Botanic gardens and gardens worth visiting with kids in New York

New York's botanic gardens take kids seriously: both the Brooklyn and Bronx gardens have dedicated children's gardens with mazes, water pumps and sculptures to climb instead of keep-off signs. Winter conservatories and spring cherries make them worth visiting in every season.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is free under 12, and its Discovery Garden and the koi in the Japanese pond are 2-year-old favorites; NYBG is bigger, with the Everett Children's Adventure Garden and a tram ride around the grounds, and free grounds admission for New York residents on Wednesdays. Wave Hill in Riverdale runs free family art workshops on weekends, and the Conservatory Garden in Central Park's northeast corner is completely free and the quietest garden in the park.

5 places
1 free
5 stroller-friendly
closest is 25 min away

5 places

Travel times from Midtown, by subway or car

Kid favorite

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

5.0

Brooklyn · 30 min away

2.5 h · stroller-friendly

$$ · Getting there: Subway 2/3 to Eastern Pkwy or B/Q/S to Prospect Park, then a 3-minute walk

Kid favorite

New York Botanical Garden

5.0

Bronx · 40 min away

3.5 h · stroller-friendly

$$$ · Getting there: Metro-North Harlem Line from Grand Central, 20 minutes to Botanical Garden station; or subway B/D to Bedford Park Blvd and a 10-minute walk

Central Park: Conservatory Garden

4.0

Manhattan · 25 min away

1.5 h · stroller-friendly

Free · Getting there: Subway 6 to 103 St or 2/3 to 110 St, then an 8-minute walk (Fifth Ave and 105 St entrance)

Queens Botanical Garden

4.0

Queens · 40 min away

1.5 h · stroller-friendly

$ · Getting there: Subway 7 to Flushing–Main St, then a 12-minute walk; paid lot if you drive

Wave Hill

4.0

Bronx · 50 min away