Plan your visit
Tickets
- During high visitation periods, such as spring break, when our azaleas are in full bloom, and festival days, we strongly encourage reserving your ticket in advance online. This guarantees your entry at your designated arrival time. With limited parking due to The Garden of Tomorrow construction, securing your ticket in advance ensures a smoother overall experience for you. Remember, as an NBG member, you can visit any time on any date, as long as parking is available on campus.
- Norfolk Botanical Garden participates in the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Garden Network alongside 360+ other gardens throughout North America.
- Norfolk Botanical Garden also participates in the Museums for All and City of Norfolk PowerUp! programs.
- For more information, please contact our visitor services team at 757-441-5830 ext. 0
- Children under age 3 do not need a ticket.
Tools to Help You Plan
- The Garden’s current hours of operation are 9AM – 5PM
- We are open 9AM – 7PM April 1st – October 15th and 9AM – 5PM October 16th – March 31st.
- Dogs are allowed on Sundays year-round! Dogs are NOT allowed in the WOW Children’s Garden, Summer Butterfly House, or on our trams and boats.
- Learn more about Norfolk Botanical Garden
- See the Garden map and Garden areas
- Horticultural Highlights Fall 2024
- The Tropical Display House is typically closed the first Tuesday of every month for maintenance – this day is subject to change
- Duckin Big Dill Farm is on site Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from 10AM – 2PM
- The Summer Butterfly House will reopen in 2025
- Bike nights will return in spring 2025
- Visitor Etiquette
WOW Children’s Garden
- WOW Children’s Garden is open daily 9:30AM – 4:30PM
- The WOW Splash Fountains are turned off for the season
- Learn about the children and family programs we offer at the Garden
Dining & Shopping
- Learn more about Rotating Food Trucks in the Garden
- Picnicking is welcomed and encouraged
- The café is permanently closed – we will have a new farm-to-table bistro when the Brock Entry Pavilion is completed
- Vending machines are available in the WOW Children’s Garden and near the Summer Butterfly House restrooms
- Water fountains are available throughout out the Garden and some have a touch-less water bottle refill feature
- Our Gift Shop is open daily from 11AM – 8PM on Value Nights and 11AM – 9PM on Premium Nights
Accessibility
- Wheelchairs are available to borrow on a first come, first served basis at the Front Desk in our Baker Hall Visitor Center. We hold on to an ID while you have the wheelchair checked out.
- It’s also important to note that some of our pathways are permeable, packed gravel pathways. These paths can be a little tricky to navigate with wheelchairs, strollers, or wagons but it is doable. There are portions of the permeable pathway that are on a slight incline/decline including the road from the back of Baker Hall to the Rose Garden, the road from Rose Garden bridge to NATO Bridge and the road from Rose Garden Bridge to Wildflower Meadow.
Environmental Impact & More
- Learn more about our Environmental Actions
- Land and Labor acknowledgment statements
- Keep up with how much energy and cost the Garden is saving with Baker Hall Visitor Center’s solar panels
Garden Tours
Seasonal Tram Tours
Tram tours will return on April 1st, 2025
Seasonal Boat Tours
Boat tours will return on Memorial Day 2025
See monthly overview of garden blooms
Upcoming Events
BECOME A MEMBER FOR EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS
try out some of our classes
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Please respect your fellow guests, volunteers, vendors and Garden staff while enjoying the peaceful beauty of nature. Norfolk Botanical Garden is an accredited outdoor museum and is committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for all to enjoy. Garden staff, volunteers, vendors and all visitors have the right to an environment free from abusive and/or threatening behavior, including the use of derogatory or offensive language. In the event of any such behavior or other harmful conduct towards Garden staff, volunteers, visitors or property, Norfolk Botanical Garden reserves any and all rights permitted by applicable law, including a request to leave the premises, contacting emergency services, revocation of membership privileges and prosecution. Norfolk Botanical Garden also reserves the right to determine what constitutes unacceptable behavior.
Yes! Wheelchairs are available to rent for free from our Baker Hall Visitor Center. We hold on to an ID while you have the wheelchair checked out. Wheelchairs are available on a first come, first served basis. It’s also important to note that some of our pathways are permeable, packed gravel pathways. These paths can be a little tricky to navigate with wheelchairs, strollers, or wagons but it is doable. There are portions of the permeable pathway that are on a slight incline/decline including the road from the back of Baker Hall to the Rose Garden, the road from Rose Garden bridge to NATO Bridge and the road from Rose Garden Bridge to Wildflower Meadow.
We welcome dogs to the Garden every Sunday! ADA Service animals are always welcome.
Click here to find out what is in bloom when you are visiting. The Director of Horticulture also publishes weekly recommendations which you can find on a chalkboard inside the Baker Hall Visitor Center.
Picnicking is welcomed and encouraged. Please leave the area as you found it. The Garden follows City of Norfolk rules in regards to open container alcohol which means it is not allowed on property.
Single-use plastics are the number one pollutant on land and in our waterways. Our mission is to LEAD through environmental action and INSPIRE through education and connection to nature. Please bring a reusable container to be filled at the many cold, filtered water dispensers located throughout the Garden (indicated on the Garden map by a water droplet symbol).
The Garden is a self-guided walking tour. We do offer guided tram tours which are included with Garden admission. Tram times vary based on the season and day of the week, so we encourage you to check the website or call 757-441-5830 ext. 0 for the tram schedule before visiting.
Yes, as long as you have your general admission receipt from the same day. We do not allow re-entry for special events.
Bikes nights are 4-7PM daily from April 1 through October 15. Please leave skates, skateboards, rollerblades, and scooters at home.
If you would like to book a tour of the Garden, we offer group rates for twenty or more guests. You can learn more about Group Tours here
Amateur photographers are always welcome. For commercial or portrait photography, please see our Portrait Photography Policy or contact Weddings & Events at (757) 441-5830 ext. 320
We are closed during the daytime on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Please visit us in the evening during these holidays for our Dominion Energy Garden of Lights.
No, we do not have a café onsite. Check out our rotating food trucks!
City of Norfolk code prohibits fishing, swimming, or launching a watercraft from the Garden.
Directions
We are located at:
6700 Azalea Garden Road
Norfolk, Virginia 23518-5337
Get Directions »
Next to Norfolk International Airport. Minutes from Downtown Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
