Pinewood Estate (El Retiro)

The retreat sits on the west side of Bok Tower Gardens, a 250-acre (105-hectare) garden and bird sanctuary. To visit, you need a combination ticket that includes general admission to the gardens and a tour of the El Retiro mansion. With the combo ticket, you can visit the El Retiro mansion, select areas of Bok Tower Gardens, and the Pine Ridge Preserve hiking trail. Tickets can be purchased from the entrance gate or the visitor center.

• AAA members with a valid membership card receive a $3 discount on combo admission. Active military members enter for free.

• The Blue Palmetto Café near the visitor center serves lunches and snacks and has indoor and outdoor seating.

• While dogs are allowed in the gardens for a fee, they're not allowed in El Retiro.

• Outside food and drinks are permitted on the garden grounds—as are picnics.

The historic mansion is inside the Bok Tower Gardens, 10 minutes north of Lake Wales by car. This part of central Florida isn’t well connected by public transportation—it’s a roughly 75-minute drive from Tampa along Interstate 4 and about one hour south of Orlando on Interstate 4 and Highway 27.

While Florida is a year-round destination, the mansion is open Tuesday to Sunday from mid-morning to mid-afternoon from the day after Thanksgiving to April 30 and from late morning to early afternoon from May 1 to Thanksgiving. If you can, time your visit with a concert at the Singing Tower, topped with a 60-bell carillon instrument, held daily at 1pm and 3pm.

El Retiro is one of a handful of attractions in Bok Tower Gardens, also a (separate) historic landmark. Among them are the 3.5-mile (5.6 kilometers) Pine Ridge Nature Trail, home to rare plants and animals; the Singing Tower, complete with a carillon and music library; a visitor center with historical exhibits; and a children's garden.