Visit The Unique St. John's Botanical Garden And Nature Preserve

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While my parents were visiting, we decided to take a day trip to the Palatka area to see St. John’s Botanical Garden And Nature Preserve and Ravine Garden State Park.

We set off early and went to the state park first (post coming soon) then St. John’s Botanical Garden in the afternoon.

It was a very good day trip! Most botanical gardens I’ve been to (a whopping four of them) are very nice and developed but this one is much more natural and rustic.

In a good way though! The paths are wide and dirt, nothing is paved. It feels more like a whimsical plant nursery than botanical garden.

But, again, in a good way. From the entrance we went to the right, vaguely going around counterclockwise.

There wasn’t a ton of stuff flowering while we were here, only a coupe of things, but there was a lot of big leafy greens which I love.

And we got to see the desert plants first, which I also love. The path winds through the woods with the gardens in the underbrush.

This botanical garden is all about conservation of rare and endangered species from around the world which is pretty cool.

They also have an abundance of native plants and animals around the garden.

Eventually we came to a pond with a fountain in it and some chairs around it if you want to relax a bit and enjoy the view.

There’s also a specific hiking trail here that is optional. There aren’t gardens along this, just the woods.

We figured we might as well do that while we were here and I really liked it.

There was a sign warning to keep an eye out for snakes, but unfortunately we didn’t see anything.

The trail is a loop connecting back up to the main garden path but on the other side of the pond, near some buildings.

There was a bench on the hiking trail along a small creek if you wanted to sit and hang out for a while.

There were a couple of people on it so we continued on our way. The hiking trail was fairly shaded so it wasn’t too hot.

I would say most of the garden paths are pretty shaded too, except for the area immediately around the pond.

Before you know it you’re back at the entrance and ready to go!

I still think Kanapaha and Naples are my favorite botanical gardens so far, but this one was next in line.

I would plan to spend at least two hours here, give or take, depending on how fast you walk and how much you stop.

St. John’s Botanical Garden And Nature Preserve is kind of in the middle of nowhere farmland but I’m really glad we made the trek out here.

It was a beautiful garden and would definitely recommend it if you’re in the area!

Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

Where is St. John’s Botanical Garden?

St. John’s Botanical Garden And Nature Preserve is between the St. John’s River and St. Augustine, but south a bit.

It’s just over an hour from Gainesville, just under an hour from Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, 20 minutes from Ravine Garden State Park, and 30 minutes from St. Augustine.

How much is St. John’s Botanical Garden?

Adults are $15, seniors (60+) are $10, kids 8-17 are $8, and kids under 8 are free.

When is St. John’s Botanical Garden open?

They’re open Thursday-Monday from 10-5, and closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

How long is the walk at St. John’s Botanical Garden?

I’m not actually sure how long the path and trail here is, I couldn’t find that and didn’t track it. But I would guess maybe 2-3 miles depending on how much you do.