Kew Gardens

Accessible via hop-on hop-off bus, the botanical gardens at Kew make for an excellent day-out destination. Entrance tickets to Kew Gardens allow visitors to explore the park’s many attractions independently or via an optional guided walking tour. Step into The Hive, a multi-sensory sculpture designed to demonstrate the extraordinary life of bees; traverse a 60-foot-high (18-meter) treetop walkway; explore plants from 10 climate zones in the Princess of Wales Conservatory; and stroll through the arboretum, a living library of over 14,000 trees. The London Pass offers entrance to Kew Gardens along with a hop-on hop-off bus tour of other local attractions, such as Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.

• Visitor facilities include five cafés and restaurants, three souvenir shops, restrooms, and picnic areas.

• The Kew Explorer land train leaves hourly from Victoria Gate Plaza and takes visitors on a full tour of the gardens in 40 minutes.

• Bikes, scooters, skateboards, and rollerblades are prohibited throughout the park.

• Kew Gardens is a protected area, so kids should not climb trees, play ball games, or pick flowers.

• Free Wi-Fi is available onsite.

• Kew Gardens is accessible to wheelchairs and mobility scooters (although certain attractions may be off-limits), and concession tickets are available.

Kew Gardens is located in Richmond, roughly eight miles (30 kilometers) from central London, a journey of about 30 minutes by road or 25 minutes by London Underground. The closest tube station is Kew Bridge Station on the District line, which is a short walk from the Elizabeth Gate at the park’s eastern border. You can also walk to the Lion Gate (southwest corner) from Richmond Station or the Victoria Gate (southern border) from Kew Gardens station.

Kew Gardens is open year-round and the wide variety of seasonal plants and flowers make it worth visiting at different times of the year. The gardens are busiest from July through August, so plan to arrive early to avoid crowds. Early to mid-spring is a good time to see colorful flowers, while wintertime makes it easy to time your visit to coincide with one of the site’s many special holiday events.

As well as daily guided walking tours and a range of special exhibitions and art displays, Kew hosts special seasonal events and festivals year-round. Highlights include the month-long Christmas at Kew celebration, which includes an illuminated night trail;Kew the Music live music concerts in summer; the spring Orchids Festival; and Halloween pumpkin patches.

Yes, 1-hour Kew Gardens tours occur daily from the site’s Victoria Plaza, usually twice daily, in the morning and the afternoon. These introductory tours are capped at 15 people and cover the gardens’ conservation work and the site's history, which dates back to the 18th century.

Standard admission tickets to Kew Gardens include most talks, tours, and exhibitions. Events that need extra payment include the popular Kew Explorer Land Train, performances, after-hours events, and courses such as the moss art workshops or botanical candle painting sessions. Check with Kew Gardens if you’re in doubt.

Weekday mornings are quietest at Kew Gardens, but crowds aren’t too much of a problem at any time as the site covers a whopping 300-acre (120-hectare) space. As expected, warm and sunny days attract more people, with higher visitor numbers on weekends and public holidays.

Estimate at least three hours to explore Kew Gardens. The site is enormous, and a common complaint from leaving visitors is that they wish they’d seen more. If you’re a big gardening fan, dedicate a day to the site to cover lunch, coffee, and a browse of the shop.

Yes. Kew Gardens is one of the finest London places for a picnic. Just a few things to note: Bin all your waste (or better, take it home), picnic furniture and barbecues are not allowed, and seating areas by the eateries are only for those who buy their food on-site.

Kew Gardens has worked hard to make the site accessible to all. The gardens are primarily flat, with tarmac paths all around. The eateries have ramps and accessible restrooms, and reduced-mobility tours are offered. Disabled parking is also available, although visitors need a UK-issued Blue Badge parking permit.