improve and expand our exhibits. If SWFL area residents have not visited in some time, we hope they will enjoy the gardens along with our record 105,000 visitors!

02/18/2025

Tune in to Gulf Coast News tomorrow morning to hear us talking about our upcoming event Brew and Blues for the Birds! You definitely won't want to miss the new fun twist on this Wonder Gardens classic event🍻

Tickets: https://wondergardens.org/brews-blues-for-the-birds-march-2025/

02/17/2025

Have you stopped by to visit Rita and Dusty yet?

Be sure to check out the Ammerman Family Aviaries designed by Custom Cages on your next visit!

02/16/2025

After all of the excitement during our Enchanted Gala last week, Kiwi decided to hit the snooze button a few times this morning😴

02/15/2025

Did you know that female red-tailed boas are ovoviviparous, which means they will lay eggs inside their bodies, the eggs hatch inside the body, and they will give birth to live young. This can also be found with some species of shark!

📸: Zookeeper Katie

02/14/2025

Happy Valentines Day from all of our scaly and feathered friends here at the Wonder Gardens❤

02/13/2025

Reminder that we are CLOSED all day today in preparation for our Enchanted Gala this evening. We will reopen tomorrow, February 14th at 9:00AM for regular business.

02/12/2025

📣Special Announcement📣

We will be CLOSED tomorrow, February 13th for our annual Enchanted Gala. We will reopen for regular business on Friday, February 14th at 9:00AM.

For those attending the gala, we cannot wait to share our Enchanting Oasis with you tomorrow✨

02/11/2025

Our plant shop has a great selection for those last minute Valentine's Day presents for that special someone in your life...or for yourself (we won't tell😉).

02/10/2025

Roses are red...
Violets are blue...
Our animals love flowers just as much as you🌸

02/09/2025

Max isn't sure who to cheer on for the Super Bowl🏈, can you help her out?

If you think she should cheer for the Chiefs, like this post👍
If you think she should cheer for the Eagles, love this post❤️

No matter what team wins, Max wants everyone to remember the best part of the Super Bowl...the snacks!

02/08/2025

Have you ever heard that you can tell the age of a tortoise by counting the grooves on their shell? This is actually a myth and the best way to tell the age of a tortoise is from detailed record keeping!

02/07/2025

Happy Friday everyone! Hopefully a trip to the Wonder Gardens is in your weekend plans🌞

02/06/2025

We are officially one week away from our 2025 Enchanted Gala: An Enchanted Oasis✨

This event wouldn't have been possible without the support of our incredible sponsors and we wanted to take the time to recognize and thank them all for their incredible support!

Don't forget to get your tickets, this is an event you won't want to miss!

02/05/2025

Allow us to officially introduce our newest residents, Rita the Keel-billed Toucan and Dusty the Moluccan Cockatoo!

Starting tomorrow, Rita and Dusty can be found in the new Ammerman Family Aviaries located between the Gator Hole and Filter Marsh. These aviaries were made possible with a generous donation from Joy and Denis Franks and designed by Custom Cages.

Be sure to stop by to say hello to the newest members of the Wonder Gardens family!

02/04/2025

Remember our baby African spurred Tortoises? Well they've been busy creating some one of a kind art for all to enjoy! Enrichment is critically important for all animals and we're lucky enough to be able to provide this for them here at the Wonder Gardens!

Be sure to check out the Wonder Shoppe for art created by many of our resident animals that you can take home!

02/03/2025

Join us at our Brews & Blues for the Birds on March 8th, 2025!

Tickets include a limited number of tastings from an array of locally brewed beers, seltzers, select wines, and some non-alcoholic beverages.

We will have live entertainment, featuring local musicians, Josh “Pitbull of Blues” Rowand and Friends, Easy Cheesy and Hungry Pony Food trucks, and various local vendors.

Guests are encouraged to stroll the grounds and enjoy the beauty of the Wonder Gardens during the event.

Proceeds will support the operations of the Wonder Gardens, helping us provide the highest standard of care to our resident animals, upkeep to our beautiful horticultural collection, and to ongoing updates that help Renew the Wonder!

Tickets: https://wondergardens.org/brews-blues-for-the-birds-march-2025/

02/02/2025

Pan isn't sure who this Punxsutawney Phil is that everyone keeps talking about, but he's predicting blue skies and sunshine down here in Southwest Florida🌞

02/01/2025

Happy Saturday from our feathered friends here at the Wonder Gardens! Be sure to stop by and see us!

Address

27180 Old 41 Road
Bonita Springs, FL
34135

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm
Saturday	9am - 4pm
Sunday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

(239) 992-2591

Website

http://www.wondergardens.org/

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Videos

Support the Wonder Gardens and Rooftop at Riverside with our first-ever ongoing fundraiser! 🌿✨ Visit Rooftop and add a donation to your tab to make a difference. Plus, don’t miss out—on select nights, Wonder Gardens will be there with ambassador animals! 🐢 Enjoy the view, meet some amazing creatures, and contribute to a great cause. #WonderGardens #RooftopAtRiverside #OngoingFundraiser #GiveBack #supportlocal

Just another day in the life of a slippery slider! 🐢💦 Watch this aquatic turtle show off its moves around its habitat! #TurtleLife #AquaticAdventures #ShellSliding

Have you heard any funny noises when walking by our alligator pond? Well it’s mating season for the American Alligator and these males will bloat with air then let it out in a rumble that causes the water over its back to look like it is vibrating. It’s important to always give alligators their space when you encounter them in their natural environment, especially if you hear this loud bellowing!”

Happy Earth Day! Make sure to get out and enjoy nature! The world is full of Wonder!

Kiwi cooling off on a hot SWFL day! Happy St.Patty’s day from the Wonder Gardens!

*DISCLAIMER!! Snake feeding shown below* Check out our Burmese Python, Pan, demonstrating the perfect strike during his feeding! All of the carnivores at the Wonder Gardens receive frozen thawed protein sources as this prevents any potential injuries to them during feedings. Right now Pan measures over 8 feet long and weighs around 50 pounds! While this may seem large, he still has quite a ways to go as adult Burmese pythons can get up to 20 feet long when fully grown! #snakefeeding #animaleducation #feedingdemonstration #burmesepython #invasivespecies #environmentaleducation

Our Wild Wonders Animal Encounters are a great way to experience the Wonder we have to offer right in the heart of Bonita Springs! Thanks to our wonderful volunteer, Joe for creating this beautiful video!

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Our Story

Admission is $12.00 for adults 13-64, $10.00 for seniors 65 and older, and $7.00 for children 3-12. Open Monday-Sunday from 10 am - 4 pm, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. This cultural icon has been a focal point of Bonita Springs first started as a facility to rehabilitate injured animals. The gardens remained with the original owners for over 78 years and has been non profit since 2015. It has become a place for visitors to enjoy the botanical gardens and see wildlife in an intimate way, something that modern parks cannot provide. The modern Everglades Wonder Gardens focuses on interactive and immersive experiences, some of our wildlife includes beautiful birds, large alligators, reptiles (including a 16 ft python), a flamboyance of flamingos. A mature botanical garden, which has some of the most exotic specimens from around the planet. The Gardens appeal to the many visitors who frequent Southwest Florida from all over the world, as well as the local community and its residents. Follow us on Twitter as @WonderGardensFL, on LInkedIn and on our YouTube Channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/WonderGardensFlorida. Sign up to be on our email list at http://bit.ly/1xx4W0f.