Best Time to Visit New York Botanical Garden

At the New York Botanical Garden, tropical rainforests and cacti sail comfortably through one of the harshest winters in the United States.

That's thanks to the famous New York Botanical Garden conservatories, those beautiful glass houses that have become the signature of NYC's most important botanical park.

The garden sits in a quiet residential neighborhood in the Bronx, steps from Belmont, the Bronx's Little Italy.

What to See at the New York Botanical Garden

At the New York Botanical Garden you'll find 50 gardens with trees and plants from all over the world, set in carefully designed landscaping that was declared a national historic landmark in 1967.

Among the most visited collections are the aquatic plants, the wrought iron conservatory built in the style of London's Crystal Palace back in 1890 (pictured), the rose garden, the Japanese rock garden and the conifer collection.

How they look depends on the time of year you visit, and every season has its charm 😉

Beyond touring the different ecosystems, the garden runs daily events focused on environmental education and botany. Grab the activity calendar when you walk in.

Spring at the New York Botanical Garden

Nature lovers know that one of the most magical moments of the year is the arrival of spring blooms.

On the Botanical Garden website you can check the spring bloom status of its most beautiful species: cherry trees, magnolias, azaleas, peonies, daffodils and roses. Perfect for not missing the key days 🙂

The Holiday Train Show

From the second half of November through the end of January every year, the garden fills up with kids there to see the traditional Holiday Train Show.

It's a huge display of toy trains inside the Botanical Garden's Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. It's one of the Christmas activities families look forward to most.

There are more than 1,300 feet of toy train track winding past 150 scale models of New York icons, including the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and Yankee Stadium, all built entirely from leaves, twigs and seeds gathered from the garden's trees.

Well worth it!

The New York Botanical Garden Tram

The New York Botanical Garden is enormous, more than 250 acres of gardens and forest. The fastest way to see it is on the tram, an electric cart that loops the whole park with stops at the most important gardens.

A recorded tour explains the attractions as you roll past them.

It's a loop, so you can hop on and off as many times as you want. It's included in your admission.

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Address
2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx

Getting there
By subway
B, D or 4 lines. Bedford Park Blvd station
Then walk 8 blocks or take the Bx26 bus eastbound to the Garden's Mosholu Gate

By Metro-North Railroad
You can also get there on the Metro-North Railroad from Grand Central Terminal. Take the Metro-North Harlem local line to the Botanical Garden station.
After a short walk along Kazimiroff Boulevard you'll reach the park at the Garden's Mosholu entrance.

Prices
Adults $30 / Students and 65+ $28 / Ages 2 to 12 $15 / Under 2 free

It's a good idea to buy your ticket online to lock in the day you want.

Hours:
The garden's hours change throughout the year, so it's worth checking the official site before your visit.

Open year round Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm (closes at 5 pm in winter)
Closed Mondays (except Mondays that fall on holidays)

Closed Thanksgiving Day and December 25