Lake Wales - Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens is a “must see Florida attraction” centrally located between Tampa and Orlando among rolling hills of citrus! Our nearly 50 acres of Olmsted gardens, 2.5 acre children’s garden Hammock Hollow, the 20-room Mediterranean-style mansion El Retiro at Pinewood and the 205-foot art deco and neo-Gothic Singing Tower carillon is a place that has fascinated millions of Florida visitors.

Bok Tower Gardens boasts one of the greatest works of famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. The meandering, historic landscape garden was designed to be a contemplative and informal woodland setting offering a series of romantic recesses and tranquil resting spots, picturesque vistas and breathtaking views of the Singing Tower. Acres of ferns, palms, oaks and pines fashion a lush backdrop for flowering foliage and the spectacular seasonal color of azaleas, camellias and magnolias (a highlight of our spring peak bloom season) showcasing an ever-changing work of art.

One of the wonderful attributes of the Gardens and natural habitats is its wildlife population. It includes 126 different species of birds as well as the threatened gopher tortoise and endangered eastern indigo snake. The grounds of Bok Tower Gardens is a designated site on the Great Florida Birding Trail.

The Gardens consist of paved primary pathways and many mulched secondary paths, some of which have an incline. There are two main pathways that lead into the core Gardens, and many routes to choose in making your way to the Singing Tower. It is about an 8-minute walk to the Singing Tower from the Visitor Center.