New York is a big city full of bright lights, but all of us benefit from the occasional period of peace and quiet. There are few better places to find it than in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which has sat quietly between Prospect Park and Brooklyn Museum since it was founded in 1910. The Garden spans a full 52 acres and contains many thousands of different examples of plant life which can’t be found anywhere else in the area.
The Gardens are a fine place to visit any time of year, but are especially pleasant and popular during the Sakura Matsui Festival; an annual event which sees the trees of Cherry Esplanade in full bloom. If that’s too busy for you, though, you may prefer America’s first-ever Japanese garden (the appropriately-named Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden), or the Shakespeare Garden. Named in honour of the legendary English playwright, his garden contains examples of fauna which are mentioned in his works.
Because the Gardens cover so much space, it can be daunting to know which direction to head in, and where to start. Guided tours are therefore on offer if you so desire, but they come at a higher price. If you want to take a little piece of the gardens home with you, the Garden Shop is next to the visitors’ centre and will be happy to assist.
Admission: $15 adults, $8 students/seniors, free for children under 12. Free to all visitors on Friday mornings from March to November.
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4.30pm
Address: 990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn
Website: https://bbg.org/
For our picks of the very best attractions in New York click here.
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