State Botanical Garden of Georgia Reviews

The gardens are beautiful and educational. I enjoyed walking around the grounds and trails. Also enjoyed frisbee on
the terraces.

This place is one of my favorite place to go and walk. There are several things to do. Other than the amazing gardens, there are trials to walk and see natural life. It is a good experience and be aware to see deers along the trails. Lovely place indeed! I could see a family of deers right in front of me.

I was disappointed when we went. There had been an unexpected freeze the previous week that killed most of the blooms. This was completely out of the control of the Gardens, of course. They did try to make up for it by burying potted flowering plants around some areas. I definitely want to go back when the weather co-operates more.

This has amazing trails to run or walk on, with enough hills and long enough to make it a good walk or run, but also enough outlets to cut it short, back to the parking to, if you want.

Made a brief visit for the first time over the weekend. Looking forward to going back when more is in bloom. It was a Sunday morning so the visitor center was not open yet. We enjoyed our time walking around. Beautiful place to walk and get some fresh air.

Visited last week and while it was blistering hot outside, there was tons of shade and very pleasant!

Beautiful walking area, paved and unpaved trails. All plants were well-labeled, they have a great children's garden area. Best of all, this attraction is free.

Beautiful exhibits, indoor and outdoor, beautiful trails. I highly recommend a visit. I could have spent several days exploring but even a short visit would be well worth while.

Out for a stroll through the wonderland that is SBGUGA. Well maintained walkways and shrubbery. Ample parking and a good cafe for refueling.

The gardens have friendly staff, a nice cafe, and an amazing presentation of a very large variety of plants. Unfortunately it is Not dog-friendly but still a must see for anyone in the area.

We spent about two hours walking through the gardens and surrounding woods. We were impressed with the beautiful grounds and upkeep; there were volunteers working around every corner. As new birders, we were agape at all the birds we saw just on entering the gardens. We also popped by the chapel and wished we had more time to explore that area. Next time!

This is an excellent place to stroll, hike or sit and enjoy the beauty of the gardens. Their event space is reasonable and top notch!

It was awfully hot but we decided to stop by the Botanical Gardens anyway. The grounds were beautiful but we were especially to see everything that was growing indoors out of Georgia’s summer heat.

There is so much to see, too much to describe but if you are a plant/flower lover this is a must see.

We both loved this place. We were there in early autumn and there was still plenty to see. You don’t often get a botanical garden that also has a 3 mile plus hiking trail attached. Hidden gem!

While it might be hard to find, the place is large and well kept. There are interesting gardens and paths, an area where vegetables are growing, and a blend of nature and landscape design and sculpture worth a visit. The children's play area has a map of Georgia and fun interactive areas where the kids can climb and play and learn all at the same time. You can spend a couple hours here or even longer if it is not too hot outside. There are some shaded paths and picturesque spots to view the colorful plants and flowers. The gorunds stay open later than the visitor's center, in case you wanted to get a souvenir.

What a fantastic place that is well thought out and just a wonder for plant lovers. The various trails are nice and the interior of the green house is wonderful.

It's not too large so it's easy to stop by for a walk on a well kept path. Or for just a drive through if a passenger wants to experience nature, but has limited mobility.

Our 1st visit. The Cherry trees were in full beautiful bloom, many varieties of daffodils many had not ever seen, saw an owl in one of the cherry trees, the atrium had several different varieties of plants, several walking trails, many different types of spring flowers. With is spring the summer garden was not up yet.

The State Botanical Garden has something for everyone: lush gardens, wooded hiking trails, and now the interactive and delightful childrens’ garden. Maybe too popular now: overflow parking now a necessity and not that safe to walk to. Go during the week to avoid weekend crowds!

My family has been enjoying this place for years!!! It’s beautiful all times of year, it’s quiet, and it is very well maintained! Great for all ages! And I was kidding about the dinosaurs.

The gardens are always just lovely to visit, a great outing for the family. As a teenager it was the venue for our prom, as an adult it has served as a beautiful setting for small weddings of friends.

The State Botanical Gardens has several excellent walking / jogging trails. I like the white trail. It is several miles long. It meanders through hills creeks and ends up along the river. I also like the orange trail. It follows a majestic creek down to the river. The formal gardens are also very interesting.

Really enjoyed the botanical gardens…unfortunately the season wasn’t right…a couple of more weeks will have given us the perfect timing I guess!
However was a really enjoyable visit and I did really enjoyed the visit to the glasshouse and the beautiful orchids.

The gardens are expansive, and there is plenty of beauty to take in. They have trails that go around the formal gardens that are just as beautiful. This is a nice, relaxing stop and highly recommended. I also suggest taking the trail over to where the day chapel is. It really is beautiful in the wooded setting.

The gardens were interesting, and we enjoyed walking on the trail along the river, though the ground was squishy and the trail blocked by fallen trees in some places. The staff was working to clean up and repair the damage from a "small-tornado-like" storm that had just gone through. There were plenty of nice spots to sit and enjoy nature.

This is a lovely venue and great for a long stroll or a hike in the surrounding areas. The layout is very ambitious and looks a little neglected in areas. I was hoping there would be more flowers in bloom in late May, but there were few. We will return to check out the blooms again.

I love going for walks here with my little brother and nephew. There is so much to see and do here. I especially like the fountains.

An exquisitely arranged and maintained botanical garden with everything “Georgia” and tons on international plants. The new kids area is a must see. Take a stroll on one of its many nature trails!

Took my grandson for a visit to see Santa. It was decorated beautifully inside. Gift shop was very well stocked. All employees and volunteers were very nice.

I have visited the Botanical Garden quite a few times, throughout my visits to Athens. Every aspect of the Botanical Garden is always amazing!
This is the first time that I have been here, since they have opened the Children's Garden!
IT IS SPECTACULAR!
Please, take the time to observe the amazing details!
The skill, knowledge, thought and care, given to this very special place is unbelievable!
The Children's Garden is without a doubt, the highlight of Athens!!!

One of my parents most memorable places in Athens was the gardens therefore I decided to visit and share the experience with family. The indoor tropical plants are absolutely enjoyable. The outdoor gardens offer ample area to explore and view many unique plants and work that so many people of put into creating the space. It is a lovely place to spend a few hours relax and enjoy.

We have visited many botanical gardens, but we disappointed in this one. We are older and getting around can be challenging sometimes. This garden was the most challenging one we have encountered. The land is hilly (you take an elevator just to get from the parking to the visitor center). The place is VERY lacking in signage. Just to get from the parking to the Visitor Center was an adventure not knowing about the elevator. A sign at that point would have been very helpful for first time visitors. We eventually got a map that was somewhat useful, but very incomplete and sketchy. The entry fellow said to start at the children's garden, but the map had no mention of that. Just walk around on the hot day until you find it? We tried walking some mostly unmarked paths and found a few things, but again this involved a lot of hilly terrain, at least for us old folks.
WE will go back now that we have learned some things the hard way and when the weather is cooler.
By the way the cafe is now a small snack shop with chips and drinks only. There is no food near the park entrance unless you drive back into central Athens.

Great facility. Nice trails to walk. Cool plants and a great shop. A must visit place for anyone visiting Athens.

lovely way to spend the day after Thanksgiving with family. Handicap access easy to find. Cafe was closed but free coffee was available. Friendly staff willing to help with botanical info. Lovely gift shop.

Several paths that are well marked, well kept, and fun for a short hike (or longer if you string a few of them together). Doable for kids, fun terrain, and nice changes in scenery. We hike these paths at about once a week and they don’t get old.

Enjoyed the variety of plants and trees and the natural layout of the Botanical Gardens. Well worth visiting to enjoy the outdoors and natural beauty of the area!!!

I've visited here both to enjoy the gardens during the day and also to experience the holiday lights. The gardens are beautiful and extremely well planned and maintained.

thi your own paces is a quiet place of athens, its free ,but donations needed just apeaceful place to walk around at

I can't believe I waited so long to visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Gainesville! While I loved the location downtown, the Gainesville location is beautiful. Less the perfectly manicured lawns, this location is more natural with walking trails that wind through the tree. You can also avoid the crowds and early enough in the morning, you might even have the paths to yourself.

The exhibits are wonderful (in my case I saw Ribbit the Exhibit) and the staff friendly and welcoming.

I have taken my great grandson to the summer program host at the State Botanical Garden and he loves it....we definitely will go again this year....their programs are age appropriate and very informative and creative.

My husband and I went and spend about 2 hours here. Great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of things! Very relaxing, beautiful place!! We took our time and read a lot about some of the flowers and things that are planted here, very neat to learn about different types of flowers/plants. You can actually buy some plants at the store they have. Most of the areas are very shaded and the walking paths are very clean and clear. We didn't have time to check out any trails. The children's area they just added is Very Nice!! Very nice place to visit and recommend going!

Visit anytime of year, but of course football season is the best time as DAWG Nation comes to life. Very pretty.

Lots of daffodils and tulips in bloom! Beautiful time to visit! More to come. Also enjoyed the trail along the Oconee River. Cherry trees in bloom.

We visit the gardens several times a year. The have great walking trails and there is always something in bloom.

Lovely place to "lose" yourself for awhile. Enjoy the outdoor gardens during cooler weather but there is plenty to see indoors as well.

We spent the entire day here on Father's Day. The weather was great, displays and flowers were so nice. The trails were well cared for. Staff here are very friendly and helpful!

I enjoyed a nice morning of hiking some of the trails at the gardens during a recent visit to Athens. Enjoyed my brief time in the area and this was a nice "nature" diversion from my business trip.

This place is great. As a runner I love it’s mile and miles or wooded trails. During the right seasons this place is a blaze of color.

The State Botanical Gardens of Georgia is very well maintained in its secluded landscape. With clean graded walking trails one can really escape the fast moving city life and relax with nature. The gardens are flourishing with native and non native species of plants, making it one of my must see stops on the way to see the Georgia Bull Dogs Play!!!!

This is a great place to visit. The gardens are very nice and the green house is well maintained. The meeting areas are excellent.

There are many acres of native and local plants here laid out in several garden areas. There are many signs identifying particular plants as well as educational vignettes on topics like herbs. Because it's a nature habitat we also saw many birds, butterflies, and lizards. There are some benches scattered throughout where you can rest from the heat. The Visitors Center is in a climate-controlled building with restrooms and a small snack shop. They provide maps of the gardens as well as some specialty trails like for hummingbirds. If you enjoy nature, you must visit here.

What better way to get closer to your significant other than taking a stroll through a multi-sensory botanical garden?

Spend the day smelling various plants, herbs and flowers, feasting your eyes on brilliant colors, and holding hands with the one you love.

This is a wonderful addition to the attractions of Athens. Beautiful setting and the new children’s section is fantastic. Children love it. Lots of space and interesting exhibits. The best no cost outing in Athens for families with young children. However it is also wonderful for adults if you are interested in botany and learning about local flora. It has hiking trails and even a spot to purchase and enjoy a sandwich. The Botanical Gardens is the best kept secret in Athens.

The White trail is a beautiful 3 mile hike although recently several large trees have fallen on the trail requiring you to occasionally veer off trail including a bridge that has been destroyed requiring you to ford a stream. The gift shop is delightful.

Great walking trails. Readily available maps and walking trails that are well marked and maintained. If you're interested in finding a great walking experience whether you have a little or a lot of time, I would highly recommend the State Botanical gardens.

A beautiful setting filled with paths that allow you to see Georgia's nature, plants, and beauty up close and personal. You can spend hours walking around and enjoying the day. We only had an hour to spare, so we plan to visit again and again. If I lived locally I would walk there as often as possible for exercise of the mind and body.

This has always been a beautiful place to visit, but now with the new kid's area, it is even better for parents. We love this place! Also a great place for photos!

This is a great place to spend a relaxing couple of hours enjoying nature and the sunshine. There are some wonderful areas full of all kinds of different plants and wonderful things. The paths are easy to follow even without a map, and they're easy to walk so you don't have to ready for any hiking unless you choose to follow the hiking trails. The hiking is really lovely, too, with lots of natural wilderness and easy to follows paths. I even got to see some deer when I went! And you can make your hike as long or short as you want!

I have been here before many years ago. The weather this visit was cold and raining so we could not enjoy the leisurely stroll that I wad hoping for. I did feel my self relax and breathe deeply.
The garden was a little between seasons but worth the visit.
The staff/volunteers were extremely pleasant.

I commonly referred to "The Botan" as a place to get outside and enjoy the silence! I would visit here regularly and walk whatever trail and find one of their benches and just let the time go by. I would often bring a book or homework as well when I had the time! Located just past the softball/soccer facility off of Milledge, I would recommend a trek out there for every student or visitor!

My son got married here...it was a memorable evening. It's impossible to shoot a bad photo here. Everything is so scenic.

Was attending a wedding and had a few hours that were free, so about a dozen of us went to the gardens on Saturday. We got there about 9:00 am and it was already 90 degrees., so we did short walks outside several times and came back to the visitors center to cool off before heading out again. This gardens are absolutely gorgeous. Bring bug spray for the woodsy areas although I noticed that they had bug spray out for those who needed it. I would have loved to see this place in the Springtime when it's cooler, but it's a must see anytime when visiting the area.

The Botanical Gardens have so many paths to follow with lots of plants identified. The grounds are beautiful with bridges, running water and plantings for all seasons. I have been there in the spring, summer and fall and enjoyed the walking each time. (A little less in the summer due to the heat!) The inside display is very diverse. Although the space is small the assortment of plants is huge. This is the perfect place to spend at least a couple of hours.

Wonderful visit with hours of enjoyment walking the gardens.Small cafe inside with shops and so much to enjoy.

The Conservatory is especially worth a visit. First-class! A wonderful place to have a serene walk in the woods.

Great walking trails, a beautiful new active children's area, a conservatory and many different gardens. A wonderful place to visit.

The gift shop has great prices and neat gifts for all tastes. The staff are helpful and pleasant. The variety of gifts from note cards to scarves to tea towels and nature gifts are one of a kind items.

the place is full of wonders, being on the list of 1000 palaces to see before you die in US&Canada, it's really worth multiple visits!
there are a lot of different plantation types and you could barely like something you could not find there!
there are some parts in the main building for some special plants and also a very huge garden outside.
there is a lot of free parking available!
there is a cafe which has weird hours but still is a plus!
a good place to see almost all year round (personally I like winter the least:( )
many trials if you are into jugging or biking!
the hours are not updated on their website and automated phone which is a huge headache.
park closes at dark which is a very bad thing:( but it seems ok to stay more! I have enjoyed the stars there a couple of times.

Beautiful Garden, relaxing place to walk and enjoy nature. Excellent variety of plants. Spring is a great time to visit to see all the blooms. Currently admission is free, but $2 donation suggested

One of the better Botanical Gardens that we've seen. Some areas seemed past their seasonal prime but worth the visit.

We've visited the Botanical gardens at least once each season and nature never disappoints. It's a lovely walk any time of year and the greenhouse is a rainforest of greenery year round. Definitely worth a visit, especially for gardeners.

I was here for a special event and blown away by the peaceful walking paths, great signage and large beautiful conservatory. The gift shop has many nice items, and you can learn a lot about Georgia natural history, as well as just find yourself in a very peaceful place. The food at our special event was catered by the Garden restaurant and featured farm-to-table vegetables that were very good, so I would be happy to try the cafe.. The walking pathes are extensive and open many more hours than the other buildings, so they are worth visiting on their own but, to plan the best visit, check the website to see what buildings and concessions are open when you want to go. There are also many special events that the public can come to, so that makes it doubly valuable to check the website in advance.

While visiting our daughter at UGA we had some time to kill and spent an afternoon strolling through the beautiful gardens. It was very nice and I'd recommend it to others visiting the area.

With yet another hick southern, forgettable town that gets little right, they got your one right..

Not a bulldog, or bullfrog in site... Just perdy flowers..

Save a few hours of dronning boredom for this one

We've been to many gardens and this was probably one of the best. It's gorgeous with a nice variety. My kids love the play area.

Great Place to see North Georgia native plants. And traditional plants of the South. Must be a nice sunny dry day. Best time is May-October.

Will be back! Lovely place for paeties ans weddings. Staff are veey polite and helpful. You won't be disappointed!

Located four miles from my east Athens Home. Beautiful gardens and fountains.
Every changing with the seasons.

Mikes of wilderness hiking trails which has saved me from the boredom of the treadmill.

Walk the trails..three times per week...several choices to choose from

Wonderful join operation..State of Georgia and the University of Georgia....well worth
Making the effort to enjoy...highly recommend..

No charge.... donations accepted if you explore the conservatory..

No use fees for the trails or viewing the gardens and fountains

We're coming out of winter so a lot of the plants weren't in full bloom but it was still a lovely visit. Beautiful scenery and a huge place. So much to see. We plan to visit again.

We spent a couple of pleasant hours here one windy Sunday afternoon. There are several small gardens (flowers, herbs, international, and hummingbird). For us, the best was the herb garden with all its different smells and flowers. There are plenty of sitting areas for older adults who may have problems walking any distance. And there is lots of room to run in the international gardens which have a large "meadow" area.
The entrance if free, but they happily accept donations. There are hiking trails for the more adventurous.

This is a great place to enjoy a beautiful garden, have a picnic, or go for a hike. It's always nice but there's certainly more to see in spring/summer. They have a quaint little cafe that serves light lunch/sandwiches and coffee. Just check the hours before going as they're not open as long as the grounds are. The hiking trails are beautiful and well maintained. They're generally clearly marked and it's easy to plan a route based on a distance you're comfortable hiking. You can go from 1-6 miles easy without backtracking. The indoor "biodome" is beautiful year round. The chapel is also great for weddings or other events. Although we generally just go on family hikes here. The hikes aren't too strenuous and distance aside kids can do most of them as well.

We had our daughter's wedding reception at The State Botanical Garden and we couldn't be more pleased! The natural beauty of the gardens makes this a easy affordable option in Athens. Friendly staff and close-to-town location made it a easy choice for our daughter

We love visiting the botanical gardens, especially in the spring when the flowers and trees are in bloom. The indoor gardens are lovely as well.

This is definitely the best attraction in Athens. It is very nice even in November. They have a variety of types of gardens. International gardens and different areas of Georgia trees.

I'm a local here and I love to go here on hikes or a nice stroll through the gardens. This is also a good place to take before prom pictures. They have a beautiful wedding venue here as well. They also have nice metal sculpture art in the gardens.Take a stroll through the greenhouse also.

I've always found the Garden to be a place of quiet reflection, indoors and out. The surrounding trails are well marked, fun to walk, and if you tread lightly you'll see any number of birds and animals that you normally don't see. The indoor facility offers a quiet stroll through more amazing plants, a restaurant (very good!) and a modest souvenier area. Just a few minutes from downtown Athens, GA. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Our son and daughter-in-law are planning to have their reception in the Terrace Room at the gardens. The Georgia Garden Club Building it is in is wonderfully set up for functions of 100 people!

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a large botanical garden in terms of size. We were there the first week of November and there was a plethora of camellias in bloom. The walking paths were well-maintained.

I was disappointed, however, in the trees. We specifically asked at the Visitor Center where we could see interesting trees and were directed to the Shade Garden. There were LOTS of trees, but none were particularly interesting or unusual. With Gibbs Garden and Smith Gilbert Garden in the general vicinity I would rank this garden 3rd of the three.

We'd never been to - or even heard of the State Botanical Gardens, but friends suggested it, and we were in for a treat! There's a big indoor tropical conservatory with lots of orchids, bromiliads, and tropical ferns, trees like the cacao, and many plants you'd expect to find only in the tropics. Outside, there are different areas - woodlands, fountains, sculptured European styled gardens, flower gardens, herb gardens and so on.We only spent a couple of hours there, but could easily have spent the day.

Having moved to Athens, GA a year ago, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia has become one of my husband and my favorite places. We joined the Friends of the Garden which has given us discounts on many things plus helps to support this wonderful places. This past weekend we bought wonderful plants for our garden at the annual Spring Plant Sale. As Friends of the Garden we got to go early on Friday afternoon before the sale was opened to the public on Saturday. It was wonderful. The Garden has also just opened a new Children's Garden which is delightful. We have hiked the trails, had a Mother's Day picnic, and attend fun classes and concerts. Plus it is free, including the parking. It is truly an Amazing Place.

Beautiful!
Was an excellent location for wedding. Beautiful chapel.
You should drive down to chapel to drop off women in heels and people who have trouble walking. Then drive up hill to park. Repeat process to take to greenhouse where reception is held. But walk is beautiful. We had excellent weather so walk was great. Also walk from chapel to spacious greenhouse is much more level. Wish I had gotten there earlier and walked around grounds and greenhouse more to see it all.

Local here. Lovely grounds and fun FREE activity! Parking isn't ideal, but the indoor atrium garden is magical and everything outdoors is lovely. The staff are always super friendly and helpful, too.

This is great place visit. Love all the formal gardens, but the trails are great to run. The glasshouse is super to visit.

A friend and I were in Athens for a concert and needed somewhere to kill some time and decided on the garden since it was close to where we were staying and free. There's a ton to see there and I'm definitely looking forward to going back when we're in the area again and have more time.

A beautiful place to spend a great fall day! Plenty of trails for different hiking preferences/ levels. The various gardens offer a palette of natural beauty.

It's also a great place to let the kids run! There's something for everyone here. Pack a pic-nic or eat at the wonderful cafe. The cafe has a varied menu to include vegetarian/ vegan items. Yum!

There is not an admission fee, but they accept and appreciate donations.

After a sharp cold spell and snow the gardens lost most of the flowering winter blooms. The conservatory has an array of exotic plants and flowers. There are four outdoor gardens fairly large and must be beautiful when all is in bloom. They also have marked trails that takes an you into the Forrest. It will definitely be place we visit whenever we visit the area.

This is a really nice botanical garden with lots of trails and things to see. Nice layout of gardens and a great collection of flora and fauna. Wish we brought bug spray though as we went at dusk and they were biting.

The Gardens are Beautiful from spring to fall. Indoor shop with local artist crafts and even more beautiful flowers and tropicals to view. Avoid the Cafe is my only warning. Food there is bad bad and worse.

This is by far one of the most beautiful botanical gardens we’ve ever been to, the designs and plants are intriguing and captivating, particularly the spice section which emits delicious aromas throughout walk. But the most delightful aspect in this garden is the children’s area. It begins with geographic games that gets kids thinking in a kinetic way through map jumps, goes through a little splash pad (much appreciated in the hot Georgia sun), then a walk through the edible and pickable vegetable/herb garden and ends in the most glorious nature inspired playground. I could not believe how wonderfully it managed to combine nature with playground design in inspiring both children and adults to move and PLAY. Our girls loved running around and it was a perfect for our road trip stop to move our bodies. This is a true creative delight and much kuddos to the designers who obviously have much child development expertise. Truly wonderful!

Lovely gardens and grounds, very interesting and peaceful surroundings. A must visit for keen gardeners. Check opening ours before you go. I would recommend if you are in the area.

This is a great place to bring the family! Both my teenager and my 5 year old love going to the gardens, and my husband and I are always happy to oblige!

I have been to the Botanical Gardens several times. A few times with my mother and once for a wedding.

I have lived in this area for over a decade, and the Botanical Gardens is by far my favorite place to go for a hike in town. It offers lovely short family hikes that I can do with my young 2 children, or longer more strenuous hikes I can do when I can finally score a babysitter. The gardens themselves are beautiful; my children love to play in the stream that runs through the gardens. It really is the Eden of Athens.

The gardens are very well kept, and are a beautiful place to visit. We have been as a couple, and also for a school field trip. The hiking trails are gorgeous, and there is a lot of variety of the plants, trees, and flowers that are planted in the gardens!!!!

This is a free but small botanical garden. We came at the wrong time of the year. Although we had an early year 70 degree day, very few of the plants had blossomed. They did score point with my wife and I when we realized that the only blooms were glads, daffodils and pansies. They had obviously planted them and a few tulips in order for their visitors to have SOME flowers to view. We will come back in the Spring.

The layout is well designed and there are paths everywhere and little areas to sit and soak in the beauty. I love the way the different areas of the garden are so distinct in design. We went in the fall and even though there were not tons of flowers in bloom, the trees were beyond spectacular! We had a group including two teenagers and a 6 year old and everyone had a great time. We even saw some creatures (a lizard, squirrels, chipmunks, frog, birds) which really made the 6 year old's day.

They are updating the cafe (due to complete in Dec) so bring your own water. It also sounds like other renovations will be happening in 2017+ which will add a children's garden. Sounds like a great addition. I'm not local, but I wish I were so I could go back and attend a concert. I think they said they are in the spring or summer and I'm sure it would be memorable.

Very nice gardens, especially enjoyed the herb part were they have many different types of mint. They had a chocolate mint plant that smelled amazing. The walking trials are very nice and tons to see.

Really fantastic.
The day we were here, the weather was exceptionally wonderful. I would imagine that this wouldn't be quite as welcoming in the extreme heat of the summer.
Although we were here for half of a day, I felt that we only saw a small portion of the grounds. EVERYTHING that we saw was wonderful!
Every aspect of this experience was good!
I would highly recommend making a stop at this arboretum/botanical garden!
Excellent!

If you love to go hiking or just feel free in nature, this is the perfect place. It is really beautiful. Went for the first time with my boyfriend and we are gonna come back for sure!

My son was supposed to be married here, but we held a celebration of his life after he passed away. The people in charge could not have been more helpful and sympathetic. The venue was beautiful and peaceful--perfect!

This is an amazing place to visit. The floral gardens are wonderful but there is much more to the site. The indoor gardens are spectacular. There is a kids park that is the best I’ve seen. Well equipped and serves as an educational center. Highly recommend.

WOW!!! These gardens are BEAUTIFUL...I can only imagine them in springtime!!! Trails, clean heated restrooms, a café...we will come back!!!

We had a beautiful stroll through the area with plenty of length options to choose from to fit time constraints.

This was an awesome way to get outside and enjoy nature while walking through a well kept gardens. Many areas are handicap accessible, in addition there are a bunch of "off road" trails for those who can navigate them. My only regret is that it wasn't spring or early summer when many more of the flowers were out. If I lived nearby, I'd be here alot.

Suggested $2 donations. Plenty of parking. Nice walk through gardens. Map was not easily interrupted. ......

Moved to Athens 2003 the Gardens are less than 5 miles from my home on the Eastside of Athens.. I showed off the beautiful garden to everyone who came to visit.

It was two years ago while finally addressing overweight issues that I discovered the
Miles of beautiful hiking/walking trails that cross the garden.....several different trails with various lengths.....my favorite is the lengthy section that runs along the Oconee River bank

Highly recommend to visit.....And welcome to Athens...Home of the Dawgs !!!

Great place to take visiting relatives or to go on a relaxing stroll through the gardens and along the trails. Wonderful any time of year, but particularly the spring!

Haven't been to the State Botanical Gardens in Athens in a long time. It has really changed and improved ten fold since my last visit. It has many different Gardens to see and some wonderful trails for hiking. Cute gift shop and cafe there. Best part it is free, but donations are welcomed. This is definitely a gem to see.

As a wedding coordinator, LOVE this place. Day Chapel & Great Room are beautiful as is the Terrace Room. Weddings here can't go wrong! The staff is wonderful to work with and the grounds are amazing. Plan a visit to just see the gardens, for a special photo shoot, or to celebrate!

Groomed gardens, nice visitor’s center, trails in natural habitat, a great children’s area, close to town, and free. What is not to like!

The State Botanical Gardens of Georgia are beautiful year round. Don't miss the beautiful Chapel! The indoor garden is amazing!

Great place to go and enjoy the outdoors. Relaxing to just walk thru the trails and watch the squirrels .

The Orange and White trails are a great walk. Parts are flat and along the river and parts are hilly to get in some cardio!

We went on Monday and thought we would be disappointed because everything but the gardens was closed due to 4th of July. The gardens were more than enough! They have done a fantastic job of merging nature and art and appealing to all ages and abilities. The children's area helps you feel like you are part of the garden yourself. If you have someone with mobility issues, there is an elevator and it is pretty easy to get around the gardens and surrounding areas. If you have hikers in your group. there are miles for them to explore. Everyone in our party felt relaxed as soon as we drove in. They created a wonderfully peaceful and inspiring environment.

An oasis just on the outskirts of Athens. Enjoy a quick walk through the conservatory, a stroll through the rose gardens or spend time on the miles of trails. P.S. there is GREAT pizza just down the road.

I am a native Georgian and have visited Athens many times. I never took the time to come here! Absolutely stunning even late March. It was kinda windy and chilly but well worth a stop!

Found this place after getting myself lost and am thankful for that my GPS died because it was a treat. Beautiful gardens. I could have spent hours here.

Closing the Cafeteria at 1:30 PM for the day is ridiculous. We would have loved to to take a cup of coffee (and maybe a piece of cake) at such a lovely place. Don't you think a nice (and open) Cafeteria could make the garden even more attractive?

We spent a wonderful sunny afternoon walking about the gardens. Many flowers in bloom. Nice educational experience as well. Excellent plant diversity. Plenty of benches to sit and enjoy. We did not do any of the hiking trails.

The Garden is one of our favorite places to go as a family, or for some alone time. It is more than just the flowers. There is abundant wildlife to watch, and the water flowing in the Oconee is very relaxing. Take a picnic with you for lunch. All of this and it is free to the public.

We had not visited the Botanical Garden in several years, and we were pleased to see the many additions. The daffodils and forsythia were blooming, and I'm sure in a few weeks it will be even more beautiful.

The gardens were very pretty and they had a little bit of everything. Good place to sit and read or even just walk around if the weather is nice.

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is one of Athens, Georgia's hidden jewels. Over the 5 decades of its existence, it has become a center for education, a place to find some of the world's most interesting plants, an elegant event venue and a host for outdoor (birding, animal trail scouting, insect sanctuary, and plant identification activities for groups and individuals.

My favorite activity is to walk along the marked trails and feel the peace of nature. (BTW, leashed dogs are welcome to come along.) There is a small cafe that is open from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm Tuesday through Friday, for a relaxing tea after your morning walk. Oh yeah, the plants are amazing all year around. The curated collections are well-labeled and extremely well laid out. The constantly changing annual beds always offer a rotating variety of new color texture and fragrance. It is a great way to spend a day in Athens.

lovely gardens, flowers, vegetables, trees, and even indoor plants. Plenty of benches and cool s[aces to sit. Wonderful photo taking opportunities.

We were so pleasantly surprised with our visit to the Porcelain Museum at the Botanical Gardens. The display space is bright and pretty, the collection is amazing, and we had a delightful docent who gave us interesting information about the collection and helped us navigate around. There are plenty of tea sets, plates, vases, animal figures, and so much more to enjoy. We loved this and will be going back soon. Free entry, nice air-conditioned space to be in on a hot day.

Lovely place to visit. Bring your own refreshments. Uncomfortably warm in the summer, and very few blooms in the winter, so spring and fall are your best times.

Visiting the State Botanical Garden was full of surprises today. They had music in the park with beautiful terraced lawns for people to spread out on, fire flies at dusk all throughout the park, and loads of beautiful green scenery so "normal" to folks in Georgia. Very beautiful at dusk with well groomed drives into the park. Great for family or couples, or even hiking by oneself.

The gardens and trails are very well maintained and clean. This place is great for a short walk, a long walk, or if you are interested in plants. If it's a pretty day and you are in the area, it's a great place to visit and completely free of charge!

My husband and I were looking for a place to enjoy this fantastic fall day while our son studied for an exam - this is it!!!

It is convenient to downtown Athens, easy to find with plenty of free parking. Admission to the gardens is also free.

We stopped in the Visitor Center and spoke with a volunteer who provided a map and information about the gardens. There is a small cafe with drinks, snacks and sandwiches. The prices were reasonable in the cafe - a bottle of water only $1.00. The volunteers were friendly without being pushy.

There is something for everyone here. We saw families with children playing around picnic blankets, young couples strolling, a mom finishing a run on one of the trails while her husband and children had a snack in a gazebo, along with lots of students studying in quiet corners.

It's just a lovely place. Highly recommend for everyone!

It is a great place to visit. There is lots and lots to see with plenty of hiking opportunities. It is so peaceful there. The leaves were changing color, but many plants were still blooming. The tropical part of the garden housed inside is a must-see too. The staff was very nice. The facility and grounds are super-well kept.

Wonderful botanical park and conservatory on the edge of Athens. A new children's play discovery area will open in March 2019 will undoubtbly a major draw for parents an children as well. A good lucheon cafe on site. Currently an exhibit of Orchids in bloom in the conservatory. Free donations welcomed.

Let's be real. With the lockdown most of us have cabin fever. Some of us are irresponsible though when finally stepping out, crowding shoulder to shoulder or beaches, hanging on each other at the bars. BUT if you want an escape for yourself or family, where you can enjoy nature with a little bit of spacing, then go to the State Botanical Garden in Athens, GA, near the U of GA campus.
1. It is about 1hr and 45 minutes from central Atlanta.
2. It is free admission to get in.
3. The gardens in Atlanta and Gainesville Georgia are packed on weekends, this place does not garner such crowds and you can move around more easily.

For the spring looks like they've been busy putting out planting and flowers. So it was quite nice although the pollination type flowers were not yet drawing some of the butterflies I was looking for.

There are trails to walk and a few places to sit down near the main building as well as places to throw down a blanket and have yourself a little picnic.

Here are just some of the photographs that I took this weekend at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Oh, SC also has a state botanical garden near Clemson University. Although not as large as this one, it too is a nice place to visit.

Last benefit! Downtown Athens is very close by to this garden. You can go down there and have lunch. Several restaurants have move their eating areas outside and the temperatures now are acceptable.

The design of this place is egregious. Their selection of flowers also leads to it being a rather colorless and lifeless feeling 313 acres for much of the year. The areas that are cultivated and have flowers during the proper season are surrounded by so much concrete and pointless additions that it doesn't seem like you're enjoying nature at all. Don't get me wrong, with nothing to do I would visit the place, but I would primarily be visiting it for the trails. The trails are nice during the off season because of how few people use them. It's like your own running/walking track. The sights are decent even if there isn't a large portion of wildlife. Once outside the colored trails you will find that there are paths that lead nowhere, in circles, or are redundant. There's a reason why the map only includes primarily the trails and locations of the buildings. Otherwise it would look like a child scribbled on paper.

The staff was very friendly and the older woman at the visitor center is a wealth of knowledge and a delight. The individual working the shop was very kind as well. The volunteer coordinator is exceptionally rude though. Steer clear! Someone standing near us even commented about how rude she was to my daughter and I and we'd never even met them before. Parking is ample. It's easy to find. There are great food options in the area or you can visit their cafe. The place is free as well which is nice.

All this said, if you've been to a good botanical garden (perhaps the one in NY) then you will find this place to be a major let down. Go, but have low expectations.

We only walked the paths, but even in December it was lovely and interesting. Some jasmine was blooming and holly decorated the trails. Lots of variety in trees and shrubs. Sculptures lined one area. Must return to see the indoor Arboretum.

There was not much to see in mid March and parts are under construction for a new Children's Garden. I would like t p go back later in the spring.

Beautiful trails. One of our daughters has chosen the Botanical Garden for her wedding venue. I went there for job training, but one of my daughters frequently went there to run (she was on the high school cross country team).

I like coming here when I don’t have much time to drive out of town for hiking. Using the white and orange trails you get a nice loop with moderate challenge.

We love to visit the BG whenever possible. We find the gardens to be such a peaceful place to feel a little bit of escape, enjoy some natural surroundings and even learn something.

Always beautiful. Plenty of outdoor trails . Perfect place to visit if you enjoy plants or the outdoors.

its not very impressive. However, it could be a nice place to relax if regular staff was friendly, professional, and not ignorant. Volunteers are better but not great. It’s unfortunate that is not pleasant to visit besides the fact that it’s very small. It’s better than nothing, though.

I love hiking here. The trails are kept up well and the river is pleasant. After hiking I love to go through the gardens and enjoy the beautiful flowers.

This is a very good botanical gardens to visit and enjoy a nice walk through. My cousin and her husband got married here and it was a very nice venue. Worth a visit. We last visited back in the fall.

Beautiful gardens as they began to bloom. Easy hiking trails for a relaxing walk in nature. Children’s garden was closed due to the pandemic.

A great place to walk. Trails are very easy and clean. The “museum “ is a good place to learn about local flora. If you catch them at the right time, you can buy local plants for your own food and. Good place to take kids.

While spending several weeks visiting my daughter in Athens I came here almost daily. This garden presents an opportunity for slow meditative walks, areas to sit and meditate, do Tai Chi Chuan, or just sit and listen to the birds and wind in the trees. It is wonderfully beautiful. Of course you can just walk through and still find it calming. Inside, staff eagerly answer questions about the fauna and flora found there. A small lunch bar sells limited snacks, salads and sandwiches. There is ample parking which requires a short walk to the entrance. If you like natural beauty come here.

We enjoyed the historical plants in the the first gardens you encounter when you leave the indoor exhibit. The labeling of the plants is not as consistent as I would have liked. All-in-all, I enjoyed the few hours I spent here. And free admission is great!

We spent several hours touring the gardens. Not only are the gardens beautiful, but they are also informative. There are plenty of labels and informative postings throughout the gardens. Bring your camera and spend a morning or a day in this lovely spot.

Cafe was nice, but somewhat expensive.

This is a perfect place for families, couples, singles, teens, anyone to spend a day, an afternoon or just an hour. There are trails to explore, the atrium to enjoy and the new Childrens Garden to delight everyone. And is is completely free.

I adore this place. It is free parking and free admission and have very reasonable business hours. I’ve been here quite a few times and everytime i go it’s never been crowded, the people who are there are very kind and respectful. it’s kid friendly to an extent. staff is very kind and helpful. restrooms are very clean and the entire park is very well maintained. i definitely recommend this place for anyone in the area.

Very fun trip with plenty of plants and things to see. only one problem, there are tons of mosquitoes and other bugs around

Beautiful grounds and definitely worth a visit. Go when things are in bloom and take your camera. It is gorgeous.

Truly beautiful botanical garden with lots of different gardens and nature trails. Easy walking paths and many educational signs to help identify and understand the different plantings. Has a great children’s garden for those with young kids.

The Gardens have a lot of potential. We visited when company visited us but it was not an ideal time. It was a few days after a severe storm and not during a prime blooming season. That said, it was very attractive and the staff had worked hard to spruce it up. We particularly enjoyed the orchids (in an enclosed part) and the flowers in the tiered part of the Gardens. We will definitely go back and it is well worth a visit while in Athens.

We held my mother's celebration of life memorial service at the gardens. It is so peaceful there. We will definitely go back!!

Staff was very pleasant. It was foggy and raining on the day we went, but despite the weather condition's, it was a site worth seeing.

We came to attend a wedding reception at the Garden Club. This was my first time here. I was astounded at the beauty! A true Southern experience. I will return to explore more of the grounds. I feel I've found an exquisite secret place!

We found this very welcoming after all the stress we have been under for the last few days. Thank you for this relaxing free attraction.

This is a wonderful free outdoor garden. Even in November, there is a lot to see. A great walk through the various sections and I see they are setting up for Christmas light show.

Spend an hour,spend the day, take a class.whatever you choose the lovely gardens are a pleasure. I have strolled the paths in a variety of seasons and each gas its own charm. Many classes are offered ,lace making , flower arranging to name 2 look on their website for schedule.

I spent many mornings and afternoons studying for my comps as a doctoral student. There are beautiful trails to walk around, plenty of places for you to sit and read and of course lots of foliage to explore.

This is a delight to find just outside of Athens. A great place to spend an afternoon and enjoy the lovely grounds. Easy walking paths and places to rest. A wonderful place to return to on a future trip.

There is so much to explore at the gardens. Every inch is well taken care of and absolutely gorgeous. And KID friendly to! I have even managed the stroller and a toddler through the paths.

A must do! There are beautiful grounds to walk! We also enjoyed the visitors center with its awesome orchids!

We went here just because we were looking for someplace to walk outside and were very pleasantly surprised. There is no entry fee for one thing, there is no place in NY where that would be true. This Garden is larger and nicer than anything in western NY. Most perennials were still in their winter sleep but there were a couple flowering trees in bloom and some camellia were blooming. The greenhouse is fairly large and had quite a few orchids in bloom. There were several twenty-somethings sitting at tables in the greenhouse doing work or studying. I would do the same on a cold day. The grounds are large and very nice. I imagine the place will be beautiful in a month or so. I am anxious to visit again after the weather warms up some.

One of the most beautiful spots in Athens. A great opportunity to get fresh air and exercise. There are a ton of paved trails through out the gardens plus miles of natural trails through the woods. If you or your kids are in to Pokemon Go, there are a crazy amount of pokestops. My favorite is the conservatory...it is a big building filled with tropical plants...feels like paradise. And it's free...what's not to love.

The Botanical Gardens are very beautiful. Many smaller gardens all laid out to create a serene, peaceful experience. Signs helpfully identify the different plants. Many benches to sit and relax. As you walk around you will notice how different areas smell differently depending on the planting.

With a $2 suggested donation for entry, this place is worth the money and time. That being said, it was far from being the best Botanical gardens I have ever been to. Just lower your expectations and you won't be disappointed. However, the end of summer is a rough time for any garden so maybe it is nicer in the spring.

Wentyesterday but rain drove us away before we got to see everything!
Very impressed with a small amount we saw.

The gardens are very beautiful and it is a lot larger then it looks on the map. I love how it is separated out with different season, different regional area. Very peaceful. Also in middle of renovation for a kids garden area. Definitely worth the time.

This is a wonderful place to hike if you are just a beginner or skilled hiker. There are multiple routes to take depending on the distance you want to hike. The white course is my favorite course. This course is roughly 3.5 miles and has a couple moderately difficult uphill climbs, but they are a nice challenge and change of pace.

Outside of hiking, the park is full of beautiful plants and flowers. This is one of highlights of the Athens area.

Great place to interact with nature. My wife and I took in the fall colors with the various trees and shrubs located throughout the grounds which include multiple hiking trails, some along the Oconee River. We left with a feeling of peace.

Blown away! Loved how a playground was integrated with a garden. Staff were very knowledgeable. Want to come back so we can see all four seasons.

I gave my previous review of the State Botanical Garden 4 out of 5 stars, but mostly because I didn't realize they had so many trails and gardens away from the building! I could have entirely missed something but when I went to the Garden I didn't see a map, and so it didn't seem at first like there was a lot around the building. There is a trail system outside the gardens, and dogs aren't allowed which is great. I had totally missed the first few times I went that there's a rose garden, an orchid garden, and more. I had mostly wandered around the international gardens and parterre garden. There's plenty of gardens to explore outside when the glass house building is closed (I accidentally went recently when the building was closed, although there were no signs or info online about being closed and it was during their regular business hours). The Garden offers other events and classes too which is great.

I took a walk here with my daughter. We walked the grounds at no charge. The landscaping was beautiful and there are many walking trails. There were a lot of people taking special ocasion pictures here.

Our time at the Botanical Gardens was beautiful! The grounds were peaceful and worth the time. Highly recommend visiting when in Athens. It was one of my favorites places when I was a student at UGA.

Very large and well layed out. We were here late in the season but there were still things blooming. Would like to go again in the spring when everything is fresh!! Great place to take a picnic!!

This is a free garden and very worth going to see. It rained on the day we went so we did not see near as much as I would have liked. Everything is kept beautifully trimmed and if we are back in the area I plan to go back. Be sure to go to the gift shop and inside plant area it is awesome.

I've been here a couple times. Once for a wedding venue, which was very nice. Once to just walk the trails and enjoy nature. It's a great way to get outdoors on a nice day!

Took the children one of which is 3. She had a really great time but I constantly had to say don’t touch that. I nice facility but maybe for a little older group. Reminded me of the state parks I visited as a child.

The State Botanical Garden is free admission, but they ask for a donation. It is a wonderful facility considering that it's free (although I accidentally compare it in my mind to botanical gardens that are larger and paid admission).

The outside portion of the botanical garden includes several different gardens that are great and well labeled. However, if you happen to come on a rainy day, there is one glass house and a gift shop but then not much else to do. The glass house contains tropical plants like peace lilies and orchids, and the gift shop sells various gardening trinkets and gifts. There's a small cafe in the glass house and sometimes (or usually?) there is a Master Gardener at a table to answer gardening questions.

The botanical garden seems like a beautiful place to host a wedding!

As someone not from Georgia, it was very interesting to see a lot of native plants or plants that can't be grown north in the outside gardens. It would also be interesting though to include a glasshouse or garden of plants like cactus that require a different habitat/climate.

Stopped here while in Athens with the family. The grounds are very nice and there are tons of different species of plants and trees to see. Unfortunately, during the winter, not a lot was blooming. It's a really nice place to walk around on a nice day. I will definitely come back in the Spring.

This I one of the first places I visited in Athens. My husband and I strolled here. It is lovely, well kept and there is also a network of well maintained trails. We will be back! the only glitch is you can't bring your pooch.

I was a skeptic, but my wife insisted we go... honestly, after 15 minutes of the close to 3 hours we spent there, I was glad we did!

A great place to create photographs!! This is also a lovely place for a picnic and relax. I highly recommend a visit.

We love our time at the Bot. Gardens! There is always so much to see and do. My girls especially like hanging out around the amphitheater and getting up on the stage. I prefer the shaded trails though! They have great camps and classes for kids as well.

What an amazing place with no admission charges! We didn’t get to see everything because of a wedding, and despite it being early and not having a ton of blooming plants, it was still beautiful and I hope to return!

The garden is a great place to hike, relax by the conservatory, or explore the formal plantings. I go often and it is the place I take my nature loving visitors! There is a cute and good gift shop and the special programs they hold are always enjoyable and creative. Having Dondero's Kitchen there for snacks and light meals is a big plus as well.

We enjoyed the Botanical Garden of Georgia especially the inside with all the flowers. They were all beautiful.

This tranquil spot is worth the drive out of town to view flora and fauna and walk the trails. The visitor's center was closed and most of the vegetation was still just beginning to peak out during our visit, but the abridged experience impressed nonetheless.

Whether you need to enjoy a short hike or you are interested in learning more about the flora of our state, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a place you need to see. I enjoy walking along the numerous trails especially the Orange Trail which takes you along the Oconee River. The Bot Garden hosts lots of activities such as guided walks, classes, and concerts. Check their website to see what is happening. There is also a small cafe has limited hours.

One thing to remember is that the Botanical Garden is operated by the University of Georgia so when the University is closed so is the Garden. Be sure to check the website for the hours of the grounds, cafe, and the visitor center.

We go often to explore the several gentle hiking trails or to peruse the international gardens - or for the kids to hit the many Pokestops. Nice in any season. If you have been before, be aware that they have torn out all the parking in front of the gift shop and snack bar, so it is no longer convenient to pop in to buy a quick gift or snack.

Beautiful Garden with great hiking trails and a new children’s garden that your kids will love. Great place to visit for an afternoon!

The botanical gardens have great trails with varying distances but all providing a sweet little nature get-away.

The tropical display was interesting. We saw plant we'd never seen before and almost alien looking orchids. Outside the herb garden was bursting with color and lush scents. The tulips were spectacular.

Nice area and our granddaughter loved the play area. The gardens offer beautiful items of local fare.

A guide would have made the experience better but it was February and well, it was winter time....the trails were still pretty but we did not know where to go either.

My wife and I visit the gardens several times during the year no matter what season is is beautiful and the grounds are always immaculately kept!!!!

We were in Athens on Monday, April 2 and wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather so we headed to the gardens. While nice, the landscape was not as colorful as hoped for as it appears that we were between seasons. The wildflowers had already bloomed and the other spring flowers were not yet blooming. The nature trail was nice as are the gardens. The nature center was closed since it was a Monday. Not sure that I would go back.

We came here for a quick visit and ended up staying longer because there is so much to see. We started by taking one of the wooded hiking trails past a bog and to the Oconee River before it came to the Children's Garden. I think it was just a little over a mile. From there we explored the Heritage Garden, International Garden and Flower Garden. The place just kept going on and on! Because of Covid, the Visitor Center is closed but the gift shop is open and restrooms were open near the Children's Garden. There is no entrance fee so you can come for as long as you like. On our way out, we walked by the Day Chapel on the property.

Wanting to do a short day trip where we could enjoy the weather and maintain social distancing, we made our first visit to the State Botanical Gardens on a Saturday morning. We enjoyed our visit tremendously and took advantage of the shaded trails and benches as well as the spectacular flower garden.
A couple of notes. The visitor center and Children's Garden were closed which we suspect were due to COVID-19 social distancing and disinfecting procedures. The Visitor's Center appears to be undergoing a major expansion and the construction has some of the pathways from the parking lot to the gardens blocked. Our only suggestion would be to improve the wayfinding signage throughout the gardens. There was a note about maps being available at the Visitor Center and parking lots but as noted above the VC was closed and we didn't see any map racks in the parking lots.

Athens received a lot of rain in May and June. The trend looks like it will continue in July. Several sections of the walking trails contain flood plains so that area has been inaccessible. With that being said the rain has really helped all the gardens.

The garden has trails for walking or running, great gardens both indoor and outdoor and is just a generally calm and relaxing spot.

This is a great "hip-pocket" botanical garden, executed so well it does the state proud. The greenhouse was amazing, with a Master Gardener in residence willing to answer any question about gardening. Inside and out, the gardens were well-organized and the signage was perfect, explaining all, even to the smallest plant. I especially enjoyed the pitcher plant presentation. The fruit and cheese plate at the little canteen was yummy. The staff everywhere was great. There is another garden in Pine Mountain GA that is much bigger and more famous, but this garden has a lot of quality packed into a much smaller area. It was well worth the trip.

It's so quiet and beautiful. Take you camera and enjoy! They have founds, a very nice children's play area, a cafe, gift shop, two or three outside gardens and nature trails and an inside garden.

This is one of those bucket list places. It is very well kept up and has so many different types of flowers. It's a great place for a family outing, romantic date, or a solo trip.

I really enjoyed visiting the gardens, while staying with my sister in law. Lovely walking paths. And descriptive plaques to identify the plants. But the park enteance is very nondescript. It is easy to miss it. Overall a must see while in Athens, Ga.

Great place to stroll or get a great walk or run in through the gardens and along the river or creek. Also nice just to stroll and smell the flowers, enjoy the scenery. There is also a small cafe.

The gardens are suitable for a number of groups: those who want to hike or jog (there are trails), those who want a short walk to see beautiful flowers and plants, or a longer walk. There is a lot of variety in what you can see. It is also a great place for bird-watching, and they even have a plaque at a lower deck beyond the main gardens where they give birding information. There is an indoor plant/flower section as well, and a very nice gift shop. Or enjoy a coffee in the coffee shop. There is also a beautiful chapel on the grounds available for weddings. We love the gardens and go as often as we can.

This is a spectacular botanical garden that is extremely well tended. The majority of pathways are both stroller and wheelchair friendly. There are some paths that are not suitable of wheeled transport, but they are farther from the main areas.

It's free! There is a gorgeous glass building full of winding trails, with palms and orchids and many other plants with history placards, plus lovely outside gardens and walkways, each pertaining to a different category or time period -- plus hiking trails that wind throughout the woods, up steep hills and along the river. Beware of the occasional deer or snake. Also, there is a chapel, a coffee shop and a small retail shop with gardening-related items. Sometimes I never get past the beautiful stone plaza with two fountains, where there are plenty of benches, tables and chairs to enjoy reading or doing homework outdoors.

First class Botanical gardens with a wide selections of local and international plants along with an outstanding children’s play/educational area. Great paths and trails of assorted lengths. A small but very adequate snack area and gift store. Very well maintained. Only issue is construction going on makes a rather long walk, with steps, to the front. I would recommend dropping of folks at the entrance and then parking. This is free but a $2 donation is appreciated. First class Botanical gardens with a wide selections of local and international plants along with an outstanding children’s play/educational area. Great paths and trails of assorted lengths. A small but very adequate snack area and gift store. Very well maintained. Only issue is construction going on makes a rather long walk, with steps, to the front. I would recommend dropping of folks at the entrance and then parking. This is free but a $2 donation is appreciated. An absolute hidden gem.

Beautiful gardens with so much to see and learn! It is free which is incredible. We spend two hours here and could easily have stayed longer.

Just a short walk around the garden made me want to come back when things are blooming. Beautiful orchids, lovely conservatory and hiking trails to come back for. Worth even a short visit.

My husband and I were in town for the day and decided to check out the gardens and I am so glad we did. The gardens are very walkable with lots of areas to stop and rest and enjoy the beauty and while they were not as large as I expected, this did not take away from our enjoyment. The gardens are very well laid out with different areas highlighting different plants. We were here in the spring, but I believe there would be something to enjoy in each season!

We loved this garden. They have so many different plants to look at. We went on a Friday and it wasn’t crowded at all. There are trails to walk and places to sit and relax. Parking and entrance is free, but you can make a donation at the visitor center. They have a gift shop and a food place that was unfortunately closed when we went.

I have been visiting this garden off and on for over 20 years. I had some class field trips while at UGA and have had continuing education classes thereafter. It has been a joy to see it evolve over time. New gardens have been added to the already wonderful grounds. I love the chapel, conservatory, formal gardens, and I love the nature trails. The trails lead through the forest and adjacent to the Oconee River which provides an opportunity that many botanical gardens do not offer. This place is great for kids of all ages and each season offers a different experience. How can you not love this FREE experience?

It was a wonderful experience that was only dampened by things they could not control… the weather. The gardens were vast and beautiful. The guides were extremely knowledgeable. I can’t wait to go back but will check the weather. No rain just overcast but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the people who lead our group on the tour… and it is beautiful. Well worth the trip.

I went there with my five year old grandson. He enjoyed the flowers and the indoor tropical garden -- saw a lizard there. Went on one of the trails for a hike -- down to the river and through a meadow of gorgeous yellow wildflowers. To him, it felt like we were way out in the wilderness. And it's free.

All wow at holidays- the trees the decor the lights the music the synchronized lights and music — awe inspiring — will do it again next year as that wonderful

A fantastic place to explore, walk, take in all the beauty. My husband and I did the white trail, wow what a walk. It was about 3.2 miles. They have shorter trails we will try next time.
A deer ran right in front of us, what a delight.
Just a wonderful place to visit.

A great place to just relax & enjoy nature. A new adventure at every turn. I am looking forward to seeing more of this place on my next trip to Athens

It is a great place to visit. No entrance fees but they have a box for donations. F ft. Very Friendly workers , they offered bug spray before we entered, we asked a lot of questions to the master gardener and he was very informative. Don't miss the chapel it's very pretty inside.

This was a lovely visit but I was disappointed. There were many tree/plant/flower species that were not marked and some that were miss-marked especially the tea roses. When trying to get information about some of the plants in the garden and for sale the resident authority was no where in sight and the person at the front desk knew nothing and I was told "I'm just a volunteer, I can't help you".

Just rated one of the top Botanical Gardens in the country, this Athens gem is a must see if you are into flowers, tress, and great hiking trails along the river.

Beautiful gardens to explore along well maintained paths, woodland hiking trails, lovely conservatory, lectures and classes, a terrific gift shop, areas for picnics and scheduled concerts-This gem has it all.

Our daughter, a student at UGA, took us for a visit to this Botanical Garden located only a few miles from campus. Off the main path, away from the university, it seems to be frequented mostly by an older local crowd, but what a treasure. Composed of 300+ acres with about 85 acres cultivated in a variety of gardens, this is a lovely park to visit. And did I mention it's absolutely free?!? Don't miss this. Really, it's one of Athens' treasures!

Very nice gardens - laid out and maintained well. Even in early Fall, many plants still blooming. Indoor area a little disappointing. Worth the visit.

A great stop to escape from the hub-bub. Stop and smell the floral! There is also a nice gift shop and small lunch counter. Certainly for all ages, although the wee ones will get tired of walking. Very well done and a great selection to view.

Athens, Georgia has a lovely, well thought out Botanical Gardens. I visited last week with friends. There is a nice gift shop, a conservatory with an awesome collection of orchids, planted at the feet of the green tropical foliage, formal gardens and woodland trails. The end of month they are opening a children’s garden. Well worth the trip. Jan from Roswell, Ga

I love to go here to walk and relax and get away from the suburbs for a second. The trails are really nice and the gardens are beautiful!

First, I simply cannot believe this place is free. There is so much to see. The indoor garden has a tropical theme set up and displays beautiful orchids and offers signs that explain how certain plants are used as food, etc.
the outdoor gardens provide glimpses of Georgia native plants as well as international sections.
Make sure you get a hummingbird map so you can follow the special plants that attract these birds.
At this time, the cafe was closed.

This is a great place to visit for a nice walk in the park or a cool walk through the Atrium. Either way there are some beautiful plants and flowers and it is free. Spring is a great time to visit and early summer to see the rose gardens.

Wow. We’ve been to children’s gardens before but this one is beautiful and big. Alll kinds of kids activities and really well designed with lots of exploration potential. Can’t wait for the grandkids to visit!

Since it is early spring only the Dogwoods, azaleas and tulips were in bloom. It still was an amazingly beautiful, serene place.

This place is magical. So many beautiful plants and miles of walking trails Make sure and familiarize yourself with the maps. No Pets though

Hours listed are incorrect. Check website for hours. Enjoyed walking around the center. We were not able to tour the gardens because it began to storm.

The State Botanical Garden has a variety of spaces -- an indoor arboretum, a river walk, an Oriental garden, a rose garden, a chapel used for weddings and memorial services with catering/reception area below. Musical performances and art displays are held in the arboretum. Several of the paths are ADA compliant. It is a multitude of treasures shared by many varied interests and uses.

Other than the poppies I did not find the experience to be all that memorable but then I have been to Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC several times. Perhaps this is an unfair comparison!

This is a relaxing place walk and explore outdoors. Or you can relax among the orchids, ferns, and I her tropical. Always wot h repeat visits to see what is blooming. I sent guest bringing g your own food. I had a very dry pimento cheese sandwich from the on sight cafe. I didn’t think you could make a tasteless dry pimento cheese. Definitely not worth $7. I liked Dondero’s when you they ran the cafe several years ago. It was worth driving out just for lunch. My understanding is that now the food at the cafe comes from UGA dining services. Visit the garden but leave the food!

Beauty all around with so many species of plants and beautiful flowers!!! A little piece of heaven!!!

Where do I start? This will help anyone appreciate the splendor of nature and it's full affect on us all. Forget your phone, your worries, and just take a walk.

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, located at 2450 South Milledge Avenue in Athens, on the Middle Oconee River, is a free 313-acre horticultural conservatory with five miles of walking paths and educational programs for kids and adults. Part of the University of Georgia, it is open from 8 to 7 daily and is home to a stunning range of 11 botanical and horticultural collections, nature trails and numerous themed display gardens, including the Flower Garden with daffodils, roses, iris, snap dragons and cherry trees, Dahlia Garden, International Garden, Heritage Garden with apples, pears, peaches, cotton, peanuts and tobacco, Annual/Perennial Garden, Native Flora Garden with more than 300 species of ferns, trilliums and lady slipper orchids and Shade Garden with azaleas, dogwoods, laurels, camellias and magnolias. The Alice Hand Callaway Visitor Center & Conservatory contains a collection of tropical and semi-tropical plants, which provide gorgeous backdrops for concerts, lectures and art exhibits. The complex also is home to a lovely Day Chapel, gift shop, gallery and cafe and serves as the headquarters of the Garden Club of Georgia. The latest addition to the complex is the Alice H. Richards Children's Garden, which was opened in 2019. The 25-acre wonderland is an ideal place for children to play and learn in an environment that inspires their sense of adventure, wonder and love for nature. It includes a tree house, fossil wall and a granite map of Georgia.

This was a walkthrough display of Christmas lights. The tix were purchased online approx 1 month prior to visiting and they sell out quickly. The tix were $15 and you can park at a nearby lot and take a free shuttle or pay $20 and park in the main lot. The walk for us took a little over an hour with a stop for hot chocolate ($3) and s’mores ($5). You can get a s’mores “kit” then go to an area to make them. The entire area is paved with easy access for strollers and wheelchairs. It was an enjoyable Christmas attraction close to home.

I enjoyed the entire experience and the playground was a magical place. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to get back in touch with nature without necessarily "roughing it" although there are unpaved trails I did not go on

Wonderful time- a lot to see- easy walk and educational. Different plants and abundance of nature- special shows for all ages. Special shows for children too. Great Gift Shop. Free Entrance.

We took our 4 and 6yr old to the State Botanical Gdns and they had a blast. We definitely weren’t there during any of their peak seasons, but the variety of plants made for an interesting visit. The trails by the river and the manicured gardens were all well-maintained and beautiful. We can’t wait to go back when the spring flowers are really rockin!

We didn’t have a lot of time to spend at the beautiful gardens. The weather was perfect though and the lady at the desk was really friendly and gave us a map. We made a donation and only had time to quickly see about half the garden area. I sure hope I can visit again and maybe even enjoy the trails too.

I go to the botanical gardens a lot to relax and take a break from the stresses of life. I enjoy walking around the flowers and seeing what is blooming at the time. I also love walking the hiking trails by the Oconee river! If you go in the warmer seasons, take bug spray for sure! The best thing is, the gardens are free, but they accept donations to help them stay open! This is a great place to take a picnic as well. They also have a nice chapel for weddings. I love everything about the botanical gardens in Athens!

After a healthy breakfast, a stroll around the botanical gardens is a nice diversion and a pleasant way to walk off the calories. Well landscaped and labeled, it was interesting to walk thru the paths and see the different kinds of plants.

Didn't know it existed. My friend and I traveled 4.5 from Savannah for a wedding held in the gardens' conservatory. Neither she nor I had seen the gardens before. The wedding activity left little time for visiting the grounds but what we saw was breathtakingly beautiful! Suggest this as a destination to visit on Georgia for leisure travel. We plan to return and explore the grounds in the future. Amazing array of flora that we can grow on our area; much that we had never seen. Highly recommend making this a day trip if you can, or an overnight visit if you must, but definitely a " must do". We ate going back soon!

One of my favorite places to go and walk in Athens! You will always see something different on each visit. Beautiful indoor gardens as well.

We took our grandsons (11, 12 but more like teens) there to hike on one of the trails. We chose the orange trail because it went down by the Oconee River. I strongly recommend this trail.
It was dry so things were easy to navigate. Beautiful, of course. The route we took was just over a mile and everyone made it fine.
We then saw the Children's Garden but our boys were too old to enjoy it. It was crowded with many younger kids who seemed to be having fun.
We went in the Visitor's Center and explored it in the cool air conditioning. We tried to order something at the Snack Bar but had to wait 5 minutes for someone to show up. We settled for soft drinks.The gift shop was Okay. I noticed there were no prices on anything so that turned me off. There might have been prices on some things but not on the items I looked at. I don't like having to go and ask a price. Slow, tedious.
All in all, a wonderful experience.

What a beautiful wedding inside the Atrium, amid the plants, tress and flowers. Simply breath taking.

I always enjoy a trip to the State Bot Gardens. I visit in the spring, summer, fall and winter. I love the walking trails, the giant globe water fountain, the herb and medicinal garden and so much more!
Recently I attended a concert inside their beautiful greenhouse building. It was well decorated for the season. The acoustics are unique inside, with the 2 story glass building making it very enjoyable to sit and listen. I enjoyed the shop where I purchased a cup of coffee.
I highly recommend making the Bot Gardens your place for peace and quiet, or for a meeting. It's great for both.

Located on the southeast side of Athens outside the bypass on Milledge Avenue. This garden area has both more formal indoor and outdoor garden area as well as several miles of well marked trails with native plants. $2 donation recommended but not required.

It is very close to the University of Georgia Athens campus, a great place to walk around, enjoy the beauty of nature. We particularly love the indoor area. It has various orchids, maidenhair fern, and many indoor plants. It is my mother's favorite place. Spring is a great time to visit. There is a sandwich shop for a simple lunch and snacks. There is also a gift shop. Occasionally it has a plant sale at the gift shop. Several trials are around the garden. The garden is free, no charge.

My 9 month old loves to look at the flowers up close. The giant globe suspended on water so it can rotate mesmerized her for quite some time. The staff is always friendly and it's right in Athens so easy to get to and from. I highly recommend visiting during the spring, for 10 minutes to see the highlight, or all day to hike the trails.

Some family members were in town and we took them to see the Garden. Even our 16 year old nephew enjoyed the visit.

Fall is not complete without a visit to the Gardens!
The colors of the trees y plants make for great photo sessions y just enjoying the day.
The cool crisp air of fall in Georgia brings out the best in us all.
There is also a chapel for weddings etc. Y a beautiful place for events.
Go often through out the year for different blooming plants y backgrounds for photos

The beautiful kept gardens are well worth visiting. They recently had a flea market which was interesting. Peaceful oasis.

We visit botanical gardens wherever we vacation and have seem some very beautiful ones. We were pleasantly surprised by this garden. It is well organized and labeled and the size is great. The attention to wildflowers attracts many butterflies, birds, bees, other insects and lizards. It’s a great place for family outings, picnics and weddings.

My daughters and I visited the gardens during our weekend trip to athens. They are beautiful. Plan on a couple of hours to visit. There is so much to see! There are also very pretty well maintained hiking trails throughout the property.

The Garden has undergone a massive transformation in recent years, under the leadership of a new Director. About a decade ago it was falling into disrepair and it was hardly worth a visit. Now, it is transformed with extensive development of a Heritage Garden, Flower Garden, International Garden, and a new outdoor stage. There are miles of trails along the river, and in the forest. This Garden is huge, with a very wide variety of species to see. Visitors will notice that this Garden is FREE and open to the public, and it dwarfs the Atlanta Botanical Garden in size. The Gift Shop has been relocated and considerably enlarged, rivaling the big gift shop in the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Look at the website for the Garden as it contains a good map and overview of all of the features. Only one disappointing feature is the tiny coffee shop which has limited hours of service; I wish that the Garden had a proper restaurant of a size like the one in the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Dogs are NOT allowed in the garden on the trails and in the plantings, unfortunately people tend to ignore this and the rule is difficult to enforce.

A delightful place to go to anytime. The concertvenue is wonderful and the staff works hard to make it all work.

My wife and I were in Athens for the day, but had a couple hours free to do something on our own! Our time was well spent at the botanical gardens. The floral examples were so beautiful there and the property was remarkably landscaped. We are making this a definite place to return to.

This place is super relaxing. There is a cute gift shop and indoor area with snack and lots of kids studying. Employees were friendly and helpful. We took a walk on one of the trails, but the mosquitos were so bad we had to cut it short!

Awesome acreage, should visit in different seasons to have full appreciation. Worth a weekend visit.

The gardens are well designed, carefully laid out, beautiful, and diverse. This venue is actually about five sets of gardens that are connected to each other with running/walking trails. You can also view part of the Oconee River. The gardens are well kept, maintained, and explain some of the products that are derived from the plants onsite.

We went for a Sunday morning hike on the 4 mile white trail - it was a beautiful experience and the maintenance of the trail was good the difficulty was easy to moderate. Afterwards we walked around the botanical gardens and the gift shop a great outing for a few hours. Something for everyone. See photos.

We enjoyed our visit looking at all the wide variety of plants. The volunteers working here are nice and helpful.

It's too bad we had a group that thought it was ok and funny they parked in the very limited handicapped parking.

I love the state gardens. They are beautiful and well maintained. They feel very natural and organic instead of forced and overly groomed. A nice place to go and relax.

We've been several times, at least twice each year (Christmas specifically). This is a wonderful experience for the entire family. I highly suggest adding this to your places to visit!

Take the time to enjoy the gardens, wander the trails, and even without a child view the Children's Garden. Absolutely lovely and such a landscaping dream come to fruition. Have a seat and relax and watch the world go by. Something is always blooming and the staff and volunteers are knowledgeable and eager to share. Stop by the garden shop and browse and remember to help support our gardens with a donation. Or even better? Become a friend of the gardens!!

Just enjoyed a splendid day at the gardens, our highlight was a wedding and reception at the Day Chapel - what a lovely venue.

Went here with my cousin in law and her baby boy.
The place is tranquil and beautiful. The garden is so large and well kept.
Beware of mosquitoes when you walk along the river path, though. They are plenty! Well, it's with the forest and all.. so of course there are mosquitoes. So bring your repellent.

Don't just visit the greenhouse and gardens, though those are of course beautiful! I come here for the 7+ miles of hiking/running trails. Some are hilly, others are flat and all are diverse, passing creeks and a river and rock formations. It is a great place to spend a day with friends and family. There is a great playground for children and plenty of interactive, tactile, hands-on learning exhibitions.

Always a great experience! I've taken a toddler, a date, and friends. It works for whatever group of people you're entertaining or even going solo.

Loved it! Lots of free parking. Walking paths were paved and easy to walk on. Visitor center has maps and bug spray which we discovered after exploring on our own. We stayed in the garden areas but there are several hiking trails if you want a longer hike. Very peaceful. Great variety of plants and flowers. It's laid out very nicely.

Last Friday, my wife and I walked a portion of the Gardens. We were very impressed by the landscape and beauty. We even charted outside the "fence" on a trail and heard wildlife. There, we enjoyed the shade and quiet (except for the occasional aircraft flying nearby). What a terrific attraction in Athens. If I lived in town, I would be a frequent visitor.

We had a great time just being in the presence of such a wonderful and peaceful place. If you ever decide to visit, I will assure you that you will not be disappointed

Saving grace living in Athens was,Sunday afternoons strolling these gardens. Culture in town of a natural nature! No competition or sports involved.

Was recently here 'briefly' for a Garden Club lecture with my wife. Had time for a few photos in the garden. It is very nice. Large, open glass/greenhouse type structure that is used for events and has plants as well. Great to visit this on hot GA summer day. Excellent quantity of different plants. Well done.

We went on a cold weekend in January. The indoor area was very cool - I got to see a lot of orchids, and different trees, and I really enjoyed it. However, there wasn't much to see outside (as you might expect). You can tell that it would have been beautiful if the flowers were blooming, but it was the wrong time of year.

On a totally separate side note, there are TONS of pokestops here, so I was able to get a poke-fix at the same time.

After driving cross country a visit here was a god send. What a great relaxing place to hang out and get yourself together. Grounds was well kept and the designing of the gardens was outstanding. Great little gift shop with helpful friendly staff. Even though spring has not sprung, you could see and only imagine what it would soon be like. The KUGEL, a large stone ball with the map of the world on it, was floating on a water fountain on the pavillon, was fascinating. What a great place to relax and get away from the problems of the world. Wish we could of spent more time there. A great place for the people of Athens and a must see for visitors to the area. No admission charged to get in, the place was free, what more could you ask for? Donatioins were accepted.

We have had much rain and the sun is finally out! No better way to spend this gorgeous days than hiking the trails at the Botanical Gardens! There are miles and miles of trails, beautiful topography and one that runs along the river side!

One of the gems of Athens, plenty of nature trails to keep you interested the gardens are extremely well kept. A lot of love goes into this place!

I thought it was ok. The garden looked ok. I was expecting more flower varieties with more manicured gardens. Nope din't find it.

If you want to feel you are in Heaven go and visit State Botanical Garden of Georgia, your experience with Creation is going to be Real. Since you are waking throughout scenic trails you see flowers gardens, medicinal plants gardens, vegetales and fruit gardens, forest, brooks, falls, birds, insects and many squirrels. Its amazing! A great experience for all families.

We sorrento a an afternoon walking around. This time of year (January), not much is in bloom, but it's still a great place to wander.

All the gardens are beautiful and well kept. The staff is constantly changing the plants to ensure the best visual presentation. There are lots of classes and events at very reasonable cost. The 5 miles of trails are a big attraction.