Garvan Woodland Gardens Reviews

I took my daughter and her two friends to see the tulips. They were in awe. The tulips were as beautiful as ever, I have been to the garden before during tulip season, but it has been a few years. The sun was just right. When we got there it was close to 11am, the parking lot was packed. We had to park at the back. There was a wedding at the chapel as well. When we left there was a long line of cars waiting to get in. Next year, I'll pack my lunch. It cost $25 per person at the booth, $20 if you buy your ticket online. An additional $20 per person to have someone drive you in the golf cart. There is a cafe on the property, there is usually a line if the park is crowded.

Beautiful place to visit, relax and appreciate the beauty of nature. We went with family and friends and we all enjoyed a fantastic experience. Unfortunately we didn't have much time to see everything, because it is very big, that was the only sad thing. We needed to plan our time there better.

Stopped here while visiting Hot Springs and really loved it. The gardens and grounds are beautiful, immaculately kept up. Also, loved walking to the chapel.

The gardens are beautiful all the way through. The people were all super nice and friendly. Most of the walkways are shaded which helped with the heat.

Loved these gardens, we went for a leisurely couple of hours walk. Beautiful and well maintained gardens, has a nice cute little coffee shop, had beautiful Christmas lightings, and staff everywhere was wonderful and friendly!
Definitely recommend

The gardens were very well constructed and laid out. Each section felt like a different world unto its own. The bridge and building architectures were beautiful and the gardens well kept. To view all of the gardens is a good hike with hilly paths. But if you are a botanical enthusiast or someone looking for a good photo op the gardens will suit your afternoon.

Stunning sights and sounds and views all around. This is a beautiful garden I could spend all day in!

This place is fantastic! Beautiful, varied, clean, quiet, and dogs are allowed with a few very reasonable rules. Restrooms, drinking g water, and trash bins are available throughout the park and everything is extremely clean. We became members and visited three times the week we were in the area.

The chapel was just amazing! Loved the plants and the walking paths.
Would definitely recommend. Thank you for all your hard work keeping looking so great…

The spring flowers are amazing! Nice walk out to the point and also access to Lake Hamilton beach. Dog friendly! Well kept, wide paths and walkways.

This park has a lot of different features to enjoy and could be visited alone, as a couple, or a family and still enjoy your time. We spent about half our day at this park with our two little dogs. Be aware there’s an entry fee per person and a fee per dog. They asked if we had retractable leashes, which we didn’t, but sounded like it was an issue if we did. We spent $40 to get in. We used the park map to stop by different places in the park to see the small waterfall, the tree house (recommend even if you don’t have little ones) the overlook onto Lake Hamilton, and Anthony’s Chapel. We sat by Lake Hamilton at the base of the overlook for a while just enjoying the views. There is a combination of paved paths and gravel paths, and can be enjoyed by all ages. Highly recommend a visit!

Such a beautiful place! Make sure you have plenty of time to meander all over this place because it is absolutely stunning! A great family place with different beautiful gardens and rocks to climb on. We loved it!!

We had a great time; the garden was super and the tree house was amazing. We will return, particularly when the weather is warmer.

I loved the fabulous Garvan botanical garden, with the many paths, millions of different flowers and ornamental grasses, great dwarf miniature houses, a large tree house kids and adults enjoy, overall many different gardens in an outstanding large area. Plan to spend at least 2 -3 hours in this amazing place. Highly recommend!

This is a beautiful place and we enjoyed it very much. We went in mid November so there wasn't a lot of color, but we hope to go back next spring.

Some tips if you use a power chair with an E-Z lock pin on the bottom of it. There is a stretch of path near Sensory Garden that has larger rocks than the packed gravel. The pin will scrape and hang up on some of these rocks. You are supposed to exit the garden thru the building where the gift shop is. The doors have to be opened for you and the pin scrapes and hangs up on the old wooden door sills. Where the big planters are at the entrance/exit there is a lip that sticks up where the concrete joins. It is ok when you enter, but when you exit your E-Z lock pin will hang up on this lip. It is still worth the trip, but just so you know there are some hang ups.

We found Garvan Woodland Gardens on the internet while looking for things to do while in Hot Springs, Arkansas. What a wonderful, beautiful, peaceful find! The gardens were lovely even though it was not in full bloom. And please, please go see Anthony Chapel here. It was such a beauty the way it sits in the woods. There is a small gift shop and a convenient little cafe in the gardens. If you have a garden membership anywhere, this garden is on the list of Reciprocal Gardens which means free admission. If you are lucky, you will see the resident peacocks … and I would say that you would definitely hear them at least. We spent about 3 hours walking through the gardens and eating lunch, and it was a delight to be there!

In my opinion this is the best part of Hot Springs. You will not regret visiting! We walked around for 2 hrs, but I could’ve stayed longer. The children’s garden is enchanting. I told my husband if we lived here that I would need a season pass 💛

Great plants and good trails. It’s definitely worth walking through. It’s about 2 miles of trails but they are easy to walk through

Beautiful garden! I do feel like there should be more signs telling you were to go. Felt alittle lost at times. The kids loved feeding the Koi. My dad drove a scooter and struggled several times on the hills with his battery dying and having to be pushed up. The hills were too steep at times. The garden was very beautiful and definitely a site to see. The food was delicious, but they were busy and it took at least 30 minutes to get our food. Despite the negative, we enjoyed our visit.

Beautiful gardens and a nice place to unwind. I recommend booking tickets online, you'll get a discount

We visited during their Christmas display and wanted to return during a different season. The chapel was breathtaking so was the bell tower. The golf cart tour was worth the extra we paid. The peacocks were very friendly. The Tree house is a must see. The offer a Bingo / scavenger hunt game for kids of all ages even adults. The cafe food was outstanding.
The Christmas lights are awesome. We took the Golf cart tour at Christmas also.

Spent several hours walking the gardens. The gardens are beautiful. There were several waterfalls and bridges throughout the gardens. I would return. It is worthy the time to walk the gardens.

The Garvan Woodland Gardens is an excellent place to enjoy the nature along Lake Hamilton on the outskirts of Hot Springs. But it isn't a botanical garden; it's a walk in the woods more than anything else. The welcome center staff said to turn left to return to the path when stopping to see each point of interest along the way, which is accurate to start, but you can easily get lost later on as the linear path turns into a network of walkways and trails where the signage isn't very clear and the map provided is hard to follow. Since you can easily get lost, you can easily spend hours here, but Anthony Chapel is the highlight of this place. It's very similar to Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, and it's a quiet and relaxing place for you to just stop after all the walking you'll have done on a day at Garvan Woodland Gardens.

This was our 2nd visit to Garvan Gardens. It is beautifully landscaped and extremely well maintained. The tulips in March/April timeframe is a MUST!

Garvan is always amazing. I had been in summer with my kids, and just went back in spring with my sister to see the tulips. I travel the world seeing botanical gardens and this is a gem. I particularly like the Japanese gardens here and the children’s area. Also the chapel is stunning. I might go to church if it could be in a building like that. Garvan would be gorgeous for a wedding.

Beautiful gardens and amazing chapel. Well maintained, nice walks or ride the golf carts. Nice fresh lunch, would recommend.

Enjoyed a beautiful spring day there. Lots to see and explore. Would love to visit again in the fall. Dog and kid friendly park with lots of parking. A few Covid restrictions, but better than other places we have visited.

We made the long hike out to the $2.5 million treehouse with its surrounding elaborate babbling brook and artistic rock features. Definitely worth the effort.

Beautiful - if you like outdoors, flowers and scenery, make this a must-do! The parking lot fills up quickly and traffic can be bad coming into the gardens so get there early! We left about 2-3pm on weekend, and there must have been a half mile wait of cars trying to get in. We were there in early/mid April and the tulips were out in full force!

Great day for a spring walk. Accommodates a wheelchair easily. Lots of diverse plantings. Restaurant onsite with really good food.

I have had the opportunity to visit some of the best gardens in the world and this is equal to those. This incredible setting on the lakes around Hot Springs was to be the home site of America's leading female industrialist but she smartly gave it to the University of Arkansas to be a showcase for their botany programs. There are all kinds of gardens and while November is not the best garden months, the natural colors of the grounds take over and were simply amazing. This is also a great place to take your children with a great train display as well as a children's garden area with many places for them to play. Unfortunately, my wife and I only had 45 minutes but it was a great walk and visit.

Beautiful place! So relaxing and serene. My family loved it! Enjoyed the beautiful flowers and the lovely chapel on the grounds!

Overall this was a very neat experience. You will have to walk the entire way but it’s worth it if you don’t mind walking.

The gardens are beautiful and Anthony’s Chapel was amazing from what we could see. There was a private wedding going on all day so we weren’t allowed at the Chapel but could view from a distance.

This is worth it if you have a few hours to spend and enjoy.

Check out our blog for a full review!

Amazing Beautiful Serene -especially during a rain shower when no one else was there. Walked thru the Childrens Garden , enjoyed the Stump Art, climbing through the Treehouse, the view of Lake Catherine from Perry Point, and then the CHAPEL-OMG. Breathtaking.

We enjoyed a long walk through the extensive gardens in November 2020 when not a whole lot of flowers were in bloom. That didn’t matter because the gardens are just simply beautiful!!! Highly recommend you visit. A spring visit must be incredible! The nice pathways go on “forever,” so it makes for a good, healthy walk out in the fresh air. Loved it!

Garvan Gardens was just beautiful! We loved walking around, even in the fall, when fewer plants were blooming. The children's treehouse is unbelievably cool. Can't wait to come back in the spring sometime!

Such a beautiful place, you won't regret seeing. Great for a leisure stroll at your own pace. Some trails are paved & some are gravel. Several places to take a break & have a seat. You don't want to miss the Chapel. It is truly breathtaking!

Beautiful grounds and chapel. The paths are identified however the map could be larger. Pick a cool day for your visit if possible. Nice Cafe in the grounds. Online tickets are discounted.

The gardens were beautiful and serene and there were seasonal plants blooming, so worth it even in the autumn. We took a golf cart tour because I have some mobility issues and couldn’t do the full walk (it is a little hilly and about and hour and a half walk) and it was lovely. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable and a great golf cart driver!

We came not knowing at all what to expect. This was the most beautiful set of holiday lights ever. It is something you can do as a couple or as a family. We will come back with our daughter. This is a must see at least once in your life.

I went to Hot Springs to enjoy the natural scenery and fresh air, and Garvan Woodland Gardens did not disappoint. This was by far the best arboretum/park/garden I have ever visited. Walking here felt like being in a fairy-tale forest. Be prepared to do a LOT of walking, the grounds are extensive and the maps are sometimes less than helpful. They do rent golfcarts for those who need them. The architectural features in the park are very Tolkien-ish and impressive in scale. We are already planning our return trip to view the Christmas lights.

Never realized this place was so huge. Spent 3 hours there & didn't get to see everything. There were "ground keepers" working everywhere & there was so much variety they had tons of work to do. It is exceptionally clean. Well worth the entrance fee but come planning to spend as much time as you can to get to see as much as possible. It's a must do & even if you do it once, you'll want to do it again & again if you like landscapes, to see all the updates & seasonal changes so it's a must do over & over again. The Chapel is outside the gardens & not a charge to see the chapel, but it's the gardens that will change season to season & are a must do repeatedly. I would of gone back the next day, but the area also has the state parks & lakes & we couldn't do it all in just 7 days so it will have to be another time visit.

I can’t imagine a more perfect family night at Christmas than walking the lights!

A few notes…they have traffic rerouted so plan an extra 10-15 minutes than the normal entrance. Depending on where you park there could be another walk of about 5 minutes. They have some lights along the way but a flashlight or your phone can be helpful to get to the entrance.

The chapel is beautiful at night and the christmas tree in the front is perfect for a nice family photo. Entry into the chapel is free so we did this before we went into the lights.

Most of the trails at the lights is on a good paved service. When you go into the part that has the musical light tree it is more gravely but is still a smooth surface. It’s a lot up hill so we actually dressed too warmly and got kind of hot on a 50 degree night.

We arrived on a Friday night around 7:30 and it was moderately crowded. You felt in the way if you wanted to stop for photos or video but we did anyway because it’s just so beautiful.

Overall I loved this experience.

Some flowers were in bloom...still a little early. Paths are well maintained. Lots of small waterfalls and bridges. Plenty of benches and rocks for resting. Spent three hours there. Wonderful to be outside with trees, birds singing and no mosquitoes.

Think they were still upgrading some. The lady said it was about an hour and half walk, but it could be much longer if you took some of the off road trails. Very pretty flowers

What a beautiful, relaxing place to visit. It is a lot of walking, so we sat down frequently, on benches, rock walls, rocks, because it was hot and humid. We sat for a long while in the Chapel, it is so gorgeous and has AC. lol. Loved the train display for sure. Disappointed that we couldn't get a sandwich at the little cafe - there was only one person working, so it was to long to wait in the heat. It was worth the drive and the time - very much enjoyed our visit.

Absolutely beautiful! Great place to spend a day. Wonderful! It will be even more beautiful when the have all the lights up!

Always a fun time. I love coming here when I come to hot springs. It’s a nice walk and much too see. Very clean and well thought out. I always recommend to anyone who is visiting The hot springs area.

Amazingly beautiful with waterfalls and all! It was over 100 degrees when we visited, and we’re still glad we went. We highly recommend a visit!

Beautiful place to take a leisurely walk with plenty of trees for shade. Very dog friendly. No retractable leashes. Saw a few chipmunks, lots of birds and a beautiful coy pond. There are little waterfalls and creeks. A very serene place during the week. We didn’t eat at the chipmunk cafe but looked like a nice place to grab a bite outside after a long walk. After we strolled through the gardens, we walked over to the preserve island. We were the only ones on that side so was very quiet but it isn’t manicured like the gardens and did get hot when we lost shade on one side of the lake. There is a cut through to get back so you don’t have to circle the entire island. We read golf cart rentals were available but that’s a guided tour and would be great for someone unable to walk or walk far

Flowers were blooming, Loved the tulips and the cherries. That is the highlight of the visit. However, $15 entrance fee is kind of overpriced.

We were lucky to see the tulips in bloom - they were beautiful. Just a fun place to stretch your legs, get some exercise, and see beautiful nature !

Beware of their website! We came to visit for the holiday lights not knowing tickets were only available online. Standing by the ticket booth I bought tickets online - accidentally for a night we will not be here. The website automatically moves your purchase to the next available date so if you are not paying attention it is very easy to buy tickets for a date you don't want. Tickets are nonrefundable and non-transferable so we wasted our money.

Stunning gardens, enjoyed immensely with my fiance. Every turn there was a delightful surprise for any nature lover.

Garvan Woodland Garden is near the town of Hot Springs which offers plenty of options for accommodation. The garden is signposted from main roads and is on the banks of Lake Hamilton. There is a large parking lot. Tickets can be bought at the gate or online.
"Golf cart" tours are available, but more can be seen on foot. Many of the paths are easy walking, but there are side paths to explore. The fit can be walking here for a couple of hours easily. A map given at the entrance enabled easy self exploration. I think the "Golf cart" tour is expensive, but it does give you a private driver / guide which will add depth to your visit. The workers in the garden were friendly and keen to share information with us which added to our experience.
The garden will obviously change with the seasons. It was hot but shaded when we visited. Take time to sit and take in the vistas across the lake, as well as the planting, streams and ponds.
There is a cafe, which is a little expensive, a plant shop, gift shop and model railway as well as play area for children to explore. St. Anthony chapel is in the garden; a place of beauty and tranquility.

We had a wonderful time visiting with our young family. Bring a couple bucks cash donation to feed the koi. We happened to be there for their “Red, White and Bloom” festival day with free, extra activities for the kids. I wish we had brought a change of clothes for the kids. There was a play area with wading waters and a sprinkler. They got their clothes all wet but it was worth it. Easily a half day activity. If the weather is nice you could stay all day and entertain little ones.

We have been to Hot Springs a lot but never been to the Gardens. I’m so glad we decided to check it out. It has been the best Garden I’ve ever been to yet! My husband and I both admit it has been the highlight of our anniversary trip. Can’t wait to bring the grands back to enjoy as well!

This is a very nice display of lights in a beautiful setting. They could use some additional signage to ensure you don’t miss any areas. Get there early for easiest parking access. Well worth the money.

Great place to explore with kids. The treehouse was awesome.

Would have been five stars except not able to see chapel because of wedding. We were here before the chapel was closed, but there were no signs or info to “go the chapel before it closes at 11:30”

I tried to give constructive feedback as leaving that it was good to tell visitors this, but the answer was “come back tomorrow” and “website tells you when the weddings are”. Both unacceptable responses to mitigate a future visitor missing the chapel. So hopefully my review will help a future visitor from disappointment, because the staff does not seem to understand the issue.

This park is so beautiful
We enjoyed the walk
The chapel is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen
It would make a awesome wedding
It made me want to get married again
Everyone needs to see this park
You will not regret
Forgot George he just wanders around very cool

Pretty place to visit. Many different trails to take and see. Well kept up. Just wish they had more signs up because if you don’t have a map it is kind of easy to get lost

Visiting there had been on my bucket list for many years. Went there for anniversary getaway in Hot Springs. We were not physically able to walk the grounds. However, we had a great driver in Lynn. She was so knowledgeable about the history of the garden and most importantly, she knows her plants. Enjoyed looking at the koi pond and the tree house. I’d do it again!

We visited the gardens with my elderly parents. They chose to do the golf cart ride ($15 extra per person). My husband and I walked on our own. There were not a lot of blooming flowers in July, but the landscaping was gorgeous throughout. Definitely visit the children's garden and explore the new treehouse. My parents said the golf cart ride was well worth the extra money- the driver also gave them a narrated tour.

We spent about 3 hours wandering around the grounds. What an amazing place. DON'T miss the chapel, its an amazing place.

Beautiful place, well maintained and nice people working there. Seeing the peacocks was a treat, too!

This was a beautiful place well worth the visit. Highly recommend. Nice trails, many paved and ADA accessible. We were there in spring, and the flowers were lovely. I especially loved the koi pond. There were lovely large fish there, and several waterfalls. The nature path was exceptional, and not well travelled. Lovely lake, and good birding area.

I guess I didn't do enough research before we got to Hot Spings, because I didn't know about this place until a friendly local told us about it. Wow! In our opinion, we found the gardens to be the highlight of our visit, rather than the park. Don't get me wrong. See the park too, but don't leave without visiting the gardens or you'll have missed something special.

Here's why. The gardens are truly beautiful and peaceful. We spent a little over two and a half hours walking the paved and gravel trails and still didn't make it to all of the areas in the gardens. One reason, and I would suggest that you do this too, is that there are lots of places you just want to stop to soak in the beautifully landscaped scenery and enjoy the peace of being there. The Japanese garden, in particular, is a great place to take your time and let your surroundings soak in. If you're a gardener or plant person, which neither of us is, there is a whole other level of things to see.

There are so many things to see here. We could have easily spent a leisurely full day to see the property in its entirety. BTW, there is a cafe in the gardens, so you don't have to worry about food. There are also restrooms. In addition to the beauty of the many gardens and trails, be sure, at a minimum, to visit the Anthony Chapel, the Fairy Village, and the Bridge of the Full Moon, and know that there is so much more.

Like I said earlier, we went to Hot Springs for the park, and it was good, but the gardens are what turned out to be the highlight of our visit.

So beautiful. Take your time at this place. Great fun for families. Bring plenty of water in the summer. We had a group of seven, and everyone loved something different. Buy tickets online for a discount.

We were there in early April, things were green but few blooms. The church is worth the stop. What a beautiful spot. I’d love to go back during peak season.

We came to Garvan as a stopover on our way further north so we could give our legs and dog a stretch. The place is beautiful, and we took so many pictures!

It was definitely ON the beaten path, but understandably so, and there was actually a wedding scheduled for that day.

Nice Trip, Nice Atmosphere, Check it out when you can, lovely walk checking out the great outdoors..

Through December the Gardens have their Christmas Light Show. It is amazing. About 7,000,000 lights are used to create this fantasyland. We walked through it twice, once when it was still light enough to see the gardens, then waited for dark and walked the trail again to just enjoy the lights! It is open 4-9…go early and enjoy!!

Great visit, very pretty and well maintained. Buy tickets online, save some money. Kids enjoyed exploring and climbing.

The Garvan Gardens is a hidden gem in Arkansas. If you are in the Hot Springs area this should be on your top 3 things to do. The harness are beautiful and every path takes you to something magical.

They were putting up Christmas lights when we were there. I am sad we missed seeing that, I am sure it’s amazing.

Gorgeous gardens. Truly something for everyone. Golf carts available if you can't walk well. Botanical gardens, bonsai garden, koi pond, tulip plantings were in full bloom in March. Children's area includes an awesome treehouse. We spent four hours there and didn't manage to see it all. Highly recommend.

Horrible map, no golf carts available and we arrived 3hrs before closing time. Will never return to this place. Didn't see much of anything except trees. Not sure why they advertise all the flowers because we didn't see anything except green.

Beautiful Gardens even in the heat of July. We went during the week and arrived at 10:30am. We did most of the trails in a couple of hours, if it was cooler we could of easily stayed another hour exploring. So worth the $15 adult entry fee. So we’ll maintained and clean. Lots of shade. They allow you to bring in water. Not much offered in the gift store but that was fine. A must see if you are visiting Hot Spring area.

Very pretty and Great Walk. Really enjoyed the outdoors. Very clean and well kept. Cathedral is jaw dropping phots don’t do it justice

Beautifully manicured gardens, interesting pathways and gorgeous tulips. very impressive . The chapel on site is impressive also. We walked around it, it was closed due to Covid.

I always enjoy visiting these gardens. March/April are when the Tulips are in bloom and very beautiful at that. So many areas to walk and enjoy. Places to rest. Food is good too

This is a wonderful place! We are so glad we spent some time here while in the area. This is beautiful, shady, woody garden. There are lovely paths, trees, flowers and things to see...cool themed gardens, birdhouses, a neat multi story tree house to explore, a train garden (with very loud Peacocks nearby) a children's area and do NOT miss the Chapel....check hours for when it is open. It's a marvel! This is well worth every minute and every penny! There is a nice snack bar and we even did some pretty decent birdwatching while we were there. Loved it!

Recently visited the gardens with friends! There was some color, but many of the trees were still green. There were was still a lot of color and flowers blooming. Gardens are always worth a visit. CHRISTmas preparations are underway and should be completed soon!!

This is a beautiful botanical garden with an adjacent nature preserve. Very clean. Trails are easy. We took my 79-year-old mother with us. The $2 million treehouse in the children’s garden is a wonder. A great place to spend the day!

We saw them setting up lights for Christmas. It’s probably amazing then.

We visited the Gardens simply to see the Chapel.

Prior to visiting, we completed online research to ensure everything was open. Followed up with a phone call. No one answers phone. Only options is to leave a message.

Drove out to Gardens, struggled to find a parking place only to find a sign at the ticket booth, "Chapel Closed." We asked the young man at the ticket booth if we could take pictures of the exterior of the Chapel. He said the Chapel could be viewed, "Only from a distance." Due to a Wedding.

Seeing the Chapel was a key reason we included Hot Springs on our special trip.

My family and friends had a great time in the quaint town of Hot Springs. We rented a large house on the lake. There were great hiking trails, fun e-bike riding up the mountain, and escaping an Escape Room!!!
Soaked at a Bath House spring and walked around the town. Would definitely go back!
Maybe take the Duck boat tour

These gardens are beautiful! Not formal but set among natural woodland. The hydrangeas were in magnificent bloom at the end of May and they were planting lots of annuals. The tree house and Anthony Chapel were highlights. Take a water bottle and prepare to walk for about an hour.

First time visit to the Hot Springs Area. Before we went everyone mentioned going to the Garvan Woodland Gardents. Glad we did. I nice break in our drive.

This place is truly amazing! Anthony Chapel is breathtaking! The treehouse was fun. Lots of trees and bushes, but not as many flowers as I expected. I'd love to see a butterfly garden! The waterfalls and lake views were awesome. The koi/turtle pond was fun too. I loved it!

Great tour with Bob who is a volunteer golf cart driver! Learned a lot about the history of the gardens. Just sorry that due to covid the gardens could do their normal holiday lights deploys.

I love Garvan Woodland Gardens! A great place to spend a day. We were there during the tulip event and it was just gorgeous.

This place was just absolutely beautiful. The gardens are very well kept and it was so nice and shady!

We saved the best for last on our trip and enjoyed a couple of hours in the gardens! It was a beautiful day and the scenery was great! It was a lot of walking, but we had fun! Make sure you don’t miss seeing the chapel! We were exiting when we realized we almost missed it!

In Garvan Woodland Garden we can feel the nature at the most. The whole garden seems to be like 3-4 miles with thick trees. There is a lot of areas that are prefect for taking pictures. Appreciate those taking initiative to preserve the garden.

We had a great time and the gardens are exquisite. It is well worth the time and money. Be sure to take this one in. You can walk the garden or ride

My wife found this place on Trip Advisor. It is a beautiful, wonderful, peaceful place that one can visit alone or with friends/family and spend a few hours enjoying superb examples of local flora, with a subset of bonsai plants as well.
And definitely don’t miss the Anthony Chapel, also on the grounds. It’s a beautiful non-denominational chapel that fits right in with nature.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Not sure if it’s worth $20 at this time of the year, there’s nothing much to see. And making it worst, the lady who worked the counter was extremely rude. Never again.
Like another review, the lady at the counter could have mentioned that visitor could pay for a golf cart ride with narration.

Wow! This place is gorgeous. It’s also a plus that it’s dog friendly! Lots of easy trails for all fitness levels. Definitely worth the price of admission!

So the initial visit was great, beautiful place. Everybody had great attitudes. My fiancé, son and I went to look at the chapel to get married at. Set an appointment and everything, met with one of the workers and she showed us around. She was absolutely amazing while we were there told us to email her and we could get rolling on a contract. we chatted back-and-forth. I was quick to respond. She asked what time I wanted. I told her, she ended up suggesting we do an earlier time. I told her that was fine within the same few minutes and then heard nothing from her. After a few days of nothing I messaged again asking if everything was in order to see if our contract was going to be sent out. It has been crickets since. She hasn’t responded and it’s now been more than two weeks. We were so excited to get married there, it was perfect for what we wanted but the lack of professionalism is just very upsetting.

I can’t say enough good things about this place! It’s beautiful, the walk ways are great and user friendly. We took our dog and he loved walking all the trails. This is a must see while visiting Hot Springs. We spent about 2 hours but you could easily spend 1/2 the day there. Our favorite part was visiting Anthony chapel. Beyond breathtaking.

If you ask me I am no longer a fan of huge gardens just because of the amount of walking involved and many a times it ends up not being as rewarding as it might seem to be. In this case Garvan Gardens, it has a entry fee of $15 for adults and $5 for kids too. But with this being the most visited attraction in Little Rock, I decided to give it a go.

First reaction, really hot and humid, I must say that this assessment was perfect from most reviewers on this. But the pleasant surprise was the Chapel which is outside of the park and doesn't need entry. The structure is really cool and unique and to sit inside it was a very calming experience.

Entrance is through the visitor center on the right side of the gate as we spent some time figuring out where the entry was as the ticket counter on the outside was closed with a 'No entry' board at the front which made us and others wonder if the park was closed, glad, I took the side route to enter the center and they sell the tickets only inside the gift shop which was confusing with no signs about it outside.

Then coming to park, after the entry, we rushed to the Children's park and the tree house and the tree house was the star attraction as kids love playing in there. the structure is strong and is really cleverly designed. The inside has some small adventures and the place is great to take cool pictures. The park is huge and does need a lot of walking but what really made my day was seeing a humming bird in the wild, it was a first and I saw it close to a big butterfly to be able to compare that it was sized almost smaller than the butterfly. Can't promise everyone can see it but I was lucky enough to catch it two times.

The garden is well maintained and there is a lake nearby with with boats, when we were here it seemed like a huge party going on with loud music so we didn't head that way. Unlike most others, we did not get to see a peacock but the humming bird made up for it. The gift shop is ok.

My wife loved this place. Be prepared for some walking and I suggest going during the cooler parts of the day. I suggest going into the little shop and getting some bottled water to take along with you. I noticed that they have golf carts with drivers for taking people out who are not able to walk. You’ll have plenty of benches to sit down and rest your feet along the path.

Wife and I enjoyed getting back to nature with a lot of exercise visiting these gardens which are quite large and beautiful. Very relaxing.

The woods itself was beautiful took so much pictures ! ❤︎︎ I loved the peace their it is so relaxing . The hot springs was pretty that was my favorite part of it .

No trip to Hot Springs is complete without a visit here. This is one of the most beautiful gardens I've ever been to. You can stay on the paved walkway or take off down stone steps all throughout to get those amazing pictures. The price is $15 and they do offer a golf cart tour for an additional fee if you have mobility issues. Be aware that these tours fill up fast. By noon there was already a 2 hour wait to get on one of the tours. Thankfully we were planning to walk anyway. The tree house is pretty awesome but only one family unit is allowed in at a time so you may have to wait. Luckily we got in pretty quick and were able to take our pictures. I will definitely be going back again and again.....every time I visit Hot Springs!

This is a beautiful wooded garden along the lakeshore. Trails are well-marked and each area is well-tended with dense foliage, flowers, and forested areas. The gardens are so large that spread out that you don't see a lot of people. We enjoyed the peaceful tranquility and certainly got some exercise!

Beautiful shaded gardens with excellent views of Lake Hamilton. I can see why it is a highly recommended botanical garden! The tree house and chapels are a must see when visiting the gardens!

Beautiful property, very well kept, excellent facilities. It’s a spectacular walk, great trails, easy to walk, lots of folks of all ages. Plus a few dogs. Really enjoyed the experience, highly recommend.

Garvan Woodland Gardens is a serene and beautiful retreat tucked away in Hot Springs, Arkansas. As soon as you step into the gardens, you're transported to a peaceful oasis surrounded by nature’s beauty.

We loved our experience at Garvan Gardens. We were welcomed in the parking lot by the resident peacock, so we took that as a good sign. It was very humid and hot, but the beauty and peace of the gardens kept us feeling good!

The different aspects of the garden from the Japanese-style piece to the colorful sensory areas were very thoughtful. The treehouse and kids' area was great.

It started to rain and grumble with thunder when we were far out toward the end of our visit. It was also getting close to closing. One of the employees passed by on a golf cart and ended up taking us the rest of the way. He was really pleasant and told us a bit about the property.

Highly recommended!

I think we had just missed the fall foliage, but there was still beauty everywhere. The Christmas decorations were up and in one area there was Christmas music playing.

Really pretty garden. Well kept. Great walk. They have provided many opportunities to go off the main path by putting in rock walks through the various sections.

I took 1 * away for price. It costs $20-22 for 1 person to get the gold cart tour!
Now, it is really good and I recommend it. My tour guide was really good! But if you live here and you like it you'll get great value out of the membership! I think it can even be used at other places!
Food was delicious, good variety and prepared to order! You should expect it to be pricey, like a zoo or whatever. But it was ok.
The area is very big! Lots of trails and forks and alternate paths! Beautiful! The tulips bloomed surprisingly early! You're going to love it if you like nature and exercise at all.

This is a wonderful spot for a walk, beautiful scenery and especially great if you have kids, as they have a children’s garden and play area.

A wonderful respite from the cement sidewalks of the city. Absolutely beautifully maintained, the pathways wind and meander through mostly shaded gardens. Gardens specifically designed around hydrangeas, camellias, bonsai, tulips and several more. There are annuals spread throughout the garden.
Certainly a delight not to be missed.

This place! Wow! There are very few words to describe this "experience", other than..."see you AGAIN soon!" We spent 4 hours here and didn't cover most of it. I think you could visit a million times and see and experience something different everytime. Although there are lots of people, you feel like you are on a private tour of your own beautiful retreat center. Just a fascinating experience....just the only way to describe it. Pets are VERY welcomed.

We were passing through but had never been to Arkansas and wanted to make a memory before heading out. We explored for about 3 hrs and didn’t see everything. It was beautiful and easy to get around. Definitely worth a visit!

The gardens are beautiful, much more than anything I was expecting. It is a bit confusing to navigate the gardens because there are so many different paths and very little signage. Had we known that in advance, we might have opted for the golf cart tour. Nevertheless, we were very glad to have gone and very impressed with all we did see. There was, however, one incident which somewhat spoiled the whole experience. Since we were there through lunchtime, before we left the parking lot, we stood by the car while I ate an apple and my husband some grapes. As we were finishing, we were approached by a young security guard who accused my husband of smoking. My husband told him he does not smoke, but the guard continued to insist he had been smoking. I finally told the guard we were leaving anyway and he basically told us to hurry up and get out. So in spite of the beautiful gardens, I don't think it's a place we would want to return to.

These lovely gardens are worthy of a visit while touring Hot Springs! Lovely walking trails wander past waterfalls, lakes, creeks, and are surrounded by trees, shrubs, and flowers of all kinds. Small wooden buildings offer the opportunity to picnic or to simply sit and enjoy the peace in the woods. Be sure to visit the stunning chapel while you're there!

Wedding photos were being taken during our visit, and we were told Garvan Woodland Gardens is a favorite wedding destination.

Beautiful area great place to visit. Went in April, too late to see the tulips but overall gorgeous clean grounds. Such beauty.

This place was awesome! Our family had so much fun checking the various sections of the gardens, seeing all of the beautiful flowers and the tree house is a must! Expect to spend a minimum of 2 to 3 hours exploring the gardens. With that said, one could easy spend all day here. Also, definitely recommend coming early as the entry line can get long.

My husband and I had a very enjoyable afternoon here. It is beautiful and very well marked. We would definitely visit again.

This i an incredible place So many beautiful flowers, architecture, and so many unique things to see. Highly recommend for all ages

What an amazing place! We were here in second week of April. The peak Daffodil and Tulip season was passed. If we could plan our visit here again it would be for early March to take in that amazing color. As it was the Azaleas were in bloom and the flowering shrubs and trees were still in their glory. The manicured grounds were well maintained. The outcropping into the lake was nice to see as you had many water views to accompany the landscape.

They have 48 designated stops to observe on their map. We hit over 90% of them. The Anthony Chapel and Carillon were amazing. The treehouse would be a kid’s wonderland. The whole area of the Children's Gardens was so well done.

By time we were done walking the park we had spent over three hours and 6.2 miles according to our walking app. It is a nice leisure stroll observing the gardens and plants that flourish here. This is a wonderful botanical garden. For amazing color come in early March. We highly recommend these botanical gardens. Entry fee was $22 they do have an option to be driven around in a golf cart for an additional $20. If you visit the website there was an online option that saves you $2 on the entry fee.

This is one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever been too. I went with some friends to see the Christmas Lights and they were phenomenal. The staff is also very friendly and very kind. Would recommend this to anyone who finds themselves in the Little Rock area. I plan to come back to these gardens any time I am in town.

Garvan Garrdens is a lovely place that is worth a visit. It involves lots of walking but the peacefulness that prevades the space is wonderful. The views are very pretty and it wasn't crowded on the day we visited. In our view this was off season in that many of the flowers weren't in bloom and the leaves hadn't really changed but it didn't matter. They did have a beautiful display of mums but other flowers were dying off for the season. Still lovely.

This place is nice but it’s way over priced. $20 is too steep for what this place actually is. It’s nothing spectacular, it’s just average. It’s pretty much the same flowering plants and bushes over and over…not much of a variety. It does however have a tranquil feel which we enjoyed and a pair of peacocks that were cool. I won’t be wasting my money again!

The garden is unique in that it focuses on accenting the natural beauty of the landscape, and not trying to create something else. Takes about 1 and a half hour to walk the whole thing. Don't miss the cathedral.

This was on our list for our stay. With the weather being rainy and not great for outdoor activities we were going to to skip this stop and we are sooo happy we didn't! This place was beautiful and our loved it! The koi pond, the water falls and children's area was so amazing. We would out this on our list to visit again while we are in town.

Great, well maintained trails. Restaurant was closed (disappointment). Not a lot of color this year. I'm thinking spring might be better.

My wife is a botanical gardens nut. She ranked this one among the very best. This place is well worth the short drive. Plenty of hiking trails and variety of vegetation. Splendid.

Beautiful setting. I was a little disappointed with minimal flowers that were just being planted in June, and price was a little high. It is worth going to see at least once.

These people need a refund policy or a way to change dates on tickets for holiday lights. They are straight up stealing people’s money and refuse to do a thing about it. I’ve called several times to ask about the ticket buying process. No one returns calls. The website automatically defaults to the soonest available date and if your page times out and refreshes it will default to the earliest date again. I’m sure many people have been burned. Let alone if you are coming from out of state and some sort of travel delay happens. You lost your money. Pretty pitiful.

This is a big area. The tulips were beautivul. The creeks, bridges and ponds are done very well. We were there in early spring and the trees and shrubs were not out yet. All in all a very nice couple of hours.

Very pretty place but it looked like we were about a week off to see the flowering plants. We went on April 29. Most of the buds had died and the tulips were gone. I loved the bingo page we got at the entrance. It made me aware of what to look for. The only thing I wish were a little different was we didn't get to see the chapel because it closed for a rehearsal dinner. Maybe put a sign at the entrance so we would have went to see it first instead of last. We will go back to see the tulips and the chapel next time.

very nice. wear athletic shoes. some trails are paved and some are fine gravel. the chapel was pretty close to the entrance. we brought water with us. most of it is in the shade. there are some optional tricky rock steps but we also saw a golf cart giving a tour on the paved path. very quiet. although it seems like it's a state or national park, it's not. it's part of the university so no firearms allowed if you carry.

So much to see at these gardens. Everything was breathtaking. Well maintained and easy strolling. Would definitely go again. Maybe in the fall when the leaves change

We loved our 2 hours we spent walking through the gardens. It was beautiful and easy to get around. The staff was so helpful. I recommend a visit.

My husband and I love visiting gardens wherever we travel so we had to visit Garvan Gardens when we were in Hot Springs. It is a beautiful, tranquil garden. The walkways take you past so many beautiful plants and trees with explanations for many of them so you know what you are seeing. We enjoyed the small bridges in the Japanese section. In the portions of the garden we visited, you turn a corner and there is something whimsical that makes you smile or laugh out loud. We would highly recommend that you visit this peaceful place.

This is a beautiful and relaxing place. The bathrooms are air conditioned, which was so nice in 90 degree weather. We would love to go back, but next time when the weather is cooler.

A very nice and large facility. We were a bit early in the season, therefore not very crowded. My wife enjoyed it more than I did. Sure added to my list of landscaping projects at home.

Wonderful. Beautiful. Serene. Nature. The foliage is beautiful and in constant change. The staff was very interesting and helpful. A wonderful outdoor walk through Nature!

We went in the off-season; I'm sure these Gardens are even more beautiful in the spring and summer! They were still beautiful: great walking paths and areas to sit and relax. The views of Lake Hamilton from here are really pretty. They also have a great little place to order food called Chipmunk Cafe that cooks your food fresh and is delicious! We spent about 2.5 hours here and walked almost the whole park besides the reserve area, but we could have spent much longer here — we were just on a time crunch.
We got to see the outside of Anthony Chapel. It's gorgeous! There was a rehearsal taking place while we were there and they weren't going to be done until after it was time to go, so unfortunately we didn't get to walk around the chapel. The inside is currently still closed to visitors due to COVID; it's only open for events. Keep in mind that this is a chapel that people get married in! There was a couple in front of us who gave the lady standing outside the doors a lot of flack for not being able to get closer to the chapel or go in. First off, don't shoot the messenger! Also, this is out of respect to the family getting married, and also, there are so many regulations that are keeping businesses and parks from being fully opened to the public due to COVID. At least the park is open! There are still some parks that are closed, which is very silly to me, seeing as we're outside in fresh air.
To conclude, our visit was great and everything was beautiful!

It is $15/person with no discounts available except for Active Duty military. The tulips were pretty and the treehouse is cool, but there are weeds and few signs identifying plants. It was a nice stroll but not for $30 for a couple.

This 210-acre botanical garden, owned by the University of Arkansas, is a fantastic spectacle every spring when millions of daffodils and tulips bloom throughout its wooded precincts. Paved walking trails cover several miles through flowers and forest on the shores of Lake Hamilton. Located just outside Hot Springs, this bower of beauty is a must-see attraction for nature lovers and flower fanatics.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when we first arrived because gardens can be amazing or boring…but this is a beautiful place with much to see! The grounds are meticulously taken care of and there is plenty to view from cool buildings to little fairy villages. Make sure you go down the path to the children’s garden because the tree house and area around it is worth the walk. It is also a very short walk to the chapel from the parking lot (make sure you do that!) The chapel is free so you don’t have to pay to go into the gardens to see the chapel, but I personally enjoyed the gardens and would suggest a visit. They were also setting up Christmas lights so I bet this is an awesome place to come in the winter too! A little tip.. buy your tickets ONLINE because it’s saves you $5 per ticket. We didn’t realize that and could have saved some $.

Great site to see just the workers are not so friendly. The lady at the gift shop was rude kept watching me. I was looking for a shirt my little boy and notice they had Extra small in men. I was thinking of getting one if it was Close to fitting. So I opened the folded shirt to see she said ma’am the shirts are up here to look at I said yes I can see that I am looking for one for my kid. So I left with no souvenir since I felt unwanted in that shop.

We had no idea what this was. It was so much better than we imagined. My kids played in this beautiful place for 2 hours. The church was so beautiful - really wanted to see inside but it was locked bc of covid. So glad we found this place.

Visited on a very hot day but with so much shade it was hardly noticeable. Grounds are beautiful and place is well maintained.

Very beautiful. The grounds are very maintained. Definitely alot to walk and see. We were here over 2 hours and didn't walk everything. Lots of walking and lots to see. A few beautiful small waterfalls snd we loved the tree house and kids area. The back of property is not as developed as the front and my only complaint is theirs only one drink/snack area in front of property which works out of 1 window very slowly so bring your own drinks or be prepared to wait a while for those items

Even though we hit the gardens at an in-between time, after azaleas but before a lot of the annuals were in the ground, the walk through the gardens was enjoyable. The infrastructure of trails, trees, waterfalls is extensive and lovely. And Anthony Chapel was amazing.

We went a little early in the year but the daffodils and hyacinth were blooming all over. It was nice to be able to take our dogs. Paths are well maintained, waterfalls are pretty cool. In total we walked about 4miles throughout the gardens.

Wonderful scenery with well paved & graveled trails for those who need them. There were some non-ADA trails available for those that wanted to get off the beaten path as well. The waterfalls, bridges, overlooks and treehouse kept your marvelling as you wondered.

While the gardens are beautiful they were setting up for Christmas and not all paths were available nor was the floating cloud bridge. The lights that were completed were beautiful! Our dog enjoyed the new smells and walk too.

Beautiful gardens chapel was closed for private event but you could still view from outside. Treehouse was impressive along with Christmas decor

WEDDING RENTAL REVIEW - - My wife and I used the Anthony Chapel at the Garvan Gardens for our wedding venue and I want to share my experience so I can, hopefully, save others from stress and a headache. The price is reasonable, $1,000 plus a $500 refundable damage deposit for 1 hour in the chapel.

That being said, they did not start asking guests to leave until about 10 minutes before our allotted time which created some confusion for getting everyone in their spot for the wedding on time and getting our minimal decorations up.

I also elected to spend extra money on a golf cart for 1 hour after the wedding time so that my wife and I could take pictures around the premises without her having to walk in her heels. The golf cart was late and when I finally got them to show up, they tried to argue it was not paid for when the money was drafted out of my account MONTHS ago and my contract had the golf cart written in.

I also did not have a member of the staff review the contract with me so I overlooked the requirement of a wedding coordinator and had to find one with less than a month to go for my wedding or risk losing my date altogether.

So i would strongly advise only choosing this venue as your wedding if you have no other choice or you are trying to save a bit of money.

Beautiful garden still a work in progress. Some trails closed or incomplete. Lack of signage and labeling. Poorly created guide map. Great photo ops of blooming azaleas, waterfalls, bridges and structures.

The Christmas lights were beautiful, and it was our first visit to Garvan Woodland Gardens. As we have some difficulty with walking, we took the golf cart tour that was available, and enjoyed it very much. Our guide was informative and stopped several times, giving us time to enjoy the music at some of the scenes.

Loved this place, it is very well kept. A lot of walking, but worth it.....
We will definitely be coming back.

The most unbelievable Christmas lights we’ve ever seen. This was a last minute activity for us, so we didn’t know what to expect. But for $20 a person it was SO WORTH every penny! We couldn’t believe it! Great job to these creative people who made this even possible!

We like the botanicals but it’s not usually at the top of our “things to do” when we travel, especially since our town has its own beautiful arboretum and it’s just five minutes away. But, with some extra time in our schedule this was a real treat. The gardens were whimsical. It was truly an amazing experience.

Holiday lights were awesome! Really beautiful visit. The hot chocolate is free but they ask for donations. There is a cafe but we did not eat there as the line was very long. There is a small snack stand toward the end that is cash only.

Beautiful garden with several paths to follow. The children’s garden was especially charming we loved seeing the treehouse.
Only negative thing was that the trail from the children’s garden was difficult for a wheelchair as it is packed gravel. Doors to the entrance building had no powered assist, making it very difficult for wheelchair access.
There is apparently a cart tour but we didn’t know any that until we were almost done.

Tulips were absolutely beautiful! Loved the little waterfall and chapel. It was fun to explore all the paths. Fun for all ages.

Very well maintained gardens. There is security on site, and ample parking. I would suggest coming prepared to walk a lot, so comfortable shoes and clothing as well as water to drink are advised. There's too much walking for small kids, so bring a stroller.
Overall, a nice clean place to visit and enjoy nature.

Came to Hit Springs to hike with our two little dogs. It turns out that this beautiful hiking destination is shut down during the day through December and only open in the evening for Christmas lights. How are you supposed to see the nature? No thanks.

If you love tulips like I do then you have to visit! There are other flowers and trails to walk. If I lived closer I would have an annual pass.

Stunning. There’s staff everywhere keeping it that way. Seasonal lighting and experiences are put on. It’s immaculately protected and teaming with wildlife. There’s also a stunning glass church nestled in the woods that is frankly beautiful. Looks like it’s from game of thrones. It’s mind blowing. Please drop in and support this wonderful place. It’s worth it.

It's been on my bucket list for years to visit Garvan Woodland Gardens to see Anthony Chapel. I honestly thought that the admisison price was a little bit expensive considering that almost nothing was in bloom when we visited (late-April). We also found the map to be very confusing and we kept getting turned around. But when we finally found Anthony Chapel, it was amazing--it actually gave me goosebumps it is so beautiful set in the woods. It's just so natural in its beauty and simplicity.

So my overall review would probably be 3 stars, but I added the 4th because it really was an experience to visit Anthony Chapel.

Garvan Woodland Gardens was one of the places I was most excite to visit during my trip to Hot Springs and it didn't disappoint. Even though it was extremely hot thanks to the trees there were plenty of opportunities to be in the shade. Make sure that you wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water because you will be walking a lot and the water fountains are sparse. Also make sure that you check out the chapel while there. It is calm, serene and gorgeous and surrounded by trees. It was about to close by the time we got to it but luckily got to go inside for a few minutes. It is perfect if you need some peace and quiet.

The chapel was closed the day we were there, and a lot of the flowers and plants looked like they needed watering. We probably would not go back.

We decided to visit the gardens during our trip to Hot Springs over spring break. We thought that the gardens were beau and well maintained. The tulips were in full spectacular bloom and thoroughly enjoyed the multiple varieties and colors. I can’t speak to what the gardens look like at other times of the year, but we had a wonderful experience.

I was initially reluctant to spend $40 for my husband and me to see a mere garden, but I’m delighted that we went. The gardens are unlike anything else that calls itself a “garden”. This is a marvelous place that has many sculptures and architectural wonders, including the tree house, several bridges, and their railings. Even though it was over 90 degrees, we enjoyed our 4+ mile walk because most of it was nicely shaded. The water features, ponds, and waterfalls are serene and calm-inducing. Although we didn’t take the golf cart tour, I’m glad that it’s an option for people who don’t want to or can’t walk to enjoy the property. The chapel is awe inspiring too. This is a can’t miss attraction when in Hot Springs!

My wife and I visited during our anniversary trip. The creeks and small falls are very peaceful. The koi pond is beautiful. The flowers were very well arranged and in bloom. We loved the color arrangements. The wait time for the fairy garden was a bit long so we passed it up. There was also a wedding scheduled during the time we were there, so we were only able to see the beautiful open air chapel from a distance. Get there early, as the parking area fills quickly.

We visited in the fall, and wasn’t sure if there would be much to see, but the gardens are beautiful and so relaxing to walk around.
We took our dog ($5 extra) and had a great time exploring the trails.
Many azaleas and camellias still had some blooms-in the spring this must be an amazing place.

This was at the top of our list as far as nature activities during our stay in Hot Springs. We're not avid hikers and enjoy places that are a little more organized and mapped out. This place is absolutely perfect for anyone wanting a simple nature walk (it is still a bit of a trek, so wear comfortable shoes) and would even accommodate a wheelchair. We saw golf carts giving people tours as well which would be nice for someone who isn't able to walk so far. You get a map at the beginning of your walk that tells you where everything is and makes it easy to identify where you're at. Ample restrooms and even a cafe if you're hungry. There were certain points of the path we didn't even realize we were in an organized garden. You can dip off to be next to the lake or little waterfalls. Great for all ages! I'm 30 and saw people older and younger than me, including children. There is a children's garden, but it doesn't have playground equipment or anything you might assume. Definitely bring a stroller if you have young ones that may not want to walk the entire time. Would definitely recommend to anyone and we're very glad we paid a visit.

Lovely grounds for walking. Not a ton to see in mid-November, but the sneak preview of holiday lights was great. The chapel is a highlight.

Great place for family hikes. Especially good for amateur hikers as the trails are well kept.

Staff- staff members were excellent and seemed to thoroughly enjoy conversing with visitors and helping out.
Kids- Great for kids. Trails are well kept or paved. Map especially helped keep us on track to see the path to the next spot we wanted to see. Kids enjoyed playing the nature bingo and everything on the list! It was a great way to keep them engaged and concentrated on the hot July walks.

Trails- we opted for the non-paved trails which tended to be shadier for the hot day. Did not get to complete all trails. The only trail we missed was the long one set away from the main area.

Price- if you do not plan to spend a lot of time here, then I could see where the price is steep. If you plan to spend most of your day here hiking and seeing all the sights then the price is fair to have safe and well kept trails for the whole family.

Sights- the gardens are beautiful, even in the heat of the summer. I could see that it would be even better at other times of the year. The chapel in the woods is a must see (especially to grab some AC in the heat). My favorite sight was the amphitheater which doesn’t seem to get many visitors, but it looked like a fairy tale spot with miss covered areas. The treehouse area was a great spot for everyone.
We saw 2 snakes on our journey which was great for the kids.

Plan to spend a full day here and bring walking shoes and I think you will be impressed!

Wonderful architectural masterpiece - the Anthony Chapel. Worth the drive off I-30 to go see this! Parking nearby. An amazing botanical garden. Enjoy walking the grounds.

I really enjoyed the variety and terrain here. I was able to get a three mile hike in and enjoyed everything I saw along the way. I would tell friends visiting to be sure to go here!

Wonderful! Very relaxing. Enjoyed the walk and looking at nature. We spent about 2 hrs there and walked about 3 miles.

This is such a lovely area to visit. My family and I have always enjoyed strolling thru the gardens and learning about vegetation that we've never seen before.

I went with my husband and two kids. Such a beautiful location. It was quiet and peaceful. The staff was very helpful in explaining the best route(s) to take to enjoy all of the gardens. They let us know that the chapel would be closed for an event a few hours after our arrival so we should go first if we wanted to see it. My kids have done a good bit of hiking and they don't like to stay on trails. Luckily there were lots of areas where it was ok for them to explore and go off the path. The treehouse and children's garden made the admission price worth it. Absolutely magical! There was a whole section on the map labeled as a nature preserve with a trail around it. We never made it there so not sure what that area was like. We ate outside at the cafe. The food was good and lots of shaded outdoor seating. My only complaint is that we were there mid October and they were already setting up lights and displays for Christmas. Luckily it was only one section of the gardens where they were setting it up.

Everything about this was a good experience. We can’t wait to visit it again. Plan enough time so you don’t have to rush. Highly recommend.

We spent about three hours walking through the gardens. I was a bit concerned that we were going in between blooming seasons. What I was not prepared for was the lush landscape. When we went into the visitors center, one of the docents told us to skip the bridge and take some time to walk down the stone steps. What great advice! We felt like we were walking in our own private garden. Even though limited plants were in bloom, we could see the evidence of the earlier spring blooms and the promise of the summer blooms. We enjoyed taking a detour to the three story treehouse they told us was "for children of all ages". It is interesting from an architectural perspective, but I'm not sure my grandkids would enjoy. It was a most enjoyable afternoon and if you have to choose between Garvan Gardens and some other attraction, go to Garvan Gardens.

This was a very beautiful and well done garden to explore. The treehouse is amazing and would be great for kids to play in and explore. We got a preview of many of the upcoming holiday light displays which were very fun and creative. Wish we lived close enough to visit throughout the year.

Beautifully laid out gardens with wide, paved walking paths as well as unpaved trails off into the woods. Some of the main paths are hard-packed gravel. Much of the gardens are shaded which was nice during our visit in a heat wave - although I would recommend visiting earlier in the day rather than later. The Anthony Chapel is worth a visit - it is air conditioned. 🙂. We enjoyed our time here.

Definitely worth the admission fee! The gardens are beautifully maintained and the Anthony Chapel is breathtaking. We got there at 10 and stayed until 11:30 when it started to get pretty warm. We want to come back during cooler temperatures and stay longer! Make sure to stop at the Children’s Area and see the cool tree house and also walk through the flower gardens. Smells heavenly!

This is a lovely and peaceful place to visit. Many of the trails are wheelchair accessible. This is a place to go for a stroll. There is nothing strenuous about walking here, which fits nicely with the entire feel of these gardens. Just take your time and enjoy. While we were here in June, with all the azalea bushes we would guess that the place would be spectacular when the azaleas are in bloom. Only negative is that we thought the $15/person entrance fee was a bit high.

The gardens were beautiful. We would have liked to see the chapel but it was busy during the time we were there. Would recommend

The gardens are gorgeous! While we were too late for flowers blooming, it was still beautiful. While it is a little pricey, we spent about 3 hours walking most of the trails, which are very well kept. I feel like it was worth the money. It was the highlight of our vacation for me, I’d definitely go back!

The garden were amazing but the second week of November is not really I think the best time to go there if you’re expecting more flowers and or light displays. The only downside is make sure to ask the ticket sales person if there’s a private party using the chapel on that day so that you know your schedule. Nobody told us about it on that day, in fact the visitor center lady told us not to miss the chapel and when we get there it was close with a security guard outside telling us we cannot get in nor be near the chapel. It seems there’s a lack of coordination with the management and as a result affecting the PAYING visitors.
We enjoyed the food at the Chipmunk cafe though, Reuben sandwich and Swiss Mushroom burger are two thumbs up.

A must see! A great place to have a walk for exercise and enjoy the beautiful gardens. We found most of the trails are shaded, which helped since it is summer. You might want to take some water with you. Don't forget to check out Anthony Chapel on the way out.

We went to see the holiday lights, and it was amazing. We highly recommend visiting Garvan Gardens. It is beautiful year-round, and each season brings different views.

Wonderfully Christmas Lights and to music. My boyfriend was very impressed with his first ever visit being at a Japaneese garden at night of all times! He is excited to see this in the spring.
Definitely a local favorite but a beautiful garden with a great walking path. If you need to get your steps in this would be a great way to do easy walking with some slopes.
Golf cart tours are availible.

The variety of tulips and the colors are amazing. We enjoyed the walk about 4 miles around the property.

Tulips were blooming in March, so beautiful time to visit. The garden is in a more informal, natural setting. You are allowed to pay a small fee and bring your dog. We had a wonderful time strolling through out the gardens, the map they provide at entry is helpful to navigate the areas. Ample parking and clean restrooms.

First of all it would have been nice to have even been admitted to the gardens.....
I have personally been many times and I had family members in town visiting who wanted to see the gardens. My mother, is 87 and cannot walk the gardens because she is handicapped and not in a wheelchair so she dropped my daughter and family member from out of town off to go through the gardens and then she was going to pick them up. Bad mistake. They were told they could not go in because their purses and handbag was too large.....when they asked if they could leave their bags somewhere inside or in a locker, they were told NO. You have to either NOT bring one or apparently put it or leave it in your vehicle. The man was very rude and said it was posted on the website that you cant bring bags..... Since there was none ....this could not happen, The car was already gone. My daughter tried to call my mom to come back and let them leave their bags in the car ..... but my mom does not answer while driving. As I said she is 87 years old! SO

Attended Garvan Gardens during the holiday light show and loved it! The displays were beautiful and fun, seemingly going on forever. So much fun to wander through the woods looking at fun holiday decorations.

Beautiful, lush, well-maintained gardens with streams and waterfalls. Many beautiful plants were blooming when we visited. Wide paved paths throughout most of the garden. Anthony Chapel is an architectural gem not to be missed. Staff was friendly and helpful.

So beautiful! We were there two hours and only saw half of it. The tulips were spectacular. A riot of color.

Beautiful garden to walk through and see various architectural structures that will amaze you!!! St Anthony's Chapel is a must see!

Absolutely beautiful gardens. The tulips are stunning. The treehouse is great for the kids. The glass Anthony chapel is beautiful. So pleased to see this. A must do if you like botanical gardens.

Always something blooming here, one place my out of town guests frequently ask to visit. Well maintained with a wide variety of plants, native and cultivated.

The gardens were beautiful, even in August. The walkways were neat and fine to walk on. There are cool bridges and waterfalls all around.
Only complaint is that they could have more signs identifying the plants.

So pretty, an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. Note that you may not be able to see the chapel if there is an event booked that day. A nice stroll on a pretty day.

Beautiful location with great trails or walking paths with gorgeous vegetation to view. It’s a lot of walking and we were pooped by the time we got back to our car. The highlight was seeing the Anderson Chapel. It’s incredible. We were fortunate to see a marriage proposal occur just as we arrived.

This is a “must-do” if you are visiting Hot Springs, AR. Quiet, almost ethereal in some places, it is an outstanding botanical garden. Well-tended and exotic, it is well worth the time and effort to visit this special place. And don’t miss seeing Anthony Chapel.

We’ve been a few times and there’s no bad season...but spring is especially great. Thousands of tulips and trees blooming everywhere. Paved trails are easy to navigate for all ages and physical abilities. The tree house is truly amazing and the chapel is breathtaking. Even though the parking lot was full during spring break it rarely felt too crowded. Indeed we had some sections practically to ourselves at times. Highly recommended.

We came to the Hot Springs area for our anniversary weekend. We hoped to see some colorful foliage but unfortunately that was not the case this year. We visited this gardens and it was very nice. The map trails were a little unclear but we managed. I was also disappointed with the lack of signage identifying the plants. We loved the train area. Would recommend for anyone visiting the area.

Paid $40 for me and my husband to walk for 2 hours on the trails. 2 people actually told us to follow the red line on map. 15 minutes into the walk we come to a dead end because the bridge is out that takes the rest of the tour. Would not refund our money. Said that bridge has been out for months. If they would have told me I would have not paid $40. Very disappointed.

Beautiful gardens, friendly service, and dog friendly! Well maintained, plenty of things to see, and enjoyable walk.

Perfect time of the year fir
For the tulips. Amazing variety. We were about 10 early for the azalea and rhododendron to bloom.
The walkways are clean and wide. Even with the large amount of people there, we're able to get around without crowding. Most of the time. Plan on spending 3-4 hours walking around to see everything. Also the walk does include going up and down the mountain. Most of the paths are ada accessible.

Such a beautiful place. So much to do and see. It’s a ton of walking. We just happened to be there when the tulips were blooming. It was stunning. Will be back

I’ve been to many botanical gardens, and this isn’t the most grand. It’s more like a nature reserve. But there are a lot of neat bridges, architectural pieces, and bodies of water. Pretty koi pond with HUGE fish. Fun sculptures. The Anthony Chapel is beautiful. Built as a joint venture of inside and outside/wilderness. A must see. The staff were kind and super helpful. Entrance into the garden proper is around 20 dollars, but the chapel and bell tower are free. Plenty of parking. Lots of places to rest. Fairly accessible for the disabled.

Be sure to ask if the chapel is actually open as they close to private events without telling you so then you end up paying for entrance and NOT seeing the chapel. Quite a bummer, as it was the main reason we were coming to the garden. The gardens are lovely though with many water features and trails down to lake Hamilton which was a nice touch.

I only wish it wasn't so hot, we were soaked in sweat and pretty uncomfortable so with the kids complaining we had to cut it short. But the gardens were amazing, each turn felt like you were venturing into a whole different area. They did a really nice job here. Make sure you get the food to feed the Koi!

Wonderful place to visit and walk around. Leave yourself a good amount of time to explore. Always something new being planted for the season. And always ongoing improvements like the tree house and the fairy garden. Just wish the cafe would stay open longer for a post 3pm tea and a bit of cake.

Wonderful visit- they have a reciprocal agreement with the Dallas Arboretum where we have a family membership, so we were able to get 6 of our 8 family members in free! They had a service available for the seniors where you can get a paid tour of the gardens. My parents thoroughly enjoyed this as they are limited in how much walking they are able to do. The Lord gave us an amazing cool day, and the gardens were lovely. I highly recommend if you are in the area- especially if you have a membership to a garden that gets you in free of charge!

We thoroughly enjoyed our walk through this beautifully landscaped garden. The Christmas lights were an added bonus we did not expect

The grounds were beautiful and Anthony’s Chapel is gorgeous ❤️ We enjoyed the treehouse, cave and the waterfalls. I would highly recommend adding this to your list of things to do.

A wonderful place to visit even in the rain. They have many different types of bridges.
Many water falls and many great photo opportunities. there is a beautiful Chapel made of glass and wood. It is really something to see. There is a cute tree house for the kids to go in and adventure are for them too. they are even dig friendly for a small fee of $5.00. there is a wonderful woodland trail. and many beautiful flowers planted all over. Don't miss this wonderful place.

Loved spending the afternoon walking through the gardens, well worth the entry fee. The park was not crowded at all, very peaceful.

A repeat visit, and it was just as nice this time around.
We went in October, and returned in March, and thoroughly enjoyed
the gardens on both visits.
Beautiful grounds, lots of nice paths, scenic views.
The treehouse and chapel are two big highlights - don't miss them - but, the entire setting is lovely. The peacocks add a fun touch.
Staff very nice and helpful

Beautiful gardens, well maintained. Lots of photo options. Shaded areas to sit and picnic. Good for all ages. Don’t miss out

My friend and I walked thru today and loved (almost) every second! Pollen attacked us toward the end and we were anxious to return to air conditioned air to recuperate. But the grounds are lovely ... and quite expansive. My favorite section was the path down to the tip of the peninsula on the lake! Just lovely!

Garvan Woodland Gardens is an ever changing delight. Each season is enhanced by decorations that complement the beautiful scenery and plants. It is a peaceful place that you can stroll in for hours and always notice something new. It is a minature tour of the world from the Japanese Garden and Coy Pond to the classical Italian Renassiance court yard. The variety of plants and colors offer a palate to appeal to your senses. Any season is perfect - do not pass up this experience.

Beautiful garden! As far as the security and staffing personnel, to say they were rude would be an understatement. My family attended a wedding, and like I mentioned the chapel and the garden were amazing. The security personnel were lazy (thank goodness for carts) and rude they are not professional and gave attitude when asked questions. i understand time limits contracts etc. but there is definitely a professional way to conduct Business.

The glass chappel. Actually the whole thing it was beautiful we discovered the garden of Eden. beautiful flowers. lots of bridges mini Waterfalls. We are 75 & 76 and we're able to walk the trails ok.

Beautiful! Looks exactly like the pictures. Several nature trails to choose from with picturesque views of the surrounding lake. The tree house and the bridges attached were unique and fun! We had a wonderful time.

We went there to hike and the paths were easy to manage with walking sticks. The volunteers gave excellent directions and pointed out possible points of interest. The tree house, the waterfalls and creeks along with the Anthony Chapel were worth the visit.

Although not much was in bloom during our visit, the gardens are beautiful. We enjoyed all of the little waterfalls and the gorgeous views. The grounds are well maintained and the staff was very friendly. The peacock and two peahens were a fun surprise. We went at the end of the day so we only had two hours. We could have definitely spent another hour exploring. They are members of the American Horticultural Society reciprocity program so we visited for free which was awesome.

Wonderful! Loved all of it. Tulips and daffodils were blooming. The tree house in the children's garden is very unique and fun. Remember to go to the chapel

We visit the gardens often and always have such a lovely time! The environment is well kept and tranquil. The staff is always kind. The cafe is yummy and the trains are exciting for kiddos + adults alike.

This was my first trip to Hot Springs and Garvan Woodlands Gardens was the highlight of my trip. What a beautiful and peaceful place. Many Christmas decorations were already in place and what an amazing sight to see. It is so enchanting (I felt like I was in a fairy tale). My friend and I actually made two trips that same day. We went back as the sun was slowing setting so we could get a better view of the lights. A must see in Hot Springs.

The experience was wonderful and the staff was super friendly, love that they didn’t charge to borrow a stroller. The chapel was absolutely lovely, and LOVED the peacocks running around. Also got there in time to see most of the tulips bloom. I was in heaven.

Loved this place. BRING THE STROLLER! even if they're 5! 12 and 3y.o. both loved it. It was so so hot and humid couldn't fully enjoy! Food was great too loved the snow cones much needed on hot day. I didn't plan to go to Anthony chapel but wandered upon it and it's truly beautiful and quite a sight to see. Worth the brief walk.

We were a group aged 17-78 & everyone enjoyed. Beautiful easy walking. I could picture weddings at Anthony Chapel, they must be absolutely beautiful!

Beautiful even in the fall! Our family loved
Visiting the gardens. The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed it.

A must see. They had decorated for Halloween and had many, many Christmas lights on. The $2 million tree house was something to see. It is lovely. The chapel is a special site. Many weddings are held here. Put it on your must see list.

While the walk was enjoyable the gardens were boring. The children's section was the highlight and we didn't have any kids with us. I would come back just to bring my grandkids just to spend a few hours in this section, it has a water feature to play in!

Went for the Christmas lights, they were amazing! Parking was easy, lots of people directing traffic and even with a large crowd it wasn’t stressful. The cafe was open and the food was very good.

Went for the Christmas lights after Christmas…I was appreciative that they don’t take them down immediately. It was simply amazing. I would love to go see the gardens in the spring. The downside is that there weren’t many benches for taking breaks from walking.

We recently became members of the American Horticulture Society so the membership allows us entrance to gardens all across the US. While in Hot Springs, we decided to check out the Garvan Woodland Gardens.

We saw on the website that there was a bag policy instituted at the first of April that only clear bags would be allowed, Small non-clear bags that are easily searched were being permitted on the day we went, but be prepared to travel minimally or with a clear bag. This seems to be a University of Arkansas policy that is being implemented at the Gardens.

Because we didn't have to pay an entrance fee, we opted to spend the money on a golf cart tour. It wasn't clear on the website that it would be $20/person rather than $20 for the golf cart. It also wasn't clear that it would be a guided tour. The lady at the gift shop explained it to us so we decided since we only had limited time and there was a big chance of rain, we'd spend the money and do the guided tour. We are glad we did because we not only saw a lot, we learned about the history of the gardens and plans for the future. It was worth doing but I don't think I would have spent the money if I had also paid for entrance.

We toured the gardens between blooming seasons so most of what we saw were woodlands. If you care about flowers, be sure to time your visit to coincide with them in bloom.

This was my first garden to walk through and it was AMAZING!!! It was cool outside which is my favorite type of weather. I loved the postcard pictures as well. All of the flowers were beautiful but my favorite thing was the waterfalls

A beautiful garden that is well maintained. Friendly staff and excellent landscaping. Peaceful and exquisite. A must see that is well worth the drive out of town. Don’t miss the Anthony church.

We arrived early and got a golfcart tour as suggested on here.Im so glad we did!We really wanted to drive ourselves but that was NOT an option.The lady in the gift shop that books the golfcart was very pushy.Our driver was very nice and knew a lot about the area.There wasn't a lot blooming but the Christmas decorations were being constructed.It would have been a lot of walking so I am glad we rode instead.The only bad thing was that we were not allowed to get out of the except for 2 times.The gardens are beautiful and a lot to see.Parking was easy and the chapel is a must.

We have traveled all over the world and have never had such a bad experience. The staff here does not like handicapped people. They act like handicapped people are just too much of a bother. There is almost no handicapped parking. Wheel chairs are extremely expensive to rent. Everywhere else we visited in Arkansas everyone was so nice. Here they made it very clear: If you’re from out of state you’re not welcome. The staff is rude, sarcastic and acts like customers are interfering with their time on their phones. Please don’t support businesses that make it hard for handicapped people.

This was a nice stop on our trip. The gardens are scenic although they were beginning to set up what looked like Christmas lights everywhere so there were totes and bundles of lights laying around. Overall though we enjoyed our walk through the gardens.

We went in July expected some serious heat but we’re blessed with an overnight which made for a cool morning visit. Enjoyed the design and beauty of the plants and hardscape. My two teens 14 & 16 enjoyed it too. Was wondering if it would win them over and it did. Flowing water features and bridges added some serine nature. The tree house and chapel were nice architectural designs.

The staff is very friendly and helpful. The gardens are spectacular. One of the best botanical gardens in the country. If you drive through Little Rock, it's worth a little detour to go see these gardens in Hot Springs. We spent a couple hours one afternoon and came back for more the next morning it was so good! You can walk it or take the golf cart tour. The tour guide driving the golf cart will give you an entertaining description and historical info on the gardens and its founder. Well worth it!

Even on a cloudy day, the gardens are beautiful with acres and acres of interesting flowers, plants and trees. Easy to navigate trails. The lady who greeted us at the entrance was helpful and loved her enthusiasm for the gardens. The bridges were interesting and we were glad we took the extra time to see the lake view which took you clear down to the water. We also took the trail to the Anthony Chapel which was very interesting and beautiful!
Very clean bathrooms!
An extra bonus was seeing the peacocks perched outside the visitor center!

Beautiful, beautiful gardens. Nice walkways. Lots of trails. Identification of trees and flowers. We were there when buses of school children were there, so lots of laughing, etc. but they did not stay too long and were never in our way, because this facility is so big. I loved the trains! We loved the chapel. Must see! We will go back!

Beautiful garden, great place to spend a few hours if it is not too hot. Needs more trail signage. Some increase in elevation in the paths. Anthony Chapel is the main attraction.

Even though we went in late October and there were not tons of flowers, there were still plenty to see. We enjoyed ourselves. We slowly made our way through the gardens. Checking out all the plants. There we many Christmas displays being set up. Some of the lights were visible in the daylight and I loved it. The mums were gorgeous! The tree house was very cool. Be sure to see it. You will be glad you did!

Although we were in there in February and the snow froze some flowers we still spent 2 hours enjoying the grounds. The treehous, chapel and waterfalls are all worth seeing

We have visited Garvin Gardens one time before and enjoyed it tremendously. Looked forward to next visit. We were there the middle of October and was greatly disappointed. It was very dry which of course we knew the foliage wouldn’t be as great and was prepared for that but what we found disappointed in was they had begun preparing for Christmas which is fine except there were people working, ladders everywhere, lights lying on the ground waiting to be strung, flower beds just dirt etc. we didn’t pay to come in and watch Christmas construction being done when it is just mid October. We were expecting to see lots of pumpkins and fall decorations. Wish we didn’t see except one beautifully done cornucopia. We love Christmas time and realize it’s a big event for them to prepare for but just didn’t feel we got our moneys worth this time.

As a master gardener, this was the best treat . The tulips were gorgeous, I never knew there were so many shapes and colors. Wonderful nature walk

It was easy to socially distance and enjoy these beautiful gardens. The restaurant had surprising great food and a charming outdoor area for eating.

Very nice hiking in the well maintained park. Don't miss the tree house. Waterfalls, streams and ponds everywhere.

This place is absolutely beautiful. A lot of walking but so many different areas to see. I saw golf carts being used with a guide for some visitors. If you have limited mobility, I would check into the use of one.

We travel full time with our 3 small children and decided to visit for a hike. It was a lovely experience! This is a BEAUTIFUL place with so many stunning views. We enjoyed the self guided tour, although we didn’t finish because our children were getting tired. Highly recommend!

This was such a fun day spent walking in the gardens. There are paved trails, there are rocky trails that meander all through the gardens. We enjoyed the sounds of the waterfalls everywhere around. If you go to Hot Springs, you must go visit Garvan.

We checked out the Woodlands of Garvan recently and strolled through their any walking trails and taking in a nice Sunday afternoon. Many things to see, pretty Christmas lights, Train set that is Live, and many decorations and statuaries that will please the family.

The gardens are beautiful. They are still replanting after the freeze of 2021, but it is still beautiful. The children’s treehouse is interesting. This is a beautiful place for a wedding or afternoon in the park. Do not miss the Anthony Chapel even though it is a different direction from the other garden. Peacocks were spotted in the main garden while we were there.

Very pretty and peaceful. It’s a little pricey and they charge more at the door than online. They food at the cafe was pretty good. There is a model railroad by the snack shack that may interest the kids. You can feed fish at the lower pond, make sure to get some food at the front booth.

Beautiful scenery and lots of plants and wildlife to take in and even have an up close encounter with a peacock. Take good walking shoes and plenty of water because you will be out for a good bit of time walking the trails and doing photo opps.

Wonderful gardens! Definitely a must see if in the Hot Springs area. I also recommend the Chipmunk Cafe; the food was very good and not terribly overpriced as you'll find in some gardens/tourist attractions. I suggest buying tickets online to save some money.

Visiting Garvan Woodland Gardens was the highlight of our recent trip to Hot Springs. We went there in order to see Anthony Chapel. The chapel is spectacular and well worth seeking out. The gardens also are a delight. There are volunteers to answer any questions and to help guide you along the paths. This is a spot not to be missed when visiting Hot Springs.

We were visiting Hot Springs an decided to stop by to see the Chapel so we thought we would walk through the gardens. The woman who checked us in said “you are in for a treat” as we entered. That was an understatement. Although only the tulips were blooming since it was still winter, the gardens were shockingly magnificent. The waterfalls, lakes, streams and foliage were breathtaking. This place is magnificent. And the architecture in the children’s garden is beyond description. The treehouse must be seen to be believed. So if you are in the area do yourself a favor and visit this place. $22 a person may seem like a lot to see a garden, but trust me it is not and it is totally worth every penny.

We have a pass and really enjoyed the Tulip festival. Hopefully the Christmas lights will be on display this year!

It was a beautiful place. It was super crowded though. With all the people around it was hard to take pictures.

Not much to show in this place. Disappointed because no beds of flowers seen. Not a picturisque. It is a good trail though to walk but expensive.

A friend & I made spur of the moment plans to go walk around here. Neither of us had ever been. It was so SO pretty! We didn't care that we chose to come on a hot summer day or that we're incapable of reading a map haha! We didn't get to see all of it because a storm started to roll in, but it is definitely worth multiple return trips! I'd love to see it in fall or decorated for the holidays! Gorgeous park!

Absolutely beautiful. All the sections of the gardens and the integration into the area with water features and paths. I could have spent SEVERAL hours there. And the chapel was amazing with its placement in the woods. Kudos to the staff and university for their continuous upkeep.

This place is gorgeous and located on a lovely lake. We encountered the nicest staff and volunteers and resident peacock. Unfortunately it began to rain heavily and we only saw a portion of the garden. The chapel alone is worth the stop.

Beautiful in April. We visited the Tuesday after Easter. We walked about 15,000 steps in the garden so know that it’s going to be a bit of walking.

The paths were clear and clean and well organized. We especially enjoyed the Japanese garden with the Koi pond, and we finished with Anthony Chapel. That was a great place to finish because there is a comfortable place to sit and gather yourself before heading home

My wife and I toured the gardens on 3/20/21. We were very impressed with everything we experienced. You will get your money's worth and then some here. Beautiful flowers, trees and nice walking paths. Would most assuredly tour it again in the future.

Beautiful place to see in the Spring. There were lots of flowers to see and it’s a nice peaceful place to walk around. My only issue was the price. At one time it was $13 for adults. Now it is $20. For a family day, this gets expensive really quick.

This place lived up to all the hype! The grounds were pristine and provided lots of walking trails to walk through the beautiful gardens. The tulips had just come up so we really got a good dose of color. What a great place to get back to see beauty and get our Fitbit steps !

It was a shame the chapel was closed and being used for a wedding rehearsal. Seems like that kind of stuff could be scheduled at non-visitor times.

This was so much more than I expected! Every step was absolutely beautiful! It was a little confusing to navigate, but I didn’t mind getting lost because everything was so pretty. The paths are mostly natural, some gravel. There are several little waterfalls and lots of flowers to see! The tulips were absolutely stunning.

Great place to walk with outstanding beauty. The trail is well marked and each stop along the way is special. Trees were flowering and the spring flowers were opening.

We went to see the amazing chapel and then took the golf cart tour. Our guide, Steve, did an excellent job of relating the history of the property and the different parts of the garden. I appreciated the golf cart tour because I love to hear the stories about what I'm seeing.
The staff was very friendly and helpful and the food at the cafe was very good. It was a beautiful place and a beautiful morning spent there.

We visited this place for a full 4 hours and hit almost everything but probably could have spent the whole day! The children's tree house was beautiful and I love the Japanese gardens. The tulips were in bloom the end of March which was fun and the views of the lake were nice as well. The chapel was closed for filming of something so we didn't get to tour that which was a bummer.

We used our home botanical garden membership because it has reciprocal membership with other gardens. We got in for free!

My husband and I went this morning and it was beautiful. The peacock was very friendly, the staff was helpful, and the chapel was worth the walk.

Drove 5 hours to Hot Springs from Lindale, TX. Hoping for a weekend of relaxation in Hot Springs. I had never been there and will never go back. Run down overrated town with absolutely nothing to do. Took a trip to Garvan Gardens to see Anthony’s Chapel. Guess what? After paying 25.00 apiece for entrance the sign read, Anthony’s Chapel closed for special event. Yes it was rented out for a wedding. Nothing ever posted until after they got your money. The Gardens look like my back yard with nothing but a walkway with flowers and an overpriced small place to pay 6.00 for a drink! So do yourself a big favor skip Hot Springs, and honestly just skip Arkansas unless you’re so infatuated with Wild Bill Clinton that driving through his childhood home would get you off. As for me I had rather watch paint dry and sit at home and smell the barn. Good luck with your travels and please wish me the same before I blow another expensive weekend on absolutely nonsense!!

We were pleasantly surprised with how beautiful the gardens are during fall season. We love woodland gardens and the layout and walking paths were awesome. We would love to revisit to see the flowers in spring and summer. A truly wonder experience. Give a visit!! Buy tickets on-line and save.

These are truly beautiful woodland gardens—the focus seems to be on landscaping and naturalistic water features. They make beautiful use of stone. There are flowers , but they are not the stars. We appreciated the good map and the restrooms available throughout the garden. Also the chapel located on the grounds is exquisite and HUGE.

If you are into gardens, this is a beautiful place to walk around. They were setting up the Holiday Lights displays and it looks like it would be fun to visit then.

The Gardens are beautiful with many paths and garden varieties to choose from. HOWEVER, their accommodations for seniors with mobility issues were disappointing. They offer a golf cart tour but they do NOT let you reserve one - so after driving 3 hours I learned that the (ONLY 2) carts were already taken and "reserved" beyond the time we had available to us. I find that limitation unacceptable for a university-operated venue. My parents who are in their 80's were left with grabbing whatever other options such as wheelchair, strollers, walkers were available - I grabbed the only walker which was not sufficient for my dad...disappointing and shameful!

Wow! What a wonderful way to spend the day! Garvan Woodland Gardens were beautiful with lots of streams, vegetation, and small waterfalls. If you stay on the main path, the walk is not difficult. There were opportunities to venture off the trail and further enjoy the gardens. Be sure to keep your trail map handy or you may have a much longer walk than expected. We walked about 4 miles and didn’t finish all the trails. The weather was perfect but if you go on a warm day you will need a water bottle. Our day ended with a visit to the Anthony Chapel. We were lucky that the Tuesday we toured the gardens was one of the few days the chapel was available to go inside. According to staff there are weddings planned for most days for the next few months. I can see why any couple would want to hold their wedding at the chapel. It was stunning! We loved every minute of our day.

Tranquil, peaceful, soul-cleansing. Completely exceeded our expectations. Parking lot was jam-packed but garden is big enough we often felt like the only ones there. Spent three hours without going to the nature reserve loop. Amazing photo ops. Cafe food was good but pretty slow and a little expensive for what you get; will pack a lunch for our next time. Water coolers available at the bathrooms.

Worst part of the visit was a group from Texas (parked by them in parking lot and I used to live in Dallas so I get a pass in calling the state out) letting their kids go crazy and the adults themselves cutting across nature areas instead of following the paths. Saw them several times off path and once videoing their (very cute!) little girl shaking a sapling off path so violently I couldn’t believe it wasn’t broken in half. Wife wouldn’t let me call them out in person so here I am.

TLDR: Go visit and respect the nature!

I'm so glad we spent the time and money to visit Garvan. The entire area is beautiful!
The line to get in was rather long, but it was worth it. Although there were plenty of people, everyone was spread out.
The children's area was really nice with a lot of rocks to climb and water features to explore. My kids are teens and didn't play, but they still thought it was pretty cool.
We didn't go into the tree house because of the crowds, but we did walk around it.
If we lived near Hot Springs, we'd definitely buy a membership!
Parking was free, the chapel was free, and the gardens were $15/person ages 13+.
Restrooms were clean.

We went in March when the tulips were blooming. When we arrived at 9:30am, there were 3 cars in line ahead of us and many more arrived after we did. The park got busier as the day went along, so my advice is to arrive early. Our dog was welcome there, and quite a few people had dogs with them. Dogs are $5 extra, and the park allows 1 dog per person on a 6 foot leash (no expanding leashes). There are several peacocks there that roam the property. The flower beds were beautiful. The Woodland trails were not as spectacular since the trees were not leafed out yet, but it was well worth the visit.

This place was phenomenal! We were greeted by a knowledgeable woman who showed us how to get around. We started walking on the paved and crushed paths. It was daytime but they were getting ready for their Christmas display and it was gorgeous. It was enchanting. The weather may have helped- clear blue skies? The bridges, the waterfalls, the lakes, some flowers… just a wonderful wonderful well maintained place. The tree house was clever. The Anthony Chapel was unbelievable! My only two suggestions would be to add tree and plant markers, subtly. And, the route is not well marked. I am not thinking about getting lost. I’m thinking about marking the paths subtly so it’s clear which way to go so as to not miss a thing! Maybe mark the road and tell people to follow the red markers to cover the main loop, follow yellow markers for side loops that will lead you back to the main red loop. The only distracting thing was having to check the map periodically. I’d rather just come to a fork in the road and somehow know which way to go by looking at the road or a sign. The stay to the left does not work haha! It’s obvious so much care goes into these gardens! Wow!

We always go to the gardens in the Fall and Spring, but the Christmas lights are just amazing and a “Must-Do” around the end of the year for anybody. It is so peaceful and relaxing and just nice to see how creative the displays are set up. The hot chocolate is great too! We are from Louisiana and have plenty of “Christmas Light Festivals,” but Garvan Gardens beats all of them in our book. We bought a season pass last night. (We went on a Thursday around 6:30 and stayed in traffic for almost an hour trying to get into the park, so I would either go earlier or later and I probably wouldn’t go on a weekend if you wanted to avoid crowds and traffic/parking issues). The staff was very helpful and friendly though.

Great place, we spent 3 hours there , the chapel was closed but still very cool so was the treehouse. Good sandwich at the restaurant.

This is a wonderful garden! We spent a morning at Garvan Gardens. It is so serene and beautiful! The flowers are delightful and the views are spectacular! The Anthony Chapel is stunning, just wish that it was open! I highly recommend this place!

A friend of mine recommended coming here, even if "it's the only thing you do." She was right. It was such a peaceful, beautiful place with paved walkways and tons of shade. Lots of water features so lovely sounds all around. It was October; I'm sure springtime is more beautiful when it comes to flowers, but we did not feel we missed out on anything.

Nice place. Beautiful! Enjoyed the kids section alot! Lots to view. Trails nice. Wedding going on so we didnt see church

Lots of space and trails. You can stick to the ones closest to the entrance or go off the beaten path to walk close to nature without a lot of people, Beautiful gardens, lovely woods, lots of ponds and waterfalls. Amazing architecture such as the Anthony Chapel and the Treehouse.