Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Came here for the first time during the Christmas light festival. The decorations were beautiful, though initially felt like a sensory overload. Plenty of parking available. Well run event. And the ground had hard top so it was easy for everyone to navigate. Super chilly night and wish I had brought a warm beverage like many others. Now I'm curious to see all the plants inside and definitely will have to come back for a daytime visit.

Christmas lights at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens has become an annual tradition at this point. A casual stroll through the gardens to see all the lights usually takes us about 90 minutes. Two locations have beverage service with one serving hot food. The Jingle Bar also has shots you can add to your coffee or hot cocoa. There are plenty of wonderful light displays and photo opportunities. This year we went on a Saturday around 7pm and the parking situation was mildly frustrating. I'd stick with week nights.

It was my first time visiting this location and seeing the lights. I was informed in an email that there is a 30 minute window of entry for your registered time slot on your ticket. this had me worried since I was running an hour late for a 4PM schedule on a Friday, one week before Christmas. Fortunately, I was allowed entry with no hassle. So, not sure how strict or consistent the rules are enforced but this was nice since it was my anniversary weekend and I was surprising my wife with the light show. I would recommend however, arriving at 5-5:30PM at the earliest, anyway, to get the best experience since the sun will just begin to set. But keep in mind, the crowds will start to roll in. Depending on your pace and what your activities and interests consist of, you can complete the experience in as little as 45 minutes or less (fast pace with no stops) or up to a few hours if you choose to stop and take pictures, eat, drink cocoa, warm up at the fire, explore the several exhibits and shop for souvenirs. Overall, a pleasant experience and would recommend for families and cute dates.

Visited the garden for the holiday lights. The grounds were beautiful and captivating. The process to purchase the tickets and to check in was very easy. There were restrooms upon entry. There was a lot of places to take nice pictures. There was. O food or drink allowed due to having a restaurant. There was apple cider and hot. Chocolate available. But the hot chocolate was so hot my. Holder. Could not drink them h til we got home. So maybe if there was an option to have it cooler that would be good. Otherwise I was pleased.

A visit to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Festival of Lights is a holiday tradition for our family. Enjoy a festive, colorful walk after dark through the garden. This year’s light show is beautiful. The kids love the magical holiday garden. It’s truly a great experience for the whole family. The path is paved and can accommodate strollers and wheelchairs. There are some hills to navigate. Don’t forget to visit the conservatory to see the giant Christmas tree. There is also an awesome indoor toy village with trains running through.