A beautiful mix of gardens, meadows and forests, Willowwood Arboretum is home to more than 3,500 plant species. We love the variety here – from daffodil fields to bamboo forests, cherry blossoms to towering Norway Spruce, Willowwood Arboretum is breathtakingly beautiful, peaceful, and fun.
Adjacent to the parking lot are tons of daffodils just begging for a family photo. The flat, grassy trail meanders through flowering magnolias, cherry blossoms, and Bradford Pears. Windblown petals dotted the trail and I felt like a bride following a flower girl down the aisle.
After a lovely stroll admiring the flowers, we crossed a fun stone arch bridge over a stream and found ourselves in a bamboo forest. My 4.5 year old wondered aloud how tall bamboo is and how much of it a panda might eat.
We kept discovering new trees, all well labeled, and lovely places to sit and take in the view. I especially enjoyed the Norway Spruce. So peaceful.
As beautiful as it is in Spring, the fall foliage here is simply stunning. Brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows straight out of a picture book.
We look forward to many more visits in the coming months when the azaleas, lilacs, roses, and meadow flowers are in full bloom.
The Park Mama Tips:
- Most of the trails are grassy or paved and totally stroller-friendly. I wouldn’t bring a stroller into the bamboo forest though, it’s too narrow.
- The bathrooms are closed due to the pandemic. Portable potties are available, but not the cleanest. I recommend bringing a travel potty.
- The trails are quite muddy after rainfall. Wear waterproof shoes if it has rained recently.
- Play the license plate game with your littles to make a long drive more fun. Name the states you spot aloud and tally how many different ones you see. You might find some unexpected ones. We found 13 on our drive!
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