Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg

Even though we went while it was 900 degrees outside like a couple of big dummies, we still really enjoyed Sunken Gardens. In other words, only in retrospect did we think about the fact that, despite lots of shade throughout the grounds, outdoor botanical gardens are still more suitable any time other than the absolute peak of summer heat. In fact, they're in the process of doing some upgrades, so we'll likely go back in December or January. The staff is always super nice, the gardens are well kept, and they also have some animals (flamingos, exotic birds, a giant turtle of some kind, fish ponds, etc.). Sunken Gardens also has an interesting place in local history, so be sure to read some of the plaques and talk to the staff if you're interested in that kind of thing.

A very nice walk about. Pleasant and well maintained gardens with an interesting bit of history. Nice picnic area. Seems to be constant being updated. My favorite was the turtle. You may not think it’s there at first, but boy, when you see it...