It’s been a hidden respite in Southwest Florida for years.
Naples Botanical Garden sits on 170 acres and is made up of smaller, separate gardens that represent various natural habitats and ecosystems.
And Naples Botanical Garden ― about three miles from downtown Naples ― features exhibits throughout the year. Here’s what to know about the Garden, as it’s known.
Garden becomes magical during holidays
It’s an end-of-the-year treat many await. The Johnsonville Night Lights in the Garden creates a colorful world at night, where visitors can walk through the meticulously created wonderland.
Night Lights runs Nov. 28-Jan. 4, and is closed Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Dec. 31.
Ticket prices vary and gradually increase as the holidays approach.
The Naples Botanical Garden will celebrate its 10th Night Lights in the Garden event from Nov. 29-Dec.23, 2019; Dec. 26-30, 2019; and Jan. 1-5, 2020, from 6-9 p.m. each evening.
Displays shown year-round in The Garden
While Night Lights remain a highlight, the Garden hosts a variety of events year-round.
The Día de los Muertos Celebration in early November with live music and dance performances, arts and food. Also known as Day of the Dead with its origins in Mexico, the holiday focuses on remembering loved ones and celebrating families and friends.
Jenna Bush Hager on March 28, 2025, attended the annual “Hats in the Garden” at Naples Botanical Garden. The daughter of former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush hosts NBC’s “Today with Jenna & Friends.” (Photo by John Eder)
Other annual events include the Ikebana Exhibition in February, where attendees discover meditative art and fall in love with the spirit of Ikebana; Naples Flower Show & Garden Market in March; and Hats in the Garden luncheon in the spring, which has raised millions of dollars for the venue.
A dozen artists create pieces of art during the Plein Air Fest at the Naples Botanical Garden in Naples on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023.
History of Naples Botanical Garden
Founded in 1993 and opened in 2009, the Garden features more than 1,000 species.
In 2017, the Garden polled visitors and found it wasn’t reflective of the community. So in 2019 it revealed “Garden for All” with initiatives to broaden its appeal to the community.
Some of them included signs, audio tours and brochures in English, Spanish, and Creole, reflecting the neighborhood’s residents; quiet hours, when equipment is shut so those disturbed by loud noises can revel in peace; and providing easy navigation and access for wheelchairs, which can be borrowed, and scooters that can be rented.
Check out the restaurant too
Inside Fogg Cafe at Naples Botanical Gardens.
It’s a hidden gem within the hidden gem of the Garden. The Fogg Café, which a former Naples Daily News food and dining journalist named among her top 10 restaurants in town, is a fast casual spot with a menu that changes seasonally.
Enjoy delicious food in a subtropical setting, from the Fogg Burger to the Garden Veggie Wrap.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Where: Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples
When: Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (8 a.m. for members)
Cost: Free for members; adults: $27; children (ages 4-17) $12; kids 3 and younger free
Tip: Naples Botanical Garden is along Bayshore Drive, the hip, artsy part of the Naples area, so check it out too.
Information: (239) 643-7275 or naplesgarden.org.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Contact him at dosborn@gannett.com and follow him on Instagram @lacrossewriter.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples Botanical Garden remains popular nature sanctuary
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