Unique Experiences

Item Description

Bok Tower Gardens
Lake Wales, FL
Hosted by David Price, President

Your visit for up to four people includes:

• A private tour of Bok Tower Gardens’ Olmstedian Gardens, including Pinewood Estate and the world-renowned carillon known as the Singing Tower. 
• Lunch with President David Price at The Blue Palmetto Café, located on site.
• Admission to the Garden for up to four.
• Two-night stay at the Balmoral Resort

Though located only 50 miles from Walt Disney World Resort, Bok Tower Gardens is a world apart from the hustle and bustle of Orlando. Set in a breathtaking landscape of orange groves in the idyllic town of Lake Wales, your Bok Tower Gardens experience highlights the sanctuary that famed editor of The Ladies’ Home Journal, Edward W. Bok, created as a gift to the American people.

Sparing no expense, Bok enlisted the very best artisans of the day to design and build his sanctuary. Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, of the famed Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm designed the core Gardens while Milton Medary, Jr. designed the Singing Tower, as both a musical instrument and masterwork of architecture. Artisans such as Lee Lawrie, a sculptor whose previous works included Atlas at Rockefeller Center, Samuel Yellen, widely considered the iron artisan of all time, and J.H. Dulles Allen, renowned tile artist at Enfield Pottery created the Tower with the simple admonition from Bok to make it “beautiful.”

As the world has grown more complex and its pace more hurried, there is one spot in the heart of Central Florida where time stands still and a sense of peace and tranquility prevail. Bok Tower Gardens has offered some of Florida’s most remarkable experiences to more than 20 million visitors since 1929. Through its historic Olmsted landscape gardens, unique Singing Tower and palatial 1930s winter estate, Bok Tower Gardens offers unparalleled opportunities for artistic, cultural, personal and spiritual enrichment.

Today, Bok Tower Gardens is a haven for birds, animals and the human spirit. It blends the beauty of nature and the intrigue of history with an outstanding collection of musical, artistic and architectural masterpieces that enrich the hearts, minds and souls of all who visit. The Gardens features beautifully landscaped gardens, a bell tower with a 60 bell carillon and the charming seven and a half-acre Pinewood Estate.

About Balmoral Resort

Located in Central Florida, Balmoral Resort Florida is close to Orlando and set in a beautiful private gated community featuring spacious vacation homes with private pools, surrounded by peaceful parks, gardens, lush landscapes, tranquil lakes and walkways. Balmoral Resort features amazing amenities including a waterpark, clubhouse, bar & grill, games arcade and more.

Our on-site Guest Services, located at the clubhouse, can help you with anything you need from theme park tickets to top restaurant recommendations and discover how you can love your Orlando vacation even more!

Your 2-night stay includes a spacious vacation home with a private pool for 4 adults in the Balmoral community located an easy 20-minute drive from Bok Tower Gardens.

David Price, President at Bok Tower Gardens, has 35 years’ experience in the public garden field.  He holds a B.S. in Botany from Clemson University.  David was appointed President of Bok Tower Gardens in 2007 after twenty years as the Director of Horticulture.  He oversees the organization with a staff of 72 full-time employees and a $7.4 million annual operating budget and recently completed a $16 million capital improvement project for preservation, garden expansion and education.  David has served on numerous boards and committees for local and national organizations.  He is a founder and past President of the Green Horizon Land Trust that has preserved nearly 6,000 acres of conservation land in Central Florida.  David is an accomplished sculptor represented in numerous private and public collections and has shown in state and national shows.  His book, Bok Tower Gardens, America’s Taj Mahal, (Rizzoli Press) was published in 2013.

Item Special Note

Best time to visit: Late Winter and Spring are ideal as Peak Bloom begins mid-February and lasts until Mid-April. While in the area, visitors may wish to visit nearby nature preserves that offer some of the best opportunities for birding and photography (Circle B Bar Preserve, Highlands Hammock State Park, Ocala National Forest, Kissimmee River by airboat) or visit EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort or LegoLand in nearby Winter Haven as both attractions feature unique and famous displays of horticultural excellence.

Conditions/Limitations: tour must be pre-arranged, subject to host’s availability by October 31, 2019.