Hidden Gem: Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens

A few weeks ago I spent a day exploring Punta Gorda and found a delightful hidden gem, the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens.

The Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens is beautiful, waterfront oasis in Punta Gorda. I love visiting different gardens, and wherever I travel to I try to find one to experience different flora and fauna of the area. I can't believe it took me this long to discover the gardens in Punta Gorda, just about a 40 minute drive from my home in Fort Myers.

The gardens cover 15 acres of land, plus 10 acres of waterways, marshland and mangroves. There's over 4500 different trees, plants and flowers and stunning sculptures throughout the property. In fact, it's one of the largest botanical and sculpture gardens in the entire state of Florida. I came upon some of the coolest flowers that I had never seen before, so I loved that.

And my favorite sculpture is on the opposite side of where you enter the gardens. There's a beautiful house, that is the home of the gift shop, with a pool in front. There's a super realistic sculpture of a woman floating on a tube, it's SO cool.

I went alone and spent about an hour there, and saw everything. But if you went with others, there's a beautiful gazebo out on the end of the pier to sit and chat, so with some breaks while strolling, you could easily spend a few hours. They have a great event calendar, and I'm looking forward to visiting this holiday season for Gardens Aglow featuring holiday lights, hot cocoa, carols, Santa, s'mores and more.

For more info on the Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens and to plan your visit, click here

Christmas is a time to visit family and friends and get away from the daily grind. The holidays can be a wonderful time, but they can also be very expensive. From buying lots of Christmas gifts for family and friends to having to pay for plane tickets and travel, holiday expenses can really add up. But, the good news is that there are some affordable holiday vacations, and Florida has one of America's cheapest Christmas vacations.

One good thing about traveling during the winter months is that it's often the off-season for popular vacation destinations. Of course, the holidays are a busy travel time. That makes late December a difficult time to find a deal for travel. But, if you don't mind the cold and snow, some northern areas of the U.S. offer very good deals. That's true even during the Christmas season.

Some tips for finding a good deal for holiday vacationing include searching a lot of booking websites, comparing different hotel dates to find the most reasonable ones and finding bundle deals. Also, keep your eyes open for special deals on resorts and hotels that are just opening. That's because sometimes, during those opening months, new vacation spots try to attract a loyal clientele by offering special deals. One more tip is to search for airfare rates individually even if you are traveling as a couple or a group. If you put in a search for a group of tickets, the algorithms will often leave out information on one or two cheaper tickets being available. They'll just send you a group of tickets, sitting together, all at the same price. So, you might get a deal if you search for one ticket, instead.

So, what are the best affordable Christmas vacations in the U.S.? Here are some popular spots that won't break the bank.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, is the self-proclaimed Christmas capital city of the world. Okay, so many argue that Strasbourg, France, takes that honor, but Frankenmuth is close, and it's a lot cheaper to get there. No passport needed. The villiage's Franconian-style architecture has given it the loving name "Little Bavaria." Frankenmuth is also home to the world's biggest Christmas store.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is located in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and it offers a beautiful view of snowy hills and Amish country. It's a very old-fashioned type of town, making it a charming winter getaway. There are plenty of fun, holiday-type things to do in Lancaster that won't break the bank.

You might never guess, but Las Vegas, Nevada, is a great spot for an affordable holiday trip. Think about it. Most people wouldn't think to go to "Sin City" for Christmas. Of course, it's much less the "sin" part these days, as Las Vegas offers fun activities for the whole family.

Charlotte, North Carolina, is a great spot to visit in the holiday season, because it's not as crowded as other times during the year. It's also less expensive to visit during the holidays and offers beautiful decorations during Christmas. Don't forget the many holiday markets.

Fort Myers, Florida, is a popular destination for snow birds. But, that's doesn't mean to skip it during the holidays. If you want to get away from the snow and ice, Fort Myers offers a great escape over Christmas and for prices that are more reasonable than in many other areas of Florida.

Boston, Massachusetts, gets cold in the winter, but it also has that classic Christmas charm. It's a big city with a smaller city feel during the holidays. What's more, it's a more affordable winter vacation destination than many other areas, and you won't have the fight the crowds.