United States
Maine (ME)
Mid Coast Maine
Boothbay
Things to Do in Boothbay
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
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Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

See all things to do
See all things to do
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
5
1,986 reviews
#1 of 13 things to do in Boothbay
Nature & Wildlife Areas • Gardens • Scenic Walking Areas
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
The Gardens is 323 acres, 19 of which are ornamental and themed gardens featuring native plants of Maine and others suited to northern coastal conditions. Trails and points of interest extend over 150 acres of mature forest, wetlands, and a mile of tidal shoreline. Advance tickets are required for admission; visit MaineGardens.org. The campus includes innovative landscape designs, impressive stonework, unique sculpture, and scenic views inviting visitors of all ages and abilities to explore nature’s connections at their leisure. Hailed as one of Maine's top attractions, a visit to the Gardens is a memorable experience, no matter the season.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,986 reviews
Excellent
1,743
Very good
194
Average
39
Poor
7
Terrible
3
traveling_with_kathy
Lake Stevens, WA1,143 contributions
Beautiful and Colorful Lights
Dec 2022 • Solo
This was my second trip to see the botanical gardens all lit in colorful lights. They do such a wonderful job. It’s so popular that pre-purchased tickets are required for 3 or 4 time slots. There is a fabulous gift store with so many cool things. It was a cold clear night when I went. I really enjoyed the gardens, but holy smokes there were SO MANY people. At times it felt like we were cattle being moved through the maze of trails. Everyone was happy and snapping pictures at every turn. I didn’t try it, but they sold warm blueberry cobbler and Kettle Corn. Since I’ve only visited during Christmas time, my next trip will be spring or summer. A great activity for all ages.
Written January 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mguilford1
Standish, ME80 contributions
To quick, but beautiful
Dec 2020
I have never been to Gardens Aglow. I liked the idea of a drive thru instead of being out in the cold. The lights were beautiful but I was very disappointed that for $40 the whole thing was over in 12 minutes and 50 seconds. My husband also tried to drive slower than the 5 miles per hour so we could try to take it all in. The guy behind us was ready to run us over which didnt help our feeling of not really being able to enjoy the show. I do appreciate all the volunteers' hard work making everything beautiful. we will go back again when you can walk thru no matter how cold it is.
Written December 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave H
Danville, VT17 contributions
Inspiring
Sep 2020
We have gotten to know these gardens pretty well as we visit more than once a year. Yet every time we come we find new combinations of color and texture. They do a great job labeling material which I have found to be very helpful. It gives me ideas of what to shop for later as well as helping me ID a plant at home where the tag got lost.

See your favorite plants done well and learn the names and habits of new ones. Take million pictures or just take it all in. Explore the trails in the woods or well designed gardens and appreciate the color combinations. Great stone work is almost everywhere.

We arrived early in the morning on a weekday and felt like we had the place to ourselves for a while. They did a lot of planning to help visitors social distance and some paths are one way, but you still get to see everything.

The restaurant is not serving but we had some great fresh salads from the snack bar. The gift shop has some wonderful selections of specialized books, tools, artwork and clothing.
Written September 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NatureLoverMass
Salisbury, CT153 contributions
Spectacular gardens for all ages to enjoy
Jun 2021
Although relatively new, these gardens already seem well-established. The care that has gone into the layout of the gardens is amazing. The planners took full advantage of the natural landscape offered by the over-300 acres of meadow and woodland. There are acres of semi-formal gardens and yet other acres of gentle paths meandering through natural Maine woodlands. The variety of habitats (marches, ponds, riverfront woods, open meadows) provide locations for an astonishing variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers. A bonus this year is the new arrival of the tree trolls. These 5 massive, imaginative sculptures are scattered around the property and will delight both children and adults. They add a bit of artistic flair and family fun to the gardens. Note that the gardens are so extensive that multiple visits are required to take it all in. If you have time for only one visit, spend a few minutes talking with one of the volunteer guides in order to plan the best visit for your personal enjoyment.
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LV2travelmore
United States1,711 contributions
Visiting during Covid
Jun 2020
We have been really limiting our activities in public. We went to the garden with the plan if people were too close we would leave. I am so glad we went. You need to make reservations through their website which was an easy process. They are using timed entry and limiting the number of visitors. I must say I thought they were very through. We could tell right off it wasn't going to be as crowded as usual as we got a close parking spot. Before you enter they had a staff member reviewing the rules. The only thing that might impact people with mobility issues is the golf carts are not running to transport you from some of the parts that are a ways from the visitor center. We did not need that. The gardens are as lovely as ever. All employees were wearing masks. We asked two different gardeners questions and they kept a respectful distance while giving us lots of info. Most guests, but not all were wearing masks. We did take ours off when we were in areas with no other people. Since there were fewer people I think I enjoyed the gardens even more as it was so serene. We did walk down to the Rhododendron garden which was in bloom. Some of the paths near the visitor center were one way. Some of the children's areas were closed. All in all it was a great visit. Since we don't live that far away we hope to return again this summer. ( we are members)
Written June 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan In Roanoke
Paris, France102 contributions
Can't say enough wonderful things about our visit
Jul 2022
Buy tickets on-line (very easy) for the time to visit. They try to stagger the visiting time. Everyone was so helpful. The gardens which may cover 20 or more acres are great with beautifully flowers, bushes, trees and butterflies in landscaped areas. Bring good walking shoes because you're walking up and down hills (not bad but still hills). There is a nice air-conditioned Cafe in the middle of the Botanical Gardens where you can stop for a sandwich and drink or something. If you do get worn-out with the walking, there a golf cart buses to take you back. Will definitely return
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandra E
Maine4 contributions
Gardens Aglow
Dec 2020 • Couples
Very expensive, and difficult to find in the dark due to poor signage. We visited on the 27th, and we were literally yelled at by the lady at the front gate. If we hadn't driven 90 minutes already to see the show, we would have just left. We hope next year some changes can be made to help visitors, and maybe make all who visit feel welcome.
Written December 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steven L
Syracuse, NY879 contributions
A MEMORABLE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE
Sep 2020
My wife and I recently visited the Botanical Gardens. To maintain COVID Safety, walk-up admissions are not allowed and tickets have to be pre-purchased for a specific arrival time. Even though it's all outdoors, it made us start off with a safe feeling.
As we entered the garden area, we noticed that the staff had set up barriers and signs to establish a specific traffic flow. It not only helped us stay socially distant , it also created a very useful traffic pattern to maximize our exposure to the many botanical varieties that are being presented. We walked for a few hours enjoying a relaxed and informative morning.
We enjoyed the fall day but could also see how visits in other seasons would be just as rewarding.
Written October 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danielle S
Boston, MA22 contributions
Full Bloom and Fun!
Jun 2021
My son and I traveled here after hearing about the Giant Trolls. It did not disappoint! We ordered our tickets online the morning we visited. The entrance process really couldn't have been easier. I showed the receipt on my phone and we walked right in! We were greeted warmly by every staff member, every volunteer, and at every exhibit we had our questions answered. We spent about two hours exploring and searching for the hidden trolls. My son was completely engaged for the entire visit. We used an app on our phone to identify unknown plants and flowers, but there were labels everywhere. It rained on and off throughout our visit but this didn't bother us at all. The trails were pretty and maintained. My son and I loved this place, and we will return for sure!
Written June 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fishbeck
Katy, TX69 contributions
Garden Paradise
Jul 2022 • Couples
We toured the gardens on a rainy Monday in June. We stumbled upon a tour outside the cafe at 11:00am. It was just us and two ladies from Ohio. Our docent was so wonderful to take us around even during the rain. I would highly recommend going on this tour and learning the history of the gardens. After, that we explored on our own the trails that are not manicured and found all the trolls. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and recommend to all ages.
Written July 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens tours on Tripadvisor