The Fort Worth Japanese Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas (map), takes visitors out of the Lone Star State and into the mystery and enchantment of an Eastern land.

Stone, earth, leaf and water combine to create the magic on these seven acres within the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Don’t forget to take time to fee the Imperial Carp (also known as koi). Rumor has it that some are brave enough to accept a gentle caress in exchange for a few pellets of food (just don’t fall in the water).

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in Texas, is a 110-acre tapestry of dappled shade and vibrant splashes of color in the heart of the town’s Cultural District. The Garden is home to over 2,500 species of native and exotic plants in its 23 specialty gardens.

(Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Japanese Garden)