During October, my parents, my wife, my daughter, and I went to Longwood Gardens for the first time during the fall season together. My parents are members, so this is not the first time we have ever visited Longwood but it is the first time we have explored it during this time of year. We were looking forward to seeing all that it had to offer.
Our visit coincided with peak season and when the weather was abnormally warm. I think that day it was approaching 80 degrees outside instead of the fall temperatures we’re used to this time of the year. It made for a nice day, however, because although it was warm, there was a nice breeze blowing throughout the gardens that made it not as hot as one would expect for those temperatures.
After walking through the main entrance, you are greeted with pumpkin displays and some seasonal flowers displayed along the paths and walkways throughout the gardens. My wife pointed out how the plants and flowers were placed near similarly-colored plants which made for an aesthetically pleasing display. We even spotted tiny peppers during our walk that were about the size of an eraser – something I don’t think we had seen before coming.
They have food stalls to grab food and drinks from while you’re there, which was a nice break from all of the walking for a bit. When we were there, the options were beer, some seasonal hard ciders, lemonades, and some options for food such as chicken tenders, bratwurst, and more. We ate before going so we can not speak to the quality of the food, but my dad had a beer that he liked. I know they have these stalls all year ’round and usually they sell different items depending on the season, but on this way in particular the leave were falling around us and it was such a picturesque view with all of the foliage we were surrounded by. Couple that with the live music and it was a nice ambiance. I think we started there for at least 30 minutes just sitting, eating, and drinking.
Is it Worth it?
I would argue that it is worth it to go during the fall. Except for the day we went, the weather is usually just right. Fall temperatures are usually not too hot nor too cold, which make for a nice environment to spend time outside in. As far as the foliage, they do a nice job at making sure that you’re seeing seasonally appropriate plants, fall decorations, and colors that go very well with the seasonal colors around it. On top of that, being that it is it nice outside, you can spend time outside exploring for as long as you want to without worrying about overheating. I would recommend visiting Longwood Gardens during the fall season if you’re in the area then.
