KEW GARDENS: HOW TO DISCOVER THE MOST UNIQUE DAY TRIP FROM LONDON!

Are you searching for a unique day trip away from the London crowds? Kew Gardens might just do the trick!

The best and most unexpected gem of my London trip was Kew Gardens. The incredible Royal Botanic Garden is home to over 8 million preserved plants and fungi, which is more than any other botanic garden in the world!

Read more >>> THE ULTIMATE LONDON WALKING TOUR: SEE EVERYTHING IN ONE DAY

The fact that Kew Gardens is on the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list, proves how special the Botanic Garden truly is. Opened in 1840, to this day the Royal Botanic Garden is one of the most visited and underrated London attractions.

Keep reading if a visit to Kew Gardens piques your interest!

This post contains affiliate links (GetYourGuide). If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you.

WHERE ARE KEW GARDENS?

Kew Gardens is situated in London Borough of Richmond, in southwest London, around 30 minutes from Central London.

HOW TO GET TO KEW GARDENS?

You can easily reach Kew Gardens by many ways of transportation so getting there will not be a problem for you. You can come to the botanic garden with any type of transport but there are a few which are preferable.

COMING BY CAR

You can come to Kew Gardens by car but be mindful of the lack of parking space. The parking space around the gardens is quite limited so the parking often functions on the principle of “first come, first served”. The easiest time to find a parking spot is in the early morning. If you’re thinking of going in the afternoon, do not make driving your first choice.

COMING BY UNDERGROUND

This is the way of transportation I would recommend the most! It’s cheap, easy, and you don’t have to stress over parking. Choose the district line anywhere in the city and exit at the Kew Gardens station. The entrance to the botanic garden is only a few minutes of walking from the underground station.

COMING BY BIKE

You can also come by bike if you like cycling! There are bike racks at each of the four entrance gates where you can leave your bike, but you can’t take your bike inside the Botanic Garden.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT KEW GARDENS?

The botanic garden is open all throughout the year. The tourist year is divided into peak months of the year (February to October) and off-peak months (November to January).

The best season to visit the Kew Gardens is definitely spring or summer. At that time the flowers are in bloom and the days are sunny, but all seasons have something to offer so don’t worry. We visited the garden in winter (end of February), and it was still lovely.

The botanic garden is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and in the summer months until 8 p.m.

WHERE TO BUY THE TICKETS FOR KEW GARDENS?

You can buy the tickets at any of the four entrances to the Gardens or online. It doesn’t matter where, but keep in mind that if you buy them online, they are a little bit cheaper and you don’t have to wait in line to get them.

During peak season, one standard ticket is £19.50 at the entrance to Kew Gardens and around £18 online. During off-peak season, a standard ticket is £13.50.

If you’re a student please check the pricing! Young people from 18 to 24 with a student ID can enter the Gardens for only £9!

You can buy the tickets on their website Kew.org. It’s important you pick a time slot because there is a limited amount of people who can enter at each hour.

WHAT TO SEE AT KEW GARDENS?

Kew Gardens has one of the most diverse collections of living plants of any botanic garden in the world. No matter if you’re a skilled botanist or just a person who enjoys being in nature, you are going to love it. The Kew Gardens is massive, and you’ll need several hours to go through it. We spent around 5 hours and we still did not manage to see and explore everything.

There are also options for a coffee, tea, or lunch break where you can catch a break from walking. The Royal Botanic Garden has many special places you must visit, and we’ll go through them together!

Treetop walkway

The Treetop walkway is one of the most special attractions in Kew Gardens, so I’m going to mention it first. The walkway is situated 18 meters above the ground to give you the feeling of being in between the trees. The bottom of the walkway on which you stand is see-through, so you can see all the way to the ground how high up you actually are. The walkway is an incredible viewpoint that gives you some of the best views of the Gardens.

Sackler Crossing

You probably haven’t seen a bridge like the Sackler Crossing. This minimalistic, snake-like bridge allows the Kew visitors to experience the Gardens from a different point of view. At times you feel as if you’re walking on water because the bridge is extremely close to the lake. The bridge is special because it offers an undisturbed view of the water.

The Hive

One of the most extraordinary experiences you can get in Kew Gardens is the Hive – a huge, incredible installation in the middle of a meadow that showcases the life inside a beehive. The installation consists of LED lights and audio speakers. The LED lights glow according to the vibrations of the bees in Kew, and the speakers play a melodic symphony that fits the ambiance of the lights.

The Temperate House

The magnificent Temperate House is the world’s biggest glasshouse that houses over 1500 different species of plants from all over the world. The species are incredibly well-preserved and an important factor in solving some of the crucial world problems like climate change and food scarcity.

The Great Pagoda

An incredible Chinese structure – the Great Pagoda – was made in 1762 specifically for the Kew Gardens. The Pagoda is 50 meters high, and you can climb to the top to get the best views of the Gardens. There are approximately 250 stairs up to the viewing gallery and you must buy an additional ticket to enter the attraction!

Japanese Gateway

The Japanese Gateway, or the Chokushi-Mon, is one of the most peaceful and unique parts of the Kew Gardens. Resembling the Japanese tea garden, the combination of stone and greenery will amaze you and calm you at the same time.

My visit to Kew Gardens blew my expectations out of the water and I cannot recommend this Royal Botanic Garden more!