Red Butte Gardens
add photosThe Red Butte Garden is a botanical garden and arboretum operated by the University of Utah and contains 18 acres of botanical gardens and several miles of hiking trails through native vegetation.
May 1 - August 31: Daily 9am - 9pm
September 1 - 30: Daily 9am- 7:30pm
October 1 - December 23: Daily 9am - 5pm
Jan 2 - end of Feb: Mon - Sat, 9am - 5pm. Closed Sundays.
March 1 - March 31 Daily 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
April 1 - 30 Daily 9:00 am - 7:30 pm
13 Reviews for Red Butte Gardens
10
00 families found this helpful
"Nice Location"
This restaurant is right off of Foothill Blvd. It is a nice location and close to freeways and Canyons. My family lives by the U of U, so we come eat here a lot. They have booster seats for kids, and a small kids menu. They have nice sandwiches, salads, etc. It is decently priced, and the service is usually pretty good.
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'11, '12, '130 families found this helpful
"Beautiful location"
We went to a wedding here a few years ago, and the gardens are absolutely stunning! We walked around for a long time outside and my son loved exploring , though we had to be careful to not let him destroy any flowers because he was only a toddler and didn't know any better. The venue is great for a wedding though.
0 families found this helpful
"Great outing for a few hours"
We just took my little boys preschool group up to Red Butte gardens I worried a little bit at first that the kids would not find it as fun since some of the other field trips have been to places with bounce houses, or the aquarium, overall the kids had a great time. It was a slightly cold but we started in the kids gardens and since they were running around and moving in the play area they didn't really notice the cold.
The gardens are divided into different area's there is a fragrance garden, an herb garden, children garden, and even a waterfall area. We spent most of our time this time in the children garden the kids were able to run through a tunnel of plants, there is a sand box, a little house made all from vines, there is also a pond with goldfish and some stepping stones.
After the children gardens we walked through the other gardens as well it is well set up and there are lots of spots to sit and some little garden swings to swing on and enjoy the garden. The fragrance garden is amazing as you get close you can start to smell all of the flowers. There is even an area with picnic tables to enjoy lunch on. If you are looking for just a quick outing for the day in Salt lake this is great.
Some quick points to consider :
For someone that is not familiar with the area and looking for a great garden you might want to consider Thanksgiving point instead, it is more of a drive but for the same cost is a much bigger and more impressive garden. However it is a lot more walking for little ones Thanksgiving point is more of an all day event where Red Butte can be done in a couple of hours ans is located near a lot of other sights in Salt Lake.
We went on arbor day so it was free. We had to fight a lot of crowds of school kids but I'm not sure how I would have felt about the cost if we had paid full price. We would have probably had more space to just ourselves so it may have been worth it.
0 families found this helpful
"Beautiful"
Red Butte offers some beautiful gardens, and hiking trails to enjoy right in the heart of salt lake city. It is the closest place to hike in the valley, but that comes with a price. If you are willing to pay the price you will definitely enjoy the gardens and the hiking trails they have to offer.
0 families found this helpful
"Worth A Visit"
My family discovered Red Butte Gardens several years ago when looking for a park picnic on the 4th of July that wasn't being overrun. It was the perfect spot and we've returned back many times since. It's no longer free, but it's still worth a visit-- especially in spring or fall. (Keep in mind the height of the bloom is a week later and fall color a week earlier since the park is above the valley, behind the university.)
In addition to spectacular gardens, there are great and easy hiking trails beyond the meadows area. Older kids will love hiking to an overlook of the park and valley.
0 families found this helpful
"Red Butte"
This is very educational and I would recommend for slightly older children because toddlers would likely lose interest. They have lots of statues and displays with descriptions for many about the intention of the artist. There are nature trails and beautiful flowers and gardens to walk through.
0 families found this helpful
"Love this place"
This is a fun place to visit year round. You can buy an all year pass for pretty cheap. They have a childrens garden that is great. Just make sure the kids are not wearing white. The sandbox has red ...red sand. I don't know what they were thinking.
The garden has trail that the bigger kid can explore. They have concerts in the summer. The kids can check out a explorer backpack that gives them things to do in the garden. Such Fun!
0 families found this helpful
"Red Butte Garden"
Whenever we go to Red Butte Garden my girls are in heaven! Not only is it a beautiful environment, but there are so many different activities they can do there. In the Children's Garden they can play on the three giant lizards, run through the spitting water snakes, get lost in the snake maze, and explore the beautiful gardens. In the lower gardens they can feed the fish and the ducks. So, pack a picnic lunch and head up to the garden for a wonderful, outdoor activity!
0 families found this helpful
"Relaxing"
This is a beautiful garden up in the University of Utah campus, near the Hogle Zoo. It is very fun to go learn about, see, and browse or shop for new plants. I like that they focus on Utah friendly species. It is also a popular location for events and concerts. It is a gem that is nestled right up against the side of the moutain in Salt lake City.
0 families found this helpful
"Great Family Place"
This place is really fun in the summer and fall. I think it is very pretty and has a lot to offer. One of my favorite things is in the fall they have a little spoke ally for the kids and that is really cute and fun. Very beautiful and a great place to visit as a family.
0 families found this helpful
"Enjoy the gardens"
A fun place to go and roam with the children. We love playing in the children's garden. There are all sorts of fun plant sculptures, a bed garden is our favorite. We love seeing all the different types of gardens and getting ideas for what we can grow in our personal garden.
0 families found this helpful
"Beautiful Place to Learn!"
Botanical Gardens can be a great way to learn about the local pants, trees and flowers in the area. My kids love to walk around Red Butte running ahead to see what is next. You can get some exercise and steam out of the kids while taking in some beautiful scenery. There is a nice relaxing coy pond where you can sit and watch the fish. They have concerts here in the summer, an activity on Halloween and sometimes they bring in sculptures or a theme to spice up the gardens. One Halloween they had dinosaur sculptures throughout he Gardens and that made it twice as educational and twice as exciting for the kids.
1 family found this helpful
"Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!"
This truly is one of Salt Lakes gems. Located on the U of U campus, Red Butte Gardens is a wonder to behold. You can explore the gardens via paved pathways and see water features, statues, various gardens, and so much more. Children will love the children's garden with a snake tunnel, stepping stones, "Garden Beds," sand boxes, giant lizards, a discovery area....the list goes on and on. Picnics are allowed, but check the picnic policy.
If you are there around Halloween check out the garden after dark! You will be treated to a Halloween themed evening of fun!
I have been here on several occasions with many different groups: family, weddings, photos, teenagers...it really is one of those places that everyone can find something to enjoy.
Check out there website for Free Garden days... prepare of a crowd. The parking situation might scare you, but once inside everyone is pretty much spread out.
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