Last summer I finally decided to head up the Lady Bird Johnson park, all because it had the dinosaur animatronic exhibit. I'm a bit of a dinosaur nerd, have been since the early 1970's. I wanted to be a Paleontologist when I was little. So, off to see the dinos I went. There were lots of parents with their kiddos, & grandparents with their grandchildren, a few couples, but I was the only older single. Lol We were all enjoying the animatronic dinosaurs. It's was a cool summer day, and the park was lively in size with plenty of sitting places, and restrooms located throughout. Nice gift shop, & a small little grab & go type of foods. All & all a fun time. I look forward to going back & seeing other exhibits in the future. read more

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I visited my father in Naples, Florida and they have a wonderful botanical garden there. I visited it several times while I was there. I was inspired to join the Wildflower center right in my backyard!!! It was 60 bucks for the year and what I'm most excited about it being allowed in at 800 before it opens for the crowds at 900. I went for a nice long walk this morning. I can't wait to come back when things are in bloom but also loved having the place mostly to myself on this chilly winter morning. read more

Nice place to take a long walk to work off our bbq lunch! As we were walking in, an employee pointed out the nesting owl at their entrance. It's only mid-April but I expected to see more blooms, frankly but there was a lot to see and we loved walking through the gardens and trails. read more

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Fortlandia has always been one of my favorite shows in Austin. I look forward to it every fall. This year - my 5th time - was very disappointing. SIGNAGE - The worst The signage this year is horrific. We wasted an hour and a half walking down the usual trail, only to discover that it was in the opposite direction... This in the hot Texas sun. THE FORTS At least two of the forts are repeats. LOCATION I loved the location of this year's Fortlandia - once we found it. All eight forts are grouped together so that you don't have to wander for an hour. There's a huge shady tree surrounded by park benches for weary parents and backpacks. read more

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - One of the eight forts in the 2025 Fortlandia show - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Austin, Texas

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My husband and I decided to go to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center to see Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. My husband looked online, picked a time for us to visit and paid. He also looked for parking availability online and bought us some parking in the lot next to the Wildflower Center. Driving in was there were signs letting you know which way to go. Eventually there were people that you could talk to about parking and they let you know which way to go. Luckily when we went it was so late that parking wasn't an issue. Our tickets were for 9:30 pm. We walked to the entrance where they scanned our tickets on my husband's phone. I noticed that there was also a ticket stand where you could buy tickets on site. We continued on our way. There were many friendly people that worked there helping people out. As we were beginning our trail walk a man working let us know the trail length. He also let us know that we could walk around the trail as many times as we wanted but that it closed at 11:00pm. We walked around and saw many different displays. It took us about 30 minutes to walk the full trail while taking pictures and videos. Sometimes there were lines to take pictures at the displays but we went so late that luckily the lines moved quickly. Plus there were workers there available to help take photos for you. It was really helpful. I noticed that there were a few places where you could get a snack and something to drink. My husband purchased me a bottled water. They also had trailer bathrooms. I didn't use them but I was glad that they were available in case I needed them. They also have a gift shop where you can look at a variety of merchandise. Overall this was a fun experience. We walked around the trail twice at a slow pace, took plenty of pictures and videos and enjoyed the whole experience. read more

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is an amazing place to check out. I attended the Lady Bird Wildflower Center during an Eco Conference that I was attending. The gardens are amazing. With all the different types of plants. How the gardens are designed is amazing. The conference I was attending had a speaker at the center and it was great. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is worth checking out. read more

This is such a beautiful place to unplug and recharge. It's hard to believe that this stunning spot is only about 20 minutes from the downtown area. The gardens were so pretty to look at. I went solo and just wandered around. Since I was alone and there was signage about snakes, I didn't go too far on the trails. I'm a baby when it comes to . The gift shop was stocked full of great items. I especially loved the handmade bird pins. They were so intricate and well-designed. The only thing I didn't like was they charge a mandatory gratuity of 18% at their cafe. I just ordered a dirty chai tea latte and it added up quickly. Parking today was easy since it was midday during the week. There is a parking lot and also street parking. Be sure to add this spot to your Austin bucket list. read more

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What a gloriously lovely way to spend a morning...tarantula on the trail included. It is such a peaceful, beautiful, and relaxing way to decompress and enjoy nature without all of the distractions of the modern world (aka work). The love and care that goes into maintaining the vegetation is outstanding. Being able to walk amongst Texas wildflowers and plants is breathtaking. There are different gardens and paths to explore. An entire section dedicated to kids. I like walking along the dusty trails and paths in the thick of it all getting to discover different things about our planet and state via nature. Two petals up!!! read more

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Lovely spot to spend a few hours! FYI: parking fills super fast. We went on a Sunday. Got there at 855am (they open at 9am) and the lot was nearly full. You can always find parking further away on the street but if you're coming with kids, I'd recommend arriving early to snag a spot. We went for Fortlandia which seemed better for slightly older kids. My almost 3-year-old had a hard time climbing in/on some of the forts plus they were swarming with fast older kids. I wasn't super impressed with the forts overall (especially since I saw photos of really cool ones from the previous year). It doesn't matter though because I loved their standard offerings. Lovely waterfalls, a little cave, giant birds' nests. Also, the observation tower is wonderful. Overall, the stone architecture is really nice. The staff was super nice and helpful. There was always someone stationed in the main courtyard to answer questions. The gift shop was cute and had really wide aisles (nice to keep little hands from reaching out of the stroller and grabbing some pricey pottery or something, haha). Reasonable ticket prices and kids under 3 are free. read more

Wishing I lived in Texas just to stroll this place every once in a while! This place was very beautiful and very well taken care of. All the plants are labeled which is nice. This place is home to Athena the horned owl and we had the opportunity to see her today! She laid two eggs! They offer a research trail and an observatory tower. They have different playgrounds for children which is amazing. We got to see many Texas native plants and the wildflowers were beautiful! read more

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I came here with my girl and her family on Mother's Day. Not surprising, the center was packed so parking was a bit of a task, but we did find a spot not too far away. The wildflower center itself is SO enjoyable.Definitely a very serene atmosphere and tons and tons of wildflowers to spot. There are also a lot of walking trails adjacent to the main park. Very easy to spend a few hours here. There is also plenty for the kids to enjoy with all the dinosaur exhibits. When we arrived, there was a "mother's day party" of sorts with drinks, food, and all of the fun festive stuff. We passed on that and just enjoyed the botany. Highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

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This was a nice center, with pretty gardens and walking paths, seating areas, walking tunnels, and even a tiny waterfall. The appeal of this place depends entirely on the weather that day, as an oppressively hot day can make this rather-unshaded spot unpleasant. But on a beautiful day, it's a great place to take a walk. Unfortunately for us, it was a hot day, the cafe was closed for maintenance, and even the bathrooms didn't have AC so there wasn't a lot of relief except for the gift shop. I will say, I went in expecting (unrealistically, I realized) that this place would be filled with all sorts of plants and wildflowers that I hadn't seen in Texas or don't usually see. Instead it's actually just all the plants you usually see around the area, all highlighted in one place, which to makes sense since that's what grows here, but didn't make for a very exciting stroll for me. Nonetheless, it's a great place to bring a baby in a stroller and do something different on a nice day! read more

I took my retirement age folks to take a walk through my childhood to see the Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. They only have this display here in Austin and New York City. Truly an honor for our city to be picked as a test market for this. However, you will see that they like to charge New York City prices for this experience. Sights, sounds, and excitement were present. But those without sitting aids be warned. I wish they had more benches for older folks like my mom with bad knees to take a break in between displays. She was in a lot of pain, especially towards the very end. The tickets ($41) were cheaper than the VIP parking ($50). Pretty step, especially in this economy. Guess they are running things up with inflation as an excuse. All and all, was it fun? Yes, but was it worth the price? I don't think so. read more

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I make it a point to visit gardens while traveling and this was one of my most memorable experiences. The garden is so thoughtfully designed and tenderly cared for. It's just dreamy. read more

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I went here with my family to enjoy the first day of spring. This was a fabulous choice, to enjoy the first day of spring, enjoying Texas wildflowers and native plants. This park is very clean and very enjoyable. They have each plant labeled and very well taken care of. Some of the exhibits are donated remembrance plots for people. They have areas designed for the children to play, such as waterfalls to play behind and sandboxes to dig in. They have a restaurant, however, we brought our picnic lunch and sat at a picnic table and ate. It was quite enjoyable. This park is good size, I don't know how much we walked through, we were there good three hours, but I know that we did not walk through the entire park I look forward to going back . The admission is $15 for adults and eight dollars for children 4 and up. Parking is free. I highly recommend you visit! read more

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Great place for morning walks or the kids and adults to hangout. My kid like dinosaurs and they have several of them here and many different flowers to enjoy. read more

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Luminations holiday lights are beautiful! $28 pp (non-member). Additional if you want guaranteed parking. Not only do they have many lights, but there are also activities such as the see-saw and playground with exercise equipment. The surrounding music really gets me in a festive mood. Love it! They also have a food truck inside that sells burgers if you're hungry. I'll definitely be back to check out the wildflower center in the daytime. This place is huge and is a great place to visit for all ages! read more

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Love this place. Around every turn was something beautiful to see. Loved the walking paths. They have a lot parking, but it was still fun by mid-morning. Lots of good photo ops. read more

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The Wildflower Center is so special. There is no other place in the world where you can see so many incredible wildflowers and plants native to Texas. I highly recommend coming in the spring time when the weather is ideal, and when the bluebonnets and other wildflowers are in full bloom. Make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes. There are several trails to walk, some of which are on a cobble stone path and others on gravel/dirt. Great for exercise and for taking in all the beautiful scenery! Athena the owl happened to be raising two owlets on our visit, so that was a bonus to see. They had a livestream camera so you can watch her and her owlets online. Definitely come here if you are visiting Austin. read more

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This review is for LBJs role in the Nightmare Before Christmas event. Little did we know that the name of the event would be so literal. They hosted grossly-overpriced event that has been poorly organized and disastrously run. We drove to south Austin two separate times, only to be surprised with unannounced surprise cancellations. Everyone involved in this event should be ashamed. read more

Stopped by to check out the wildflower center for an afternoon walk--the place is BEAUTIFUL! They have nicely curated gardens and places to to sop throughout the center. We wandered and loved seeing the different gardens. I would definitely recommend even bringing a book and just spending time reading in a garden on a spring day. read more

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Stop on the trail with swings! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Austin, Texas

A beautiful and peaceful place to explore. The gardens were well maintained, and there was a great variety of native plants. It was relaxing to walk through and take everything in. read more

It's amazing. Too bad I can't get in because they secretly closed for this week! Please update your hours for us so we don't get a bad surprise. read more

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Closed with no warning. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Austin, Texas

I have visited this wildflower center multiple times over the past couple of years and it's always a treat! Recently my son and I visited Fortlandia and it was so fun seeing all the new forts the kids could climb on! Another nice bonus is the tons of free parking on site and street and they are also accessible with ramps and paved trails for a good majority of it! 10/10 going to keep coming back to admire the flowers and butterflies! read more

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We got super lucky and just happened to visit Austin during Texas Wildflower season... there is a whole Widower Watch social media movement to track what/where is blooming! I was surprised how much was blooming in the garden (#10 on the map) so you don't have to walk very far at all. Especially if you slow down and really soak in all the details, like the moths, butterflies, and creepy crawlies. If you are visiting with kids, pack water, snacks, sunscreen, and plan on walking about a mile round trip to our kids favorite spot.... Fort Build (#19) has tons of tires, branches/sticks, blocks, and wood to build your own fort in the shade of trees that were dense enough to provide relief but not enough to create any issues keeping an eye on littles. We finally lured our kiddo away from the fort with the mention of Swings (#20) under the magnificent oak trees. We honestly could have spent all day if we had packed snacks. read more

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Bring an umbrella, hat, sunscreen, and water. It got really hot after 1PM. A nice place to enjoy wild flowers and wild life. The place is huge and can take easily 2 hours of visiting time. Great price for $15 for an adult admission ticket. read more

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Beautiful park. Even more so in the spring with all wildflowers blooming. I attended a celebration of life here. They have a room that overlooks the field of flowers. The paths were clear and clean. Bathrooms are available. They have a nice gift shop Parking will be an issue. They do have a parking lot, but it fills up quickly. You park on the street, but this can also fill up quickly. If you're here for an event, you can drop off those that can't walk far at the entrance. read more

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The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center once again showcases Fortlandia for the 2024-25 season. The playful creations are brilliant and artistic and the kids enjoy exploring them. There are still wildflowers blooming even at this time of the year and can walk the native walking trails. Birdwatching is fun and at the end hangout at the Wildflower Café with a cold drink and snack. The kids love picking out their favorite popsicle. If you have not been here in a while then will see the newly renovated Shop & Gallery where much of the clutter is gone but still have nice merchandise and items for kids. read more

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Loved Illuminations! This event happens once a year and when it's a bit chilly outside which is perfect. This year we went with our friends and their kids and we all had a blast! We started with cotton candy glow wands. Then got some hot chocolate. Adults could get their hot chocolate spiked! Then had pizza from food trucks. There was also burgers and fries. There is a bar tent for adults. Lots of engaging installations and never got too packed. Pro tip- we brought water bottles for kids and bought adult beverages there. read more

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What a beautiful botanical garden. It is well-manicured with wheelchair friendly pathways. It is very friendly to families. We had a pleasant few hours pursuing the lawns. read more

Went out to Austin Tx and heard about the Lady Bird Johnson place. We decided to check it out and had a good fun time. It's a botanical garden with some trails that take you through the park. One of my favorites was the pollinator garden. I snagged a picture of the sign showing how to make your own pollinator garden ... goals... I thought it was well done and a good thing to visit and worth the trip. read more

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Oh I love this place so much. What a gem! The membership is so worth it, it's a beautiful place to walk around, especially with children. My daughters especially enjoy the sand pit and creek! Even the gift shop has a well put together deadline. I highly recommend this place :) read more

It was pretty nice. Not bad!! I love the cafe and they have Gluten-free options as well. It's better to visit by April when the flowers bloom. read more

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Wintertime isn't the best time to come since everything is dormant. But we did see bluebonnets leaves starting to sprout. It was nice to walk around the grounds. Go up the observation deck. Lots of kids around for activities around the park. The introduction movie was very interesting as I wasn't aware how much Lady Bird Johnson loved nature and promoted the support to it as First Lady. I will need to return in the spring to see the flowers in full bloom! read more

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If I lived here, I'd get a membership and hang out here reading a book on a shady bench overlooking the gardens. I love how as you're walking through the garden, there are lovely fields of blue bonnets (the Texas state flower) for as far as the eye can see. This is a beautifully kept garden and a nice place to walk around with kids. They make it super kid friendly too, with a large sand pit, plays structure, and even a little library in the middle for the Family Garden. They also have a scavenger hunt for the kids, where you go around the whole garden and mark off when you see certain landmarks, like a garden gnome of a stature of a raccoon. If you find all the items, you can stop by the souvenir shop for a small prize! My husband and oldest daughter wandered around for a good 30 minutes trying to find the statue of the raccoon but finally found it in the end! All the workers and volunteers here are super friendly -- we've definitely been experiencing that Texas hospitality during our trip here. If you're looking for a place to spend a couple leisurely hours while wandering amongst beautiful gardens, this is it! read more

My husband and I took our 4yo granddaughter to see the dinosaur exhibit. We were all excited, but the dinosaurs were so spread out that it was hard to find them easily. This is a kids exhibit and it would more interesting for all if they could have signs directing people to them. Between the Texas heat (which is to be expected) and the size of the Wildflower Center it was easy to forget why we were there. On a positive note the cafe was very good for all ages and prices were great! read more

Went during wildflower season and it was beautiful. Lots of Bluebonnets, Texas yellow star, Indian paintbrushes, Indian blankets and Mexican hats. Some of these flowers definitely need new names, but they're very pretty. A great spot of bluebonnet pics but an ever better spot to just wander the trails and admire the beauty. Also they have an owl! read more

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If you enjoy a nice evening out on a weekday be sure to head to the Tuesday Twilight at the Wildflower Center. The event is free for members but you still need to reserve a ticket. It was a very relaxing atmosphere with mostly young families or retirees gathering in the courtyard for music. The Pueblo Viejo food truck was popular but many people brought their own picnics. There was a small cocktail bar available as well but drinks were pricey. I was extremely disappointed that there was no water bottle refill station! Bathrooms were okay to start but no refresh cleaning took place during the event and water was all over the counters and floor. I would recommend bringing chairs and small folding table if you want to sit in the courtyard. A picnic blanket would be great if you opt to sit away from the courtyard Overall a nice, casual event if you have a membership and live close by but I don't think it is worth $15 for this event. Next time, I would just explore the grounds more or get tickets to the Field of Lights exhibit (although this is a heartier price tag at $40) The music lineup changes for Tuesday Twilight so check the schedule before grabbing your tickets. Don't forget bug spray! read more

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There are no wildflowers. There was nothing but scrub brush and dirt. A total waste of $30 and they refused to refund us. We were and are totally disappointed. read more

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Austin, Texas

We came here to see the Field of Lights at Christmas. It is quite stunning with what seems to be acres and acres of beautifully colored lights spanning across mass fields. It is best to get there as dusk falls as it is quite lovely to see them begin to light up. There are 28,000 spheres lighted with fiber optics. It is a spectacular sight and an engineer's delight to see how they are wired and to figure out how they work. I couldn't help but to think how much work it must've been to have every sphere, 28,000 of them, individually staked into the ground! They also hand out music headsets with three different genres of music on it so you can listen to music as you walk around and enjoy the fields of lights. read more

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The Fields of lights as dusk is falling. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Austin, Texas

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