City: Largo, FL

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (727) 582-2100

Address: 12520 Ulmerton Road

Description: Heritage Village and the Florida Botanical Gardens, part of Pinellas County’s Pinewood Cultural Center, are linked by walking paths. Thirty historic buildings from around the county have been moved to Heritage Village’s twenty-one acres. Walk through the McMullen Log Cabin, the oldest existing structure in the county, or sit at a desk in part of the 1915 Union Academy, one of the county’s first “Negro schools.” Visit the tiny Safety Harbor Church, or see the Sulphur Springs Depot. See Heritage Village through self-guided tours or join a docent-led group. Some buildings may be closed for school tours during the morning. See the Annual Events and Festivals chapter to learn about events held here featuring blacksmithing, cane syrup boiling, and other demonstrations. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Heritage Village is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Parking inside the gate is limited, so park just outside the gate along the fence. Bring a picnic lunch. Vending machines sell sodas and snacks. Cultivated gardens occupy thirty acres of the Florida Botanical Gardens. Another ninety acres are home to wetland and woodland plants and animals. The Pinellas County Extension offices are inside the Welcome Center. Experts can answer questions about soil pH or other gardening questions. Admission is free and there is plenty of parking, also free. The Florida Botanical Gardens is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. The Welcome Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Pets on leashes are permitted in the garden area, but not the natural wooded area. No bicycles, skateboards, or roller skates.