Naples Botanical Garden is a 170-acre garden in Naples, Florida, showcasing plants from the tropics and subtropics around the world. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and 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 | Summer Hours (1 June–30 Sept): 8am–2pm daily, closed Tuesdays in Aug & Sept. Rest of year: 9am–5pm daily (8–9am members only). |
| Ticket prices | Adults $27; children aged 4–17 free; children 3 and under free; members free. |
| Address | 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples, FL 34112 |
| Nearest transport | Collier Area Transit (CAT) routes 13 and 14 serve the Garden daily. |
| Typical time needed | Around 2 to 4 hours. |
Naples Botanical Garden opening hours: when to visit
During Summer Hours, 1 June to 30 September, the Garden is open 8am to 2pm daily, but closed on Tuesdays throughout August and September. For the rest of the year, standard hours are 9am to 5pm daily, with members able to enter from 8am, an hour before general admission.
Two areas, the LaGrippe Orchid Garden and the Bartter Breezeway, are closed for enhancements from 17 August to 3 September 2026; the rest of the Garden remains open as normal during this work.
Naples Botanical Garden ticket prices: how much does entry cost?
Like many botanical gardens in the US, such as the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx and the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix’s Papago Park, Naples Botanical Garden charges for entry.
Admission costs $27 for adults, while children aged 4 to 17 and children 3 and under both enter free, as do Garden members. This makes the Garden notably family-friendly on cost, since there’s no reduced child rate to work out — kids simply go free.
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.
Active-duty military personnel and their families receive free admission through the Blue Star Museums programme, running from 16 May to 7 September 2026. Members of participating AHS Reciprocal Garden Network gardens elsewhere may also receive discounted or free entry with proof of membership.
How to get to Naples Botanical Garden: transport guide
The Garden is at the corner of Bayshore Drive and Thomasson Drive, about 10 minutes from downtown Naples and a short drive from Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. From US 41 eastbound, take Bayshore Drive south for about 1.5 miles to the roundabout at Thomasson Drive, then continue straight to stay on Bayshore Drive and enter the Garden on the right.
Collier Area Transit (CAT) routes 13 and 14 serve the Garden seven days a week, though CAT doesn’t operate on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day.
Parking at Naples Botanical Garden
On-site parking is available; check the current rate on arrival, since this can vary.
How long to spend at Naples Botanical Garden
Most visitors spend around 2 to 4 hours exploring the main pathways and themed gardens. Plant enthusiasts wanting to see everything in detail, including the 90-acre preserve trails, should allow a full day.
Accessibility at Naples Botanical Garden
ADA-accessible paths run through all buildings, cultivated gardens, and to the Birding Tower. Wheelchairs are free to rent, and scooters cost $14 a day, both on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations taken.
Naples Botanical Garden is a certified Autism-Friendly venue through the University of South Florida’s Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD), offering a downloadable Social Experience Story, Parent/Caregiver Guide, and Visual Schedule to help plan a visit in advance.
Inside Naples Botanical Garden: what to see
The Kapnick Brazilian Garden, the Garden’s most-visited area, was designed by Raymond Jungles and centres on an original ceramic mural by Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, surrounded by more than 50 species of Brazilian plants. The Lea Asian Garden features bamboo groves, water terraces and Thai-style temple gardens, while the Kapnick Caribbean Garden includes a themed Explorers’ Garden on the historical importance of Caribbean plants.
The LaGrippe Orchid Garden normally holds more than 2,000 orchids, including rare and endangered species (temporarily closed for enhancements, see above). Elsewhere, the Water Garden and Performance Lawn hosts an island stage for events, the Smith River of Grass crosses river-dwelling grasses on a boardwalk, and the Scott Florida Garden highlights native grasses, flowers and sabal palms. The 90-acre Preserve, with its Birding Tower, offers a quieter, more naturalistic contrast to the cultivated display gardens.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visiting early in the day, especially during Summer Hours, avoids the midday Florida heat. |
| Crowds | Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than weekends. |
| Layout | The Garden covers seven distinct themed areas plus a nature preserve, so pick up a map to plan a route. |
| Entry process | Tickets can be bought online in advance or on arrival. |
| On-site logistics | The Fogg Café is open during Garden hours; members get a 10% discount on food and retail purchases. |
Frequently asked questions about Naples Botanical Garden
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Naples Botanical Garden suitable for children? | Yes, children 17 and under enter free, and Nature Play areas are designed for younger visitors. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | No, walk-ins are welcome, though booking online in advance is possible. |
| Is Naples Botanical Garden open on Tuesdays? | Not during August and September, when it’s closed on Tuesdays; it’s open daily the rest of the year. |
| Is parking free at Naples Botanical Garden? | On-site parking is available; check the current rate on arrival. |
| Are dogs allowed at Naples Botanical Garden? | Yes, on Sundays (and Tuesdays outside Aug–Sept) from 9–11am, one leashed dog per adult, with a small fee for non-members. |
Things to do near Naples Botanical Garden
- Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens: A zoo set within a historic botanical garden, a short drive from Naples Botanical Garden.
- Naples Pier: A historic fishing pier on the Gulf of Mexico, about a 10-minute drive away.
- Old Naples & Third Street South: A historic shopping and dining district, a short drive from the Garden.
- Gordon River Greenway: An urban trail system for hiking, biking and paddling through mangrove forest, nearby.
- Tin City: A waterfront shopping and dining complex in a former industrial building, a short drive away.
Alternative attractions to visit
- Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples: An Audubon nature preserve with a boardwalk through old-growth cypress forest, about a 30 to 40-minute drive away.
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami: A large tropical garden known for its palm and cycad collections, roughly a 2-hour drive away.
- Mounts Botanical Garden, West Palm Beach: Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden, about a 2-hour drive away.
- Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota: A garden known for its orchid and epiphyte collections, roughly a 1.5 to 2-hour drive away.
- Everglades National Park (Gulf Coast entrance): A vast wetland park with boat tours and wildlife viewing, about a 1-hour drive away.
More South Florida travel
Other South Florida travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Exploring the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
- Florida Everglades kayak tours vs boat tours: Which is the best to do?
- What to see at Flamingo Gardens near Fort Lauderdale.
- The highlights of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale.
- Plan your visit to Fort Lauderdale Beach.
