Visiting Longwood Gardens: What You Need to Know in 2026
Debbie photographs the lights at Longwood Gardens Main Fountain Garden. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
I’ve heard about Longwood Gardens for years but only recently had the opportunity to visit.
The massive garden, located about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, received about one and a half million visitors last year so they must be doing something right.
Longwood Gardens has very smartly turned itself into a year-round destination with a vast indoor glass-enclosed conservatory, and light shows - especially its Christmas light show (more info about the Christmas exhibit below)
In 1906 Pierre S. du Pont, of the prominent and rich du Pont family, purchased the land and soon began transforming the gardens into what we know today. When he died in 1954, he left the Gardens with a well-funded endowment and admission was free. Longwood started charging an admission fee in 1973.
“Well-manicured” does not begin to describe the amazing upkeep of the facility.
| 🌿 Longwood Gardens Quick Facts | |
| 📍 Address | 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348 |
| 🕙 Hours | Generally 10am–6pm (extended Fri–Sun in summer); check longwoodgardens.org for current hours |
| 📅 Closed | Tuesdays |
| 🎟 Tickets | Timed tickets required; prices vary by season — purchase in advance at tickets.longwoodgardens.org |
| 🚗 Parking | Free |
| ⏱ Plan for | 3.5 to 4 hours minimum |
| 🌸 Seasons | Spring Blooms · Festival of Fountains · Autumn's Colors · A Longwood Christmas |
| 📞 Phone | (610) 388-1000 |
Planning your visit
Longwood is closed on Tuesdays. Every other day, the gardens generally open at 10 am. Hours shift by season, so check the current schedule at longwoodgardens.org before your trip.
Tickets are timed and must be purchased in advance. They regularly sell out, especially on weekends and during the Christmas season. Don't wait until the day before.
Admission prices vary depending on the season and any special events. The official site has current pricing. Children 4 and under are always free.
Parking is always free.
Plan to spend at least 3 to 4 hours. We started mid-afternoon so we wouldn't be worn out by the time the evening light displays started — and that was the right call. If you're coming on a weekend, try to arrive before 2pm. Traffic toward the gardens gets heavy after that.
If you're visiting during the Christmas season or spring tulips, book well ahead. Both sell out weeks in advance
Visiting displays at Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens is divided into six districts, each stunning and unique.
The heart of Longwood is the Conservatory District and its 4½ acre glass conservatory. We visited during the annual fall Bonsai Chrysanthemum Festival. The gardeners use grafting techniques that date back more than 400 years to Japan and China to make stunning displays. Every possible variety and color is on display; these are not the Chrysanthemums you’ll see at your local gardening center.
Pierre S. du Pont dreamed of welcoming children to the gardens and there is a children’s garden within the conservatory with interesting plant and water displays.
Longwood maintains 5,000 orchid plants and displays hundreds inside The Orchid House’s floor-to-ceiling displays.
Perhaps the most unexpected display is the Silver Garden with plants native to Mediterranean and desert climates.
Debbie with some big cactus in the Silver Garden
The Main Fountain Garden District looks like you have been transported to a European castle.
The size and scope of the garden are breathtaking with a rose garden and a topiary garden within the Garden District.
A 15-minute walk from the Fountain Garden District is the Lake District. The highlight here is the Italian Water Garden, with fountains and manicured grass. There are also rolling lawns and a fun “treehouse”.
The Meadow and Forest District is equally beautiful but features only natural hiking trails and not ornate fountains and gardens.
We also visited the House and Theater District, featuring the Pierre S. du Pont house. The house is a nice break from the beautiful natural exhibits and features exhibits covering 300 years of the site’s history. Even the house features a glass-roofed display area, today featuring Bonsai trees.
The Field of Lights display at Longwood Gardens.
Longwood Garden Christmas exhibit
Debbie and I haven't made it to Longwood at Christmas yet, but it's firmly on our list. Everyone we know who has been comes back raving about it.
It's easy to see why. More than half a million lights cover the outdoor gardens and conservatories. USA Today readers voted it the top holiday light show in the country.
One of the signature moments is the Meadow Tunnel, lit by nearly 20,000 bulbs. Outside, 750 water jets dance to holiday music at the Open Air Theatre.
Inside the conservatories, the displays change every year around a new theme. Towering trees, poinsettias, orchids, and winter blooms fill the walkways, and the Music Room gets completely reinvented each season to showcase the year's theme in its most elaborate style. The Ballroom features trees decorated by local community organizations, which is a lovely touch. The Garden Railway winds through a miniature Longwood landscape and is a favorite with kids and adults alike.
For dining, the upscale 1906 restaurant offers a holiday prix fixe menu. The Fountain Room has a seasonal feast on select nights, and The Cafe and Beer Garden handle the more casual end of things with seasonal bites and hot cocoa.
When it gets cold outside, fire pits are scattered around the grounds.
Tickets sell out well in advance, especially on weekends. Book as early as you can at longwoodgardens.org.
Viewing the light show at Longwood Gardens
We started our visit mid-afternoon so we wouldn't be worn out by the time the lights came on. That timing worked perfectly.
Longwood runs light displays well beyond the Christmas season. The fall show draws serious crowds on its own. When we were leaving after the lights, just as many people were coming in as going out.
When we visited, the displays were created by artist Bruce Munro. His Field of Lights installation used 18,000 bulbs, and the illuminated fountains were something else entirely.
Worth noting: Longwood rotates its artist installations each season, so what you see will depend on when you visit. Check the calendar at longwoodgardens.org before you go to see what's currently on.
More to See and Do at Longwood Gardens
Longwood's calendar runs year-round with concerts, classes, and performances across just about every genre. There is always something going on beyond the gardens themselves.
The pipe organ is worth a special mention. With 10,010 pipes, it is the largest residential pipe organ in the world. Pierre du Pont commissioned it in 1929, and it still sits in the Ballroom today.
After a seven-year restoration completed in 2011, it was completely rewired, re-leathered, and refurbished back to its original condition. The organ plays daily automated demonstrations as well as Sunday afternoon concerts and special evening performances.
There is also an organ museum behind the Ballroom where you can view more than 5,000 of the pipes through glass-walled chambers. Even if classical music isn't usually your thing, it's worth a few minutes just to take in the sheer scale of the instrument.
Longwood also runs a full schedule of horticultural classes and workshops throughout the year, covering everything from floral design to composting to plant science. These are popular and tend to fill up, so check the calendar at longwoodgardens.org if that interests you.
In the fall and through the Christmas season, a miniature railroad winds through a landscaped display that's a genuine crowd-pleaser for all ages.
Longwood has three dining options ranging from a prix fixe restaurant to a casual cafe. See the Christmas section above for details, as the same venues operate year-round.
There are several hotels in the area if you want to make a longer trip of it. Longwood pairs well with a stop in Kennett Square, the Brandywine River Museum of Art, or a day in Philadelphia or Lancaster.
This post was researched and written by John O'Boyle of The Empty Nest Explorers.
John is a professional photographer whose work has been published by the New York Times, NBC News, and Getty Images. He has been part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team and nominated for New York Emmy Awards. You can learn more about John and the Empty Nest Explorers here.
Some highly rated Philadelphia area tours
Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. This means that if we are recommending a product, activity, or hotel, we might be receiving a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
Other travel posts you might like:
The Chase Sapphire Lounge at JFK Airport is an upscale lounge with many refined features.
The lounge serves top-notch food and drinks.