Tallahassee, Florida really knows how to do nature, and the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park is no exception. After visiting St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, we knew we couldn’t go wrong visiting yet another establishment, preserving the beautiful nature surrounding the pan handle that is Tallahassee.
From the moment you step through the wrought iron gates of the gardens, it’s a constant overload of the beautiful, majestic sights of nature at its finest. We paid the gardens a visit in mid-February (just $5 per person entry fee). But even so, there were budding plants and flowering trees everywhere.
The main walking path is a solid brick pathway, which leads you straight to the Maclay house. Built in the early 1900’s, the house is most often open to visitors of the gardens. The custom architecture inside the house was amazing. A small and simple museum of sorts is set up inside the home to walk you through the different plants, trees, and wildlife you see on the homestead.
I thought for sure our visit to the gardens was going to be a short one. A simple walk-through, and we’d be out. Turns out, the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens are so much more than that.
There are three “sections” to the homestead. Each taking Alfred Maclay approximately 10 years to create. Can you imagine using the greater portion of your life to transform your homestead into a one-of-a-kind giant piece of artwork? It’s incredible to think about.
A beautiful blue reflection pool overlooks the lake that borders the entire property. We sat on a bench just staring out across the view. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to put down my camera and just soak it all in, not worrying about what I didn’t get to capture on film. Jon’s pretty good at reminding me to just take a breather sometimes. But when I get snap happy, I tend to fixate on one thing for a long time. And meanwhile, I’m missing other things. I need that gentle reminder every once in a while.
Overall, Jon and I spent about two hours touring the entire property. And the only reason we left when we did was because it was lunch, and the big man was hungry. We’ve been wanting to go back ever since.
On the walk back to the entrance, we were greeted by the opposite view of when we were first came in. Which, perhaps, was even more grand. The trees were raining Spanish Moss from every angle.
So if you’re looking for a relaxing day that offers shade from the Florida sun and plenty of photo opportunities, the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens are a sure bet. Head to their website to check out other events and opportunities when visiting the gardens.
