Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway
4
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
About
Now celebrating more than 100 years, Exbury Gardens is a spectacular collection of woodland, herbaceous, contemporary, formal and wildflower gardens. At over 200 acres, these impressive gardens (created and managed by the Rothschild family) border the Beaulieu River and boast a narrow-gauge steam railway, plus a newly refurbished restaurant and an outdoor cafe. For garden lovers: Capture Exbury’s hidden beauty and escape the cares of the world as you explore a myriad of pathways lined with rare trees and shrubs at your own pace. Seasonal highlights include rhododendrons and azaleas in spring, herbaceous borders and hydrangeas in summer and acers and nyssa in autumn. For families: Feed giant koi carp and golden orfe fish at Top Pond, complete a range of free activity sheets for children aged 3-11 and let off steam in the adventure play area. Visiting during the school holidays? Check out our brilliant events tailored to children and families.
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
4.0
1,368 reviews
Excellent
696
Very good
440
Average
129
Poor
65
Terrible
38
Vinay
Watford, UK9 contributions
Apr 2022
I'm not sure how anyone could give this place less than 5 stars. It's a beautiful place. You can easily spend half a day walking around and you'll be impressed by all the variety on show at the gardens. It's huge and you'll need comfortable walking boots to make sure your feet don't hurt too much. There are lots of places to sit and eat and I'd recommend taking your own pack lunch with you as I can imagine getting food there would be quite expensive. I feel it's well worth doing the steam train, but I wish it was longer and went throughout the gardens in its entirety. The trip on the train will take about 20 minutes and maybe the reason people don't give this place 5 stars is because you have to pay for the train separately. Overall, this is a special place to trek, because you won't see this much variety and colour on other walks throughout the New Forest.
Written April 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear vinaydesaitravel
Thank you so much for your lovely 5* review. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your visit and enjoyed exploring and discovering the wide variety of plants and trees in the gardens. We agree that Exbury is a very beautiful and special place, and we are delighted that you had a wonderful day here.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written April 30, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lynne B
Southampton, UK133 contributions
Oct 2022
I love Exbury Gardens, I have purchased a season ticket for myself and my grandkids for the last couple of years. We go in all seasons and we enjoy the large spaces, the beauty and everything it has to offer. We visited the gardens today. They made a massive effort for Halloween and it was definitely better than previous years. My only only complaint was: as a season ticket holder, you automatically get the train free. Today, however, the option of booking the train (any day, any time) had been withdrawn. You could book it and pay £5.50 but season ticket holders were denied the privilege of travelling on the train, probably because they wanted to cash in on non season ticket holders paying extra. My daughter in law also has a season ticket and tried every day and every train and the option wasnt there. That is very naughty of Exbury, and very greedy. It is the season ticket people that keep coming back year after year, so dont take us for fools!!!!
Written October 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear Lynne B
Thank you very much for your review, and thank you for being a Friend of Exbury member, as our members do a great deal to support the gardens.
With regard to our Halloween week, this year has been the same as previous years in that we run the Ghost train during half term, but this takes over from the normal steam train rides which are not available during this week. Friends of Exbury members are very welcome to book tickets on the Ghost trains, and many members do. The ghost train is not free for members, but is discounted, which is explained in the terms and conditions of your membership. This year the demand for the ghost train was incredibly high, and all the trains sold out well before the event started. We did put on extra trains to meet demand, which also sold out.
I hope this explains the situation and can assure you that we do value our Friends of Exbury members greatly.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written October 29, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sue B
Camberley, UK191 contributions
May 2021
A first trip to Exbury, having driven past it on innumerable occasions. I can certainly recommend a Spring visit when the rhododendrons, acers and azaleas were spectacular. Every turn in the 26 miles of paths produced a gorgeous view, the variety and colour of the different plants was incredible. Loved the river walk through the forest with the views of the little boats on the Beaulieu River. Many ponds and cascades, the house as a background and, the icing on the cake, the steam railway for a trip around the grounds. Our visit coincided with the first day on which eating inside the restaurant was allowed and the restaurant staff were a little disorganised. Many people seemed to have been waiting a while for their food, but perhaps it is unfair to judge them on service in the circumstances. The food was good when it did arrive but we felt it was a little expensive. Good cakes though!
Written May 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear Sue B
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a super 5* review.
I am so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your time at the gardens.
Its wonderful to hear that you liked our new river walk.
I have passed on your comments about the restaurant to our catering manager. We certainly agree that the cakes are delicious!!
Please come and see us again soon.
Kind Regards
The Exbury Team
Written June 1, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TedandFreesia
Hampshire, UK43 contributions
Apr 2022
Beautiful gardens, well worth the trip but take a picnic. Slow at the entrance - although the web site asks you to book in advance lots of visitors buying tickets at the two entrances. Why not have one for selling tickets on the day and one for scanning prepaid. Food disappointing - limited choice and expensive. Nice cup of tea and at £2 for a 2 cup pot more reasonably priced. Initially pleased to see a vegan/gluten free pop up cafe but the vegan sausage roll was extremely greasy and, at £4.50, overpriced. Limited range of gf cake too.
Written April 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear TedandFreesia
Thank you for your 4* review, and we are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the beauty of the gardens. With regard to the Visitor Entrance, we have found that having two admission points works very well, and by encouraging visitors to pre-book online this does reduce the queuing times significantly. We are aiming to only have a small number of visitors buying tickets on arrival. We are sorry to hear that you were not happy with all of the refreshments you purchased. We get very positive feedback about the food at VGF so I am sorry that you weren't happy on this occasion.
We hope that overall you enjoyed your visit and that you will visit us again soon.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written April 30, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lucie S
Arundel, UK157 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
Without exception, this is one of the loveliest gardens I have visited. My husband and I visiting with our (almost) 90 year old parents + our Airedale Terrier and we all had a wonderful time.
We took the narrow gauge steam train as soon as we arrived to help us get a sense of the surrounding area. The train and carriages were a little smaller than I’d expected (my fault for not reading the blurb!) but no less fun for that.
We enjoyed loaded hot chocolates in the restaurant before walking as far as we could manage. Even just visiting the exhibition of lilies, the herbaceous garden, the tennis court cafe and the river walk provided more then enough opportunity to take in vast the array of trees in their fine autumnal colours, as well as pretty flowerbeds planted with late flowering plants.
Thank you to the very kind lady at the tennis court cafe and the Head of Operations who came to our rescue when we realised we’d overdone the walking and our parents needed a buggy ride back to the exit!
If, like us, you want a less “commercial” and more natural place to visit, with more than enough pathways to explore, cafes to enjoy and a genuinely dog-friendly welcome, we highly recommend Exbury Gardens. We’ll definitely come again.
We took the narrow gauge steam train as soon as we arrived to help us get a sense of the surrounding area. The train and carriages were a little smaller than I’d expected (my fault for not reading the blurb!) but no less fun for that.
We enjoyed loaded hot chocolates in the restaurant before walking as far as we could manage. Even just visiting the exhibition of lilies, the herbaceous garden, the tennis court cafe and the river walk provided more then enough opportunity to take in vast the array of trees in their fine autumnal colours, as well as pretty flowerbeds planted with late flowering plants.
Thank you to the very kind lady at the tennis court cafe and the Head of Operations who came to our rescue when we realised we’d overdone the walking and our parents needed a buggy ride back to the exit!
If, like us, you want a less “commercial” and more natural place to visit, with more than enough pathways to explore, cafes to enjoy and a genuinely dog-friendly welcome, we highly recommend Exbury Gardens. We’ll definitely come again.
Written October 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear 56lucief
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5* review. We are so pleased that you all enjoyed your visit, and really couldn't ask for a better review from any of our visitors.
Please do come and visit us again, each season is special at Exbury in different ways, and as you know there are endless pathways to explore.
Thank you again.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written October 24, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mike C
Romsey40 contributions
Oct 2021
It was a rainy day and we found out that there was nowhere to shelter so got wet. Also they REFUSE to accept cash which was all I had so we could not get a cup of tea as they are bragging they have gone cashless which is great for them but not for us cash users. Not enough infomation on things as you walk past and you can not visit the house, overall pretty poor value and very few places for elderly mother to walk and sit down. Exttra £5.50 for a trip of 15 minutes on train not at all good value as it goes around a block of nothing to see
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear mikecX7493BM
Thank you for your review, and I am sorry that you were disappointed by your visit to Exbury. We have been cashless for the past few years because as a charity it is one way in which we can cut costs, and we have found that visitors are almost always happy to pay with a card as many places are now card only.
We do have a lot of benches around the gardens but on a rainy day we do understand that they aren't always suitable to sit on. As an outdoor attraction we do have limited places to shelter, although we do have lots of natural shelter under trees, and also have umbrellas over most of the tables by the Visitor Entrance.
I am sorry that you didn't enjoy your visit, it is sad for us to hear that you didn't have a good day here, but thank you for your feedback.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written September 7, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JoJo
Portsmouth, UK376 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
Paying £27 for 2 adults to walk around the gardens was extremely overpriced, that’s doesn’t even include a trip on the steam Railway. Bottled water was £2.25. The cafe inside the gardens wasn’t even open when we were there ( around 10.30am on a a Saturday ) so there was nowhere for us to get refreshments, only outside the entrance. Not worth the cost.
Written May 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear Jojojo100027
Thank you for your review, and I am sorry that you found the gardens to be overpriced and average. We do feel that £13.50 per adult is comparable to other attractions, particularly as we have 200 acres to explore and visitors are welcome to stay for the whole day. Our rhododendrons and azaleas are world-famous and are in full bloom during May so we would have to disagree that the gardens are average. The Old Tennis Court tea rooms opens at 11am as the gardens open at 10am and visitors generally who want to have refreshments at the start of their visit will buy them at the Visitor Entrance.
We are sorry that you were disappointed by your visit, but thank you for your feedback.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written May 20, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
nnmercman
Camberley, UK13,718 contributions
Sep 2022
Visited early September and gardens were still in recovery mode after the recent hot spell. Flowering changes with the seasons and I suspect late spring is probably the best time to see the best displays. We particularly enjoyed the tranquil riverside walks.
Plenty of parking and entrance prices are reasonable in my opinion (we have free access at certain times of the year as part of RHS membership - the miniature train is within the grounds (see my layout map) at additional £5-50 fee but cannot be accessed separately from gardens entrance. Whilst the main garden thoroughfare is tarmaced, other areas consist of gravel or uneven surfaces which may have an impact if you have mobility issues or wheelchair bound. There’s a large cafe/restaurant before the main entrance and is free to access plus a small cafe serving drinks/cake/light bites within the grounds. A good sized young childrens play area is just inside the entrance. The oldest tree on display (Domesday Yew) is around 300-400yrs old. I must admit the American Garden was disappointing as I couldn’t make out if there was anything on display (or perhaps showing my ignorance of plantings?). Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead.
Overall we spent a pleasant few hours here and still didn’t see everything.
Plenty of parking and entrance prices are reasonable in my opinion (we have free access at certain times of the year as part of RHS membership - the miniature train is within the grounds (see my layout map) at additional £5-50 fee but cannot be accessed separately from gardens entrance. Whilst the main garden thoroughfare is tarmaced, other areas consist of gravel or uneven surfaces which may have an impact if you have mobility issues or wheelchair bound. There’s a large cafe/restaurant before the main entrance and is free to access plus a small cafe serving drinks/cake/light bites within the grounds. A good sized young childrens play area is just inside the entrance. The oldest tree on display (Domesday Yew) is around 300-400yrs old. I must admit the American Garden was disappointing as I couldn’t make out if there was anything on display (or perhaps showing my ignorance of plantings?). Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead.
Overall we spent a pleasant few hours here and still didn’t see everything.
Written September 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear nnmercman
Thank you for your 4* review. We are very pleased that you enjoyed your visit to Exbury and thank you for your detailed review.
Please do visit us again.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written September 21, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
VictoriasAdventures
Hastings, UK197 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We visited whilst on holiday in the area. The gardens were very picturesque and nice to walk around. The children’s play area was also very nice and well maintained. I felt safe from a COVID point of view and there were plenty of sanitising stations readily available.
The best bit of our visit was the steam train. The staff attending the train were absolutely wonderful and so attentive to the children. There was a lovely lady attending the train on the day of our visit (Wednesday 25th) who was particularly kind and engaging to my daughter who loved watching her with her whistle and flag.
Unfortunately the train ride didn’t last very long and it would have been nice to have more animal models to see during the journey.
For four adults and one child to get in to the gardens and then pay extra for the train it was the best part of £70. Feel a bit cheated to be honest for what was essentially quite a nice walk outside. We wouldn’t return.
The best bit of our visit was the steam train. The staff attending the train were absolutely wonderful and so attentive to the children. There was a lovely lady attending the train on the day of our visit (Wednesday 25th) who was particularly kind and engaging to my daughter who loved watching her with her whistle and flag.
Unfortunately the train ride didn’t last very long and it would have been nice to have more animal models to see during the journey.
For four adults and one child to get in to the gardens and then pay extra for the train it was the best part of £70. Feel a bit cheated to be honest for what was essentially quite a nice walk outside. We wouldn’t return.
Written August 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear VictoriasAdventures
Thank you for your reivew. We are so pleased that you enjoyed the gardens, the play area and the steam train. We will make sure that we pass on your lovely comments to the railway team.
I am sorry that you do not feel that your visit was good value for money, although we would have to disagree that the gardens are not worth revisiting. I hope that you had time to properly explore our 200 acres, including river walks, summer gardens, ponds and rare plants, there is so much to see here.
I hope that you do visit us again, and we thank you for your feedback, which is always valuable.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written September 3, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Bottlenosedchimp
Southampton, UK4 contributions
May 2022
The gardens are gorgeous in summer, sprawling and spread out, great for getting lost in. Trees are well labeled and routes are well signposted which makes finding your way around and identifying plants a great experience. There are a great variety of walks and ponds and the gardens benefit from not being too crowded due to their size. I'd rate the gardens extremely highly. The sundial garden was a particular highlight as were the Japanese bridge and ponds.
Best advice would be to pack a picnic or lunch as the options are very pricey (£7 for a sandwich and a drink at minimum) the restaurant looked OK though there was a fly landing on the pies so I'm glad we opted for the cakes that were covered instead.
Best advice would be to pack a picnic or lunch as the options are very pricey (£7 for a sandwich and a drink at minimum) the restaurant looked OK though there was a fly landing on the pies so I'm glad we opted for the cakes that were covered instead.
Written May 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear Bottlenosedchimp
Thank you for your 4* review. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your visit and thank you for your comments about the signposting, ponds, japanese bridge and sundial garden. It is lovely to hear from visitors that they have enjoyed the gardens.
I am sorry that you were disappointed by the pricing in Mr Eddy's restaurant, and hope that nevertheless you enjoyed your cakes.
Do come and visit us again soon.
Best wishes
The Exbury team
Written May 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Frank D
Ryde, UK
Any discount for OAP
New Forest Truffles
New Forest National Park Hampshire, UK285 contributions
Not much of one I'm afraid. Carers come in free of charge.
Raging.red.head
1 contribution
How long does the steam train ride take please? Does it do a loop of the garden ? Thanks
seahorse2017
Hook, UK98 contributions
Easy ride for short distance around a colourful area, around 20/25 mins.
janetwilliams646
Sturminster Marshall, UK2 contributions
What is the age limit for a child’s ticket?
Hi Jane, Our child tickets are for children aged between 3-15. Under 3s are free for the gardens and the steam railway.
We hope to see you soon!
Daydream03995786757
1 contribution
I have a very sad memory of a plaque relating to the death of a little 3 year old who used to like to play in the area of one of the footpaths. Can you tell me a little more about the child and the circumstances of their death. Such a beautiful memorial
Richard A
Romsey, UK34 contributions
So sorry, I have not come across this plaque.
Access to Exbury is by booked appointment only at the moment so it’s very peaceful
Price of gardens and steam railway
MNB271
Dibden Purlieu, UK117 contributions
£12.50’adult
£4.50 child
£5.50 train
Malcolm T
Stubbington, UK10 contributions
What are the flowers like at the moment
graham47kay
Blandford Forum, UK62 contributions
Not the best time to visit
Fenton1305
Southampton, UK9 contributions
what are the blooms like at this time came last year and missed them
graham47kay
Blandford Forum, UK62 contributions
Last 10 days of April, first 10 days of May are best, depending on weather. There is plenty of colour at other times of year including Spring bulbs. Worth checking on Exbury site.
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway
- Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway is open:
- Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
- Hotels near Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway:
- (0.99 mi) The Master Builder's House Hotel
- (2.47 mi) Montagu Arms Hotel
- (5.17 mi) Holly Tree House Bed and Breakfast
- (5.16 mi) Onefifty Cowes
- (5.21 mi) Hamble Bed and Breakfast
- Restaurants near Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway:
- (0.03 mi) The Old Tennis Courts Outdoor Cafe
- (0.04 mi) Mr Eddy's Restaurant
- (0.26 mi) Ritual Feast
- (2.49 mi) The Beaulieu Bakehouse
- (2.47 mi) The Terrace Restaurant