Looking for a spot to spend time in nature? Founded in 1891, The New York Botanical Garden, or NYBG, is where families can find a happy medium that keeps kids engaged and gives parents a chance to slow down. From wandering through the 50-acre Forest to checking out the Conservatory, which is full of tropical plants, desert cacti, and a rainforest environment, to digging in the dirt at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, a day at the New York Botanical Garden is a mix of beauty, education, and peaceful reflection away from the big city buzz. Read on for more about the NYBG, where you can enjoy nature year-round. (featured photo credit: New York Botanical Garden)

The New York Botanical Garden: Family Fun With Flowers

Explore the gardens during any season

Upon entering the NYBG, you can’t miss the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, a glasshouse filled with galleries of aquatic plants and vines, tropical rainforests, cactus-filled deserts, and many other natural habitats. The palm dome is definitely worth a visit, with soaring trees from around the world. Other notable spots at the garden include the year-round Ladies’ Border, which extends along the southern end of the Conservatory and is named after the Women’s Auxiliary Committee, a group of women who were instrumental in establishing many of the Garden’s collections. The year-round Native Plant Garden, a 3.5-acre space, celebrates the beauty of plants native to Northeastern North America. The Mitsubishi Wild Wetland Trail is a fun spot for kids to spy ducks, turtles, and other animals as you make your way along the boardwalk. Depending on the season, crabapples, daylilies, magnolias, oaks, and orchids pop up throughout the grounds. If you have a scientific thinker with you, be sure to visit the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the world’s most important botanical and horticultural library, with 11 million archival items spanning ten centuries. Or step into the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere, with 7.8 million plant and fungal specimens. To help you get around, the interactive map will make your trip run much more smoothly.

Family fun at the garden

Kids can explore the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden at NYBG and enjoy the Native Plant Garden, where teen volunteers lead seasonal activities, hands-on programs such as crafts and potting up plant seedlings, and other family-friendly events throughout the year. The Tree Top Walk is another worthwhile stop, and it’s now open for kids of all ages and abilities to get a bird’s eye view of the grounds. The Edible Academy, a state-of-the-art facility featuring garden-based education programs and multiple gardens within it, lets kids roll up their sleeves and dig right in to learn about planting, tending, and harvesting crops. Kids (and adults) will also be in awe of special events like the spring Orchid Show, where floral designers and artists mold flowers into artistic masterpieces and bursts of color pop throughout each exhibit. In the winter, the Holiday Train Show is a can’t-miss adventure as model trains travel over famous bridges and through familiar city settings, bringing nearly 200 twinkling landmark replicas to life in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Each landmark is constructed from plant parts like palm fronds, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks. 

Taste, shop, and explore 

When it comes to dining, NYBG offers two options, depending on how you plan your day. If you are looking for something quick, the Pine Tree Café has first-class culinary creations, and while you are there, view the world-renowned collection of rare and unusual pines from Asia, Europe, and North America. The menu is family-friendly with soup, sandwiches, and pizza options. The Hudson Garden Grill offers a more intimate, farm-to-table sit-down dining experience. Their New American cuisine is inspired by locally sourced, ethically produced ingredients from Hudson Valley farms and other regional farms. Try their unique options like Sunflower lemonade, Wild Mushroom Rigatoni, and Roasted Honeynut Squash. They also have kids’ options, including Cavatappi and Mango Sorbet for dessert. After you eat, check out the gift shop, which offers unique flower-themed gifts and gardening books,

FAQs

What are the hours of the New York Botanical Garden?

The Garden is open 10 AM-6 PM, Tuesday through Sunday, and select Monday holidays. Double-check the schedule because special exhibitions and events, such as Members-Only Previews and evening events, may result in early closures of Garden areas. 

How much are tickets?

The All-Garden Pass, which includes daytime access to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and Tram Tour, plus all of the Garden’s outdoor collections, is $35 for adults, $31 for students with ID and seniors 65+, children ages 2-12 are $25, and children, patrons, and members are free. On Tuesday, Thursday through Sunday, the Grounds Access Pass is available for purchase to NYC Residents only; proof of residency is required, and it may only be purchased onsite. The Grounds Access Pass is $15 for adults, $7 for students with a valid ID and seniors 65+, $4 for children ages 2-12, and free for children under 2 and members. The Grounds Access Pass does not include admission to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Special Exhibitions, or Tram Tour. On Wednesdays, Grounds Admission is free to NYC residents all day and to all other visitors between 10 AM and 11 AM.

How do I get there?

It’s $22 per vehicle to park, and members may park for free with a valid Member Pass or for $11 without a pass. Members at the Supporting Level and above always receive complimentary parking. Enter via the Main Entrance at 2900 Southern Boulevard for onsite parking. During peak visitation days, parking in and around the Garden may be limited. Refer to the list of independent garages below when NYBG parking is at capacity. Public transportation is available through the subway, biking, and Metro-North Railroad. 

Are there special events for kids?

Families can stay busy at the gardens year-round with plenty of events. From Earth to Plants April 2-May 21, 2026 to Dig! Plant! Grow! from April 4-November 1, 2026, and Fresh From the Garden Tastings from May 6-November 1, 2026. They also have programs you can register for, such as camps, Nature Explorers, and the Children’s Gardening Program for ages 3-12. During the holiday season, look out for the annual Holiday Train Show, which starts in mid-November. 

To learn more about the New York Botanical Garden visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram for more information.

New York Botanical Garden
2900 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, NY 10458-5126