I keep a running list of things I want to do and see here in New York, and the New York Botanical Garden has been on that list for approximately forever. Located in the Bronx, the Garden actually has 28 gardens, including a conservatory, and I can now confirm that you could stay there for days and not see everything. But boy did we try! Emmie, her roommate Rachael, and I all had last Friday off and we took that opportunity to venture to the Bronx (let’s just say it took an hour and a half on one express train). Thanks to the day of the week, the clouds, and the chill in the air, we felt like we had the place to ourselves!

Tulips are my absolute favorite, and as such I was thrilled to find them blooming all around the visitor center.

We splurged on tickets that included entrance to the conservatory, and boy are we glad we did! The rainforest rooms were a great place to warm up (seriously it was so cold outside), and you know how much I love a desert environment (remember when we went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden?!)

After a while, we hopped on a tram and rode it halfway around the garden. We hopped off to look at some lilacs, but I was soon distracted by a sign indicating a nearby waterfall. We ventured off to explore and to our surprise, the Bronx River runs right through! We admired the waterfall from up close, then climbed to the bridge that stretches over the river. I think if we had been properly prepared, this would be a great spot for some light hiking!

Of course, it wouldn’t be a garden visit this time of year without some colorful blooms!

If you want to go: Take the 4, B or D subway trains (thankfully all express!) to Bedford Park, then it’s about a 20 minute walk OR you can take the Bx26 bus the rest of the way. You can also take Metro North from Grand Central, which will drop you right near the entrance. See here for hours and pricing, which vary by day. And plan to spend the whole day there! We were there about four hours and it wasn’t nearly enough.