Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Event Venues

Weekend Finds: The Florida Park, Falafel Sandwich, and Antiques Sales We Loved

"During a stay at my parents' place in Sarasota, Florida, I made a point of spending as much time outdoors as possible. This brought me to parts of this Gulf Coast city that I'd somehow missed over 15 years of visits, including the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Tucked just behind the city center on the bay, the gardens are dedicated to preserving the area's native flora, including flaming orange orchids and ferns. My two-year-old nephew had a blast running across the hanging bridges of the Children's Rainforest Garden treehouse; we both squealed when we saw dolphins off the Bayou lookout. We didn't spot any alligators during the mangrove walk, but our eyes were glued on a turtle inching his way back into the lagoon at the garden's eastern edge. If you visit, swing around the garden's outer edge and end at the beginning of the Great Lawn, where you can have a cold beer from the on-site cafe at tables overlooking the grounds and the water beyond."