In Summary
Kew Gardens is a historic botanic garden in southwest London that houses the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological (fungi) collections in the world. More than 50,000 living plants can be found across this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which consists of 330 acres of gardens and botanical glasshouses, four Grade I listed buildings, and 36 Grade II listed structures. It's a destination for all ages, as it combines natural beauty with interactive exhibitions and outdoor play areas.
When did we visit?
I visited on Easter Sunday towards the end of April with my husband and two young sons, Odhran, 9, and Reuben, 6. We arrived around lunch time as I thought it would be a lovely place to wander around for a couple of hours. I totally underestimated how much there is to see and do here. There were beautiful spring blooms to enjoy, especially the tulips, but I'd love to return to see the vibrant summer blooms or roses and peonies.
Where is it located?
The address for Kew Gardens is Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE. If you're travelling by tube, Kew Gardens station is 500m from the Victoria Gate entrance. It's Zone 3 and served by the District Line (Richmond Branch). Or you can hop on the 65 bus route from Ealing Broadway station. If travelling by train, South West Trains run a service from Waterloo, via Vauxhall and Clapham Junction to Kew Bridge Station. Or you can get a train to Richmond Station and take the 65 bus (in the direction of Ealing Broadway) to Lion of Victoria Gate. If you're travelling by car it's important to note that parking is limited. Spaces in the car park are on a first come, first serve basis. We were lucky to find a spot on a nearby street where we could park for free.
What is there to see and do?
We didn't make it far into Kew Gardens before Odhran and Reuben and spotted the carp fish in the lake and we stopped her for about 15 minutes, while they crouched down by the railing for a closer look, and we took pictures outside the beautiful Palm House. Manicured flowerbeds were in colourful bloom, and there were scatterings of bluebells in other parts of the gardens.
The boys were desperate to get to the playground so we followed the path in that direction. But we stopped off at The Hive. This is a unique installation created by artist Wolfgang Buttress, which emphasises the importance of pollination. One-third of global crop yield is dependent, to some extent, on bees and other pollinators (this is one of the many facts I picked up from information boards around Kew Gardens). The Hive is illuminated with almost 1,000 flickering LED lights, and together with the hum of music inside the installation, it creates a pulse in time to vibrations produced when bees communicate with each other. These communications were recorded from one of Kew's honeybee hives. We enjoyed stepping inside this structure and peering down through a circle of glass in the middle of the floor.
Further along, we passed by Kew Palace - the former summer residence of King George III, open in the summer months, and entered The Children's Garden - a lovely outdoor playground. At the heart of the Garden is 4m high canopy walk wrapped around a 200-year-old oak. The was a sandpit, slides and plenty of wooden climbing structures, which the boys really enjoyed. The Garden has been designed for kids aged 2-12. On select dates they run quiet sessions for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The boys spent most of our time at Kew in the playground and we had to lure them out with the offer of an ice-cream. We at a table outside The Family Kitchen for a short while before we ventured further on. There was a Supertato character event taking place over the Easter holidays with special activities for kids to enjoy. This finished at 4pm so we only caught the tail end of it, but the boys enjoy a little play in the makeshift vegetable shop, and we joined Supertato's veggie friends towards the end of little parade.
We then visited The Temperate House. It's the world's largest Victorian glasshouse and is a cathedral of glass and wrought iron. Here you will find 10,000 species of plants from the world's temperate zones, including some of the world's rarest and most threatened plant species. We enjoyed climbing the spiral staircases and looking down on the canopy below.
One of the highlights of Kew Gardens is the Treetop Walkway, which towers 18 metres about the ground. My husband and Odhran caught the lift to the top, but Reuben and me decided to take the stairs. Up here you can get a bird'-eye view of the gardens and there are lots of little information posts on the way round, explaining about roots systems and how to tell the age of a tree. Reuben was a little disconcerted by how high we were off the ground and the fact that the walkway slightly sways. It only takes about 15 minutes to complete the walkway, but the views are great and it's an experience you don't want to miss when visiting Kew Gardens.
We also strolled around beautiful gardens and visited Palm House - an indoor rainforest that houses tropical plants from some of the most threatened environments in the world. Odhran loved wandering round here, imagining it was a setting for some Jurassic Park type movie he was creating in his mind. Sadly, we hadn't left ourselves enough time to explore it fully before closing time.
We also missed the opportunity to visit Waterlilly House, and the Princess of Wales Conservatory, where Reuben was excited to see a Venus flytrap. There is a lot to see and do at Kew Gardens and you don't want to be rushing round to catch the different attractions before their closing times. So, arrive early and leave yourself plenty of time to explore.
What about food and drink?
We packed a picnic and settled at one of the picnic tables on the large grassy area in front of The Orangery to enjoy our food. We later enjoyed gelato and sorbet from the café next to the playground. It was supplied by Hackney Gelato, and we enjoyed delicious flavours of Clotted Cream & Strawberry, Raspberry and Mango. It cost £3.75 for a single scoop or £4.75 for a double.
If you fancy eating out at Kew Gardens, there are plenty of options. The Family Kitchen & Shop serves kid favourites including stone-baked pizza, (from £13.50 for a margarita). It also has a deli bar and a hot counter with foods such as chicken sliders.
The Orangery is a lovely spot for a coffee and a slice of cake (£5.50 a slice) or a light bite. On the Sunday we visited, they were serving Sunday dinner of meat and two veg for £15.50. The Pavilion Bar and Grill serves burgers and Mediterranean-inspired dishes - perfect for a hearty meal. And if you're looking for something a bit fancy, The Botanical Brasseries is a more formal dining option, serving modern British cuisine. You can also treat yourself to a fancy afternoon tea. There's also the Victoria Plaza Café, serving coffee, cakes, sandwiches and snacks. So you'll never have to wander far to find somewhere to grab a hot drink or a bite to eat.
How long will you spend there?
Wear comfortable walking shows and you can spend a whole day wandering around Kew Gardens. We arrived around lunch time, and this was too late to fit everything in. While the gardens were open until 7pm on the day of our visit, we discovered that some of the attractions within the gardens had separate closing times. There were signs at each, informing visitors of the individual times, but we ended up dashing around The Palm House and we were too late to visit the Princess of Wales Conservatory, where Reuben was curious to see a Venus flytrap. I'd advise arriving early so you can explore everything at your leisure.
How much does it cost?
You'll save money by booking in advance. A family ticket for two adults and two children during peak times (1 February to 31 October) costs £48 online or £56 on the gate. During off peak times (1 November to 31 January) this costs £32.50 online or £37.50 on the gate. A peak time adult ticket costs £22 online or £25 on the gate. If you visit after 4pm (1 May to 26 October) entry costs £11. An off peak adult ticket costs £14 online or £16 on the gate. A child ticket (4 to 15) costs £6 online during peak times or £8 on the gate. And during off peak times, the costs is £5 online or £6 on the gate. Kids under 4 go free. There are reduced prices for young people (16 to 29) and students - £10 online peak time (£12 on the gate), £7 online at off peak times or £9 on the gate.
£1 Universal Credit tickets
If you are on Universal Credit or Pension Credit you can gain entry for just £1. You will need to present proof of either your (PIP) Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits, Income Support or Application registration card on arrival. Each benefit holder is entitled to one universal credit adult ticket each. Visitors may also purchase up to four additional guest tickets. A guest can be a child aged 4-15 or another adult/person 16 years or older.
Take a Break's verdict
For the cost of £48 for a family of four to visit during peak times we think Kew Gardens is a great value family day out. Pack a picnic and comfortable walking shoes and you can enjoy a whole day here. It's a huge sanctuary on the outskirts of the city and a wonderful place to relax in nature and hope the kids pick up a bit of information on the importance of conservation. The playground and the additional activities aimed at kids during school holiday times, make it a fun but chilled place for a family day out. We'd rate it a 4.5 out of 5. Find out more here