Name: Bok Towers Day Trip sponsored by Travel Committee
Start: 2024-12-06T09:30:00-05:00
End: 2024-12-06T12:30:00-05:00

Bok Towers Day Trip sponsored by Travel Committee.

You **must** sign up in the OLLI USF registration system at the link below.

You can also RSVP here to find out who else is going and arrange carpools.

This description is provided by the Travel Committee.

OLLI-USF Self-drive day trip to Bok Tower Gardens
1151 Tower Blvd. Lake Wales 33853
Friday December 6, 2025
Meet at Visitor Center at 9:30 a.m.

Price: $27.00 cash includes entrance fee and private tour of Bok Towers’ Rare Plant Garden with Cheryl Peterson, Conservation Program Manager at Bok Tower.

Additional $10 for the Holiday Home tour of Pinewood Estates, paid onsite
Let the person at the gate know you are with the OLLI-USF group. Parking is Free

**Register by November 22** [(Here)](https://olliusf.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=2307&int_category_id=4&int_sub_category_id=14&int_catalog_id=0)
OLLI-USF Point of Contact for Bok Tower Day Trip: Deborah Stoll.

Bok Tower Gardens is truly a place of historic beauty and serenity. Among the rolling hills of citrus in Lake Wales, Bok Tower Gardens continues to be one of the most remarkable and awe-inspiring attractions in Central Florida. With a vision of creating a beautiful place to inspire others and touch hearts, Edward Bok worked alongside landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to produce a Singing Tower, the gardens, reflection pool and more. In 1929, he presented these gifts to America as a way of expressing his gratitude for the many opportunities this country had presented him.

One of the most exceptional attributes to Bok Tower Gardens can be found right at its core – a 60-bell, 205-foot Singing Tower Carillon. This majestic Carillon plays 30-minute bell concerts each day at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – a brief, but fulfilling bit of your visit that would be a shame to miss.Nestled in the heart of seven and one-half lush acres at Bok Tower Gardens is the enchanting 20-room Mediterranean-style mansion that transports visitors back in time to the 1930s.

The drive is approximately 1 ½ hours from Tampa.

9:30 a.m. Meet OLLI-USF members at the visitor center to pay and learn the history of Bok Tower
Spend the morning taking a leisurely walk through the botanical garden on your own.
11:30 Gather at the Cafe for Dutch lunch or you can bring your own lunch
Noon – 2:00 Wander the gardens and enjoy the singing tower carillon concert at 1:00
2:00 behind the scenes tour of the rare plant garden
3:00 Singing Tower Carillon concert

The Rare Plant Conservation Program is an expression of Bok Tower Gardens’ conservation mission and works to conserve and enhance our understanding of Florida’s rarest native plants.
Here is a link to a YouTube video called Digging Deeper with Cheryl Peterson
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P_jUcSZN78](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P_jUcSZN78)
Here is a link to an article about the rare plant garden from Central Florida AGNews
[https://centralfloridaagnews.com/preserving-floridas-beauty-a-look-at-bok-tower-gardens-rare-plant-conservation-program/](https://centralfloridaagnews.com/preserving-floridas-beauty-a-look-at-bok-tower-gardens-rare-plant-conservation-program/)

OLLI USF Outdoors Shared Interest Group

Travel & Outdoor

Walking

Hiking

Outdoor Adventures

Outdoor Fitness

Art Walks and Tours

Nature Walks

Dog Walks

Sports and Recreation

Bok Towers Day Trip sponsored by Travel Committee

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Bok Towers Day Trip sponsored by Travel Committee

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