Flamingo Gardens in Davie is getting ready to glow again this holiday season, as Hoffman's Chocolates Winter Wonderland returns to the 60-acre nonprofit botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary starting Nov. 21. The nightly walk-through event runs through Dec. 30, with a 35-foot Christmas tree anchoring roughly 10 acres transformed into a holiday-light display.
According to Miami's Community News, the event runs nightly from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., with last admission at 8:30 p.m., and will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Presented by Amazon, the event is separately ticketed from regular daytime admission to Flamingo Gardens, located at 3750 S. Flamingo Road. Evening hours do not include access to the animal exhibits, the Wray Home Museum, or the regular daytime tram tours.
Ticket prices are set at $24 for adults and children ages 12 and older, and $17 for children ages 3 to 11, while kids 2 and younger get in free. Flamingo Gardens members receive 25% off admission. The Flamingo Gardens event page notes that capacity is limited due to parking constraints, so visitors are encouraged to buy timed tickets in advance; parking itself is free and offered first-come, first-served.
Live Music, Santa Visits, and a Singalong Train
Music will be a nightly fixture at the Sounds of the Season Stage, presented by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, which features live holiday performances on the Wray Lawn from 5:45 to 9:30 p.m., per the report from Miami's Community News. The Florida Symphony Orchestra opens the season on Nov. 21, and Latin Grammy-winning flutist Nestor Torres performs with the Florida Youth Orchestra Flute Choir on Dec. 11. Other listed performers include Michael Kennedy, Shadow Creek, Box of Rocks, Ruben Gonzalez, and the Gary Gore Duo.
Santa's Village, presented by Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, welcomes visitors nightly through Dec. 30; visitors can meet Santa nightly through Dec. 23. Mrs. Claus hosts storytime at 6:30, 7:30, and 8:30 p.m. nightly through Dec. 30. Rudolph's Holiday Singalong Express offers musical train rides on select nights — Nov. 21, 23, 24, and 29, plus Dec. 4, 28, 29, and 30. Visitors can also stroll the South Florida Holiday Tree Lot, powered by FPL, which features decorated trees with tropical themes alongside photo opportunities and ornament-making.
Treats, Shopping, and a Century-Old Backdrop
Food and drink options include s'mores, café seasonal favorites, a Hoffman's Chocolates ice cream truck, and a pop-up shop stocked with IT'SUGAR treats and merchandise. Flamingo Gardens, established in 1927, contains more than 3,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants and is home to hundreds of rescued animals, including alligators, bobcats, otters, eagles, and flamingos — though those exhibits remain closed during Winter Wonderland's evening hours. The garden is set to mark its 100th anniversary in 2027.
Keith Clark, CEO of Flamingo Gardens, said the event brings families to the Gardens for a festive experience while supporting its education and conservation programs, according to Miami's Community News. Proceeds from Winter Wonderland support those same programs, with a portion also benefiting BBX Capital Foundation's arts, education, and human services initiatives across South Florida. Additional supporters named in the report include Baptist Health, Valley Bank, the Garvin Financial Team at UBS Financial Services, TransWorld Business Advisors, Fifth Third, the Pratt Family, the Joseph & Katie Masucci Charitable Fund, Greenspoon Marder, Truist, and JM Family Enterprises. Media partners include NBC6, South Florida Family Life, and Sun Sentinel Media Group, and the Broward County Cultural Division receives support from the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.
How This Year Compares
Last year's Winter Wonderland ran Nov. 22 through Dec. 30, nightly from 5:30 to 9 p.m., and was closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, per Flamingo Gardens' announcement for the 2025 season. That year's centerpiece was a 40-foot Christmas tree, five feet taller than the 35-foot tree planned for 2026. Proceeds from the 2025 event similarly supported the Gardens' educational and conservation mission along with the BBX Capital Foundation. Flamingo Gardens is set to mark its 100th anniversary in 2027.
