Came back to Heritage Gardens for their "Gardens Aglow" program and it was well worth the visit. Stunning walk with thousands of beautiful Christmas lights strung about the trees. Slipping on hot cider, riding the carousel and watching dancers perform the Nutcracker. In the buildings were more stunning decorations and Santa greeting Children in one of the vintage cars. They even had a few fire pits set up to roast marshmellows.
I go every year and am repeatedly amazed at how beautiful these gardens are. This is a wonderful trip for a couple, family, trip with young kids, trip with your elderly parents, etc. There is something for everyone. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the day. Ride the carousel. Stroll by the pond, through the woods, by the waterfall, etc. Enjoy the fabulous auto museum. They have new exhibits throughout the year. My favorite part though, are the flower with their beautiful colors and smells. I love to take my time and walk slowly down every path and take it all in. Although I have yet to attend one, they also have evening concerts during the summer. They also have an amazing play/exploring area for the wee ones.
We stopped by on our way back home from Cape Cod, and we were glad we made the stop. The gardens are wonderful and very peaceful. There are a lot of trails to follow, and the museum was a joy to go through, even for those that do not have an interest in antique cars! Definitely take your time walking through the gardens in order to appreciate the beauty of New England.
Visiting Heritage Museums & Gardens during the Gardens Aglow event from Thanksgiving to Christmas is a wonderful family opportunity. The gardens and trees are lit up beautifully and there is so much to see as you stroll, at night, through the gardens. The Merry-Go-Round is open and free for all and the line moved very quickly. If you want to see Santa you can visit the antique car building where Santa greets children. Along the walk you can stop for hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows. For those who have a hard time walking the hills there is a small cart that will take you through the gardens.It is a bit costly but well worth the price.
We visited on the final day of the season. We enjoyed hiking the grounds and discovering the lovely bug sculptures. We had fun riding on the carousel. The Lily car collection is very nice too.
It was a bit rainy the evening we were there for the Christmas displays, but it was still beautiful. There is a special outside area (covered) for roasting marshmallows and having a hot drink, a beautiful indoor display of trains (running) and a gorgeous Christmas table setting. There is a carousel for kids and the evening we were there, music in the auto showroom also. The auto showroom and Celtic music were worth the price of admission themselves! Great way to kick off the holidays.
If you do your own landscaping at home, heritage gardens is a great place to get ideas. I have visited during the growing season, and at the tail end, and have gotten some great ideas. It is also a beautiful place to go and take in the beauty.
If you go there in the mid to late fall to see the gardens you will be disappointed. Most of the plants have become dormant. The only reason to visit at this time of year is to go to the auto museum, which is great! The vehicles are very well presented and there's some nice signage too. The carousel is nicely restored and the info signs were very interesting. It would be nice if they put up more signs directing you to the garden/museum. It wasn't easy to find. Because the gardens are so disappointing right now I felt that they should offer a discounted entry fee so one could bypass the gardens. $18 was just too steep for this time of year.
Dear LAtoEverywhere:Thank you for your review of your recent visit to Heritage Museums & Gardens and for providing us with your feedback. We understand your disappointment with the Folk Art Gallery being closed. This season, we have been renovating the American Art & Carousel Gallery in order to open a new STEM preschool, along with renovating the carousel and the Folk Art Gallery wing. Next season, the American Art Gallery will reopen with a new design and feature items from Heritage’s collection of 12,000+ items. The exhibit will showcase folk art, the famed military miniatures, American paintings, rare artifacts, and more. We hope you will visit Heritage again next season. In addition to the newly renovated American Folk Art display, we are also excited to offer two great special exhibits: The Wyeths: America Reflected (June 6- September 27), and Secret Shelters(June 6- October 25).Sincerely,Heritage Museums & Gardens
We went when the Gardens were decorated for Christmas and it was a beautiful night to walk around, see the lights, hear holiday music, ride the carousel, etc....