Exploring Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens

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If you want to experience a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens should be high on your list. The grounds feature 200 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, towering dinosaurs, a plant sale area, and ruins of a 19th-century sugar mill.

If you’re visiting from out of town, make sure to make time to visit the plant sale. It’s an excellent way to start your day.

200 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens

Located around 200 acres south of Daytona Beach, the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens are free to visit. You can explore the ruins of the original sugar mill as well as giant concrete dinosaurs.

There’s even a human sundial, which tells the time by standing next to the right stone.

Visit during spring or fall for the most stunning display of flowers.

Although the sugar mill hasn’t been active for over 200 years, the original structure and machinery from the early 1800s still stand on the grounds.

The sugar mill is enclosed, but the steam-powered equipment remains, a reminder of early Florida life.

It’s worth visiting to learn more about the history of sugar production in Florida and to enjoy some of the bizarre attractions.

Where was Dunlawton Florida?

Towering dinosaurs loom over visitors at Dunlawton Plantation and Sugar Mill Gardens. This 19th-century cane sugar plantation was destroyed by the Seminoles at the beginning of the Second Seminole War.

Today, the ruins of the plantation and sugar mill are located at 950 Old Sugar Mill Road in Port Orange, Florida.

Here, visitors can see giant dinosaurs, including the iconic Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a variety of other creatures.

The site was originally a Bongoland roadside attraction. Then, in the 1960s, Lloyd turned the area into an educational destination.

The plantation and sugar mill was built on one of the first Spanish land grants in Florida. This area is populated with many dinosaurs and other animals, including a replica of the T-Rex.

There’s also a Confederate Oak, which once held Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. And in the Pioneer Garden, you’ll find plants used by early Florida settlers.

Ruins of a 19th Century sugar factory

You’ve probably heard of the ruins of a 19th-century sugar factory, but you may not have a clue how they came to be.

These ancient structures were once thriving communities that employed thousands of people in the process of sugarcane production.

While the ruins of this historic building may not look much different from a decaying church, you’ll get a chance to see how the industry functioned.

You can walk among the ruins of a sugar mill if you want to learn more about the process. Sugar mills were once massive factories, which produced sugar with the use of steam.

The sugar cane was harvested multiple times a year. When the cane was crushed, it was collected and boiled in enormous iron kettles. Horses were used to power the grinders that pulverized the cane.

Plant sale area

The Dunlawton Sugar Mill and Plantation is a 19th-century sugar cane plantation in north-central Florida. It was destroyed by the Seminoles at the start of the Second Seminole War.

There are many things to see and do, including plant sales, and guided tours.

The history of Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens dates back to the 18th century when it was part of a Spanish land grant.

The ruins of the plantation tell a fascinating story of the area’s early days, including tales of Spanish commerce and land deals, as well as the Seminole Wars.

Is Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens free?

The Dunlawton Sugarmill Gardens (Botanical Gardens of Volusia), is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, except on Christmas and New Year’s Day. The admission fee is not charged, but donations are appreciated.

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