Another venerable St. Petersburg attraction is Sunken Gardens (1825 4th St. N., 727/551-3100, www.stpete.org/sunken, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wed.–Sun., $7 adults, $5 seniors, $3 children), known for its mature and well-kept botanical gardens and for the historical nature of the building.

One of the first roadside attractions in Florida and one of the oldest tourist spots in the state, Sunken Gardens got its start in the 1920s when enterprising homeowner George Turner began selling fruit and flowers from his private “sunken gardens” (so named because he drained an on-site lake for planting) and charged visitors a nickel to admire his horticultural prowess. Almost a century later, the plants are accompanied by flamingos, reptiles, and a butterfly garden.

The main building was originally a 1920s Mediterranean revival–style structure that had been a public market; it was repurposed as a Coca-Cola bottling plant and renovated in art moderne style. The Turner family acquired the building in 1967 and made it part of Sunken Gardens.