Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Garden · Sanford · Florida
This Sanford zoo threads themed plant collections, a butterfly garden, and a health and wellness herb garden around its animal habitats. Every October the grounds add Zoo Boo Bash on select weekends, with trick-or-treat stations set along the paths for costumed kids.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Peak: December 1–December 5
Color builds from November 19 · mostly bare by December 28
Sampled at Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens’s own coordinates and elevation (10 m) rather than a regional average.
Florida is sampled at 22 weather points, then moved 8 days later so the model agrees with 1 published peak date from explorefall.com. Against Florida's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 1 day earlier. How the forecast works
When to go to Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
You get about 23 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly December 12. That runs roughly 1 day earlier than the rest of Florida.
It is roughly 20 mi out of Orlando.
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Florida, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
More things to do in Florida
Farms & harvest
Halloween
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for December 1–December 5 (best estimate December 3). Color starts around November 19 and is mostly bare by December 28.
- How do I get to Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens?
- Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is in Sanford. The closest city is Orlando, about 20 mi away. It's part of Florida's fall lineup.
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