Bellingrath Gardens & Home
Bellingrath Gardens & Home
4.5
Natural History MuseumsHistoric Walking AreasNature & Wildlife AreasOther Outdoor ActivitiesGardens
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Nestled along the scenic Fowl River in Theodore, Alabama, Bellingrath Gardens & Home is a 65-acre public garden and historic estate. Established in 1932, it offers beautifully landscaped gardens with seasonal blooms, live oaks, and serene water features for a unique experience year-round. The 1930s Bellingrath Home provides guided tours, showcasing original furnishings and Southern hospitality. Throughout the year, special events like the award-winning Magic Christmas in Lights, educational workshops, and seasonal festivals offer something for everyone. Whether you're seeking a peaceful retreat, a historical journey, or a family-friendly adventure, Bellingrath Gardens & Home delivers an unforgettable experience of Southern charm and rich heritage.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
863 reviews
Excellent
639
Very good
168
Average
42
Poor
5
Terrible
9
LenaBean775
Pace, United States65 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
This is a great place to go see Christmas lights. Our family went just before Christmas. We purchased our tickets online which helped us to skip all the people in line waiting to purchase their tickets.
The grounds are very well decorated with a few places to stop off and enjoy hot cocoa, popcorn, and other small snacks.
We enjoyed all of the lights, light tunnels, and light swans in the lake. So much to see and it's something we do every other year or so as we live about an hour away. We have not been during the spring/summer but I understand it's beautiful with all of the flowers in bloom.
The grounds are very well decorated with a few places to stop off and enjoy hot cocoa, popcorn, and other small snacks.
We enjoyed all of the lights, light tunnels, and light swans in the lake. So much to see and it's something we do every other year or so as we live about an hour away. We have not been during the spring/summer but I understand it's beautiful with all of the flowers in bloom.
Written January 11, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K A
Prospect, TN35 contributions
Sep 2024 • Solo
A very nice group of gardens, but in September not worth a long drive. Go to a local botanical garden instead.
I arrived 3 pm a few hours after Hurricane Francine passed to the west and it was very nice out. Not much blooming this time of year but it was lush and green compared to the drought back home.
The ceramic /porcelain museum was nice but things were displayed in front of each other; you couldn’t always see the details.
The Asian garden was pretty blah.
Without stopping to listen to the narration spots it took about a hour- 2 miles approximately.
Gift shop full of things that any nice botanical garden would have. I’d hoped to find an illustrated book specific to BG.
The cafe was closed so I helped myself to water and called it a day.
I arrived 3 pm a few hours after Hurricane Francine passed to the west and it was very nice out. Not much blooming this time of year but it was lush and green compared to the drought back home.
The ceramic /porcelain museum was nice but things were displayed in front of each other; you couldn’t always see the details.
The Asian garden was pretty blah.
Without stopping to listen to the narration spots it took about a hour- 2 miles approximately.
Gift shop full of things that any nice botanical garden would have. I’d hoped to find an illustrated book specific to BG.
The cafe was closed so I helped myself to water and called it a day.
Written September 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HIZ
24 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
We were actually here in what would qualify as 'off season" but it was still beautiful without much in the way of flowers. This is purely a garden for the sake of gardening, not an appendage to house or other park, and lovingly maintained and updated. it is not entirely a consistent experience: there's a great lawn, which is quite large just that, and a bayou walkway, which is quite long and just that; so if you've seen a bayou or a lawn before, these won't impress you. But the detailing of the rest of the facility, both plantings and architecture are relentlessly impressive, and well worth a few hours stroll.
Written October 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris B
Michigan509 contributions
Sep 2024 • Couples
We visited the gardens but didn't opt to tour the house. There wasn't much in bloom in September but everything was still very beautiful. The day we visited it had just finished raining and there was literally no one else around so we practically had the place to ourselves.
Written October 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Misty K
Stanley, WI54 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
We went for the Christmas light displays and were truly amazed! What a wonderful mix of lights and beautiful blooming plants and flowers. We’re from central WI so we’ve never seen holly or poinsettias in a garden display before! The different light themes are just incredible. Under the Sea to nods to the Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas were seen throughout the walk. The trail was well marked and illuminated, there were plenty of staff available for questions and the grounds were kept so neat and clean. The amount of hours and pride that goes into making this so special were apparent! We’d love to visit again sometime!
Written December 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dawnt621
Cookville, TX42 contributions
Nov 2024 • Family
We had such a wonderful time at Bellingrath Gardens, the Christmas lights and displays are simply stunning! From ages 14 to 86 we all enjoyed our visit! I love to go for the beautiful flowers but the Christmas lights are just amazing to see! They have venders with hot cocoa snacks and so much more! Our family had an unforgettable time! Definitely worth the trip!
Written December 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brianjoyce
Chicago, IL27 contributions
Dec 2024 • Friends
A beautiful experience we had with our group outing, but bring your credit card. Even the plants were expensive, would be a nice way to remember the experience but go to Home Depot. And ended the night on a sour night, the food was awful. My stomach still feeling the effects of the red beans n rice ...a bad way to leave visitors after seeing all the Christmas lights.
Written December 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nancinator01
42 contributions
Jan 2025 • Friends
Brandon our guide was so informative and this house is so lovely. I haven't been to a house with mostly family items so it was a great tour. I only gave it 4 stars because it snowed so the flower gardens didn't have many flowers. I'd come back again to seebit in the full glory for sure!
Written January 30, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz S
Biloxi, MS2,111 contributions
Dec 2024 • Couples
Sixty five acres means lots of lights and walking. Hot chocolate stops along the way and s’mores kits for all to enjoy. A little pricy, but the experience is what’s so much fun. They have the experience themed with areas called “candy land” or “under the sea”.
Written December 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kcbatlanta
Atlanta, GA236 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We visited March 9, 2023 and the azaleas had all gone by, and nothing else was in bloom. None of the plants are identified with labels as they are at other gardens I have visited. They do not allow dogs on the property, but advertise there is a “dog motel”. I have a 9 pound dachshund, but I would not leave him in the pen they provided. It had rained earlier, and the roof leaked. It was a wet cement floor pen with a chain link fence under a corrugated plastic roof. The temperatures were still cool enough for me to leave the dog crated in my car, so I am glad I had that option. (The dog would have barked if abandoned in that pen by himself with no one around to keep an eye on him.). The admission did not include the house. That was extra. About a third of the paths were blocked off — half of the Asian garden and also a boardwalk near the river. It was disappointing that they didn’t make up for the restricted access by offering a discount. I really felt that given the limited floral displays, the house should be included in the overall price. There weren’t any other plants in bloom after the azaleas were past. They should add the Encore Azaleas in between the traditional plants so the gardens will at least have something in bloom. Daffodils and tulips had also gone by. No pansies or annuals to make up for the lack of color. Apparently it is better known for their holiday lights. The best part of the visit was the porcelain exhibit in a building near the house. We might have missed it as no one at the front desk mentioned it when we bought our tickets. The exhibit included an informational video about the history of the porcelain exhibit. I think they should offer an introductory historical video at the entrance. As a footnote, there is a nice gift shop with locally sourced costume jewelry and garden related merchandise. We didn’t want to eat at the buffet (kind of like Morrison’s). The Gardens are out of the way on the west side of the Mobile Bay, and there is really nothing else to see nearby. We took the ferry over to Dauphin Island and saw Ft Gaines before we drove up to the gardens. It basically takes the better part of your day to visit, even though we didn’t stay in the gardens much over an hour. I think they should post an updated calendar on their website sharing when the azaleas are blooming. We drove down from Atlanta and our azaleas are more than a month behind Mobile. Ours are currently at their peak (March 17), so I was surprised to find we had missed the season. Overall it was a big disappointment.
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback with us. We sincerely apologize that your visit didn’t meet your expectations, especially after making the trip from Atlanta. We understand how disappointing it can be to expect vibrant blooms only to find that the peak season has passed. For future visits, we recommend checking our social media or reaching out to us directly to get the latest updates on what’s in bloom.
We’re sorry to hear that the lack of plant identification and the blocked paths impacted your experience. Maintenance and safety are top priorities for us, and while some areas occasionally need to be closed, we regret that this affected your enjoyment of the gardens.
Regarding our pet accommodations, we understand your concerns about the condition of the dog motel, and we apologize for any inconvenience this caused. We strive to provide a safe and comfortable environment for all visitors, including their pets, and your feedback will help us make improvements. Unfortunately, due to liability and safety concerns, we are unable to allow pets (except service animals) into the gardens.
We also appreciate your suggestion about providing a historical video at the entrance to better inform our visitors—it’s an excellent idea that we will look into implementing. We hope you might consider visiting us again during a different season or special event when the gardens are in full bloom. Be sure to check our website’s bloom calendar and social media to help plan your visit.
Thank you once again for your feedback. It’s invaluable in helping us improve and provide a better experience for all our guests. If you have any further suggestions or would like to discuss your visit in more detail, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly.
Written August 9, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is it possible to buy food and refreshments on site?
Written August 4, 2022
Yes. The cafeteria has a daily variety of freshly made items for a light meal or snack. The prices are reasonable, the seating vast, clean, and lit by floor to ceiling windows. It is the middle building which houses the VERY nice gift shop. To the left is the freet pet motel where pets can stay freely while owners tour and to the right is the main building where one purchases tickets. Recommend this site HIGHLY!!! Gosh, even the parking is mostly shaded.
Written August 5, 2022
Where is the best place to stay if I come in from out of town to see the gardens?
Written November 15, 2021
Mobile is your best bet. Tons of hotels and a lot of sites to see besides the gardens as well.
Written November 16, 2021
Should I buy tickets for just the lights or also the home? My kids are ages 6 and 11?
Written December 10, 2019
Probably just the lights although the house would be of interest to you and they might enjoy it. I’m sure it will decorated beautifully for Christmas.
Written December 15, 2019
Are the gardens worth visiting in late February? Will there be any flower blooming?
Written September 3, 2018
They always have something blooming. March is peak season for azaleas, but you could catch the early ones. They have a "typical" listing of what's in bloom:
January
Camellias, Cyclamen, Dianthus, Dusty Miller, Ornamental Kale and Cabbages, Parsley, Pansies, Paper White Narcissus, Swiss Chard, Violas, Winter Berries
February
Camellias, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Ornamental Kale and Cabbages, Pansies, Parsley, Saucer Magnolia, Swiss Chard, Taiwan Cherries, Tulips, Violas
March
Enjoy the blooms of more than 250,000 vibrant azaleas in an explosion of color throughout the 65 acres of Bellingrath Gardens. For precise times of the azalea blooms, please check Azalea Watch on our website.
Azaleas, Delphinium, Dianthus, Easter Lilies, Flowering Kale and Cabbages, Fuchsia, Gerbera Daisies, Hyacinths, Hydrangeas, Marguerite Daisies, Pansies, Petunias, Tulips, Verbena, Violas
Written September 13, 2018
I don't know. A quick phone call and you will have your answer.
Written June 25, 2017
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