5-Day Boothbay Harbor Itinerary (2024)

We spent 3 hours and didn't even hit all the trails. I can't imagine how much work it takes to keep it all up. I loved that the plants and bushes etc all had plaques so you knew what they were. We enjoyed all the hiking trails that there were to offer. Really loved the trolls... the information signs were very inspiring! Thanks for a great experience. Lot's of stuff to do if you have kids too!

We absolutely loved this place! There's so much to see, the price was very reasonable. I really enjoyed the honey bee demonstration the entomologist/bee keeper was super knowledgeable, wish I could remember his name to give him a shout out. They are also very handicap accessible which was great for my mother-in-law. They had at least 6-7 mobility scooters and wheelchairs as needed. You can see a large portion of the park on the scooters. Some sections are inaccessible by scooter but they have a shuttle to take you to those areas.

Beautiful gardens with plenty to see. Make sure to find the giant trolls hiding in the woods, scattered all around. Several ponds and waterfalls to see. We even got to pet some frogs in a pond. They were friendly. We also saw two turtles sunning on a log. This is a very peaceful place. I highly recommend it.

Incredible gardens! The trolls are a must see! So great for kids! There are so many magical spaces to explore and marvel at. Staff is always very friendly. Gift shop has some fantastic treasures, we all found something there.I would like to note, the shuttle service was awesome! The drivers were all very accommodating and would come around every couple minutes to pick up points, which had benches. We had two little ones in our group and my father is an amputee, It was so nice to have a reliable shuttle as an option when we needed a break from walking.

Absolutely beautiful! Great for all ages! My son and I spent four hours here and can't wait to come back! Highly recommend bug spray and sunscreen! Cafe food is pricey so better off packing your own. Overall it was a great experience!

The gardens are very well thought out, so many amazing flowers and plants I’d never seen before. Staff was so knowledgeable and willing to help.We went when it had rained most of the day and we were still able to have a great time. For those with mobility issues, calling ahead can be beneficial to have a guided tour. There is a shuttle system that makes this experience enjoyable for everyone.

Lovely little botanical gardens. I was there in October and it was still so pretty. I can only imagine what this place would look like in the summer! If you are in the area, I would say it is definitely worth a stop. I spent a little over and hour but I was in a bit of a hurry. You could easily spend a few here.

I have been meaning to go here for years and so glad I finally did! Such a wonderfully expansive property with so much to see! If you're at all fond of plants like myself then this is a must visit. The grounds are absolutely beautiful filled with so many wonderful flowers and plants. Not to mention they have 5 Trolls by the super talented Thomas Dambo! Have wanted to see his work for years and seeing them in person is awe inspiring! Absolutely cant wait to go back again!

Very enjoyable! Beautiful place. Very well managed & maintenanced. Lunch in cafe was excellent! Had clam chowder & turkey melt. Lovely way to spend the day! Lots of walking. Lots of information on plants & trees, etc Very nice gift shop!

Hands down one of my favorite things I've done and I have been to Acadia so that tells you something. I highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes there is no difficult parts of this Garden but at times it will be a bit longer of a walk then maybe anticipated also recommend making sure you have some water on you. All of the trolls are throughout the garden and it's worth seeing the entire garden. You can tell they really take care of the grounds everything is beautiful and well-maintained

Such a nice relaxing environment. If you go during the weekend, reservations would be required. We didn't know but arrived at 9am on a Tuesday. Employee said they were not booked. So we lucked out. Very pretty landscaped garden. The trails were nice and wide. Markers labeling paths were noticeable. Employees wandering the property always said hello and asked if we needed any guidance. They gave a map when we entered which was detailed. Going in the fall was nice but I think I would have liked to go when a lot of the plants were in bloom. Finding the trolls were fun. Lots of rest stops along the way. Seemed like a lot of fun things to do for kids.

We had a great time here. Went with my girls age 3&5 in the later part of the day. Earlier in the day there are kids activities so don’t miss those like we did.It was a lot of walking for my 3 year old but my 5 year old kept up and was excited to find all 5 trolls. She enjoyed the puzzle and finding the clues.Cafe had a nice variety of snacks and pre-made sandwiches and salads (although a little pricey- $13 for a ham and cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato). I’d recommend bringing a picnic if allowed as there’s plenty of scenic seating.What really stood out to me during our visit were the park employees. Every single one was so kind and helpful and willing to entertain a conversation with my inquisitive 5 year old. I appreciate how each troll has an attendant to help with photos and keep the park guests moving. The shuttle around the park was also extremely helpful for tired legs big and small.Overall it was a beautiful day and experience and I would definitely make the drive to come back here in the future. Really cool spot with lots of educational opportunities. Gardens are extremely well kept, you can tell there’s pride of ownership here. Clean bathroom facilities.

A very calming place to just walk around and see nature, my favorite part has to be the pond, it has frogs, turtles and even your occasional dragonfly. It's a good place to go if you have kids that want to explore nature more. They have a few trails that you can walk on too, they give off more of a woods feeling than the other stuff in the park. They even have a cafe where you can get food and drinks!

What a beautiful botanical garden! It’s family friendly with accessible paths. The size is great for a few hours to explore. There are free shuttles available. The staff is super friendly. The trolls are amazing!!!

Very nice park. We thought it was going to be a little more ocean costal but it was up against a river. The park is very big and has shuttles going around it pretty often giving people rides. Very well maintained and all people there were nice. Lots of flowers and some cool hiking trails to walk along as well. Overall a good experience and if you enjoy gardens feel free to go there.

This was by far one of my favorite things we did on our anniversary trip. It was beautiful, you can spend all day there ans still not see everything.All the guides are VERY knowledgeable and great to talk too. I would recommend this to anyone. If you haven't been here you need to go!

As a family(my wife and 3yr old) it was such a wonderful magical experience. The lights and all the different displays were exquisite. The warm up building with hot chocolate and adult beverages along the way was nice to slip out of the chill. Will definitely be going back.

This is the most amazing Botanical Garden in New England. It spans over a great amount of land, allowing for hiking and an all day trip to cover the entire ground. The entire place is well maintained and just absolutely gorgeous to sit and relax with nature. There are plenty of restrooms throughout and reasonable food options.I would recommend getting there early as parking fills up quickly.

This botanical garden is stunning - so many places to explore on the grounds - flowers, shrubs, trees for all seasons. My favorite parts of the garden were the larger-than-life trolls tucked into corners throughout the property. Their stories were delightful and reminded me of my childhood. There was also a charming, whimsical fairy village, which every visitor can work on. There's a lot of walking involved, but shuttle buses come by often to pick you up if needed. I hope to make my way back there in the winter, during their light show I bet it is spectacular.

Love love love the trolls! Visited in the early spring, so not a ton of flowers yet but lots of plants for texture and color. A few ponds and a beautiful waterfall. The gardens have great art sculptures and wonderful walking paths plus a really fun children's section. There is a restaurant and great gift shop.

I enjoyed the botanical gardens. Lots of interesting things to look at and places to explore. Especially the trolls. Not overly crowded when I went which was nice. Pretty easy to navigate the trails. Many of the trails seemed very accessible from what I recall. Plenty of paths to take if interested in getting a good amount of walking in. Plenty of shaded areas and benches. Easy to get to with lots of free parking. Overall would recommend if at all interested in gardens, flowers, trolls, etc.

10* review. We took the accessible tour on a golf cart. Our host/driver was amazing, and so full of great information. The staff was also very nice. The gardens were gorgeous. It was an added bonus that Maine's springtime flowers were in bloom, while in Virginia, ours are all bloomed out for the season. I wish we had more time to spend there. Truly. I could spend days checking out all the beautiful plants and areas. The gift shop was very nice, and nice to find seeds and t-shirts of the trolls. It was really a major highlight of our trip. I wish Maine wasn't so far away from Virginia. I used up my phone's battery using GPS.... so mad I couldn't take more pictures. I would have taken thousands.

This place was wonderful but lots of walking that is involved. The Trolls were wonderful to see and the waterfall was beautiful as well. Loved the flowers so many different types. This is a place to see if you have the time during your day. They have a cafe to have something to eat or drink and also have a place to refill your water bottles with filtered water. It will take you 2 hours to complete the whole experience but you won't regret it. If you can't walk the whole way they have a trolley that will take you to whatever stop you want to take in or if you can't finish they will take you back to the exit. If you have time to kill come to the Botanical Gardens and enjoy some beautiful flowers and everything nature has to offer.

Good weekend getaway to see the Holiday lights. Get tickets in advance a month or so since slots fill up quick. Parking is decent but could get bad if choosing later times other than 4pm opening slot. Decent display of lights, get to see some troll sculptures also! Only thing bad is most paths are muddy if weather is wey, make sure to wear waterproof boots and bundle up as it can get windy in winter time.

This is an awesome place to visit, with tons of beautiful and interesting plants and environments to experience. If you really want to get the most enjoyment from the gardens, consider going at least three or four times during the year

Beautiful gardens that are well labeled so you know what you're viewing. Sweet butterfly house to explore. And whimsical giant trolls along the way. There are so many areas to explore that it's definitely a full day adventure.

Plan for this to take a good portion of the day! It was a great experience! And a place to take children. many parts are accessible to all. There is also a complimentary shuttle service for those in need. They also did a great job with their map handouts indicating steel grades in the trails.

Love this place! Great experience for everyone of all ages! We’ve been during the spring time and just went for the Aglow nights. During the spring, there is a lot more of the grounds to visit and you can’t forget the trolls! (My favorite part!) During the winter, they put up holiday lights and shorten the paths to make it roughly 1 mile to walk around.The trolls are by an overseas artist(cannot recall name or place but they have a pamphlet with the info!). The head is created there then brought to the US and the bodies built from recycled materials! You can climb on the legs and they make for great photo ops. Usually everyone is very kind to take your picture if you ask! They also have a kids play area with a cute treehouse, a little mushroom hidden house, some musical toys, and some other things! During the warmer months you can easily spend 3+ hours here!The grounds are always well manicured. We’ve seen the gardeners working and planning the layout a couple times, which was so neat! They also have a little butterfly house in the spring.There is also a gift shop, restrooms, a little cafe with hot dogs, cookies, fudge, chips, drinks, etc. They had hot coco for $3 (small cup, maybe 5-7oz) during the winter lights too. During the spring/summer, there is a little trolley you can ride from stop to stop which is nice if you get tired or need more accommodation. I do recommend buying tickets in advance as they sell out sometimes! Especially the Aglow lights! The parking lot is nice and spacious and we’ve never had a problem finding parking! Sometimes you just have to walk a little bit (~2-8 minutes, depending on spot).

Always a good experience. However, the amount of people there made it hard to enjoy all of the aspects of Gardens Aglow. Long lines for photos with the trolls and the kids area. If it were warmer, we would have waited in line. No fault of the Botanical Gardens.

The Gardens Aglow event is spectacular! I would highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance as they sell out quickly! Kudos to the Botanical Gardens crew for their efforts to cap the crowds by only allowing certain number of people in. Because... It gets crowded really fast! And the kids are uncontrollable! Some parenting needs to happen because what I saw was beyond my wildest fears. Anyway, only a portion of the gardens is open for this event but you do get to see two of the trolls, which is cool! I would go with the earliest hour (I think it is 4pm) to get a bit of daylight and to also enjoy the lights after dark. Layer up! And even though the paths are well maintained, it gets muddy really quick! Definitely, I mean it is a must, to stop and get the Wild Blueberry Crisp! Don't know who came up with that, but it is Delicious!!! Popcorn is also sold on the way. It takes about an hour if you stop and take photos, or a couple of hours, if you leisurely walk and rest on the benches along the way. Worth a visit!!! Ah, remember what parking lot you parked at, they have letters assigned to them, so you don't wander around afterwards.

An amazing visit, every time. Spring, summer fall or winter always something beautiful to see. Well labeled gardens, stunning views and a great café we really can't speak well enough. The Troll adventure is a new and neat attraction for the kids.The spring blooms are gorgeous and the winter lights are breath taking.

This place is stunning. The gardens are so unique and a pleasure to walk through. Trails are well-maintained and mostly shaded. The unique areas are so cool. The trolls are something you won't see anywhere else. The staff were super friendly and helpful with recommending a walking route for us. There's such a variety of things to see here.

This place is beautiful and educational and fun! Great way to spend the day with your family. Bring comfortable shoes as it's a lot of walking on trails. There is a shuttle bus for those that need it. Buy a bottle of water from them. It's refillable and free to refill. There are filling stations but they aren't clearly marked. There is so much to see and explore here. Big enough to come back multiple times to enjoy it.

The Coastal Maine Botanical Garden was a great pit stop on our drive from Portland to Bar Harbor during Labor Day weekend. We got to see the Dutch trolls installation, which was so cool! I would recommend a visit. It’s very family friendly too.

It was relatively quiet when we visited (early May) but would still definitely recommend buying tickets in advance for the $2 off, and the tickets are quite pricey as is. It's a nice stroll throughout though some areas were undergoing work, and the butterfly house was closed since they were undergoing metamorphosis. Trails in the non-core parts of the gardens were clearly marked and even those that were labelled as 'steep' are quite easy. There were some explanation boards but if you wish to come for properly detailed information about the flora then there is a tour guide option. We didn't but the staff we did encounter were very friendly.

Amazing experience! We loved walking the variety of trails, exploring the grounds and finding the trolls! The gardens themselves are beautiful, and the whole place gives off a feeling of enchantment. A tip - if it's a hot day, carry water, we got quite dehydrated, it was very hot and much of the walking is uphill. Take the shadier routes if you are able, sometimes they are more challenging walks than the main routes, but if it's a hot day those main roads are all direct sunlight. Don't skip the five senses garden, it was breathtaking. The waterfall is also a nice "side quest". The fairy village was a cool concept, the children's garden was fun even though we don't have kids (we are still children at heart, and enjoyed all the climbing and the aesthetics), definitely bring sunscreen and hats on those sunny days!

This was one of the best Christmas light shows I’ve ever been to. The gardens were beautiful and the lights were amazing. It was super rainy when we were there but there were a ton of people visiting. If I’m ever in the area around Christmas, I will be back.

I have wanted to see Gardens aglow at Maine Botanical Gardens for a while, well, I finally got tickets this year! To say the least, this experience was definitely worth the 3 and a half hour drive up, I would give it 100/10 stars if I could! Gardens aglow was incredible, you round a corner and it just gets better and better! Not to mention the kettle corn, cafe AND the best fresh blueberry crisp/blueberry juice that scattered throughout the light path! I am just blown away as this was absolutely incredible and wayyy exceeded my expectations!! I will definitely be coming back next year with a few more people!! Thank you for all the hard work you all do to make this incredible experience for all of us!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everyone working here is very passionate about this place and it shows. The gardens are beautiful and the trolls are a special treat especially for the kids. My kids are 16-20 and they still enjoyed the "content" they were able to get here.

Must do!If you like plants or just to take photos of cool stuff this is a great place to visit. The gardens are world class and are constantly changing.The forest trolls are very special and I really liked the detail.The customer service is an outstanding. Every person was a delight.