Things to do along I-75 N/S to and from the Detroit area (2 of 2) I had to slow down the clock and spend a little time here. The real destination was Detroit. That said, I had coffee at one place, ate a meat loaf lunch at another, pawed the car windows and did some test sitting at a few dealerships, drove around the University of Toledo campus (which I didn't know is a very good school for STEM disciplines), and put the cherry on top of these few hours by visiting the Toledo Botanical Garden. I walked the garden and took photos. It was warm and humid, so I didn't really relax and sit a spell. Like many public gardens, the Toledo Botanical Garden, out toward the western end of the city, mixes up formal garden spaces with European cues and more organic spaces, meaning they are natural in affect and display very little rigid planning. I was fairly amazed how, as you moved along, these different vistas came into view. Everything was cohesively put together and you could enjoy the different environments they've curated for you. The Toledo Botanical Garden is part of the city metro park system, which I learned from other reviews. Thus, being under this umbrella might mean that the park is free of charge ... and it is! For this aspect and for delivering more than I had expected, having pulled it from a "top things to do" list, I believe the Toledo Botanical Garden handily earns 5 stars. read more

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A great place to come to get away from city spaces. Plenty of routes to walk around and take in the gardens, sculptures, and art. There are some events that go on here in the evening, so would love to come back and experience one of those. Also, looks like you can take art classes here! read more

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Very nice and well taken care of! The paths are easy to follow. We went there for a jazz concert and the parking was easy and well guided read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Small river with rocks that flow through area - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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The gift sections are always innovative and fun! The staff was personable and knowledgeable Plus the Gardens are a drawing card for all to enjoy anytime read more

It is hard to believe this is a city metro park. It is truly one of the most beautiful and peaceful parks I have ever been to. I expected to enjoy it, but it far surpassed my expectations. The park has two parking areas and very good signage to the various garden areas. There is a small gift shop that sells crafts and artworks from local artisans and they have a fridge with cold drinks for purchase. The botanic garden houses an artists village with several onsite art studios. One of them is called Unruly Arts, which is a studio specifically for people with disabilities (their description - not mine). I just loved their colorful flower and art garden. We were lucky enough to catch the roses still in late bloom and a perfect fall day. This is a special place and Toledo residents are lucky to have it. read more

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A hidden gem! Free admission. Easy access and nicely paved pathways. I adored the Woodland Garden's spring blooms and fish pond. I even saw some Asian carp in the river beside the Pondside Meadow. read more

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What a wonderful place to spend the day wandering the many paths Admiring the beautiful flowers or just sitting in the many benches throughout and listening to the birds. AND you get all of this for FREE! read more

True Beauty in our own backyard! If you have not had the opportunity to visit Toledo's Botanical Gardens, definitely make that a must on your list before the end of the season. I love to come, just to get away for an hour or so from the hustle and bustle of your daily life. There are spots to sit by near the water, and also a playground for the children. There are trails to walk, tons of breathtaking flowers, and places to relax and truly reconnect with nature. No ticket needed read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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This is not what I was expecting at all. The nature part is quite beautiful and unexpected. I was amazed at how serene this place is. I would like to come back when everything is in bloom. The winter view was still great and big free Free parking. As a side note, the front part of the park is a nonprofit for people with special needs. They make crafts and art then sell it to the public for a fair price. It was great to see everyone working together for a great cause. read more

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Toledo has so many amazing metro parks and this is one of my favorites! The variety of flowers is so fun to see and it's an amazing place to take photos or just take a nice walk. read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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This is formerly Crosby Gardens but is now part of our metroparks. Still beautiful and is now becoming more child friendly....not that it wasn't before. It's an absolutely beautiful park and garden. If you are looking for a place to take family or Sr. Pictures this is your place. They also have little buildings with art groups etc that you can enter and maybe purchase a gift. Stained glass, pottery etc. read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Found this guy stuck on his back on the sidewalk. I love bumble bees. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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What a beautiful garden, maintained so well. Gorgeous green space in the heart of the city.

Beautiful place, great for photography or a nice walk. I always find something new to look at when I'm there

Always a mind-soothing, magical experience! Art installations are beautiful, the variety of plant and tree species provide color and blooms that change throughout the seasons, and the art houses provide interactive classes and shopping opportunities, along with artistic placements throughout the gardens. Seems there's always something new being added. If you haven't spent time or walked the garden, it's worth your time to schedule a visit. read more

Cannot wait to come back! I came with a friend from Detroit after he told me it was a great place to snap pictures. It did not disappoint! From our houses in the metro Detroit area it was only an hour and a half drive ( with construction)! This place it's gorgeous and relaxing. My friend and i spent 2 hours wandering around. read more

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We visited the gardens today - and even though it was long past the height of the garden season, it was still very worthwhile going there. Since it was a weekday and in the early fall already, we had the grounds all to ourselves and that was rather special. The grounds are beautifully maintained, which is particularly amazing when considering that admission is free. The reason why I'm not giving five stars is because we've visited some extraordinary botanical gardens and therefore I must compare them with these. Still, we certainly enjoyed our visit. Note that the Visitors Center is really just a gift shop. Also, there didn't seem to be any restrooms throughout the grounds and therefore I asked about using one (at the gift shop). It was obvious that the woman didn't want me to use it, but she reluctantly relented. read more

Beautiful botanical garden. I would recommend. Nice walking trails and a nice lake. Beautiful flowers. Great place for a weekend with the family. Parking and admission is free which is a huge plus. read more

Had a lot of fun walking around here today. It was a little before season for much to be in bloom but still a very nice walk. We stopped by the shops where the artists are too and ended up buying something at Unruly Arts. read more

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The Toledo Botanical Gardens are a hidden gem in Toledo. They have amazing grounds with beautiful scenery. I held my wedding here in 2009 and was highly impressed. The staff is wonderful and does a great job of making sure the location where the ceremony is taking pace is in top shape. They offer gorgeous places to take photos. There is no admission cost so spend some time at the botanical gardens. read more

Even early spring has beautiful flowers blooming, but not here. It seems there is only 1 small section of flowers and then they are summer time bloomers. Very disappointed. Looked for a paper map but it's so small that you don't need one. Great place to bring the kids and let them run around. Free parking and admission. Recommend? If you have kids or seniors out for a stroll, sure. read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Babbling creek - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

What a beautiful space! We enjoyed a quick picnic and leisurely walk at the Toledo Botanical Garden. There's an area dedicated to roses, another to hostas, and an historic cabin with a small garden to explore. You'll also find a nice paved waterside path and a traditional English-style garden. The path lined with linden trees was our favorite area! read more

It's so beautiful and quiet. I wish I could walk my dog here, but courtesy of terrible pet owners, per usual, we can't have nice things.

Great place to explore a beautiful collection of gardens and various flowers. Check their Facebook page for information about upcoming exhibitions and festivals. read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

One year, 10 months and one day ago, my new wife and I had a picnic in the gardens right after we got married. It was a peaceful middle to a joyous day for both of us. Yesterday on a whim, we decided to go back. The garden is priced right (free) and is an easy drive from our loft in Detroit. We walked right back to the spot we had our picnic only to discover that is was just as peaceful as it was on our wedding day. The hosta collection that surrounds the conference center is beautiful and the water feature in the middle of the walkway is a great complement. The rose garden near the 1840's homestead has an incredible variety of roses from newer hybrids to heirloom roses, just like the ones Grandma has out on the farm. Our favorite spot will always be the little nook by the Cottage Garden. It is beautifully maintained and is a reasonable walk from both parking lots. And it's not far from the river, where we watched a small crane work for its dinner right below us on the bridge. This will always be one of our favorite places, not just for the memories but also for the value. read more

Beautiful garden - free admission and open everyday during daylight. Nice restroom facilities. During the summer check out the vegetable gardens, as well as the flowers and trees. Great for a leisurely walk. If you're there at the right time, you can also tour the artists' village - including watching glass blowing demonstrations! Also tour the small lithopane museum (it's a house). read more

If you want to spend a day lounging in the sun, or at the park, or in nature, this is the place to do it! There is a river, a lake, an alley of trees, an herb garden, a bunch of things to do here. And the best part? It's free! Take a walk, put the screens away and enjoy being out in nature. It's worth it (it's free)! read more

Mini vacation to here and the view was breath taking! All kinds of birds and wildlife in general! A must for those visiting the area!! read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Just one of the many breath taking views! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Beautiful space!!! Not very stroller friendly for those looking to walk with little ones, so keep that in mind and maybe use a carrier!! I did a photoshoot here with my daughter, there are so many beautiful spots to shoot!!! read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - So many beautiful spaces to take photos!!! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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What a nice ass place! Blew my expectations out of the water compared to most of the places in Toledo. :x

They're currently doing some construction so it's not as beautiful as usual. But overall, it's a great place to go for a walk to enjoy the scenery or even sit down for a picnic. It's also a great place to go to take pictures AND it's free! If you haven't been there before, it's definitely worth checking out! read more

The Toledo Botanical Garden is the best and grandest garden I have ever seen! There are many picture opportunities and many exhibits to explore. Pick up a free map at the info booth to the right of the flag pole so you can see every exhibit. Spend some time in the Herb Garden rubbing leaves and smelling your fingers, its my favorite thing to do. read more

Just a beautiful gem in Toledo with a number of great events( tonight it's a fund raiser- Toledo Jazz Orchestra with Lori leFevere ), last week the annual fine art show and numerous other events going on all year, not to mention the great walking trails and beautiful gardens and sculptures. read more

Went back to Toledo for Father's Day weekend and visited one of my favorite places in the City. Growing up in Toledo, I never really appreciated the gardens which also was limited access wise. Now with the access off Bancroft, I can more easily access the park. Getting to the park itself, I like coming in from the Grande Allee and imagining myself back in a park in Paris or Europe (sigh)... but absolutely love the cluster of the English Cottage and Border gardens. I need to bring a book one day in order to spend some additional time. The Shade garden and northern part of the park are good, but I'd rather spend my time south of the water. In all, one of the most relaxing places to take a walk and spend some time at. read more

Came here after going to the Toledo Zoo when we realized we had a couple hours before dinner. We made a great decision. It was about 15 minutes from the zoo and it was a beautiful day. Plenty of space to walk, with beautiful flowers, plants and more spread across a large area. Spent about two hours walking around and took in everything. Would highly recommend! read more

Simply outstanding! Timeless and calming, I feel instantly transported whenever I visit, which is as often as I can.

There is absolutely no downside to this park! Jazz series begins again this summer and it's always amazing! The Arts Festival is a fun family tradition. It just doesn't get any more beautiful than this place read more

One of my favorite places in Toledo. I love the art areas or just wandering by the creek. Activities and classes are available throughout the year. If you are into Pokemon go then this is a wonderful place to hit with many gyms and stops. Go there in any season to see the beautifully kept nature. read more

A rather large garden with a lot of things besides flowers. The flowers are grouped in smaller areas throughout. read more

Toledo Botanical Garden - Magenta flower - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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A marvelous gem that is a highlight to the city of Toledo. What is impressive is that this garden has free admission and free parking. the plant life and art in the gardens is impressive. read more

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