Brookgreen Gardens

Always a great trip to the gardens. Enjoyed the beautiful day with abundant sunshine!! We were fortunate to get a quick glance at the train setup from "a night of a thousand candles". They should leave this display up for a couple of weeks in January so that people who did not get a chance to see the display could enjoy it.

This was such a great experience. We have been wanting to go for several years now. We got there at 3:50 with no traffic and only a couple dozen cars ahead of us. We went through the line quickly and parked. We decided to get something to eat since it was still light out. We stopped in and got a couple drinks and dinner. Although we sat outside they had many heaters to keep us comfortable. After we finished eating we strolled through the lights. We had an amazing time watching the tree lighting and going through the gardens with all the lit candles and the beautiful arrangement of lights in the trees. We took so many pics I cannot even begin to show all of them. The pics are wonderful but dosnt do it justice because just being there was magical! I can’t wait to bring my family next year. You definitely need to buy tickets way in advance because they sell out quickly.

Beautiful garden, famous for its sculptures. We went for the annual Nights of Thousand Candles which starts around Thanksgiving and their tickets sell out quickly! The lights are beautiful. Some are mesmerizing. There was a tree lightening ceremony, all sorts of museums. We went to the one with model trains. Loved it! We picked the coldest day, 1/4/2026, the last day of this event. Still enjoyed it! 😀🥰

We truly enjoyed wandering through the gardens. Fall just started so there were some flowers still thriving. The trees were remarkable especially the old mighty oaks. The bronze statues were Masterpieces and the mini zoo was an added bonus. They housed the animals in their natural habitat and gave very informative descriptions about them. We highly recommend this hidden gem.

Such a magical place. We come down every year for the night of a thousand candles. Parking was easy, even though there is a line to get in, the traffic keeps moving. The staff does really well keeping cars rolling. There is staff throughout to help you find your way around because it can get confusing. There is plenty of options for food and hot drinks throughout. While we did not partake, I seen plenty of options. The gift shops are open so you can purchase gifts to take home. Some of our favorites throughout are the willow tree lights, the Christmas tree, and the cranberries. Last year at the cranberries, we arrived just after a little girl fell in. This year, we were sitting at the stairs when as little girl took her first step but her family member was fast enough and pulled her by her hood backwards, and kept her from falling in. Please don't let your children try to walk on the cranberries. They are floating on two feet of water. All in all, if you haven't been there for this event, I highly recommend it. Whether it is a family event or a date night, both are magical.

Absolutely stunning, well maintained historic gardens built on the site of a former rice plantation. We visited during the Night of a Thousand Candles event and while it was difficult to access tickets (it sold out quickly!), it was entirely worth it. The effort that staff have put into the family-friendly experience is fantastic. The gardens are gorgeous and the artwork is stunning. Well worth a visit. The experience of visiting during the summer versus the winter is unique too; I'd suggest visiting while it's warm out to fully enjoy all the spring flowers.

We visited during Night of 1000 Candles. This was amazing. Everything was decorated so beautifully with lights and hand lit candles. There were also food trucks and some of the best hot chocolate that I have ever had in my life. If you ever get the chance it is worth every penny.

Beautiful in all seasons & extra special at Christmas. Gorgeously maintained grounds (if you’re from the Philly area, think Longwood Gardens but much smaller scale). Lovely day any time of year. Close to the beach and lots of other fun things in Pawley’s Island.

We decided that we would try to take a bus tour today because it was beautiful. I believe the tour was called Brookgreen Gardens 101. No getting off the bus. It was an extremely grand and informative tour. Our driver told us about different "alles" and we drove to different sculptures. Some that I have looked at but loved or didn't understand. The last one we saw was the saddest. I have to say our driver(did not get his name) was very knowledgeable and kept our interest for the duration of the tour.

We came here for their "Night of a Thousand Candles" Christmas light display. The grounds were beautifully decorated with some incredible light displays. They limit the number of tickets which are sold to prevent an overcrowded experience. You can walk through the grounds at your own pace and enjoy the lights. There are also several shows at various times although we didn't see any of them.

Only went for Nights of a thousand candles so this review is based only on that experience. Absolutely breathtaking. Gorgeous for all ages; my husband and I enjoyed it as much as our 3 year old. Count down for the tree lighting, great train displays. 3 food trucks that rotate and a beverage tent with hot chocolate, hot cider, beer and wine. Bottled soda as well. We will come back every year to this event and will also try the gardens in the spring

7.24.24 Highly recommend Summer Light: Art by Night. Admission is $30 and hours are 6-10pm. When I called and asked I was told it is not a guided tour and that it could take 1.5-2.5 hours. I believe it can be done in 30 minutes to an hour depending if you take photos or not. It was hot and humid and surprisingly it felt more humid between 8:15-9pm versus when we first arrived around 8. I thought it would cool down at sunset, but that was not the case. The lights illuminate and take better photos at night. Truly an enchanting and exquisite experience. I highly recommend.

4/9/24: Brookgreen Gardens is a "Must See" when visiting S. Carolina. It's been ages since I visited SC. Brookgreen Gardens was the #1 place to revisit. We were only staying in Charleston for 3 days. Out of those days, the first day would be the best weather wise. So we drove right from the airport to the gardens. Timewise , it took a little over one hour. The gardens were just as lovely as I remembered. Beautiful flowers and many species of trees are everywhere. As you walk, you'll be mesmerized by the magnificent size sculptures of mythological characters, animals and much much more... In addition, poems are displayed throughout the lovely gardens. The garden paths are designed well for those needing assistance. There's a nice café to enjoy a sandwich on the grounds. Big thanks to Volunteer Jim S. He was very friendly and informative about the gardens. Brookgreen Gardens is truly a memorable experience.

Really something everyone should do, whether you're into art, history, animals, plants or just fresh air. Lots of great photo opps, and different parking areas to help you either A) walk a lot, or B) walk a little. Prepare for the elements and know your weather thresholds. We spent probably 2 hrs walking the park, seeing sculptures, gardens, the petting zoo, entering the aviary zoo area, looking for alligators in their enclosure, red foxes, and seeing a rice field. (Was not aware South Carolina was a rice producer - shame on me!) Missed the otter exhibit and the butterfly exhibit wasn't open, but loved the ambiance and lack of crowds. You're $22 fee is good for 7 consecutive days. You can purchase tickets in advance, or at the ticket office (which I believe is at the entrance of the road, which we missed), or you can pay at the guard gate. Soda machines, restrooms and a concession area are available. Please don't feed the animals!

This is a beautiful plantation-style garden, with acres and acres of greenery and flowers, sculptures, and oak trees with Spanish moss. We arrived on a Wednesday evening when they have extended hours for Art in the Park. The weather did not cooperate, however, and there were severe thunderstorm warnings, so we only spent a brief time outside admiring the gardens. Then we ate dinner at Austin's Heritage restaurant in the pavilion. It was a wonderful meal. I would love to return when I have more time to linger and stroll around.

These gardens were huge! They had so much to see from sculptures, gardens, zoo, and more. The admission price also gives you free access with your receipt for 7 days back unto grounds. Unfortunately, we only had 1 day here but we definitely could have used another day for sure. The zoo was very small but that's to be expected, they really focused on the animals you would find the South Carolina area. I didn't check out the cafe or restaurant so I have no idea what was offered. I think I spent about 3 hours here just walking around so wear good walking shoes! Although, they do have a shuttle service. They also had great volunteers walking around that knew so much about the area and could answer any questions. I would definitely love to come back, specifically got 'Night of a Thousand Lights' and would recommend!

What a fabulous find. Sculpture gardens and zoo. The artwork was gorgeous. The zoo was nice with lots of information and conscientious enclosures. Reasonably priced. Tickets are multi day.

Amazing destination if you're in the Pawleys Island area. We frequent this area but never thought to check out this place but so glad we did today. Perfect weather for casually strolling through the gardens, sculptures, museums; the grounds itself. A we especially enjoyed the Geechee Gullah display and the Low Country Trail including the Rice Fields and THOSE STUNNING 250 YEAR OLD LIVE OAKS! The zoo was a nice treat also. We missed as much as we saw just getting tired but your tickets are good for 7 days so take your time. We enjoyed it so much we bought a family membership There are metal and cast sculptures everywhere so if you're an art enthusiast this is the place for you!

Wow just wow! The Night of 1000 candles was an amazing event! So easy to get in and out of this event. They had several lanes checking tickets so the car line moved very quickly with ample parking. When we arrived, we were given a map of the grounds, which was very helpful. The lights were spectacular. We really enjoyed the tree lighting ceremony as well. We really enjoyed the food trucks as well! I think this will be a yearly event for us. Highly recommend!

Excellent walking experience. The weather was cool and great for strolling outside. The trails were clearly marked and clean. The sculptures were beautiful, historic, and labeled. The entire garden is a pleasurable location to visit.

The history behind the gardens is fascinating. We didn't know that rice plantations were plentiful in this region versus tobacco. The gardens are extensive and you'll need good walking shoes. I was glad we visited in winter because I can't imagine doing this in the summer heat. I was surprised to see flowers in bloom in January but there were some. Essentially it's a huge botanical garden type thing with some history and a few indoor exhibits. Oh and a mini zoo. It's a plethora of things! It was worth the admission cost but I don't see coming back again in the one week window. We spent 2 full hours there possibly 2.5.

This botanical garden is amazingly beautiful and has a rich history. I've visited MB for 30 years and this was my first time to the gardens! I'll definitely go back!!

The gardens are a wonderful retreat and offer something for every age group. The low country zoo gives children the opportunity to see and learn about animals and birds in the area. The otters are a special treat, and presently they have several that were born mid-January. They also have kid goats and calves at this time. Both adults and children can enjoy the butterfly house, and there are always art exhibits to view. Walking the grounds with the different garden and water features is always a delight.

Beautiful gardens, so many amazing statues to see. A lot of walking, wear comfortable shoes!

went to Night of a thousand candles for the first time last night and omg it was amazing will be going again next year the lights were beautiful

Just beautiful, a must see if you're in town! Treat yourself and someone you love. Great music, food and the light show is pretty darn impressive. Take lots of photos!

Beautiful gardens and staff is wonderful. Art museum was amazing. I will definitely go back.

Beautiful paths along flower gardens and fabulous works of art. There is an area for kids also.

Garden is located in Murrel's Inlet as actual address. Admission is $20 per adult. That fee gives you access to everything on the grounds including sculptures, gardens, lowcountry zoo, children storybook houses, walking paths. The admission price also gives you free access w receipt for 7 days back unto grounds. Are given map of the grounds which I relied on a lot. The labrynth was disappointing although, I was expecting a giant shrub maze, not even close. The lowcounrty zoo is limited to farm animals, honey bees, deer that weren't visible, otters, turtles, ducks, and a butterfly enclosure that was closed on this day. There is a shuttle across grounds runs from 10-2. A few cafe are available for pre-made items. Bring your walking shoes as the area is spread out. Amazing picnic locales, come for the serenity of SC nature on a warm summer or spring day.

What a beautiful place! Huge! The older docents were lovely. Especially Frank over in the animal area. Some spots need a little work. One vending machine was totally down, a building appeared condemned. Outdoor areas very nice. Butterfly area nice. Herb garden nice. Rose garden needed work. Must be beautiful at night!

We didn't have as much time to explore as we wanted but we were obsessed. Definitely pay attention to the times, Saturday is usually the later night

It was too much walking for kids. We were at 3 miles and barely saw anything. This place would be great if they had golf carts or even bikes to rent. I love walking but on an 85 degree day it's not pleasant. Your tickets are good for 7 days so that's a plus.

We had a fabulous time at Nights of a Thousand Candles last night. The gates opened promptly at 4:00 and parking was fast and easy. We were greeted at every turn by happy, smiling faces all willing to help and answer all of our questions. The thousands of lights and candles were spectacular. The walking trails were wide and easy to walk on. Even though I'm sure there were hundreds of people it never felt crowded. We also had a dinner reservation booked at Austin's Harvest which was phenomenal!

Beautiful place in any season. Great restaurant for lunch, too! Absolutely magical at Christmas.

We toured the gardens Saturday evening during Nights of A Thousand Candles and it was amazing! The entire garden was ablaze with festive lights creating a magical mood. The creative light display should not be missed. Tickets are required and sell out quickly so plan well ahead.

This was always something on our list of things to do when in the Charleston area but never made it up there since it is a little bit of a drive. However, finally made it this year and was amazed how good and unique it was. Make sure you keep your map handy as there are a lot of smaller almost parklet type areas in the gardens, and you'll want to make sure you walk through all of them and wander and see the various sculptures. The zoo section was OK, and the free tram was well appreciated since you can do a lot of walking between the animal and the garden section. Reminded me a little of Grounds for Sculpture in NJ if you're familiar with that, but even that is different. Add Brookgreen to your list.

Beautiful for the night of a thousand candles. Live music, the indoor trains and retro Christmas tree set up, all of it was wonderful. I can't imagine how much work it is to set up! The only thing I can think of for improvement is that towards the end of the night a lot of the candles are out... but I would still 100% recommend it.

Everyone we spoke to said we had to come here but we weren't actually planning on it. We decided to stop by and check it out. First off, go in a day that isn't super hot, second, leave your entire day open. We went to the butterfly gardens and zoo area. By the time we were done with that we were so hot and tired we didn't even make it to the gardens. This place is so beautiful. We will be back and give ourselves more time so we can see everything.

Very beautiful atmosphere & there is a lovely little gift shop. We were there on a hot day so the wolves were not out but that's okay. The otters were our favorite! The enclosures are very nice sized and clean. So I love that for their animals, no it's not a ton of animals but you can tell they are cared for.

I went to the Summer Light Art by Night festival with my wife and kids in August 2024. It was amazing! The grounds were beautiful and the night show was incredible. They had live music, a few food trucks and a small outdoor bar. I realize $30 per person isn't cheap for a family, but it was money well spent in my mind. We spent about 3 hours there and I would certainly do it again. You won't regret it!

This was hands down my absolute favorite thing to do when visiting the area! The gardens are absolutely massive, and let me tell you, the value for your ticket is out of this world. Not only can you come back for 5 days with the same ticket, but the admission also includes the most mind-blowing collection of statues I have ever laid my eyes upon, a fascinating low country zoo, breathtaking plantations, stunning garden exhibits, and so much more. Oh, and did I mention there are a few delightful restaurants right on site? Alternatively, you can pack your own picnic lunch and make a day of it. My husband and I were so enamored with this place that we couldn't resist coming back not once, not twice, but a grand total of three times during our visit, just so we could soak up every last ounce of its beauty and charm. Believe me when I say, this place is an absolute must-visit. It is hands down the most jaw-droppingly beautiful place you'll ever lay your eyes on!

An afternoon strolling though Brookgreen Gardens was worth every penny of the $20 admission fee. The massive space offered the chance to explore colorful botanical gardens, elaborate American sculptures, interesting Lowcountry history, and a diverse Lowcountry Zoo. There were several cafes on the property if you needed to grab a snack or bottle of water, which could be likely, as it was easiest to park your car and walk across the grounds, which could definitely become exhausting.

I have never seen such incredible gardens! This is not just any garden experience! The artwork, statuary, landscaping, ponds, all the beautiful trees including spanish moss draped grand oaks and other grand trees, beautiful floral displays and vast fields of native bee covered wild flowers were all incredible! I was so awestruck I was near tears which is rare for me! Do not miss this incredible experience at the Summer Light: Art by Night!! Go early and catch the sunset before enjoying all the light filled gardens....the atmosphere with music from brass band in the background, frogs, crickets and hum of nature ... it was wonderful wonderful wonderful....did I say wonderful?!!!'

Wow!! My husband and I came here while on vacation. It was hot, but beautiful! There are lots of trees to provide some shade areas and a few galleries to pop into to get cooled off before moving on. There are so many beautiful sculptures here and amazing huge OLD oak trees. Some are over 275 years old!!! I took so many pictures. We didn't go to the zoo or lowcountry areas because we were on a time crunch. You need AT LEAST 2 hours for the gardens and sculptures...more if you do other things. Plus side...your ticket is good for 7 consecutive days! I wish we could have seen the night art display of lights. I'm sure it would have been so pretty.

It's beautiful and so many things to do river animals flowers plants etc to see , love it , and the best things is tickets are cheap for one week and just pay once

Beautiful for night of a thousand candles. It rained cats and dogs but luckily the show still went on. I would love to go again when it's not pouring rain. The lights were so beautiful. Also loved the trains. So creative

Night of 1,000 candles was amazing! It was so beautiful and really well thought out. The different sections were magical. I love all of the time they spent going into this. Such an amazing thing! The cranberry bog was beautiful and the food all looked so good. I highly recommend this event to anyone. Be sure to get tickets early!

Amazingly peaceful garden to explore. 100+ year old oak trees, Spanish moss, a decent zoo with local animals. Definitely with worth a visit. The people volunteer and are so incredibly knowledgeable of the area, history of the gardens and recommendations for your visit.

One of my favorite places ever! Absolutely amazing experience. Loved the restaurant, very good food. Loved the natural zoo for the native animals.

What a hidden gem! It was not on our radar of things to do. A sweet elderly gentleman that we met while walking the beach recommended we visit. We carved out a couple of hours to swing by. Imagine our surprise when we closed down this beautiful property, wishing we could spend another day or two exploring every inch of the magnificent gardens and history. Please visit and plan to spend the day or multiple days. Admission ticket gives you access for 7 days.

Drove all the way and they closed the special events / tours because of bad weather. Which it hadn't rained in an hour or two. It would have been nice to have that on the brochure. Please note on there that you close tours for the day if it slightly rains early in the morning. Flowers and dogwoods beautiful!!

This is such a beautiful garden! And so much more! While I bookmarked Brookgreen Gardens simply for the gardens, I didn't realize that purchasing tickets would also give us access to a history lesson, a zoo of local animals and place for beautiful birds in/after rehab, and a sculpture exhibit. Talk about beauty all around! The cool thing is that your tickets are good for one full week! This is nice because while you can technically explore everything in 1 day, the heat and humidity make it difficult to stay out there for hours. So if you can return, I'd recommend you make it a 2 day visit.

The Nights of a Thousand Candles walking tour is a gorgeous event! All of the lights, train displays, and real candles were beautiful and a must see.

Participating in the April Art Fair was a colossal waste of time, effort, energy & more importantly money. Furthermore the lack of security & ineptitude by your staff & volunteers was more than alarming. 1) You advertised a fine juried art fair as a "prestigious show" that "has established a reputation for quality & diversity since its inception in 2001." FALSE. The second you allow vendors in to sell plants, you cease being an art fair & become a flea market. 2) It wasn't advertised to artists that the attendance to the art fair would be $22 per person. Had I been made aware of that - I would not have applied as it immediately limits the number of attendees - as evident by the low attendance both days. 4) Your demo is NOT that of a fine art fair or in my case fine jewelry. If you're charging a $250 booth fee - every artist should walk with a minimum of $2,500. I didn't even make 10% of that. I spoke with too many artists who had abysmal sales & won't be doing this event next year. Had this not been advertised as a fine juried art fair I would NOT have applied. This was such a waste of time I started packing up early to leave Sunday at 1:30P. As I was making one of too many trips to my car with my cart, a crazy man had a frightening, unhinged melt down. He was screaming belligerently at a rather frail looking older woman...IN A WHEELCHAIR, while your staff, volunteers & vendors looked on and did nothing. I had to tell one of your volunteers to immediately contact security only to learn she didn't have her phone with her or worse - didn't have a walkie-talkie to immediately contact security in case of incident. Every person, either staff or volunteer should have a walkie -talkie with them AT ALL TIMES! I had to tell her repeatedly to contact security. She was clearly very flustered. She wanted to stop & watch it like it was an accident on the side of the road. Why is this now my job to direct your staff on safety protoco? With everything going on these days, you clearly need some immediate safety training with your staff. My words were literally, "You get security now or I'm calling the cops." The man was that frightening. He was bending over. SCREAMING at the top of his lungs. Pointing his finger in this woman's face. Waiving his hands around. Only for her to slowly turn around & walk - not RUN to get someone. That is unacceptable. This woman was so frail she didn't look capable of wheeling herself away. I was frightened he was literally going to beat her up it was that bad. He continued screaming & by that time I had it. I walked over & yelled at him he needed to stop. It was useless. He was completely unhinged. A man & a woman came over in a golf cart. The guy dismissed me & tried to down play it saying "he's over stimulated." Do you people know him? Why was he allowed on property? Then they both sat in the golf cart, 50 feet away & continued watching this guy scream at the woman in the wheelchair. This took way too long for any sort of resolution. What if something serious did happen? Your staff is very clearly unprepared for it. THEN Sunday artists received an email stating some random people showed up the day prior, after the event opened & set up shop - without being juried ($35 fee) or paying the $250 artist fee. You have such non existent security no one saw these folks drag a tent out after the show started? Basically people who didn't pay a vendor fee were going to start selling? However, you were going to allow them to stay until 7 so as not to "disrupt the show". Disrupt the show? What is going on there? Do you even know? This was hands-down the biggest disorganized, unsafe, scam of an art show ever. When you advertise it as something it clearly is not - you're committing credit card fraud. Because that's what you did. You scammed me & every vendor there & then repeatedly ignored numerous alarming instances with more ineptitude. Emails to your President went ignored. I want a refund or I'm reporting you to SC Dept of Consumer Affairs.

I bought tickets months in advance to visit Brookgreen Gardens during their famed Night of A Thousand Candles event (Thursday evening) and I highly recommend anyone visiting to book in advance because tickets are regularly sold out even for weekdays. Admission fee may seem like a steep $30 per person, but the experience is priceless. It was absolutely magical to walk through the gardens lit up only by the christmas lights. The staff and volunteers were available all throughout the large gardens and very helpful with visitors trying to navigate in the dark. Bring your phones and cameras because you'll be taking amazing photos throughout the night. Not pictured are other colored christmas lights and lanterns that decorated different parts of the gardens. CONS: My party and I were disappointed that hot wine/mulled wine was not being sold at the various beverage stations, but other beverages (hot cocoa, cider, plain wine, etc.) were available for $5/cup. Food prices were a bit high, but that's to be expected for an event like this. The Lighting of the Trees taking place at 6:45pm was underwhelming as well and instead of going to the Leonard Pavilion with a crowd, I could've well spent that time exploring other spaces. I hope that I will have the opportunity to return to Brookgreen Gardens to walk its beautiful paths during the daytime as well. Well done to all the organizers, what a beautiful night it was!

You could spend weeks walking these grounds and admiring the botanicals and statues. Plan to spend multiple hours each visit. This is a hidden gem that many visiting this area overlook.

Love everything about this and was surprised about all the kids' activities. I was also really happy you can purchase your ticket for that day and it's valid for a week.