Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens is a hidden gem in Central Florida worthy of a visit. It’s a botanical garden with an old sugar mill ruin offering a fascinating glimpse into our state’s history.

On our second day staying at New Smyrna Beach, we started out with a beach walk. We parked in a twenty-dollar lot overlooking the water. Nearby were restrooms, picnic tables, and covered benches if you didn’t bring a chair and need somewhere to sit. We kicked off our shoes and let the seawater slosh over our bared feet as we strolled along the shoreline. The seashells were tiny but colorful. I noted an absence of seaweed and driftwood on this stretch. While the sand here isn’t as powdery white as on Florida’s west coast, the beach was clean. By the time we turned back, we were craving air-conditioned comfort for the rest of the day.

Our next stop was the Marine Discovery Center. It has a cute gift shop, classrooms, and a mini aquarium. I had fun looking at the fish and buying toys for my grandson. There was a group of kids here for summer camp. From here, you can book a boat or kayak ecotour adventure.

Next, we set out to discover Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens, located between New Smyrna Beach and Daytona. After about a twenty-minute drive, we pulled up to this hidden gem. Surrounded by lush greenery, this historical site had once been a theme park called Bongoland. We walked the paths, admiring the flowering plants and tall trees while a grasshopper drew our curious gaze.

Then we came to the old sugar mill. I’ve seen such ruins before, but these were quite intact by comparison. We observed the giant cauldrons where the sugar was boiled and then the other machinery left over from this era. In my book Dead Roots, I had a sugar mill ruin at a plantation resort. For that story, I visited the Gamble Plantation Historic State Park in Ellenton, FL which housed another former plantation and sugar mill.