Louisville is one of my favorite towns to visit with my wife. Every-time we go we find another cool part of the city, the botanical gardens are tucked away and almost a hidden gem. Very nice paved walking paths throughout and great variety of species to experience. Even just for a peaceful afternoon stroll. Highly recommend. read more

The gardens really are stunning and beautifully cared for. You will see plants there you could never have dreamed up. Unfortunately, if you are sensitive to smell (or sound) DO NOT GO. Or perhaps check which way the wind is blowing (and bring earplugs). The gardens are on a hill where the wind carries the smell of rotting carcasses from the butcheries below. (The land is also a few yards from the highway, so the sound of cars is constant). I got used to the sound. I did not get used to the smell. The air is thick with the stench of rotting meat. You can feel it. You must swim your way through it. There is no respite. Every ounce of your breathing air is decaying, sliced animal flesh. I wretched more and more as I made my way, into the wind, to get back to the parking lot. I thought I was going to vomit. The smell has permeated my clothes and I doubt I'll be able to eat until I toss these in the wash and take a long shower. If you've read this far, I'll also add that the tour guide was a wealthy old white man volunteering to work there and he was pretty insensitive to the diversity our group represented - age, gender, race, different bodies and abilities, etc. Tactless jokes. A lot of standing still on hard ground. No escape from the smell even when folks were in physical distress. Too many tangents and asides to make whatever relevant info he might have had worth waiting for. So, yeah. Check the weather and wind direction, consider earplugs, and skip the tour. (I'll try again some day and maybe I'll get to immerse myself in those gorgeous flowers!) read more

Wonderful spot! I'm happy that it's coming along. Currently at 4 stars, but I can't wait as the gardens continue to build out the place. I've been to botanical gardens in other cities where the community and local officials don't dedicate resources to it. I'm not sure of the entire breakdown here for funding but I do know they'll obtain a round of funding, build out, and repeat. In the future, this botanical garden will rival some of the best in the country. I don't even think 25% of this place has been developed yet. On the last visit, it was for the holiday light decorations. We got super lucky, arrived, and within 20 minutes it started snowing. It made the experience so worth it. Out of other holiday happenings around town, (Light up downtown, the mega caverns, etc etc), I much preferred this even over all the others. The light decoration isn't the largest but I still think it's worth it. Kids will love it and as long as you're not a grumpy gus(No offense Gus) of a human being, you should have a good time. The gardens part through the spring and summer is also fun but limited. Again, it's going to take time as the years go by but the botanical gardens definitely adds something to the city of Louisville. read more

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Went for Christmas lights. It's beautiful. It's a quick stroll, maybe 20 min, longer if you have kids or want to take pictures. There's no definitive path. Make your own. Many dead ends. Loved the indoor and outdoor part. Was surprised to see Santa and Mrs claus. They were in separate areas, doing photo ops for free! How wonderful. We got a photo w Santa. Enjoyed the wreath display. The indoor Christmas tree with recycled ornaments was fun. You can get hot cocoa to keep your hands warm- not sure of the cost. Parking is free. Would recommend a ticket, believe it's $10. Great date spot :) read more

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Attended a silent meditation retreat on a Saturday in November for approximately 4 hours and found it to be a phenomenal recharge. This is only my 2nd time being able to grab a spot over the past few years, as this is only an occasional offering thus far. I hope it will become a more regular event on the calendar. We arrived to check-in around 8:30 AM and were done by 12:30 PM. The event included silent meditation, chair yoga, mindfulness (including mindful eating exercise), music and singing, sound bowl and chanting, a lesson reading, and a walking meditation on the WBG property. This is a great introduction to a wide variety of experiences for someone who would like to determine what is appealing in practice. The couple who led the event were terrific and I will sign up for this as often as possible. Highly recommended! read more

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The Waterfront Botanical Gardens is such a beautiful, calming place. I love visiting to walk the gardens. All of the plants have labels so you can learn a lot. There are plenty of benches so you can sit and soak it all in. Yesterday, I tried out one of the classes here for the first time - they have many posted on their website throughout the month. read more

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Decided to finally visit for the first time. We didn't know it was the weekend of the bonsai show so that was a pleasant surprise. The whole place is MUCH smaller than we expected, but it's nice. Looking forward to the additions they're working on now. read more

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The place was really nice. I've been twice. One visit in the spring and another during the winter. The lights were so pretty for the winter light show. It would have been great if they had food and snacks but it was pretty and peaceful. read more

Waterfront Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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I went to the Gardens Aglimmer Friday night at 6:00pm. This was my first time to the Gardens. Parking was easy to find & only a short walk to the entrance of the Gardens. Gardens Aglimmer is definitely something to add to your list if you have little ones. There are crafts with Mrs. Claus, pictures with Santa, and holiday lights everywhere! read more

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I'll start with the warnings. Of course I knew that in December, nearly every tree would be bare and nothing would be in bloom. But I wasn't expecting this place to be so tiny! Based on the initial map I saw, I had planned to spend over an hour here. Turns out that map is "planned" - only a tiny part of it really exists so far. It takes maybe 15 minutes to see everything, if you stop to read every sign. What's here is lovely - I enjoyed a pleasant stroll through the gardens, and really enjoyed the waterfalls. They have plenty of benches to sit and rest, nice sculptures and artwork, and I love that every tree and plant is labeled. I'm very excited to see what this place will become. read more

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This is the first time that we went to the glimmer and we were not disappointed! We took the first spot at 545, and we're glad because by the time we left 45 minutes later it was getting really crowded.... They have hot chocolate food truck out front. You should definitely check that out! Santa was there and you could get your picture with him and tjere was a craft and letters to santa area too. The stroll around the area was very nice, not too long, not too complicated but very beautiful. read more

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A great place to visit throughout the year - for a stroll or special event. Gardens Aglimmer is quickly becoming a holiday tradition. The gardens are beautifully lit (with tons of photo ops). In 2023, as you arrive, you are greeted with the Jingle all the Way Cafe food truck. They have some sweet snacks and warm beverages (cider and cocoa). They had s'more, caramel apple or gingerbread whiskey to spike drinks with. They also offer a s'mores kit and there is a fire station this year that was cute. They have a Santa meet & greet and a craft station with Mrs Claus. As we were attending w adults, we skipped those sections so I can't divulge more details. Dress warmly as everything is mostly outside. Just walking around the outside fairly leisurely took us about 40 mins. You may want to budget more time if you are seeing Santa. Some dates do sell out so grab tickets online early (and if you are a supporting member you get a discount). read more

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This is a well kept secret. Wish it wasn't. The beauty, design, and knowledgeable staff here are one of a kind. Great for family, or a date. ​ read more

Great place to visit year round in Louisville. Always something fun going on. Future expansions already in development. Definitely worth checking out. read more

The lights at Christmas were fabulous. Very family oriented and kid friendly. We will definitely go back at the holidays

Hubby planned an amazing date afternoon, and the Waterfront Botanical Gardens was our last stop. We happened to stop by on a day where they had a family event going on. They had a bunch of booths to stop at to learn about various plants. They had live music and they also offered snow cones and popcorn! This would be an amazing event to bring children to - but more of reading age so they could fully be involved with each booth. Hopefully the Japanese Garden is finished next year - cannot wait to check this out! read more

I think I came here at the wrong time! I was here early March and there was nothing blooming anywhere, all the plants are needing a few more days until spring. I've been very excited about visiting this place, seeing signs about impending construction. I was finally in the area walking around and I thought I'd come check it out. The grounds, from what I saw, are absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to come back and see everything in all its glory in full bloom! read more

Waterfront Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Waterfront botanical gardens is a very beautiful and cool free public garden in the city of Louisville near the waterfront right where Frankfort rd comes to an end at river road with the entrance tucked right behind the cool and popular "door to nowhere" sculpture. Me and my 1st and 4th born daughters recently made a trip to this garden and checked it out. Obviously lots of beautiful plant and flower life at Thai establishment. But one thing I didn't about for is all the awesome public art at this garden. Upon entrance there is an awesome vertical water fountain. Moving on through the garden path is a cool statue of a girl chasing a bird called Capriccio. There other real cool sculptures and rock formations such as super stupa, folly family and Steering the future of beargrass creek. All these add a unique and cool element to the gardens. Overall this is a very beautiful and peaceful place and it's completely free. You can't beat that. At the end of the path you are taken to an area that looks like a bike path. I'm not sure if it is strictly owned by the botanical gardens grounds or if it attaches to a nearby park. But it may be cool for me to go back and explore one day. Last weekend with my 18 month ole daughter and 95 degree weather wasn't the day for that. However we will be back to continue to explore and I'm excited for my wife and other two daughters who were out shopping with my wife to get to check out this place. read more

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We visited the Waterfront Botanical Gardens in early spring - consequently there were not a lot of flowers to be seen. That said, the gardens were still beautiful with signs of spring popping up and several large gardens of tulips. I don't know the history of the botanical gardens but it appears to me that this is a relatively new attraction - everything appeared to be very new and somewhat still in the development phase. I'm anxious to return later this summer to see more "gardens" and I'm really interested in returning again over the new few years to see how the entire area "grows" and develops. There were some large signs promoting a new Japense Garden that appears to still be in the fund-raising phase. Great site to walk and enjoy nature - allow 1-2 hours. read more

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We absolutely loved a spontaneous Sunday trip here after church. It's free to visit, but they also have a lot of events that you can check into. A sunny day is perfect to make the trip here! There are free resources like literature, signs on plants and trees to tell you the species, and clean restrooms (kind of a rarity). You will also notice that there are lots of pollinators enjoying the plants - then just check the species for pollinators garden ideas. One of my favorite things about this place is that it used to be a landfill. Now, through great investment of monetary donations, time, and volunteer hours, they've turned it into something beautiful. This is a great place to include in a date, a tourist spot, or it could be for someone who is simply interested in gardening. In 2024, the Japanese Garden should be completed, which will really be impressive. Be sure to show up and support this gem! read more

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Not the largest botanical garden I've seen, nor one with the widest variety of plants. Still, the Waterfront Botanical Garden is well laid out with clusters of well identified plants and herbs. You don't need to plan a lot of time for your visit. 90 minutes will satisfy all but the dedicated botanist. Plenty of free parking and no admittance fee. What's not to love? read more

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We arrived here first thing on a Friday morning, right before the garden opened. There were already two groups waiting at the gate, a middle school and a senior home. Unfortunately, what you can see from the gate is about the extent of the gardens right now. It appears they're working on expanding the property, but currently it's two educational buildings, the entryway, and a short winding dead end walkway sparsely lined with vegetation and a waterfall. I interacted with a few volunteers and the big selling point seems to be that this used to be a literal dump... I suppose it can only go up from there! I was expecting more from the marketing materials so I hope they continue to develop this space into a true oasis. read more

Waterfront Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Waterfront Botanical Gardens has reopened to the public. Hours vary by day so visit their website for the most recent information. Masks are currently required due to Covid safety and while you can peek inside the windows the educational center and main event space is closed to visitors. Our expectations were low. We knew this was Phase 1, but my teen has been intrigued with this project since he was a pre-teen. Likely owned one of the first batches of fundraising t-shirts. It was time to visit and see it for ourselves. With the warmer weather you'll likely be here 30 minutes, but if it was cooler and/or masks were not part of our reality, 30-60 minutes if you sat down for a chat on the bench or really examined the flowers and bushes. I loved seeing the plants and tagged nameplates. There's so many I've heard of but not seen in person and I am planning my personal pollination garden at home. Bumblebees and butterflies were around. Lots of blooming flowers and bushes. Lovely statue. Volunteer greeting visitors, sharing upcoming plans and maps. Available restroom. Scattered benches. A nearby landfill! Two water features. Great walking path. Lots more to come. We will be back to see it grow and likely become members to show our support. Events are hosted here, and members get a slight discount. Volunteering also available. I know I'm going to learn a lot from those that flock here. read more

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Nice free Botanical Garden that is very spacious and beautiful. It is a nice addition to Louisvilles new business and making our city more attractive and well maintained. This is a nice addition and it is neat to see all the plants and flowers this place has. It is very peaceful and it is free to everyone read more

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What's going on here? They're still not done with construction? Maybe I should donate. Anyway, I can see this place being absolutely beautiful with tons of flowers. But that's not where we're at yet. It's small. We didn't spend a lot of time here at all. Maybe 10-15 minutes? They've got some rocks around by a paved trail with water. Cute and therapeutic! There's an indoor space where I'm assuming they'll have events. Definitely great for a wedding. Bathrooms are in there too. Parking was interesting. Nothing is marked. It's just gravel. Make your own parking spot and follow what other cars are doing. Can't wait to see this place at its full potential at some point! read more

This has quickly become one of my favorite places in Lou! Everything about it has been beautifully planned. It may be a hidden gem now but deserves a spotlight! The gardens, paths, waterfalls, and even benches are lovely! Tucked away in the city and just off the highway, it's easy to find. Don't miss it! read more

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So happy Louisville is adding Botanical Gardens to its list of this to do. This is the first time we have been back since the Beargrass Creek pathway opened. Was surprised at the amount of work, on the new buildings and waterfalls, has been complete. Sat on a bench and painted while Lee took flower pics. It's be nice to hav some picnic table. read more

Waterfront Botanical Gardens - Folly Family sculpture - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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I ride my bike by the botanical gardens entrance quite often, so figured I'd better check it out. I took my infant with me and the paths were great to push a stroller on. We are always looking for places to explore in the summer, so the Waterfront Botanical Gardens was a great place to come and spend as much or as little time as we wanted while checking out nature. It is a beautiful area that you can tell has had a lot of time and money put into it. I can't wait to see as it continues to expand. The flowers and walkway are well maintained and quite beautiful. Excited to see how it will continue to improve! read more

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Very very beautiful. I went alone but I feel like this place is best shared with multiple people, its an experience! The grounds are so well kept, colorful and vibrant! read more

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We attended the waterfront botanical gardens lights a glimmer. This was a fun filled family event. While we attended after Christmas, this would be a wonderful place to go and visit Santa and his sleigh. Hot chocolate, cider and more adult beverages. My only issue I have, is that some of the paths aren't well lit. Aside from that minor detail, I think it was a very beautiful place to take the family. read more

Waterfront Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Loved wandering around during the Christmas Lights, very worth the $15 for adult tickets! There's also hot cocoa, hot cider and snacks available at the entrance (you can get your drinks spiked if you are of age). There are also lots of various activities like writing a letter to Santa, making a little tree ornament. read more

So much fun for the whole family! Kids had a blast! So pretty! We went in the summer and in the fall. The flowers where super pretty,and so where the lights. Loved it! read more

Beautiful place to enjoy time with your family outside. They had free snow cones when we were there!

One of the better free attractions in or around Louisville. These botanical gardens are squeaky-clean and well-maintained, and while they're pretty small, their variety of flora is satisfying. Recent expansions have been executed nicely and they seem to have impressive prospects for growth, including plans for a Japanese garden. Hopefully their future expansion will include their operating hours, because they're currently limited and it's tough to squeeze in a visit. If you can make it over while they're open, though, you'll find Waterfront Botanical Gardens to be a cozy stroll. read more

In a word, potential. Trust me, people -- this is going to be terrific. But it's going to take time, in part because they're doing it right. Brownfields aren't transformed in a day, and they aren't transformed without a good bit of money. The Waterfront Botanical crew has summoned plenty of money. (In fact, I've donated each of the last 5 years.) But this ain't Hundred Acre Wood just yet. Plantings are scheduled. Trees need water. Give it time. If Gramma's in town and you want to give her a little outdoors, we have Bernheim. We have Jefferson Memorial. We have Yew Dell. We have Waterfront Park. And we have *century-old* Olmsted parks. Take Gram Gram to that Olmsted Park. Toss these nice folks a few bucks to help plant a seed and show up to one of those Beargrass Creek cleanup days, but keep your expectations for the Waterfront Garden in the meantime, 'cause the garden really isn't there yet. read more

I have been wanting to come here for awhile and I finally bought tickets for a concert experience. We had a great time! Located on River Road- there is a gorgeous view of the Louisville skyline. We enjoyed walking around and seeing the waterfalls and beautiful plants. The band we saw was awesome and the atmosphere was perfect! read more

Went to the gardens this week for the Aglimmer, their holiday light show. The tickets were $10 and not sure if this is every night or for members only but our admission included hot chocolate (which you could have spiked) wine sampling, and a sweet treat, pictures (using your own camera) with Santa and with Mrs. Claus. There were hands on activities for kids and the lights were very well done. It was very festive and the crowd was fun. You have to have a ticket with a specific entry time which limits the crowds, but you can stay as long as you like once you are in. There is plenty of parking and is conveniently located at the entrance and exit to the gardens. (During the Aglimmer they are having you go in and out at different places. The education center, housing Mrs Claus and the kids activities as well as the original building when Santa was were both so tastefully decorated. I would highly recommend. read more

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Beautiful holiday lighting and education center/event space! Was able to catch a glimpse while listening to Sacred Heart Academy's Madrigal singers at an event last night ( wow level vocalists!). Not sure if it's open other nights just to walk through and see the lights or not but it was impressive! Looking forward to when it's in full bloom later! read more

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A work in progress but a great tranquil spot in downtown. I love it and can't wait to see the expansion. read more

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It seems to be decidedly a work in progress, so the final result, while likely years off, may be quite impressive. As it stands now, it's a little park on a hillside with some buildings to serve as an event space, but not a whole lot of actual plants. The hillside has been built into a very artificial-looking stream, and it connects with local waterfront trails, but the hours it's open are limited so it isn't that easy to take advantage of (and it bears mentioning that the gate to the trails closes an hour before the main entrance where you park here does). One of the buildings has bathrooms and water fountains, but there's not a lot going on inside unless you have some special reception set up. The amount of time you'd likely spend getting a good view of the entire space as it sits now is probably measured in minutes and not hours, so it isn't much of a destination. Hopefully, it's a step on the way to something bigger. read more

Waterfront Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky