Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, 900 N. Birch Rd., just s. of Sunrise Blvd., is a 35-acre beachfront estate that was the winter home of two artists, Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett. Designed during the 1920s, the plantation-style house features loggias accented with inlaid shellwork and balconies enclosed with lacy wrought iron made in New Orleans. The residence is surrounded by lagoons, gardens, fruit groves, a mangrove jungle and a desert garden planted from seeds collected on the couple's world travels.

Of note are pieces of artwork, decorative accents and hand-painted ceilings created by the Bartletts as well as collections of porcelains, religious figures, furnishings and objects found on the beach. A shell museum and an orchid greenhouse also are on the grounds. A tram tour of the gardens is available.

Guided tours are available. Time: Allow 1 hour, 30 minutes minimum.