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  • I toured an abandoned Florida theme park where giant dinosaur statues still stand. I think it's one of the best free activities in the state.

I toured an abandoned Florida theme park where giant dinosaur statues still stand. I think it's one of the best free activities in the state.

Cheryl RodewigJul 23, 2022, 17:52 IST

The remains of Bongoland, an abandoned theme park near Daytona Beach, Florida, still includes original dinosaur statues.Cheryl Rodewig

  • Bongoland was a Florida amusement park in the 1950s named for a resident monkey called Bongo.
  • Remnants of the theme park remain such as prehistoric concrete dinosaurs now surrounded by a garden.
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Bongoland was once an amusement park south of Daytona Beach, Florida, known for life-size "prehistoric monsters." A few remain today.

Bongoland was once a Florida theme park with concrete dinosaurs advertised as "prehistoric monsters."Cheryl Rodewig

The theme park lasted less than five years before being abandoned to nature. The dinosaurs are now part of the landscape.

Historical artifacts from Bongoland.Cheryl Rodewig
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What remains of the theme park was reborn in 1985 inside a botanical garden where flowers blossom year-round.

What's left of Bongoland is found inside Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens, a 10-acre park that is open to the public.Cheryl Rodewig

While the animals, village, and train are long gone, I decided to visit to see some of the dinosaurs still lurking on the grounds and learn about the history.

I visited Bongoland for free.Cheryl Rodewig
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The four dinosaur sculptures that are still standing looked surprisingly fragile to me.

Four dinosaur sculptures are still standing.Cheryl Rodewig

Two other Bongoland statues aren't actually dinosaurs at all.

The dimetrodon statue on the left, and the ground sloth on the right.Cheryl Rodewig
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I also saw the ruins of a 19th-century sugar mill, which is part of the gardens that house the remains of Bongoland.

I toured what remained of the original sugar mill from the 1800s.Cheryl Rodewig

The more I explored, the more I was enchanted by the nature surrounding Bongoland.

The gardens surrounding Bongoland are filled with beautiful flowers.Cheryl Rodewig
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One of my favorite places in the park wasn't a dinosaur sculpture, but an ancient oak tree, dripping with Spanish moss.

The ancient oak tree.Cheryl Rodewig

I found hidden treasures throughout the park grounds.

I spotted this face carve into a tree stump, tucked away in a pond.Cheryl Rodewig
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I also viewed newer additions to the property, like a children's garden and whimsical fairy houses.

The children's garden.Cheryl Rodewig

The site is managed by the Botanical Gardens of Volusia, an all-volunteer organization that keeps the plants and dinosaurs looking their best.

The park is free to visit.Cheryl Rodewig
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By coming to Bongoland, I discovered another side of Florida that most tourists miss.

Coming to Bongoland reminded me that there's so much more to Florida than theme parks and beaches.Cheryl Rodewig

In my opinion, Bongoland is a can't miss place to visit if you want to see the real Florida.

I definitely plan to visit again.Cheryl Rodewig
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