One such attraction is the St. Johns Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve, an underrated tropical oasis dedicated to conservation. Situated 21 miles southeast of historic St. Augustine and 56 miles east of the college town of Gainesville, the garden's primary goal is to serve as a preserve for endangered plant species and animals. In 2020, he cleared trails and added wayfinding signs, beginning its transformation into a public garden. In 2023, the St. Johns Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve opened to the public and today is home to unique plants and animals rarely found elsewhere in Florida. The St. Johns Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve has a tropical feel that is more typical of similar gardens such as the Naples Botanical Garden.