A garden built as a gift

In Lake Wales, about an hour southwest of Orlando, a Pulitzer Prize-winning magazine editor built the prettiest thank-you note in Florida. Edward W. Bok fell for the evening views from Iron Mountain — at 298 feet, one of the highest points in peninsular Florida — and in the 1920s hired Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to turn 250 acres into a bird sanctuary and meditation garden for the public. It opened in 1929.

Secrets of Bok Tower: A Journey Through Florida's Architectural Wonder

ChadGallivanter

ChadGallivanter road-trips to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales — 250 acres designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. — and walks the visitor center, café and exhibit hall before studying the Singing Tower up close: pink and gray marble with Florida coquina stone, Samuel Yellin's ironwork and ceramic mosaics, and the great brass door depicting Genesis from the creation of light to Adam and Eve's expulsion. He also explains the tower's unusual vertical sundial.

Key takeaways
  • The gardens were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. across 250 acres
  • The tower's brass door tells the Genesis story panel by panel
  • Wheelchairs and mobility carts are available at the visitor center

Why Bok Tower Garden is a Beautiful Escape

Chrissa Travels

Chrissa Travels makes the case for Bok Tower Gardens as Central Florida's most beautiful theme-park escape: the Singing Tower (established 1929 by Edward Bok as a gift to the American people, grounds by Frederick Olmsted) plays every 30 minutes, and the grounds add miles of trails, a visitor center and the Pinewood/El Retiro estate. Open daily 8 to 6; admission was $15 for adults when filmed. She also points out the Japanese stone lantern gifted to Bok in 1955, placed within sight of his grave.

Key takeaways
  • Carillon music plays every 30 minutes; live concerts are the headline events
  • Edward Bok is buried at the foot of the tower he built
  • The estate tour is a separate add-on from garden admission

Bok Tower Gardens: Exploring Florida History

Ben O Beyond

Ben O Beyond's history-first vlog at Bok Tower Gardens covers the founding story — Edward Bok began the project in 1925, gardens from 1927, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author building a bird sanctuary for the public — from atop Iron Mountain, one of peninsular Florida's highest points, then walks to El Retiro, the 20-room, 20,900 sq ft 1930s Mediterranean mansion. Filmed during a February 2026 freeze, so the gardens look winter-bare rather than lush.

Key takeaways
  • Iron Mountain is one of the highest points in peninsular Florida
  • El Retiro is a 20-room 1930s winter retreat open for tours
  • The gardens host weddings in front of the Singing Tower

The Singing Tower

The centerpiece rises over the gardens: a tower of pink and gray marble and Florida coquina stone, dressed with Samuel Yellin's ironwork, holding a 60-bell carillon cast in 1927. Carillon music rolls across the grounds through the day — the FOX 35 segment on this page goes inside the playing cabin with the carillonneur, and the gardens' own film tours the tower levels visitors never see, from the Founders Room's ceramic Florida-wildlife tiles to the 1928 Otis elevator.

Make a day of it

  • Miles of trails through the Olmsted planting — reflection pool, rain shelters, and long views
  • El Retiro, the historic Mediterranean estate on the grounds, tours separately
  • The visitor center, café, and exhibit hall tell the Bok story before you walk up the hill

Exploring Bok Tower Garden!

The Florida Almanac

The Florida Almanac's long first-timer exploration of Lake Wales and Bok Tower Gardens: driving in past the Florida's Natural citrus plant, wandering the grounds and rain shelters, listening for the carillon, and taking in the tower views and downtown Lake Wales. An unhurried, curiosity-driven walk through the whole property rather than a highlights reel.

Key takeaways
  • Lake Wales is citrus country — the Florida's Natural plant sits across US-27
  • The grounds include shaded rain shelters and memorial benches for listening to concerts
  • Pairs naturally with a wander through downtown Lake Wales

Welcome to Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens' official welcome film tells Edward W. Bok's story — evening walks up Iron Mountain (298 feet above sea level) inspired him to preserve the hilltop, and he hired Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. in 1922 to design a meditative garden of Florida native plants and birds. The film covers the nearly 50 acres of Olmsted gardens, the Hammock Hollow children's garden, El Retiro mansion, and carillonneur Geert D'hollander, who has played carillons since age five.

Key takeaways
  • Bok hired Olmsted Jr. in 1922 to design the sanctuary
  • Concerts can be watched on closed-circuit TV from a seating area near the tower
  • There are only about 600 carillons in the entire world

A tour of the Singing Tower at Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens

The official inside-the-tower tour — a rare look the public can't get in person. The Singing Tower (Milton Medary, built in two years, dedicated 1929) climbs past the Founders Room with its J.H. Dulles Allen ceramic tiles of Florida wildlife, up the 1928 Otis elevator to the playing cabin, where carillonneurs Lee Cobb and Geert D'hollander discuss the 60 bronze bells cast at the John Taylor Bell Foundry in England.

Key takeaways
  • Visitors cannot enter the tower — this film is the way to see inside
  • The 60 bronze bells were cast at England's John Taylor Bell Foundry
  • Samuel Yellin's thousand-pound brass door depicts the creation story in 30 panels

Who it's for

Anyone who wants the anti-theme-park: Drew In The Moment's full-day visit on this page had sat on his Florida bucket list for eight years. It earns the drive.

Sources: the eight videos on this page — three full visits, a history-first tour, the gardens' official films, and an inside-the-carillon news segment — summarized from their entries in our catalog.

Watch: Bok Tower Gardens Day Trip, guided

2 videos · summaries from the actual guides

RARE: Inside the Carillon Room atop the Bok Tower

FOX 35 Orlando

FOX 35 Orlando's rare look inside the carillon room atop Bok Tower, where carillonneur Geert D'hollander introduces the 60-bell instrument built in 1927 before playing — most of the short segment is the bells themselves. (Transcript not stored: only about 74 words of speech around the music.)

Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FLORIDA

Drew In The Moment

Drew In The Moment's full-length first visit to Bok Tower Gardens — eight years on his Florida bucket list — walking the gardens and zen areas, touring historic El Retiro, and listening to the carillon with friends. The most complete ground-level record of a full day at the gardens in this set.

Key takeaways
  • Established in 1929 as Bok's gift to the American people
  • The property works as a bird sanctuary as much as a garden
  • El Retiro and the carillon together fill a full, unhurried day

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