Garvan Woodland Gardens: 6 Attractions and Activities for Kids
Garvan Woodland Gardens, a 210-acre botanical garden nestled along the shores of Lake Hamilton, is a treasure trove of natural family fun. Young explorers can roam and romp through the many gardens—from the Garden of the Pine Wind to Daffodil Hill—and always find something new, since each season and month brings exciting changes.
Throughout the spring, summer and fall, visitors are greeted by different blooming flowers, plants and trees. And, of course, the wooded oasis has become known for its seasonal exhibits like the Holiday Lights in the wintertime and its newest summer exhibit, "Mystic Creatures."
But there are many other sights and hands-on activities for families that even we didn't know about. Did you know that visitors can bring food and drinks into the gardens and have picnics? We didn't!
So, earlier this summer, Little Rock Family took a day trip to Hot Springs and toured Garvan Woodland Gardens. Here are some of the cool things we found for families!
1. "Mystic Creatures"
You don't want to miss the summer exhibit, "Mystic Creatures," which returns to the garden for its second year. Each of the living displays is made of steel forms covered with netting, soil and thousands of brightly colored annuals arranged in intricate patterns. This year's exhibit features several new sculptures, including a majestic, 20-foot wide "flaming" Phoenix and a nest of "Mystic Babies" in the Children's Adventure Garden.
Visitors will also see the popular installations from the 2014 exhibit redesigned with new color palettes and plants, and placed in new areas in the gardens.
You'll find a 40-foot long sea serpent, the 13-foot tall Sasquatch, a Fairy Gourdmother playhouse, a family of mushrooms and fairy village. The exhibit will remain on view through Aug. 31.
2. Evans Children's Adventure Garden
No family trip to Garvan is complete without a visit to the Evans Children's Adventure Garden, a 1.5 acre area where kids can splash in a waterfall, catch critters in the crawdad hole, and explore a series of wading pools. Kids are invited to climb on the Arkansas-quarried boulders--all 3,200 tons of them!
Little ones can "discover" a man-made cave (ADA accessible) with dinosaur fossils and footprints in the ceiling, and traverse the unique Cedar Bridge made of wrought-iron.
3. Sugg Model Train Garden
Little locomotive lovers will adore the model trains near the Pratt Welcome Center--the G-scale railroad was built to represent two businesses once owned by Garvan Garden's founder, Verna Cook Garvan.
You'll see a train carrying logs to the Wisconsin Arkansas Lumber Mill, while another train hauls clay-filled cars to the Malvern Brick and Tile Company.
4. Discovery Backpacks and Scavenger Hunts
Before you head into the gardens, don't forget to ask for a Discovery Backpack! Loaded with magnifiers, binoculars, field guides, and journals, the backpacks help children explore their surroundings. Best of all, borrowing one of the backpacks for the day is free with admission.
You can also snag a Scavenger Hunt game sheet in the welcome center—children will enjoy using their observation skills to find things like a peacock, moss, waterfall and more. At the end of the visit, children can return the completed sheet to the welcome center and choose a free toy from the treasure chest.
5. Garden of the Pine Wind and the Koi Pond
Pick up some fish food in the welcome center. Then, venture through Garden of the Pine Wind, an award-winning Asian-style garden filled with Japanese Maples, Oriental Dogwoods, a cascading stream, beautiful bridges inspired by China and Japan, and more. At the bottom of the hill, you'll finally come to a hugely popular attraction for families—the Koi Pond and its hungry fish.
6. Events and Workshops
Throughout the year, Garvan Woodland Gardens hosts a variety of activities, workshops, concerts, walks and more for the whole family. Coming up in July is the sold-out Fairy & Wizards Tea for Children, as well as a beading camp for all ages. Keep an eye on the schedule to see more upcoming workshops for families, holiday concerts and more.
Admission to Garvan Woodland Gardens is $15, children ages 6-12 $5, children ages 0-5 free. Family memberships are available for $85, and include admission for two adults and children/grandchildren under the age of 18. Members also receive perks such as express entry during the Holiday Lights, invitations to members events and previews, and discounts on workshops and on merchandise in the GardenShop. Members also receive free admission at over 300 gardens and arboretums around the United States.
School field trips are also available for students in grades K-12. Click here for more info.
For more info and to start planning your visit, go to GarvanGardens.org.