Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens is truly one of Northeast Ohio’s most breathtaking wedding venues. Over the last decade, I’ve photographed more than a dozen weddings on these grounds, and every time I return, I’m reminded why this place is so special. It blends historic elegance with natural beauty—offering a romantic, storybook setting that feels both grand and deeply intimate. From the European-inspired architecture to the curated gardens and quiet paths, every corner of the estate offers timeless backdrops that elevate a couple’s wedding day and allow their love story to shine. The staff here is equally remarkable. From seamless logistics and guest care to thoughtful touches like coolers of water on warm days or umbrellas during rain, the Stan Hywet team always makes sure the day runs with grace. They pour so much heart into each celebration, and it never goes unnoticed. One of my favorite places to photograph is the English Garden—a hidden gem enclosed by stone walls, filled with soft natural light, statues, water features, and a feeling of magic. It’s perfect for portraits that feel ethereal and cinematic, yet grounded in real emotion. If you're drawn to refined romance, heritage architecture, and elevated, garden-inspired celebrations, Stan Hywet is a dream venue. I absolutely love photographing weddings here and would be honored to continue serving couples who choose to say "I do" in such an unforgettable place.

What a beautiful place! This reminds me of European castles - this is my first experience seeing anything this lavish in the US. There are discounts for entry for many groups of people and special days with reduced rates. The self guided tour is plenty if you're on a money or time budget. There are a lot of volunteers scattered throughout the manor that have neat information to share. Everything is amazing to see and worth the trip.

A quite beautiful place to visit. The home itself is amazing - hard to imagine living in such opulence, and it was 1915! The home is well maintained, as a museum piece. The tour was fascinating - I will need to go back for the "nooks and crannies tour" to be allowed past the velvet ropes! The grounds are excellent as well, with awesome flower beds in bloom.

Came here in June and it was such a cool experience. The grounds were beautiful, the house maintained down to the intricate details! It felt like stepping into another era. We did the self-guided tour, so we could go at our own pace, but there were still employees near with facts about the family. A warning: the house is obviously not air conditioned, and there's minimal fans. If you come during summer, dress for the heat and bring a fan! We stayed about 3 hours and still didn't see everything, the time flew by. I really recommend making time for the gardens, they were my favorite part! When you visit them you can't help but admire the beauty as well as the effort it must take to care for them. If you are a history buff coming for the first time, they get super into it with the guided tour! But even if you wanna go it alone there's little plaques with facts and info in almost every room.

Oh my gosh, it was absolutely incredible! The grounds were breathtaking, and the mansion was just mind-blowing. Did you know that a lot of the furniture is original? And get this - the oven in the kitchen was actually put in and then the wall it was constructed! The gardens were just spectacular, and I highly recommend this place to anyone who’s looking for a truly unforgettable experience.

We visited Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens basically to kill time while our dog was having a procedure at so nearby vet hospital. What a wonderful surprise. We were enchanted by the gardens and amazed by the home. The volunteers were so helpful and because it was a quiet, weekday morning, we felt like we had them all to ourselves. They shared stories and we could see their love of place. It’s was a beautiful experience.

Wife and I stopped for a self guided tour. We previously visited 10 years ago and thought to stop again while in town. If you have any interest in history, gardens, or architecture, this is certainly worth a stop. Much like the Biltmore Estate, this place has it all. The staff is friendly, tours are relatively cheap, and its a beautiful place rich in history. We spent a few hours walking through the manor and the grounds. The outside features gardens, fountains, walking paths, etc. Its a park like setting. I would certainly recommend a stop here if you are in the area.

Beautiful home and grounds. A very nice excursion for a day trip to the greater Akron/Cleveland area. I would suggest a full day if you want to see both the hall and the garden. However, there is limited seating or resting areas within the home itself and as someone who struggles with fatigue and pain from prolonged standing/walking, this was a notable problem for me. I was unable to complete the self-guided tour of the second floor as the house is just too big, with no good place to rest, for some people with disabilities to complete in one visit. I also was unable to view the gardens on this visit for the same reasons. While this issue is not the fault of the site, I do believe, having some additional seating throughout the home would be beneficial for people who need to sit more frequently, for a variety of reasons. The small café at the carriage house offers a very limited menu but the peach scone was exceptional.

I've been here twice now. The first time we did the docent guided tour, and more recently we did the self guided tour. The docent was great, but I learned a lot again on the self-guided tour too. The gardens are amazing too! If you opt for self-guided, the price is $2 cheaper, and there are still docents stationed around the house to answer questions or share stories of the family if you're interested. I liked that one of them told us about the darkroom in the basement. I would have totally missed that!

I have been here a dozen times through the years. They have an excellent art show. They have tours and events. They even have outdoor theatre in the summer. It's really a nice little NE Ohio treasure. Last night we went to the Christmas Deck the Halls Event. It is first class! I was very impressed. The light around the property are beautiful! Not tacky or obtuse just beautiful. There are plenty of places to take pictures, they have Santa, a gift shop, a truck selling cookies and hot or cold drinks. And then there is the House! You take a self guided tour through most of the rooms that are decorated to the 9's for Christmas. Beautiful trees and accessories. Each room has a theme. It's very nicely done. And you can also have a full course dinner there as well. They have options on the types of tickets you may want to buy. We did not eat, we just walked and toured. Don't miss out on the poinsettia garden room. It's very festive and you can buy poinsettias. Plenty of parking, cost for the self guided tour is $20 a person. Not sure on the dinner one. You're inside and outside so dress appropriately for the weather. It's was cold when we went. It took us about 2 hours to view everything g so it's a nice evening activity.

Stan Hywet is beautiful all year long. The holiday lights made the estate and mansion glow. Ticket price allows a self tour of the house, which is decorated for Christmas, as the Seiberling's were Lutherans. Docents stand around and answer questions. You do get to go upstairs to see Mrs. Seiberling's rooms, and a few bedrooms and bathrooms. Outside you walk on the garden paths to the conservatory, filled with Poinsettias. Along the way there are a few areas set up for photo ops. A light show to music is on the front lawn. Plan two to three hours to linger to see everything.

Hubby and I came here for the Christmas lights. We have never been and the weather was nice so we figured we would go. It took us about 2 hours or so and we toured the grounds and the home. It was pretty busy, we heard it wasn't as busy during the week but I would recommend checking the weather because there is a lot of outside walking which we didn't realize.

I've been here in the winter for all the Christmas lights and it was crowded but with seeing all the decor! Went in end of April this year on a beautiful day! Went took the behind the scenes tour and just loved it. Such a cool historic home. A must see!

This is truly one of the most amazing examplea of Tudor architecture, on the planet. 64,000 sq. ft. and almost everything is original! The construction; the attention to detail; the craftsmanship - You could visit 50 times and find something new, every time. I highly recommend any event that's held here. The extra access tours, the holiday lights (especially when you add the dinner ticket), the Father's Day car show - You will be so glad that you did. It's well worth the money and it goes towards improving the property. That's a true win-win.

My Mom and brothers and I were members for quite a while Unfortunately I am disabled now, my Mom passed last year and my brothers now live on the Eastern Seaboard. I used to drive over and walk the grounds for some exercise. My favorite thing though was the Nooks and Crannies tour. My Mom and I went on several of these over the years and it is really a great look at the Mansion. Also great are the May and October Mart and buying plants grown by the staff. I hope all of these things are still available.

Beautiful grounds and buildings were on full holiday display when we visited. The buildings had fabulous decorations and the style of the homes was amazing. Small details like hand carved doors and finished woodwork in virtually every room. Even the outdoor decorations were great. The tours were a bit pricey to visit every Christmas, but everyone in our group enjoyed the tour.

Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens has become one of my favorite places to visit throughout the year. My husband and I went the other night for their yearly Deck the Hall event, which never disappoints. The estate is illuminated with over 1 million holiday lights. While this year there wasn't live music during the inside tour of the mansion, some years there is and that's a real treat. Staff is always on hand to give interesting history facts and a juicy scoop or two . At this event, gingerbread cookies, soft pretzels and beverages are for sale and Santa is there for the little ones. This event is perfect for families or a romantic holiday outing.

Visited today for the first time and it was gorgeously decorated for the holidays. We enjoyed our self guided tour. We visited the manor, conservatory and then got a slice of pie and cocoa at the cafe

Deck the Halls: this is like holiday decorating while on crack. Had to park a few streets away and wait for the free shuttle. Once through the gate there is the outside gift shop, Santa with a VERY lifelike reindeer, bon fire pit, and gigantic decorated tree. Once to the house, waited outside about 10 minutes until it was out turn to meander through the artfully decorated mansion. The hardest part - being told not to touch anything in the house . Then the outside. Crazy amount of decorated walkways leading to the gingerbread area, the greenhouse and the last section of lights that are set to music. Dress warm, bring some of those cheap holiday 3-D glasses that can be ordered from Amazon, and enjoy being blown away by the amount of work that was put into the decorations. Well worth the $25.

A great behind the scenes tour - nooks and crannies - with Allie. Wonderful to see the house with her love of history and enthusiasm.

Came here for the first time to see Deck the Hall. So worth it! Rooms were decorated in the main manor house beautifully. So pretty and festive! The outside grounds were also amazing to see. Loved Dazzle! Dazzle is a light show set to music. Here are my recommendations so that you really get the most out of the experience. Buy tickets ahead of time online, go early, park in the lower lot and take the shuttle to the admission gate and start at the manor house first. There will be plenty of time to see the grounds after you walk through the manor house. Highly recommend making Deck the Hall something you do each year. The staff and volunteers do an excellent job decorating the manor house and grounds.

Went to see the lights last night. It was pouring freezing rain. There was a VERY long line to get in to the house. Even with umbrellas we were soaked through by the time we got in and we had a 5 month baby with us. The staff welcoming us was abrupt and rude. With all the money they made, and how many years they've been doing this, why wouldn't they have a canopy put up while waiting? There were so many kids and adults soaked and freezing. They would not let us take our stroller in and the only option was to leave it in the rain to get soaked???!!! We barely walked through and left early because we were so miserable and were being rushed through each room. We spent $125 among us for the WORST Christmas experience EVER!

It's an amazing home with a lot of history. The gardens are amazing. Our tour guide was a bit scattered and didn't keep our group together. If he is any indication, I would suggest a self guided tour. There are plenty of guides throughout their house to answer all questions.

This place is simply breath taking! 65,000 sq ft of pure turn of the century wealth. The "castle"/home is a museum with about 95% original furniture, tapestries and artwork. Simply amazing tour and the botanical gardens were nice as well!

Beautiful, historic...a real treasure in Akron. From the Manor House to the gardens and conservatory, there is much to see and enjoy here. The special events held throughout the year really highlight the wonderful aspects of this property. This is a must-see for visitors to Akron, and a great place for locals to join as members and serve as volunteers.

This is the perfect day trip for anyone in Columbus looking for a change of scenery. It's especially perfect if you love gardens and old houses! You can wander the multiple well-maintained gardens, which I can imagine are so much more impressive when flowers are in bloom. The house tour is self-guided only right now, but there staff members around to tell fun facts about the preservation process and the items in the home. There is food and for purchase so you don't have to bring lunch if you don't want, but I did see lots of people having picnics on the grounds. And the gift shop is really nice! There's a little bit of something for everyone. Overall this was a great way to spend a day exploring at my own pace. So many beautiful things to see! And so much to learn about the family, the time period, architecture and gardens. There's also a butterfly garden that I believe opens in June, and a play garden for kids. I'll most definitely be coming back in the summer with the whole family!

Deck the Halls is magical at Christmas I have been taking my boys since 2017. Every year is a different theme with different parts of the manor open. We love exploring each room! And they have the Best. Santa. Ever! He's so sweet & takes the time to talk with the kids!

Attended Ohio Mart in October which had a ton of local artists, vendors and exhibitors! We bought a few things, plus took a self guided tour through the mansion and gardens. We loved learning about the history of the family and thinking about what life was like 100 years ago. The property overlooks the national park which has an amazing view if you go to the garden directly behind the house. There's even a lookout point!

Believe it or not. I stumbled upon here by accident during the auto show that was going on here. I waited in line and was felt like I was in a time capsule. This place is full of the coolest features in a home. Great craftsmanship that was put into the home, especially to everyone that has donated and maintained this property The staff here is knowledgeable and definitely passionate about what they do. The best part was seeing the swimming pool that's in the basement. When you leave, you need to explore the outside of this place as well. Huge shout out to the Lanscaper who takes care of all of this as well! There's a river, bridges, courtyard, just so much to explore beyond my expectations!

Outstanding way to get into the Christmas spirit. We went a little before 5 pm before it got really busy. It was a special treat to go through the Conservatory and walk the grounds. There were blue and purple poinsettia for sale in the Conservatory, something I've never seen. All the lights were fantastic.

Gorgeous, classy, fun, educational, romantic--this place is everything. I first came here in 2012 for a wedding and thought it was beautiful. Then I came here on a date with a full tour of the grounds and mansion a few months ago and had an amazing time. The workers are friendly and knowledgeable and the gardens are just...fairytale like! Can't recommend this enough!

AMAZING MANSION! It is a U.S National Historic Landmark. I came for the DECK THE HALL event on 29 December 2018. There were more than 1 million Christmas lights throughout the property. The house/museum opens again on 2 April 2019. Thanks to Yelp, I got a complimentary ticket to view the historic STAN HYWET HALL & GARDENS. With 2 free tickets, I brought a friend and drive the 1 hour drive from Cleveland to Akron. MANOR HOUSE (Main Estate) - Over 60,000 square foot and plenty of rooms, this stunning mansion was formerly the home of Frank A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and his wife, Gertrude P. Seiberling. They named their Estate Stan Hywet, which means "stone quarry". I throughly enjoyed the self-guided tour of the house. I love history so I liked that volunteers were stationed throughout the house answering all my questions. The theme for the tour was "A Winter Wonderland". The whole house was beautifully decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments. I especially loved the igloo and snowman in the music room. CARRIAGE HOUSE (now MOLLY's CAFE) - This used to be a horse stable but it is now a shop and cafe. In the shop, there are so many intricate gifts here from books about the Seiberling family, to clothing, to stationery. Right now, there is 70% off Christmas items. The cafe has drinks, cookies, and other edible things for sale as well as an area with chairs and tables. GARDENS - The entire estate is filled with trees and greenery - so much nature. I didn't tour the gardens in detail but just passed by while looking at all the Christmas lights. I want to come back during the day to tour some of the gardens. I posted a ton of photos and videos so please take a look as you won't be disappointed. Better yet, I encourage you to visit this mansion for yourself. Some of my photos did not link with this review so take a look at the Yelp page itself to find my photos of the house. Stop by the admissions area to buy hot apple cider, hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, etc. CONCLUSION - As written on the sleeve of my hot apple cider cup, Stan Hywet Hall is "a magnificent historic house, museum, and country estate" *** - 204 total Yelp reviews. - I have written 158 Yelp reviews in 2018.

Stan Hywet is very nice grounds to visit in the fall. Their decor is always beautiful. We visit every year. The tour is nice to do because they go into the back rooms which are not available on just a walk through, and they give you history of the owners which makes you feel a connection when you are there.

We visited the deck the halls event. The architecture and decorations were pretty and elaborate at times but we were underwhelmed for the $18 admission fee.

This place is a must when visiting Akron! Check their website to know if Stan Hywet hosts events. The best time to visit would be in December during Christmas lights, fall fair and any time during the summer. If you live in Akron area, I would suggest to become a member. With my membership, I can visit the place for free and have discounted tickets during the events. Besides amazing gardens, you can check out inside of Stan Hywet castle, spend time at the glass conservatory, take a hike around the estate and bring your child for playtime. Love coming here!

Over the Top Phenomenal. I have been here for the Historical Car Show...but first time for the Deck the Halls Christmas Event!!! Thank You YELP for making this special visit possible!!! There is History, Fact Finding, Beauty and Regalness (yep, it's officially a word), and rubberneck opportunities in every space both indoors and out! If I were to provide a thorough review of this manor mansion and her loveliness, it would be the longest review ever... so I will just say broadly, it is breathtaking no matter the grounds walk or the house tour. Unbelievable!!! My photos tell it all!

I love this house, the architecture, paintings, history etc. This years holiday decoration and movie theme just wasn't good. Don't know if tacky is the word, kitschy... movie candy in a room, game room tickets down the walls. I had to walk thru most of the house trying to appreciate the history of it and not paying attention to the theme. The year prior unless I'm mistaken seemed more classic Christmas and normal decoration.

Every year we go to Ohio Mart. It is a fall festival with a collection of craft vendors that are truly artists. The range is from jewelry, art, soaps, perfume, scarves, hats, puppets, etc.. There is also great food and beverages in a food area. Pierogis, Italian sausage, hotdogs, beer and wine make up the selection. There is also a used book sale, artist pumpkin carving and children's crafts. The Stan Hywett grounds are opening for viewing as well.

Touring the house was absolutely incredible! I can't even begin to imagine what life looked like here on a daily basis in the past. The attention to detail was mind-boggling to me. For example, they chose the land to build the house on based on how the sun would set - there is a line of doors from the front to the back that lines up with the summer solstice (+7 miles more) with the doors open. I'm also in awe of the amount of expendable money that you have to have to create a place like this. At a time where only about 35% of households had telephone lines between the two competing phone companies, the family had BOTH. Three other things that stood out to me were the indoor pool, the fire hose set up within the house (in case of a fire), and the beautiful music room/hall. They had finished decorating for Christmas so we got to see the themed rooms. We didn't even get to explore much of the outdoor area, although the birch tree walkway is now a must have in my future home. Honestly, this is a must-see if you have a chance. I was happy I didn't read about anything beforehand because I was fully surprised by seeing it all for the first time.

Loved everything about our visit here. Please note if you buy food or drinks at concessions you can't them inside the mansion.

Breathtaking property and very historical. I recommend getting a tour and if you go close to the holidays the lights are amazing to walk and see all of them. The hot coco and gingerbread cookies were just a bonus

If you are looking for a beautiful Christmas light display, Stan Hywet is the place to be. It was so great, that I forgot to take any pictures, so sorry for not leaving any BUT it was just gorgeous and you'll have to take my word. There were a nice amount of things to do, including a Christmas light show, two separate light walking areas, consessions and a tour of the Stan Hywet house. I recommend either being the first one there or being one of the last so that you do not have to stand in the house touring line for too long. It was only 40 degrees and I was only in line for 50 minutes, but the majority of time spent in line is infront of an open meadow that is of course picturesque BUT is basically an open wind tunnel, so definitely avoid that. I think my favorite parts were the lit up conservancy and the drive way. The conservancy was fantastically decorated on the inside to be seen from the outside, giving it a rainforest vibe. Unfortunately for covid reasons walking inside was prohibited but it was still a great thing to see. The long drive way was also fully lit and beautiful. This review is mainly about the Christmas lights they had up, which are available generally from November to December BUT I also recommend going during the rest of the year. You can take guided tours (probably not during covid-19) and the gardens are so idillic, great for pictures, weddings, ceremonies, etc. Lots to learn too!

I've been here for several events. The staff is always super welcoming and accommodating. The grounds are always impeccable and it's always a great place to visit for the holidays. Very family friendly and such a warm and happy place.

I haven't stopped by since a girl scout field trip back in the 90's so I was due to visit. While I mostly hear about visiting their spectacular gardens, the winter lights event is awesome! We started the evening at 5:30 with a gingerbread man tree lighting ceremony, taking a picture with Rudolph and grabbing one of the hottest hot chocolates and a delicious gingerbread cookie. Since there is no food or drink allowed in the mansion, we walked the grounds first with beautifully light pathways, fountains, gardens, kids gingerbread play area and greenhouse. Then on to the self guided tour of the mansion that was also decorated for the season. My husband had never been so he liked learning all the historical facts while the kids liked imagining: what would you use this giant room for?

We came for the final night of the Deck the Halls event. This annual Christmas event fills the grounds and mansion with lights and Christmas decor. We won tickets to the event and the babies were free so we bundled up and headed out. Even though we arrived about an hour after they opened, we had to park in the overflow lot. The shuttle service was quick and convenient and dropped us off right in the main entry area. We actually started off at Molly's to get hot chocolate and cookies before stopping for pictures with the huge lighted tree and the gingerbread man. There were also a few concessions near the front. We passed them by as we went to see the dazzle light show. The lights twinkle along with Christmas music and the path is dotted with portable heat lamps. The light show was a hit with the babies! We walked the grounds and enjoyed every single thing. This might just be an annual tradition for our family and I'd love to see the estate in the spring as well!

Beautiful gardens. Good wedding venue. Very friendly and helpful staff on the phone and in person. Well-presented and interesting guided tour of the mansion. Facility and grounds well-maintained.

The food was delicious.?The chef was friendly and nice. I will def go back! Our server was awesome!

Went for the Christmas experience. A little pricey but a real beautiful place with lots of history. The tour was longer than I expected. They put a lot of detail info the decorations across the grounds. Definitely worth another visit in the summer months.

It's really gorgeous here. This Tudor-style mansion is beautifully decorated for the holidays and the grounds are spectacular and well-manicured. I would not recommend going on a weekend; it was way too crowded. They shuffle you through the ropes, touring each floor in a line. It kinda reminds me of elephants connected trunk-to-tail, parading through. I am sure it is better on a Tuesday night, either after Christmas or very early in the season when everyone and their grandmother is not there. That said, the light displays were gorgeous. It is obvious that a lot of love and attention to detail went into this Christmas display. I would like to come back in the off-season. I am interested in hearing the history. You do not hear any history on the Christmas tour- you simply look at the lights.

Delightful historical establishment. I love that they are offering yoga during the nice weather. A must see every year for Christmas.

DECK THE HALLS REVIEW: We paid $22 a person to come visit the grounds on a Friday night to see the lights. We only got to see the inside of the house on the first floor after waiting a significant amount of time in line. The rest of the grounds were pretty but rather minimal given the price. Around 8 PM it really did feel like they were closing up shop and really hurting people through which was disappointing given the price. I'm not sure I'll be returning for deck the halls and I'm also not sure I would recommend it for the price.

Surrounded by so much beauty. And many sights to see. A wonderful place to visit. Step into history and see a beautiful home to tour.

Love spending time in Stan Hywett !! Especially, outside when everything is blooming : ) so beautiful and serene.

Stan Hywet Hall is a treasure in Summit County. I have enjoyed touring the mansion and walking through the grounds since high school. The Christmas decorations are beautiful and the gardens are extremely well kept. If you have time to explore a fantastic place in Akron, this should be on your must see locations.

My hubby and I went to light nights here (thank you Yelp!!) and this place is incredible!! The gardens and grounds are unbelievable. They are huge and absolutely beautiful. I would love to come back for a picnic some day. The house was closed off for the event, but the outside was beautiful. I would love to tour some time. This place transports you back in time and we are fortunate to have it so close.

Stan Hywet is an Akron tradition any time of year, but it's especially fun when they do seasonal events like Deck the Hall (between Thanksgiving and New Years) or Ohio Mart and Inspiration on Bloom, which we enjoyed today on a nice October fall day. The mansion is incredible and the volunteers are so knowledgeable about the history of the home and its owners, who of course played a big part in the history of Akron itself. Then there are the gardens, which are just breathtaking. Walking the grounds, it's amazing how huge the property is and how much of it is open to visitors to enjoy. Overall, a really enjoyable and unique activity for all ages.

I spent the day with my sister here. It is so beautiful at Christmas time. Every room is decked out by professional decorators and florists. We went during the day but they have a whole lights display at night for the holidays. We took the guided tour of this 1900's mansion built by multimillionaire family Seiberling who was a founder of GoodYear Rubber Co. This huge, sprawling mansion contains 90% original furniture, clothing, artwork and fabulously maintained interior. It gives you a glimpse into the opulence of a time when many made fortunes from the industrial revolution. Tour guides point out specific points of interest and explain what the family life was like for the wealthy at the time they lived here. It is particularly pretty decked out for Christmas. You can go in the evening and there are vendors selling hot chocolate, soft pretzels and other treats. During the day you can stop for a cookie and some hot chocolate at the cafe and eat in what was once a stall for the stable animals on the property. I highly recommend a visit if you have never been. Allow plenty of time to visit the gardens and conservatory afterward. You can buy tickets online in advance