Though the New York Botanical Garden is one of New York City’s most famous attractions for locals and tourists alike, it’s still a bit off the beaten track. Located north of Manhattan in the Bronx, it can take travelers 45 minutes to an hour by train from Midtown. But the trek is worth it: a gorgeous botanical oasis in the middle of a densely populated urban neighborhood with a constantly rotating series of unique exhibits.
But if you’re going all the way to the Bronx, you’re probably going to want to make the most of your time at the NYBG as well as the surrounding neighborhood. You might get hungry hiking the 50-acre forest trails, for example. For expert tips, we tapped Henry Cabrera, the Associate VP of Visitor Experience at the NYBG going on 11 years now—he also happens to be Bronx-born-and-raised and lives in the “beautifully diverse” nearby Pelham Parkway neighborhood.
“NYBG has the special ability to instantly transport you from the bustling city into a 250-acre place of natural beauty, ” he says. “No matter what season you visit, you’ll leave with a better appreciation of the natural world—at a time when it’s never been more threatened, and it’s preservation and appreciation is critical.”
Autumn Wedding At New York Botanical Garden
Here, Cabrera gives us the ultimate beginner’s guide to the New York Botanical Gardens—and where to eat, shop, and explore within reach.
The NYBG’s popular annual orchid exhibition returns for its 17th year with The Orchid Show: Singapore, developed in partnership with Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Botanic Gardens. On view through April 28, 2019.
Whenever I visit the Rock Garden , I feel as if I went down a rabbit hole and emerged in another world of wonder and calm. It’s a small, but powerful space that I wish more visitors would explore to relax and replenish. To me, it’s our most special little treasure.
New York Botanical Garden: Holiday Train Show
I suggest starting out with our stunning glasshouse—the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Here, we invite visitors to explore lush tropical rain forests, cactus-filled deserts, palms from around the world, aquatic and carnivorous plants, and much more. From there, explore the adjacent Perennial Garden and Seasonal Walk for a burst of color and year-round landscape design interest. You also don’t want to miss the world-renowned Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden to smell the roses! And of course, stop by NYBG Shop for wonderful books, plants, home goods, and much more to take home.
Our full-service restaurant serves up amazing seasonal dishes—order the buffalo-style cauliflower to start, followed by the falafel burger, and don’t forget to share a dessert. If you eat meat (I stopped 2 years ago), go for the crispy chicken cobb salad—it’s delicious and I quite miss it!
Our favorite local diner—Webster’s Café — is just a couple of blocks away and makes an amazing cup of coffee. Ask for a Spanish coffee, and don’t ask for any customization. It’s perfect as is.
New York Botanical Garden In Bronx, Ny
Outside of the Garden, we’re fortunate enough to be a stone’s throw away from the real Little Italy, known as Arthur Avenue. While there are many, many great restaurants to choose from, my favorite is Zero Otto Nove . Order anything there—you can’t go wrong! Another favorite is Roberto’s , where I fell in love with their Radiatori in Cartoccio. This meatless dish is delicious, simple, and filling.
I also encourage exploration of the Arthur Avenue Market and the local small businesses such as pastry shops, butchers, bread makers, fish markets, and pasta makers dispraised throughout the neighborhood. If you have time, stop by the Bronx Zoo, which is a quick ride from our Main Entrance. Like the Garden, it’s a glorious institution, worthy of dedicated time and exploration. Further west, the Bronx Museum of the Arts on Grand Concourse (not too far away from Yankee Stadium) consistently puts on thought-provoking exhibitions and events—and it’s free to visit.
Outside of the Garden, you will find the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage , which was the final home of the writer. This Bronx treasure is also a quick ride from our Main Entrance.
The New York Botanical Garden Reveals 2023's Orchid Show By Lily Kwong
I like to explore the native forest trails since there’s one not too far away from my office building, so it makes for a quick escape when I need to decompress among canopies of centuries-old oaks, tulip trees, sweetgums, and maples.
As a local Bronx resident, a person of the LGBTQ community, as well as the son of foreign-born Latino parents, I’m enormously grateful to have a voice and a seat at the table when it comes to how such a large organization like NYBG engages with the community. Disadvantaged and marginalized populations, especially in the Bronx, don’t necessarily know how to navigate the cultural spaces of NYC, so having NYBG here to say, “Come in! Enjoy the outdoor gardens, the public programs, the forest, the rushing water of the Bronx River, ” is a fulfilling experience. I continue to be anchored in The Bronx because its diversity extends to its expansive outdoor spaces (with the most green space of any borough), its cultural institutions, its people, and of course, amazingly delicious food!By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.
The New York Botanical Garden is revered as one of Gotham’s greatest cultural institutions, and for good reason: Where else can you find 250 spectacularly verdant acres filled with over one million tropical, temperate and desert flora within mere walking distance of a major metropolitan subway stop? Founded in 1891, the NYBG was born from a civic movement with amission to cement New York City as a cosmopolitan world capital through the creation of public libraries, museums, zoos, gardens and various other now-iconic cultural organizations. More than a century later, the NYBG operates one of the world’s largest plant research and conservation programs, state-of-the-art molecular labs, hands-on curriculum-based educational programming and incredible outdoor and indoor botanically focused art exhibitions that attract more than one million visitors annually.
New York Botanical Garden In The Bronx, New York City, United States
The New York Botanical Gardenis open year-round, Tuesday through Sunday—with the exception of Monday federal holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day, when the Garden lures in vitamin D-deprived office workers with the unbridled enchantment of its sun-drenched Rockefeller Rose Garden and floating courtyard water lilies. Hours vary by season, so check the website ahead of time. As for weather conditions, the extensive outdoor grounds are open rain or shine, so check your weather app and wear shoes, sunscreen or raincoats accordingly. Just be sure to leave your laptop and French bulldog at home—the Garden does not provide bag check facilities, and unless they’re service dogs, pups are prohibited.
As if you don’t reap enough efflorescent inspiration from its permanent collections, the NYBG hosts seasonal exhibits specially designed to complement the Garden’s distinct architecture. Through October 2018, check out
Pays tribute to the late painter’s stunning canvases reflecting the Hawaiian Islands circa 1939. The exhibition includes a flower show with pieces designed by Tony Award-winning set creator Scott Pask inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. A separate exhibition showcasing the aforementioned paintings is on-view at the garden's LuEsther T. Mertz Library Art Gallery as well.And, in true NYBG form, there will be special after-hours Aloha Nights, during which you can stroll through the conservatory and enjoy live music and artist demonstrations. There will be illuminated installations by contemporary Hawaiian-Chinese sculptor Mark Chai, as well as speciality cocktails and Hawaiian bites for purchase from the STARR Events new Poke Truck.
New York Botanical Garden Bronx Hi Res Stock Photography And Images
Thanks to several hands-on educational class offerings for kids and adults, you can continue to expand your botanical horizons at not just one, but two NYBG locations: the 250-acre Bronx locale and the conveniently located Midtown Education Center at 20 West 44th Street. Bring kids to the Edible Academy’s family-friendly cooking demonstrations, where you’ll learn how to use seasonal garden ingredients to create fam-favorite recipes like homemade green goddess dressing teeming with fresh herbs picked straight from the garden. Meanwhile, adult-focused classes range from single sessions to intensive certificate courses in a wide range of soul-nourishing subjects like photography, floral design, gardening, crafts, landscape design, botanical illustration and horticultural therapy. Intro to Herbal Medicine, anyone?
Our New York editorial team is constantly updating and reviewing the best attractions, activities and venues across the city, so that you're always in the know, with the best of NYC. at your fingertips. The New York Botanical Garden was most recently updated with new tips on June 14, 2018.
Subway: B, D to Bedford Park Blvd or 4 to Bedford Park Blvd–Lehman College, then take the Bx26 bus; or Metro-North to Botanical Garden
New York Botancial Garden Weddings
$20–$25, seniors and students $18–$22, children 2–12 $8–$10, children under 2 free. Grounds only $13, seniors $6, students $5, children 2–12 $3, children under 2 free; Wed 10am–6pm, Sat 9–10am free.
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