Bonnet House is a 1920s plantation-style estate and gardens between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, parking, accessibility, and practical tips for planning a visit — part of my wider Florida travel guides.
This guide was last checked in August 2026.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Self-guided: Tue–Sun, 11am–4pm (last admission 4pm; grounds close 5pm). Closed Mondays and major holidays. |
| Ticket prices | Self-guided (House & Gardens): $30 adults, $8 ages 6–17, free under 6. Gardens only: $15. |
| Address | 900 N Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 |
| Nearest transport | Water Taxi Stop 7, a short walk away; free on-site visitor parking. |
| Typical time needed | Around 1 to 1.5 hours (self-guided); 90 minutes for a guided tour. |
Bonnet House opening hours: when to visit
Self-guided tours run Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm, with last admission at 4pm and the grounds closing at 5pm. Bonnet House is open year-round, closed only on Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and occasional one-off closures such as local air shows.
Guided House Tours (downstairs only) run Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am and 1pm, lasting about 90 minutes, with pre-registration required. A separate Upstairs/Downstairs Tour, giving access to normally closed areas of the Bartletts’ private quarters, runs Wednesdays at 10am and 1pm, and Saturdays at 10am; this tour requires being able to climb 20 stairs.
Bonnet House ticket prices: how much does entry cost?
Self-guided admission (House & Gardens) costs $30 for adults, $8 for ages 6 to 17, and is free for children 5 and under; Broward County residents with ID pay $25. A gardens-only ticket costs $15 but doesn’t include the house. Museums for All admission is $3 per person for up to four, with a valid EBT card and photo ID.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026. Check the official site for current details or to buy tickets online.
Guided House Tours cost $35 for adults and $10 for ages 8 to 16 (not recommended for children 7 and under), with no discounts applying. The Upstairs/Downstairs Tour costs $40 per person. Members receive free admission to self-guided visits.
It’s not unusual to charge to visit the gardens, by the way. Most US gardens, such as the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library in Delaware and the Texas Discovery Gardens in Dallas, charge for entry.
How to get to Bonnet House: transport guide
There are two entrances: the main vehicle and pedestrian entrance with free visitor parking at 900 North Birch Road, and a pedestrian-only entrance at 750 Breakers Avenue. Driving east on I-95, take the Sunrise Boulevard exit, continue about 4 miles (passing the Galleria Mall and crossing the Intracoastal Waterway), then turn right onto North Birch Road at the traffic light and follow it to the end.
Visitors can also arrive by Water Taxi to Stop 7, followed by a short walk to the estate.
Parking at Bonnet House
Parking is free in the visitor lot at the North Birch Road entrance.
How long to spend at Bonnet House
A self-guided visit typically takes around 1 to 1.5 hours across the house and gardens. Guided tours, whether the standard House Tour or the Upstairs/Downstairs option, each run about 90 minutes.
Accessibility at Bonnet House
The official site doesn’t publish a dedicated accessibility statement. The Upstairs/Downstairs Tour requires climbing 20 stairs, suggesting the main house’s upper floor isn’t step-free; the self-guided ground-floor route and gardens are more likely to suit visitors with mobility needs, though it’s worth calling ahead at (954) 563-5393 to confirm specifics before visiting.
Inside Bonnet House: what to see
Built by artist Frederic Clay Bartlett on land given to his first wife, Helen Birch, by her father Hugh Taylor Birch, the estate’s main house is Bartlett’s own interpretation of Caribbean plantation-style architecture. Bartlett later married Evelyn Fortune Lilly, and the couple used the estate as a winter residence until his death in 1953; Evelyn deeded the property to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation in 1983, and it opened as a museum.
The 35-acre grounds hold five distinct native ecosystems, from Atlantic beach and dune to mangrove wetlands and maritime forest, alongside a Desert Garden, hibiscus garden, and the Orchid Display House, rotating blooms from Evelyn Bartlett’s personal orchid collection. The estate is also a habitat for migratory and native birds, and manatees occasionally visit the Boathouse Canal. A major replanting project, begun in 2008, restored much of the tree canopy lost to Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Booking guided tours in advance is worth it, since they’re pre-registration only and can fill up. |
| Crowds | Weekends tend to be busier than weekdays for self-guided visits. |
| Layout | The estate has two separate entrances; check which one suits your arrival method before setting out. |
| Entry process | Reserving online is recommended for a quicker Welcome Center check-in, though walk-in admission is available. |
| On-site logistics | Same-day re-entry is allowed with the wristband given at the Welcome Center. |
Frequently asked questions about Bonnet House
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Bonnet House suitable for children? | Yes for self-guided visits; guided House Tours aren’t recommended for children 7 and under. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | Not for self-guided tours, though it’s recommended; guided tours require pre-registration. |
| Is Bonnet House open on Mondays? | No, it’s closed on Mondays, plus Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. |
| Is parking free at Bonnet House? | Yes, the visitor lot at the North Birch Road entrance is free. |
| Can you visit Bonnet House by boat? | Yes, the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi stops nearby at Stop 7. |
Things to do near Bonnet House
- Hugh Taylor Birch State Park: A coastal state park named for the same family that once owned the Bonnet House land, directly adjacent.
- Fort Lauderdale Beach: The city’s main beach strip, a short walk from the estate.
- Galleria Mall: A large shopping centre passed en route from I-95, a short drive away.
- Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi network: A boat-based way to reach several waterfront attractions, with a stop right by Bonnet House.
- HistoryMiami Museum: A museum covering South Florida’s history, about a 45-minute to 1-hour drive south.
Alternative attractions to visit
- Flamingo Gardens, Davie: A botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary, about a 30 to 40-minute drive away.
- Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami: An early 20th-century estate with Italian Renaissance-style gardens, roughly a 45-minute to 1-hour drive away.
- Flagler Museum, Palm Beach: Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age mansion, about a 1-hour drive north.
- Mounts Botanical Garden, West Palm Beach: Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden, also roughly a 1-hour drive away.
- Coral Castle, Homestead: An unusual sculpture garden carved from limestone by a single builder, roughly a 1.5-hour drive south.
More Florida travel
Other Florida travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Exploring the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
- Plan your visit to the Naples Botanical Garden in South-West Florida.
- Miami Beach guides: Virginia Key Beach Park, Crandon Park Beach, Haulover Beach Park, Matheson Hammock Park, Oleta River State Park.
- How to go inside the Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne.
- What’s worth seeing at South Pointe Park in Miami Beach.
