Hills & Dales Estate

Well worth a day trip to Lagrange. We have toured many historical properties during our travels, but we can say Hills & Dales was the best of all. The home is so well maintained with the original furnishings; and the tour includes the entire home rather than just a few select rooms. We were even able to view the huge HVAC system and the old electrical fuse box. Our tour guide, Clairnelle, was so friendly and knowledgeable. All of the staff, including the gardeners, were very personable and eager to assist or answer any questions. The short film at the visitor center is both interesting and informative and is great for familiarizing yourself with the history before beginning the tour. We also enjoyed the photography exhibit and being able to vote for people’s choice. They recommend allowing two hrs for touring the estate, but we were there at least three hrs. You are able to leave for lunch and come back afterward. The only negative for me was the ride on the trailer up to the house. It is a little rough if you have a bad lower back. I recommend sitting in the middle of a seat in the middle of the trailer and stay off your tail bone; or skip the trailer ride and take the short walking trail between the visitor center and the house.

Enjoyed seeing with my own eyes the beautiful gardens on the estate. The film is very poignant in understanding the three generations of families who loved and cultivated this beautiful estate. I look forward to witnessing the changing seasons as a member. A wonderful place to visit in Lagrange. Come and enjoy the magnificent trees and the splendor of the gardens.

Our photo & video team had a wonderful time capturing these stunning wedding portraits at Hills & Dales! The property is so nicely manicured, it is not only beautiful in person, but is the perfect backdrop for photos! Rêver Weddings

I loved the tour of the gardens and house. Very informational and inspiring! Our group got a lot of answers to our questions.

Beautiful place to tour in the spring! We did the house and garden tour. The docents are very kind and knowledgeable.

Hills and Dales Estate is a beautiful place to visit and tour. My friend and I had the opportunity to take a tour of the house, which was around two hours. We had the privilege of having a private tour because it was a rainy day and not many people were visiting the mansion. Our docent was very informative and interesting. All the staff on the estate were so gracious, helpful and friendly. Due to the rain, we were unable to walk in the garden but were given rain checks, which was very nice. The house itself was lovely and had very modern features considering the era in which it was built. The generational family history of the house was very interesting as well. If you enjoy visiting homes and learning history, you will definitely have a good time visiting this estate.

What an awesome place to visit. The staff were so very welcoming and knowledgeable. To begin the tour there was a short movie explaining the history of the Callaway family and the Hills & Dales Estate. The visitor center is a beautiful building with displays and history info. The tour guide who took on a 90 minute tour through the house did an excellent job of pointing out special features of the home. We could sense the love that had been put into this home for years. The gardens were also full of love and such a relaxing, beautiful place. You can purchase a ticket to just tour the gardens and if ever in the area again, we would consider doing that because it is so relaxing and beautiful. Thank you to all the staff at the Estate.

This is a lovely home and garden that only ‘recently’ opened to the public (20 years ago 😜). The house is as it was lived in just a few decades ago and the grounds are well-maintained. I dropped a star due to the rule of no photos inside. The houses I like most allow a self guided option. Hopefully this one will follow suit as so many others have.

After noting Hills and Dales Estate on a list of public gardens in the area, we opted to check it out on a sunny Saturday. This place seems to do less advertising than other similar venues, as we had never heard of it before. Once in LaGrange, you pass the local college and should then look for signs directing you to the estate. Most of the parking lot is almost woven into the terrain. There are individual spaces among trees, and no huge barren lots (which is good). You get your tickets ($10 per adult for a garden tour or $20 for home/garden tour) at a visitors' center, which though new is built to blend well with the main house. The staff was very helpful and friendly. They offer a 15-minute orientation film about the history of the gardens (which started over 150 years ago) and the home (about 100 years old). You are then driven a short distance around to the front of the house via tram or golf cart (depending on crowd-size). The house is quite impressive. A docent leads tours through the ~ 30 rooms, which are preserved in their state from circa 2000 when the last family member lived there. I wouldn't say that 'home tours' are usually of great interest to me, but this was a bit different. There are a lot of practical touches to the place and you get more of a feel of how people lived there, not just that it is an ornate building. The gardens are expansive, but can be covered without too much effort. We spent time exploring and taking photos before and after the home tour. There were several different touring groups while we were on the site, but it never felt crowded. We were often alone in a section of the garden, which was nice. Our visit lasted almost 2.5 hours. If you are anywhere near LaGrange and have an interest in gardens or architecture (or photography), this place is absolutely worth checking out.

I brought a birthday cake for my birthday and when we checked in for my reservation the staff basically took the cake out of my hands saying "we'll bring it to you it's no problem!" and I said thank you and we were sat. At the end of our meals, the cake was brought out, no knife, no plates. He asked after I blew out the candles (that my mom brought) if we wanted the cake cut and he would take it to the back to have it sliced. I said no I want to cut it myself and that was fine with him. When we got our check, a $25 fee was added to our bill for the cake. We were not made aware of the add on whatsoever. I think if they would've mentioned from the get go that we had to pay for my cake to be brought out we would've declined and kept the cake with us.

This is a beautiful welll kept garden that has been around for a long time and is part of the Calloway Legacy. We went in September and there was much green but very little blooming. The Calloway house is beautiful and is well kept. There are many original pieces in the house from 1916. The tour was excellent and the guide answered all your questions. You could not take pictures in the house. There are 3 stories in the house and do not expect elevators. This is not a place To take young children.

Absolutely beautiful! We really enjoyed taking a walk through this well- manicured site.

Amazing hidden gem. In town for work and needed something to do on spare time. Found this and was blown away by the grounds and home. I'm a Designer for automotive so always looking to be inspired. The Hills & Dales Estate provided inspiration, adventure, and I felt like a child exploring the grounds and past. The Christmas decorations were spectacular. The Christmas tree had the most gorgeous and original Callaway heirloom ornaments - finished with Authentic German Tinsel. The house was filled with dried hydrangeas, roses, and beautiful Christmas florals. Fresh greens wrapped and hung from every chandelier. True evergreen Christmas wreaths hanging from every window. The most aromatic gingerbread men and Christmas cookies at the table settings and kitchen. Not to mention the garden. I could have explored the gardens forever. The gardens are breathtaking and there's no way to capture the beauty in words. I hope to come back in the spring to see them in all their glory. Don't miss out. Come and enjoy a couple hours just exploring and learning about the Callaway Family.

Completely beautiful and historic :) it is the best for nature and art with knowledgeable history that could be the best field trip or even a date idea.

Amazing Southern estate and historical tour. If you pass through the area I would highly recommend that you spend an afternnon visiting Hills and Dales. I have visited many states in the South and New Orleans but Ive yet to see a Southern estate this well maintained. You will learn a lot of local history about the Calloway family and the beautiful estate and gardens which survived the Civil War.

A wonderful visit to a beautiful home. Docent was well versed in history of the Callaways. Gardens were fabulous.

What a great experience. The museum portion was informative and well presented. We appreciated the transportation to the Callaway home. Everyone was friendly and informative. The house was in great condition and the gardens spectacular. Appreciated the rain check for the gardens as the weather was questionable.