Fragrance Garden, Lakes Regional Park, Fort Myers

Designed for the visually impaired, or just visitors seeking a quiet place to meditate or commune with nature, the park’s Fragrance Garden is all about the senses. A nonprofit, community-supported attraction, the garden is used to develop, maintain and display a wide variety of fragrant, exotic plants, flowers, herbs and vines. The Butterfly Garden is home to 16 varieties of winged wonders, and visitors will enjoy strolling down Memory Lane, lined with trees and shrubs planted in memory of loved ones. 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers, 33908; 239-432-2000; www.leeparks.org


Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, Naples

Sitting in a jungle of trees nearly a century old, surrounded by exotic plant life, visitors will enjoy an up-close view of wildlife from around the world in this 52-acre historic garden founded in 1919. Admission includes wildlife shows, new exhibits, Alligator Bay, guided botanical tours, a primate expedition cruise and a Meet the Keeper series. 1590 Goodlette-Frank Road, Naples, 34102; 239-262-5409; www.caribbeangardens.com


Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens offers shaded, bayfront grounds on the waterfront in downtown Sarasota. Featuring more than 20,000 plants on 9.5 acres, Selby is best-known for its stunning collection of orchids in a display house with a rain-forest atmosphere. Admire the huge banyan trees, the towering bamboo gardens and the rotating art and photography exhibits in the colonial revival Christy Payne Mansion. 811 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota, 34236; 941-366-5731; www.selby.org


Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Naples

Enjoy hands-on exhibits and see animal rehabilitation, special programs and nature trails at the Conservancy’s Nature Center. The Conservancy offers guided electric boat cruises to the Gordon River. 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples, 34102; 239-262-0304; www.conservancy.org


Sarasota Jungle Gardens, Sarasota

This natural, kid-friendly oasis in north Sarasota is home to acres of tropical gardens and winding nature trails perfect for leisurely, educational or romantic walks. Once a swampy, subtropical jungle, the park now hosts a Birds of Prey exhibit, Critters and Things, Reptile Encounter and Birds of the Rainforest, a fun show with performing birds. A garden traditions include feeding the gentle flamingoes and hungry koi. 3701 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, 34234; 941-355-5305; www.sarasotajunglegardens.com


Babcock Wilderness Adventure, Punta Gorda

A 90-minute Swamp Buggy Tour takes visitors through Babcock Ranch and Telegraph Cypress Swamp. Visitors can spot panthers, bison and alligators as well as learn about the ranch’s history. In the museum, see Lulu, the (stuffed) three-headed cow. 8000 State Road 31, Punta Gorda, 33982; 800-500-5583; www.babcockwilderness.com


Edison and Ford Winter Estates, Fort Myers

Among Southwest Florida’s great treasures, the historic winter homes of Thomas Alva Edison and Henry Ford sit on 14 lush acres and come complete with Edison’s laboratory. This jewel of Fort Myers is surrounded by 20 acres of lush tropical botanical and research gardens, 500 unique plants and four champion trees. The museum contains hundreds of Edison and Ford inventions and artifacts. ADA accessible; wheelchairs are available. 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, 33901; 239-334-3614; www.efwefla.org

The majestic, old growth bald cypress trees at Corkscrew are nearly 600 years old and 130 feet tall.

Naples Botanical Garden, Naples

The Sunset Mosaic Wall, with its variegated blue tiles evoking warm Gulf waters, serves as the backdrop for this 1.5-acre garden attraction. Hundreds of bromeliads and palms, as well as spice and fragrance gardens, complement the wall. Gopher tortoises and bald eagles inhabit the pine flatwood and scrub oak habitats of the garden’s Florida Uplands Preserve; dainty butterflies, lorikeets and geckos fill the Butterfly House. 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples, 34112; 239-643-7275; www.naplesgarden.org


Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples

A 2.25-mile raised boardwalk takes visitors through four environments: a pine upland, a wet prairie, a cypress forest and a marsh. Interpretive signs and volunteer naturalists along the boardwalk provide information about the wildlife and native plants, including a variety of wild orchids, visitors come across. The majestic, old growth bald cypress trees at Corkscrew are nearly 600 years old and 130 feet tall. Many wildflowers are in bloom throughout the year. 375 Sanctuary Road West, Naples, 34120; 239-348-9151; www.corkscrew.audubon.org