The 14 Best Botanical Gardens In America, According To Reddit

With more than 600 public gardens blossoming across the United States, you're never far from an afternoon among the plants. Botanical gardens have been a part of the American fabric for over 200 years and the idea for the first one was actually thought up by George Washington, the first U.S. president himself. The garden that would go on to be established by Washington's inspiration in 1820 is actually coming up soon, so stay tuned. 

Today, there are different styles of gardens for the public to enjoy all over the country. There are lush tropical green spaces and one of the largest Japanese gardens. You can also find desert arboretums and woodland parks with massive wooden troll statues. 

While there are hundreds of choices, certain botanical gardens are simply a cut above the rest. The Islands team went knee-deep into Reddit threads to find which U.S. gardens were truly the cream of the crop. Find the 14 most intriguing and beautiful botanical gardens in America below. 

One of Reddit's most wholeheartedly recommended gardens was Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Visitors are extremely passionate about this place's greatness. One user shared, " Longwood Gardens is a deeply enriching experience. You find something new every time. I recently was able to experience one of their Luminaria Nights– it was ethereal and unforgettable."  They continued on to say that the event was similar to a holy experience for them and that they even proposed to their wife there. 

Another visitor replied to the passionate comment in agreement stating, "This is the only answer. No other botanical garden I've been to has ever even come close. Might be one of the best in the world, tbh." On an entirely different Reddit post someone recommended it gushing, "Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania US is an amazing one that I think has a world-renowned collection of orchids if I'm remembering correctly. The conservatory is worth a visit alone, but their grounds have some stunning fountains and garden collections." It's easy to see why people are so enamored with it, too. 

Longwood Gardens encompasses around 200 acres and includes six districts. To keep things fresh, they also have festivals or celebrations throughout the year to appreciate each season's unique offerings. There is the Winter Wonderland, Spring Blooms, Festival of Fountains, and the eagerly anticipated Longwood Christmas lights. Even if you visit this botanical garden in the dead of winter, there will be a magical display waiting. 

New York City is practically famous for its bustling streets that can teeter on overwhelming and its even become colloquially known as "the city that never sleeps".In a place as intense as that, it can be tough to find any respite from the concrete jungle or a budget-friendly outdoor activity in the city, but the Brooklyn Botanic Garden answers those prayers. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a luscious 52-acre escape from the hustle of NYC with more than 12,000 varieties of plants. Dedicating at least a few hours to wandering this masterpiece of greenery is probably a good idea because as one Reddit user explains, "You need at least 1 hour. But expect to want to stay for a longer time, like 2-3 hours."

There are also rotating exhibits available depending on the season. Many Redditors are very fond of the cherry blossom displays in spring for instance. As one person shared on a thread, "Cherry blossoms at Brooklyn are absolutely incredible, way better collection than at Bronx. It is truly a sight to behold."

There are hundreds of acres of greenery and lakeside views to explore at the Chicago Botanic Garden (385 acres to be exact). In fact, this U.S. botanical garden is so huge that you won't be able to take in everything with just one day at your disposal. There are actually 27 different types of gardens all conveniently located here and there are a wide range of activities throughout the year that can appeal to families with children — from yoga classes and a Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Festival to a Model Railroad Garden filled with 300 types of plants.

Its vast and varied nature has enabled the Chicago Botanic Garden to become one of the best in the United States by far according to many people on Reddit. One user explained, "Chicago Botanical Gardens are pretty impressive. It's also massive takes a few trips to see it all. Large Japanese style garden island and a huge grasslands prairie area which is amazing, if you're staying in Chicago Northerly Island is also a great example of a prairie with the most spectacular view of the city. Nothing like it." On another Reddit post, someone advised, "If You have never made it to the Chicago Botanic Gardens you are really missing a very special place. It's wonderful there." 

Most people imagine botanical gardens as a rich, leafy oasis that feels like a rain forest and requires a team of diligent staff to keep it all properly watered. However, the Desert Botanical Garden is the complete opposite of this and one of the most underrated outdoor activities in Arizona. As its name suggests, this unique U.S. garden focuses on dry-weather plants like cactuses and aloe vera. It's the state's biggest and oldest 320-acre botanical garden with 50,000 individual plants from 4,000 species. 

While some places have a small section for these sorts of plants, this one is completely dedicated to them and this twist makes visitors obsessed with this garden. As one Redditor described, "It's so pretty, I love it so much! Also, it smells so amazing in there. I want to put it in a candle lol." A visitor on a separate post said, "I love how they've managed to create so much shade with native plants on most of the trails. If you're looking to level up your landscaping, there are inspiring designs everywhere." Arizona's Desert Botanical will definitely provide something a little different compared to other gardens. 

On the other end of the climate spectrum, there is the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens in Florida. This stunning botanical wonderland focuses on exotic plants from warm places. You'll find a range of exhibits to explore here.  

There's the Arboretum and Geiger Tropical Flower Garden with 740 flowering plants from around the globe, the Arid and Succulent Collection, the Richard H. Simons Rainforest, and the Aquatic Exhibits. Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens features tons of kid-friendly areas as well, such as the Children's Garden and the Butterfly Garden. There are also a bunch of colorful glass artwork pieces by Dale Chihuly throughout the garden to spot.

Thanks to all these unique features, Redditors love the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens very well. One Reddit commenter expressed, "Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens in Miami is the best for my money." Another traveler on the post agreed by responding, "Fairchild. Completely blew me away."

The coolest part about visiting California's Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is that it is right next to the Pacific Ocean. This prime location means that it has some of the best views out of all the botanical gardens in the United States. One Reddit user recommended it as one of the best places to visit in the area, "Mendocino Botanical Garden, as others have already noted. A nice walk out to the ocean. They did have an on-site cafe, last time I was there." 

In addition to the spectacular coastal views, the garden itself is breathtaking as well. They have over a dozen collections with dahlias, magnolias, succulents, and even wild mushrooms. It's dog-friendly unless an event is going on and there are lots of activities throughout the year, like the Festival of Lights near the holidays and Mushroom Nature Walks.  A user on Reddit responded to a post asking for the best botanical gardens by saying, "The Mendocino Botanical Gardens are absolutely amazing. There's [sic] very manicured parts of the garden as well as wild natural areas, tons of different paths to walk through, and the property goes all the way to the coast where you can see native CA coastal plants and flowers. It's gorgeous."

With a title like the 'United States Botanic Garden', you'd probably expect this place to be one of the most impressive gardens in the entire country and that assumption would be correct. Located in Washington D.C., the United States Botanic Garden is the oldest persistently-run garden in America and it was the one that was loosely inspired by George Washington. These days it is beloved by tourists and locals alike. One Redditor recommended the garden as "a wonderful spot for a picnic lunch." 

Since it's completely free to visit this botanical garden, it can be a genius solution for travelers on a shoestring budget and D.C. residents to get a taste of nature. In another post, a Reddit user confessed, "It's my favorite place to fight the midwinter blues. Nice in summer, too, though!" The garden's Conservatory offers a utopia of plant life that grows in the United States and abroad. 

The collection includes a variety of tropical, temperate, desert, and more types of plants. Your experience there will also differ quite drastically depending on the season, though and one visitor urged, "Make sure to go around the holiday season! They always put out this great little model of the Mall made entirely out of organic material. It looks super cool."

The grounds of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden span 66 acres of eclectic landscapes. One of the most photogenic spots here is the Crape Myrtle Allee that transforms with each season and it can even be the perfect venue for your destination wedding. While visitors can appreciate the nature inside Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden any time of the year, many people believe that the best time to see it is during the winter. The Christmas Village during this season alone makes this place deserving of a stop if you're in Texas. 

As one visitor on Reddit explained, "It's definitely worth the visit. There's a Christmas village and some pretty amazing displays that illustrate the 12 days of Christmas spaced out through the grounds. Grab a hot chocolate for the walk. I'd go at night just for the lights." There are plenty of events for adults throughout the time of the year as well, such as the Flower Wine Exploration and Tasting and the Pumpkin & Pints Nights. If you're a local to the area, one Redditor also recommends, "We love the Arboretum! Not sure where you are located, but if you're a Dallas resident, check your nearby Dallas rec center – they might have FREE tickets to the arboretum." 

According to a study conducted by Breck's, the Missouri Botanical Garden is the fourth most-visited garden in the United States. This was based on several criteria including the number of Wikipedia page views, Facebook check-ins, Instagram followers, and Yelp reviews. It seems as though Reddit users largely agree with these observations because many of them heavily recommend the Missouri Botanical Garden. Filled to the brim with more than 7,500 plants, the Missouri Botanical Garden is an extremely romantic destination for a date. 

It's so enchanting that one Redditor even chose to propose to their partner there. They shared, "We went recently, and actually I even proposed! I found a couple who were able to record for us :) It was pretty empty, which felt very nice." The garden is home to several out-of-the-box sights, such as the world's strongest water lily that managed to hold up to 142 pounds. The 14-acre Japanese Garden and the Chihuly exhibit are also major highlights here.

A local resident hailed the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden as a top-notch destination by saying, "I'm fortunate to live in Maine, USA, where we have the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden, young but world class." Anyone who happens to be within visiting distance of this U.S. botanical garden should consider themselves very lucky because it's by far one of the most intriguing. Of course, there is the 300 acres worth of nature and gardens to peruse here, but that is only the beginning. The true stars of the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden are the trolls. 

Yes, you read that correctly — trolls. Hidden in the corners and crevasses of the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden are five gigantic wooden trolls that were designed by a sculpture artist from Denmark named Thomas Dambo. This whimsical feature is a big reason why this botanical garden can actually be a unique, thrilling activity for kids. In addition to the trolls, the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden also has a bee exhibit, a butterfly house, a meditation garden, and a fairy house village.

Oregon isn't lacking in gorgeous gardens, but one of the most highly regarded of them all is the Portland Japanese Garden. Many people believe that this is the best Japanese garden outside of Japan and it is definitely one of those 'year-round' gardens as well. When someone asked on a Reddit post if it was worth visiting around March, another person hopped on and quickly replied, "It's always worth it. The Japanese Garden is set up to be viewed any time of year, with different views depending on season." A separate Reddit user completely agreed, stating, "Yes, absolutely, 100%. It's gorgeous all year round, and going in different seasons gives you a lot of delightful variety." 

There are vegetation varieties from Japan and other places here. While looking at the foliage is incredible on its own, there are plenty of other activities to do on the grounds. There are rotating art exhibits, a cafe serving authentic Japanese tea on-site, and a cultural village where you can gain insight into Japanese life. If you're dying to experience this slice of natural beauty, but can't make your way out to Oregon just yet, you can opt to visit sections of the Portland Japanese Garden virtually on their website. 

The Fred Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan is a neat combination of a botanical garden and an art gallery. As its name implies, this attraction includes a fairly large sculpture garden with more than 200 pieces to feast your eyes on and it's actually America's best-rated sculpture park. Some of the most fascinating pieces in the Fred Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park are the Figure On A Trunk, Spider, Neuron (photographed above), and the Gilded Champagne Gardens Chandelier. 

Even during the colder months, people seem to love visiting Fred Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. When a Reddit poster asked if it was still worthy of a visit during the winter, one user said, "Walking the sculptures in pale winter light, with leafless trees and brown grass and almost no one else around is an interesting experience, much different than summer. They just hit differently. And the Japanese garden with snow is magical." Another person agreed by replying, "100% yes. The butterflies are starting to be released, so now is a great time. But walking outside on a nice, sunny, winter day (if they exist) is wonderful there. And if you have kiddos, there tend to be way less people there, so I find it more kid friendly." 

A user on Reddit proudly called the Atlanta Botanical Garden, "One of my fave spots downtown. The Botanical Gardens is an oasis." While many botanical gardens are usually frequented by tourists, this is one that the local residents also love. Many people even recommend getting a membership to Atlanta Botanical if you plan on returning often because as one person on Reddit explained, "We just got the dual membership a few months ago, and have already used it enough to pay for itself. We've taken my in-laws and family using our guest pass. It's awesome!" That should prove how much people adore this place.

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is an exciting spot for families, largely thanks to its famed Kendeda Canopy Walk. This 12-foot-wide aerial bridge was added to the garden in 2010. It weaves through the woods suspended 40 feet in the air and has opened up 15 extra acres of space for visitors to explore. This aspect of Atlanta Botanical provides a very unique perspective of nature that very few gardens around the country can provide.

Many top botanical gardens come with a hefty entrance fee. However, budget travelers will be obsessed with the Boston Public Garden because it is open every single day of the year and completely free to visit. Several Redditors praised this botanical garden and park in Boston because of how well it's kept up. One person mentioned, "They really do a great job each year with the varieties and colors of tulips each year. I also love walking through when the roses bloom. Such a lovely scent." 

However, you will have to shell out a little cash to try the garden's key spring feature: its swan boats in the lagoon, which cost $4.50 for adults and $3 for kids. These laid back vessels have been in operation since 1877 and it's a blast for even very young children. One Reddit user broke down, "They move slowly. It is a very chill novelty. Your biggest risks are some sun exposure and you both might fall asleep." The commenter mentioned that a visitor would easily be able to ride on the Boston Public Garden swan boats with an infant strapped to them. 

This list of the 14 best botanical gardens in the United States was assembled through research on Reddit. The Islands team combed through dozens of relevant Reddit threads to determine the best botanical gardens suggested by most users. Then, further investigation was conducted into each garden's offerings to figure out what made them special.