Airlie Gardens

Even during winter, Airlie Gardens was a beautiful and peaceful place to explore. While there were fewer blooms this time of year, the natural beauty of the landscape still made for an enjoyable walk. The trails are well-maintained and winding, offering a chance to appreciate the layout, sculptures, and towering trees that give the gardens year-round charm. One of the highlights was discovering the collection of cardinal statues scattered throughout the property. Each one had its own unique design and it was a lot of fun to search for them as we wandered through the grounds—it added a sense of whimsy and discovery to the visit. Even without peak seasonal blooms, Airlie Gardens offered a quiet, refreshing experience and a great way to connect with nature. I’d love to return in spring or summer to see the gardens in full color, but even in winter, it's a wonderful spot for a relaxing stroll. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates art, nature, and a peaceful setting.

Such a peaceful, lovely place. They were setting up the Christmas lights as we were walking around. Looks like it’s going to be a great set up! The fall leaves were changing and everything had that crisp fall hue to it. Ugh, I love it here.

Extensive grounds! Lots of pathways! Amazing oak trees, a labyrinth to walk, turtles in the waters, eagles in the sky. Very peaceful, spacious.

Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, NC is an easy 5 star experience for anyone who enjoys classic Southern gardens, history, and peaceful water views. It combines 67 acres of live oaks, lakes, and formal plantings with enough walking space and variety that you can comfortably spend half a day exploring without feeling rushed.

We love Airlie Gardens! It’s beautiful, serene, and always well kept, with so much to see and explore. We often bring a blanket for picnics by the water — the kids love running around and discovering new spots. It’s also absolutely magical during Christmas time. We’ve had a membership for a while now and plan to keep it for years to come!

I went for Dawson's Creek, but I thoroughly enjoyed the grounds. As I went in winter, I can only imagine what it looks like in the spring. The bottle chapel and the pergola garden are my favorites.

Absolutely beautiful! Live oaks, winding paths along the water, turtles, butterfly house sculptures art work along the walk. They also have a free gulf cart shuttle that makes various stops around the gardens for those not physically able to walk the distances between the various gardens. I take my out of town guests and they love the experience.

Amazing year-round. The Christmas lights are great, but it’s just as nice any other time.

This place is magical! So much to look at and different places to explore. The staff obviously do a great job keeping everything in order. $10 for adults $4 for kids. Babies are free. My daughter and I could have spent all day here if we brought some snacks. Lots of great spots to have a picnic. There's some cute things in the gift shop, super clean restrooms and a little classroom with a few different critters in there.

Explore the whimsy and views of the Airlie Gardens! You'll be greeted by friendly staff in the gift shop/ticket office and provided map. It will take you on a scavenger hunt of themed exhibits (sculptures when we were there). The trails snake along the river and marsh and ponds within the gardens. You'll see turtles, egrets, herons, and alligators. The gardens are complete with walkable trails, water features, peaceful seating areas to take in the beauty, and even a labyrinth! One of our favorite spots was a tucked away fountain towards the back to just sit and enjoy the serenity. There's a small pavilion on the pond that poses a beautiful spot for photos too

A manicured garden that you have to pay to enter; not an enormous amount btu it is per person. The space adjoins a tidal creek, but also has constructed spaces with various statuary, a butterfly garden, and a lot of Spanish Moss. The paths are mostly paved and it is a low intensity experience. It's an easy place to sit a while. There were not any of the carnivorous plants I was looking for. There were a lot of spiders. It's a pretty area. Not one that would divert me away from the beach or various other attractions in the area for too long.

Airlie gardens is absolutely perfect for everyone. The garden is beautiful and very peaceful.

My wife and I were visiting from out of town and this place was recommended to us as a nice place to visit. We couldn't agree more! Lots of beautiful trees, plants and great places to walk,

I thoroughly enjoyed this garden just outside of the coastal line in Wilmington, NC. The price to enter was about $10/person depending on if you are a county resident or not. Upon entering, you are greeted by many beautiful trees, plants, and wildlife of varying species. They provide you with a map and there are either paved or dirt paths to follow making it easy to find your way around. Some of my favorite views included the dock overlooking the inlet into the ocean, the various fountains found throughout, the pond which houses different animals including turtles, and the butterfly house. Overall, I would highly recommend this location if you are interested whatsoever in beautiful plants, animals, and views while taking a relaxing and enjoyable stroll.

This location is absolutely beautiful and worth visiting. Upon entering you go through a beautiful gate and down a paved road through some beautiful trees and flowers. Parking was easy and plentiful and the walking paths are well maintained and easy to navigate. There are many restrooms inside the visitors center where you pay before you explore. There is also a tiny gift shop for you to purchase goodies if you'd like. The grounds were breathtaking, serene, and just heavenly. I took my time exploring each trail and took in the entire park. The paths were easy to navigate and there were placards with information for you to read as you embark on the journey. I would absolutely return!!! The butterfly house was unfortunately empty, but ironically enough the exterior of it had many butterflies fluttering around. We visited in early October so maybe the house had more activity earlier in the year. Not a huge deal since we saw so many outside but a smidge of a bummer.

Southern coastal charm and natural beauty at every turn. These well-manicured gardens are simply stunning. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this place, but it was one of the highlights of my vacation. Self-guided and an ease-full walk, (and I think ADA accessible).

Airlie Gardens is a beautiful and serene place to explore in the Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach area. Although spring is typical bloom season and most things weren't in bloom in October, staff were hard at work with landscaping and watering plants. The massive oak trees were beautiful, and they have one that dates back to the 1500s. The waterfront pergola garden is especially scenic and picturesque. Plenty of filming has taken place here, including television episodes of One Tree Hill, Dawson's Creek, and Sleepy Hollow. You will hear birds chirping as you wander about and may see some wildlife out on Bradley Creek or on the other bodies of water. We saw several turtles out on a log and a few swam right up to the steps of the pergola garden. The butterfly house didn't have any butterflies, but their brochure does mention they are only there seasonally May through October. We did see some butterflies outside while walking the grounds. Admission is a very modest $10, and there's plenty of free parking in their lot. Although there are some unpaved paths, most of the walking paths are paved. They do offer an unguided tram, but it's recommended to call ahead as it's not always running (it wasn't running when I visited since the person that drove it had called out). Overall, I loved my visit to Airlie Gardens and while it's not one of the larger or more elaborate gardens in the country, I'd recommend it to others visiting the Wilmington area who love gardens or exploring peaceful settings.

This was a very cute place to walk around, kill time, and just enjoy the beauty outside! My kids and I had a lot of fun walking around, although there was not as much to see and do as I thought there was, it was still well worth stopping in.

Just a beautiful walk no matter what time of the year. I love just sitting and spending time in the butterfly house it's so peaceful - will definitely be back

A nice respite and forest walk. We visited this week for the first time and bought a season pass as we exited.

What a beautiful botanical garden. Airlie Gardens is a must-visit if you're in Wilmington. We were told by many locals that we gotta go to Airlie, and we went, and we agree. We visited on the most perfect day, weather-wise, so the gardens were really able to show off. As you roam around the grounds, you'll see lots of old trees, lovely flowers, open grassy areas, artwork and many places to take nice photos. In fact, I saw a couple of professional photographers taking what looked like engagement photos. This is the place to take photos, that's for sure. One of my favorite areas of the gardens is the meditation labyrinth. You start on the outside and walk around in a circle until you get to the center, then make your way from the center out. There's a sign nearby that explains the purpose of the labyrinth (to serve as a vehicle for meditation and contemplation). It's located in between a pond and a bank of weeping willows, so the area is very peaceful and conducive to meditating. Another favorite area is the bottle chapel, which is exactly what it sounds like: a chapel made of glass bottles. It's located in the Minnie Edwards Sculpture Garden, which is a space that honors Minnie Evans, who worked as the Airlie Gardens gatekeeper from 1949 to 1974. The chapel is really cool and made from bottles, bits of broken tile, stones, metal and cement. It all comes together into a neat assemblage artwork in the middle of the garden. You can choose to walk around the gardens, or you can choose to hop aboard the tram that makes its way around the grounds. There are several tram stops around the garden, but we never timed it right, so we just ended up walking. I enjoyed the walk, but my children were complaining that their feet hurt by the end, so if you have children, maybe consider taking the tram part of the way.

Wow! This place is stunning. Live oak trees that are hundreds of years old. Spanish moss everywhere. The walking trails are easy but they do have golf carts if you need a lift. The gardens back up to a marsh and have two small lakes inside the gardens. If you haven't been, I strongly recommend coming to see Airlie Gardens. You can buy tickets on site, but I recommend to purchase your tickets online instead. The tickets are not for a set date and can be used anytime, other than during a special event. At the time of this review, the tickets were only $9. Parking is free.

This beautiful garden was donated to the city by a family called Xxx, it's no wonder it has been used as a shooting location for not one but two famous series "Dawson's Creek" and " One Tree Hill". It's a lovely venue for weddings and a walk with the kids, friends or family. There is a small sanctuary for butterflies and in one of the spots there are turtles which makes the whole arboretum tour much more fun for kids. I enjoyed it a lot it was a very hot day and the location has ample parking and water fountain, they had sold out on cold water bottles which I would suggest having those on stock maybe perhaps adding a water vending machine with all brands and kinds of water - for mama like me who often forget a few important things for the road (just a random thought). It's absolutely stunning wonderful place for calming and being with nature and it's a must spot to stop by if you are visiting Wilmington as I was for the first time or perhaps every time (at least for me it will be).

Airlie Gardens is a beautiful 67 acre garden. The gardens are next to the Bradley Creek Salt Marsh. When you arrive there is a large parking lot and then you go purchase your ticket for your time in the gardens. The only restrooms are at that building. They do offer a golf cart trip around the gardens if you are not a strong walker. There are tram stops throughout the gardens if you want to walk some and ride some. I walked around the gardens but am not positive if I saw everything as I kept getting myself lost as there are many paths to take. I do have a good sense of direction so knew the direction to head when I had my fill of nature and the sun. I didn't follow the map and just wandered and took in my surroundings which was the best way for me to explore the gardens that day and find my zen. The Airlie Oak tree dates back to 1545. The azaleas and camellias were everywhere it seemed. I loved all the tulips. There are lakes and a sculpture garden, a butterfly house and even a pollinator garden. The gift shop areas was under construction so I didn't get to check that out but there is always next time.

Everywhere I go, I have to go to the botanical gardens! Airlie Gardens is a must visit! A relaxing stroll through the entire property takes around 45min-1hour. Beginning of April the Azaleas were in full bloom along with the tulips! Such a serene place to walk alone and gather your thoughts.

Went here for an afternoon stroll! Beautiful place with a mix of everything to see. It's right on the water too but you might not notice given you feel like you're in a forest oasis. The structure with steps down by the pond is probably the coolest. Really liked the oak trees too and the butterfly sanctuary with the glass bottle sculpture. The tree inside the sculpture is amazing... made with metal and birds are on it! Must see. Doesn't take long to walk the entire thing. Good for a quick break of the day.

A nice walk for a January afternoon. Many paths, both paved and unpaved. I especially enjoyed the view and serenity in the cemetery. Gift shop was disappointing. Lots of noise from construction onsite and across the street.

We had a free day and we were like what are we going to do? Ugh! Well lets go to the Airlie gardens, It has to be pretty special for an outdoor venue to impress me. So we parked and it is very confusing to determine where you need to go to buy, and have someone take your tickets, but this was the biggest problem of a pretty amazing visit. The gardens are just beautiful and relaxing, we used to have a membership to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens and we loved it, but this place has more character and depth as it is much older and history is pretty cool. So if you find yourself with nothing to do, this is the place for you and in the Spring and Fall, take a Picnic basket with youand sit out next to the water with that special someone or the family. Niccceeeee!

We had a great time at the gardens. We wandered around the lakes and out toward the river. I was great to see and where we come from they just have places like this.

I'm surprised I've never posted a review on Airlie Gardens. It's one of my favorite places to visit when I want to photograph a variety of birds. I've been visiting this place for quite a while. I purchase on an annul basis their yearly membership pass. I can come by anytime I want to. The grounds are beautiful and well manicured. Lots of variety of trees, bushes, and flowers. When the flowers are in bloom, there are many butterflies and bees. So pretty! During December, Airlie Gardens hosts "Enchanted Airlie" where you can see hundreds festive lights. It's quite colorful and fun for everyone of all ages. I love to photograph the birds that visit and/or nest in the area. You can see Osprey, hawks, Black-Crowned Night Herons, assorted waterfowl, White Ibis, egrets, owls, woodpeckers, anhingas, cormorants, and much more. People can bring picnic foods and enjoy an afternoon on the lawns. There's a walking path to enjoy all of the gardens. It's best to go on a week day, rather than the weekend, as it can be pretty crowded during the summer.

Wow! What an amazing place. I had no idea this place was filled with so much history dating back to the 1800's. We walked the garden and were able to walk on the grass, take pictures with 300-400+ year old oak trees. We also opted in for a tour with Juanita (she was amazing and two thumbs up shout out to her) who really knew her history about this garden, and the areas around in Wilmington. Juanita was wonderful and took so much time to answer our questions on the tour and make sure we knew what we were looking at and knew our history. The garden is gorgeous and a must see and history know if you visit Wilmington, NC. It's only a 10$ entry. And yes, Dawsons Creek was fumed here as well. Pacey lost his virginity here.

Airlie Gardens is so pretty, especially during their Christmas lights season. It really starts feeling like Christmas after a visit to Enchanted Airlie. A much loved tradition to wander around the Christmas lights.

Our visit to these botanical gardens was nice while we were spending time in Wilmington. It's not crazy expensive so that's nice. Paths are easy to navigate and there were lots of places to sit in the shade and just admire the scenery. It was extremely, 99° on the day we visited, but there was plenty of shade and an occasional trolley driving through that. I'm sure would pick you up if you needed a ride. We spent maybe an hour and a half walking through.

Definitely a must visit in Wilmington if you're an outdoorsy type of person. Come prepared because it is especially hot during the spring/summer time. I've been to many botanical gardens and while this isn't my top pick of them all it is still beautiful and well maintained. The price is quite affordable at $9 and discounted if you're military. Overall, I think $9 is not bad for how large the park is. I would give it at least 2 hours to fully enjoy exploring the garden.

Such a beautiful little park and garden area that epitomizes the sleepy south. The butterfly haus was the highlight of the trip and we were so happy that they were in full abundance fluttering around and landing on us! I bet this place is gorgeous during the Fall too! Will be back if in area.

Enchanted Airlie was great tonight. They did a beautiful job of adding new lights and making it more fun than ever. The trees were so magical and the aura of the place was fantastic as always! I love going to Enchanted Airlie every year!

Really enjoyed our walk here today with the kids. Weather held out and it was a beautiful day but hot! They have concrete rabbit statues you can find all over the property.. I think there's 10 we found 8.. prob could have found them all but heat was too much! The property is very well kept.. beautiful flower beds all over.. trees with moss just beautiful along path. There is a really cool butterfly pavilion and they are amazing.. different kinds flying and landing on flowers was really cool!! They have a small gift shop as well as some tanks with local wildlife like snakes and lizards.. it's $9 a person over age of 12.. not a bad day at all and kids ran all over so they enjoyed it and wore them out lol.. I would go again for sure!

Great scenery and friendly staff! Try walking around by the riverfront or exploring the old buildings.

Although we missed the peak spring bloom, the garden was none the less impressive! We wandered along the path, and back tracked some for close to 2 hours on a near perfect April morning. It was easy to find us first time visitors to Wilmington. In addition, parking was just as easy and the welcome by the cashier could not have been warmer and more friendly. Each section of the gardens has something unique and it starts as soon as you leave the garden services center. Sculpture both traditional and whimsical is found throughout, as well as benches to sit and just admire the area. Among other items, we find ourselves still telling others about the Airlie Oak, a majestic live oak over 400 years old and one of the largest of its kind in NC! A photo doesn't do it justice, but when we show it to family and friends, they can't help but "WOW!" The Bottle Chapel is also unforgettable, as is the story behind it of how that artist brought work on paper of another artist into 3 dimensions. In walking around it trying to absorb some of the many details, took longer than we imagined. What a gem Airlie Gardens is for visitors, but also for locals who can enjoy it's many facets as it changes year round.

Enchanted Airlie is not to be missed. But there's a lot of walking and it sells out fast. Dress appropriately! Get an earlier slot. It takes about 46-60 minutes to go through and that's at a fairly rapid pace so if you're slower or have kids or older people, or just want to mosey a bit more, you'll need more time. I do wish no smoking was enforced -it's not pleasant to be caught in a smoke trail behind people.

the grounds are gorgeous!! was a beautiful walk, helpful and knowledgeable staff, and full of wildlife and beautiful greenery. even saw a wedding rehearsal taking place - so romantic! highly recommend!

Airlie Gardens is a wonderful place to visit when coming to Wilmington! The trees, flowers, and overall feel of the place is wonderful and I would highly recommend visiting!

It was a beautiful day for a walk in the park. But your tickets online in advance. It's a requirement. You'll use the barcode from the email to scan in at the visitors center. My wife and I walked around here for a couple of hours this past weekend. Loved all of the very large oak trees. They were starting to get decorated for the Enchanted season, so it was nice to see all of that set up in the daytime. The time of year was perfect, so there were no bugs bugging us as we walked or sat and enjoyed the scenery. There are benches all over to relax if you're in need. Restrooms are only available in the visitors center. The one on the property is locked. Really enjoyed the bottle chapel. The sun hit it at the right time and it exploded in colorful light. The price is right and well worth the cost of admission.

Ok, fairly gardens is great for a lot of reasons. Their summer music festivals...their gorgeous displays, and unique landscape. An amazing place to go to party at a show or to relax in a coastal, garden area!!

Everything here is absolutely GORGEOUS! We spent about two hours walking through the gardens (minus the lake loop and nature trail, that would probably add an hour). The last half hour was spent in the butterfly house, pollinator garden, and gift shop. There's something here for everyone, and it would be enjoyable even if you don't have the time or stamina to walk the entire trail. Highlights include the Bradley Creek Pier (we saw a blue heron, egret, spoonbills, and terns), the pergola, Lebanon chapel (further along the walking trails), and camellia garden. The butterfly house, pollinator garden, tranquility garden (lots of bees, butterflies, and a hummingbird!), and bottle chapel are right there at the visitors' center along with a bug zoo adjoining the gift shop.

.. The most tranquil and serene garden in Wilmington. It is perfect for any occasion, but perhaps most importantly, it is a place where you can be at peace. Our favorite place in Wilmington to bring our family.

This place is definitely worth the admission fee though I wouldn't go here during peak season if you get stuck being surrounded by tourists. This place is rich in history. It's a fair sized, scenic trail that was once a private property. Small easy to walk on trails. Grounds keeper's are great here, they say hello too. This place is a host to many events. The only thing I wasn't able to do was visit the butterfly garden sadly. Definitely worth your visit

Caution: Airlie Gardens are hotter than they appear. Our last spot before heading home was at the Airlie Gardens a hidden gem right on the water. This was a bit different from the standard "gardens" I've been to in the past, but nonetheless beautiful. The area gives a glimpse of the beauty Wilmington has to offer. I walked at a leisurely pace and it took about 90-120 minutes. If you're going in the summer make sure to hydrate!

Lots to see and do at the gardens. Although there were not a lot of flowers in full bloom there were still some summertime by catching balloons to be found. I love walking down there bridal and enter the Pergola and I also loved the rabbits on display around the gardens. The butterfly garden was a lot of fun I got to watch butterflies in action. Also stopping by the bottle house art display was a lot of fun. I'd definitely love to come back in the spring or fall to catch more seasonal balloons.

Airlie Gardens is one of Wilmington's best sights to see (especially if you can make your visit in the Springtime). Spring 2022 Admission was $9 for Adults and $5 for New Hanover Country residents. You can easily spend all day at Airlie and enjoy a picnic, but it's also good for a short visit (budget about 60-90 minutes to do a walk around the gardens). It's near the water too so you get a little bit of everything. My husband and I have visited twice and it's a beautiful, relaxing walk with tons of local flora.

Beautiful way to spend an afternoon! Unlike most places we have visited, the butterfly garden doesn't require any additional ticket or fee.

One of the best things to do if you're visiting Wilmington! The price is very fair ($9, less for military/ in-county residents), parking is easy, bathrooms are clean, and there are plenty of beautiful blooms to explore! Late March was a perfect time to visit. There were beautiful tulips of all colors as well as lots of lush azaleas in bloom! It's an easy walk around the premises--around a mile if you stick to the main trail, but there are plenty of side trails to explore. There's a little lake and a cool sculpture made out of recycled glass. There's also a butterfly house, but it's only available during certain times of year (I think it was late May.) The pictures don't do it justice. This place is so beautiful to just walk around and take in, especially in spring. I highly recommend it!

My plans in Wilmington got postponed so I ended up with an afternoon to fill. I couldn't have picked better, If I lived in the area I'd definitely volunteer or join their community. Staff was helpful and yes the only bathrooms was at the entrance. They were clean and air conditioned. Wear comfortable walking shoes and plan on getting in all your steps. Bring in some lunch or drinks and make a picnic. Definitely worth the admission and I could have stayed longer then the afternoon.

Airlie Gardens is a longtime favorite staple in the Wilmington area. Its located en route to Wrightsville off 17. The admission is $9 for adults and children (4-12) $3 as well as discounted rates for military, New Hanover County residents and free for members. Once inside, you can walk through the gardens but there isn't a time limit so it can be an all day affair. They also don't monitor nor have fencing or the perimeter guarding the land so those who explore, leave and come back should feel welcomed. There are plenty of plant and flower varieties that also change with the seasons. It's also a unique location near a waterway with a bridge that looks over a small residential harbor and across a boat storage facility. Lots of unique animals around including birds, rabbits, and lots of critters (i.e. praying mantis, lady bugs, butterflies). Airlie hosts events every year which offer exclusive access to its membership. Some major events include their concert series (summer), Oyster Roast (Fall), and Enchanted Airlie (Nov-Dec). They also have an annual art exhibit where local artist have the challenge of painting a life-size fiberglass figure that is placed somewhere in the gardens and later auctioned of charity. Check out their wildlife and horticulture educational events for all and special collaborations with local partners like Hop Talks, drink local craft beers while learning about the gardens. I think it's a nice venue for recreational and social activities for everyone. They do have paved paths throughout the 60+ acres so those less able, come on by.

North Carolina Lovely, relaxing premises with Butterfly house and a multitude of native floral species. So peaceful and gorgeous. The Bottle Chapel is most intriguing!

Disappointed in this space on a Sat afternoon.Late Oct is not a blooming season however the space was not at all utilized well to justify admission. We did enjoy a peaceful walk on a beautiful day. Rarely do I leave a negative review, however people on a budget should know this is not worth spending $ especially if u are in a large group. Plenty of other free outdoor spaces.

This place is ridiculous. They say open to the public, not true. My Daughter and Her Husband wanted to renew their vows and were told no. WHAT? Do not give them your business. Staff was so rude, had my Daughter in tears. Hope the staff slept well that night!