The Solo Scale:

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Once upon a time, I decided I wanted to go to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I took the subway, I got off at the right stop, and yet, when I arrived, I couldn’t find it. It’s all to say that asking for help instead of being stubborn is truly a key trip tip. This was before I had a data plan on my phone, too, so I was really stuck.

When I did finally make it to Brooklyn Botanic, it was 2024. I went in late November, but it felt more like a warm fall day. At the time, they were setting up for their holiday light event. This was a great bonus for the wallet, because it was a Pay What You Like to enter. This is due to being unable to access certain areas. Truthfully, I didn’t feel like I was blocked off from that much at all, and the “high value” areas to me (the Japanese garden, the indoor exhibits) were still available. Because of that, it felt like I got a bit of a discount. I wound up paying roughly 80% of the full price with an even $20 (I felt guilty).

Once I’d purchased my ticket, I grabbed a free pamphlet with a map of the gardens and set off. I chose to loop around and start by the Japanese gardens. Here, the maple trees were still full of vibrant red leaves that had yet to fall, despite being November. Because I was there earlier in the day, it was only me and locals out walking. In fact, other than a few other people, most people here were taking their daily walks with friends or were with a school group.

Continuing my journey, I came upon the Shakespeare garden, which combined verses from his plays with the flowers & plants being referenced. The care that they clearly put into the placards distinguishes this from other gardens that you might visit.

Once you’re done with the roses, you can visit the fragrance garden, where you’ll be in a sea of perfume ingredients. When I visited, none of these were in bloom, but I can imagine that it would be an incredible experience when everything is in season.

Continuing on brings you to some of the indoor greenhouses — and even if you’re expecting it, you’ll get toasty. If you’re visiting during the fall or winter months, make sure you wear layers. The heat makes it almost unbearable with a jacket inside.

Here, there are multiple things to see from unique bonsai trees to cactus gardens to strange and wonderful orchids and other tropical flowers you won’t see very often. There’s a lot to explore in this area and I wound up spending the bulk of my time here. There are multiple levels with bathrooms and benches on the lower level, in case you need a break.

Once I finished with the greenhouses, I continued onward to the other side of the gardens, passing massive trees and open green spaces. First was a quick jaunt into the herb gardens, but given the season, there wasn’t much ready to harvest. During this walk, I was able to see lots of set-up for the holiday lights. Perhaps at another time, this will be something I return for, but I already had show tickets that would prohibit me from returning at night.

The last garden I visited before my time at the gardens ended was the rock garden. If it were another season, like spring, the cherry esplanade would have been open and several of the other gardens would have been in bloom, but for the rock garden, fall felt like the perfect time to visit. The changing leaves brightened up the grey and felt appropriately seasonal.

There’s plenty of garden to explore and this can take you at least a full half-day. It’s a great respite from some of the more crowded New York City options. If you want to extend your visit, you can also add on a trip to the Brooklyn Museum, which sits right next door.

For more details on visiting (such as directions, something I was too stubborn to look up), check out the Brooklyn Botanic website for more details!