Traveler Description
Step into a world of magic and serenity at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where new additions like the Fuqua Orchid Center treat visitors to a rare collection of high-elevation orchids never before grown in the southeast.

Address: 1345 Piedmont Ave NE
Phone: 404 876 5859

http://www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org/

Traveler Reviews

Hidden Gem, Beautiful Place
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Oct 8, 2008


We visited the Atlanta Botancial Gardens first thing on a Friday morning. As we arrived, there were several school groups, ranging from elementary school age to preteens, wandering around with docents and chaperones. Despite the number of kids present, we had a wonderful time. We spoke with the agents at the front desk and determined the approximate path of the schoolchildren and were thus able to avoid most of them. The Atlanta Botanical Gardens are truly beautiful, with something for everyone, including exquisitely manicured English-style gardens, more natural plantings, a small walled Japanese garden, grand open lawns, colonnades hung with ivy and vines, an indoor rain forest, and one of the most extensive orchid houses I've seen. Also of note are the rotating art exhibits at the gardens. When I was present, the featured presentations were Sculpture in Motion and Scarecrows in the Garden. Sculpture in Motion is a show of mostly modern art pieces, such as a giant easel made entirely of rotating reflective squares that looks like it's rippling when the wind blows, and was fairly impressive. Scarecrows in the Garden, a recurring seasonal show, includes scarecrows made by local organizations, artists, and businesses, most of which were tongue-in-cheek or a kind of commentary on current events. The garden also hosts the Fest-of-Ale every Thursday in autumn from 5-10pm, which involves tasting a variety of specialty beers and live music in the gardens. All-in-all, I'd wholeheartedly recommend this wonderful place tucked away in the heart of Atlanta, and I consider the $12 entrance fee to be some of the best money I spent on vacation in Atlanta.

Beautiful and Peaceful
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Sep 7, 2008


This has to be one of if not the best botanical garden I've ever been to, and I'm not a big botanical garden fan. You feel secluded even though you're practically in the middle of Atlanta. They have a wonderful and well cared for gardens that sets you at ease and entertains all the senses. I am a big Orchid lover and this place brings home the bacon there, with a phenomenal collection of species that are awesome and beautiful. Somehow they got one to grow and I swear it looks like a humming bird! If I lived in Atlanta I would probably come here weekly to unwind and relax. They also have "visiting" exhibitions. The one going on when we were there is Sculpture in Motion, kind of entertaining, kinda...blah. But that's not what we were there for anyways.

Easy Day Trip
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Jul 31, 2008


Because of the price of gas, my family has started "Staycations" where we dont travel more than 30 miles from home. This has made the places that we visit much more special. We are not rushed to get to another destination and we end up having so much more fun! We visited the botanical gardens last Sunday morning. This place was wonderful! The plants are all very mature and thick. There were lots of people with professional photography equipment taken photos. We toured the main gardens for about an hour, and then went over to the children's garden. I had no idea! It was so hot the day that we went, and were so excited that there was a treehouse, playground, slides, & a fountain play area for the kids to play in. Literally, your kids will want to change into swimming suits. They will get soaked from the flowers that spray water. There are bathrooms right next to the fountain, so you can change them there and seating for parents. The whole place is stroller accessible, so bring the whole family. We went to Callaway Gardens last month, and were disappointed this time of year. Callaway is great when the azaleas are blooming, but from now on the Atlanta Botanical Gardens are the way to go! We also used the "Splash & Save" coupon for July and August that you buy one adult pass, and get one adult for free on Saturdays and Sundays in July & August. I just printed it off on their website.

oasis in heart of Atlanta
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Jun 24, 2007


a gem of a botanical garden. packs a lot of variety in a small space. hard to believe Midtown high rises are almost next door. while the whole garden is great for younger children, there is a Children's Garden which all toddlers will love - mazes, water play area, slides. the Garden conveniently abuts Piedmont Park so you can enjoy both of these great spaces together.

Nice for Kids
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on May 28, 2007


We came here on a saturday afternoon, and they were setting up for a wedding. What little parking they had was reserved so we parked across the street. Threre wasnt much as far as outdoor gardens go. There was a fairly impressive collection of orchids and tropical plants in an atrium. There was also an impressive kids garden, which was both educational, and had lots of structures for the kids to play on. If I had kids, this playground / section of the garden would definately be a big draw. The only other thing worth mentioning is a fairly nice perspective of the Atlanta skyline just above some of the gardens.