Royal Botanical Gardens is a beautiful place to visit any time of the year. Come Christmas, and this beautiful garden becomes all the more spectacular with the wonders of winter.
Winter Wonders
From Thursdays to Sundays until January 7th, nature, music, lights, and the magic of the season come together to create a unique outdoor experience for everyone who visits the Garden.
Move along the pathways and be awed by the beauty of the garden when adorned with festive lights and surrounded by festive music. There are several new interactive light-to-sound installations as well as magical displays to charm everyone. This 1.5 km route will take approximately 1 to 2 hours to finish.
A rotating menu of festive food will be served at the Food Trailer, the Container, while the bar in the Atrium at RBG Centre is the perfect place to grab a hot drink.
Before you head out for the night, be sure to check out the Botanical Train display. Set against a seasonal backdrop, the display features model trains amongst famous Canadian landmarks from coast to coast. The display will be open during Winter Wonder from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and is free with Winter Wonders admission.
Escarpment Train Exhibit
The Escarpment Train Exhibit, housed within the Robert Stipe Garden House, chronicles three pivotal epochs in locomotion history: the steam engines from the late 1800s, the sleek streamliners of the 1930s, and the robust modern diesels spanning from the 1960s to the present day. While exploring the “G scale” model train adventure you’ll embark on a captivating journey through four distinct Canadian seasons. The exhibit can be viewed from 11 am to 3 pm on weekends from November 25th to December 23rd.
Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus
On December 9, 10, and 16, enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet with Santa and Mrs. Claus at RBG Centre. The tickets to the breakfast will also include admission to RBG Centre / Hendrie Park for the day.
Ride the RBG Express
The wintery beauty of Hendrie Park is best enjoyed with a train ride around the garden. The RBG Express will run daily from November 23 until January 7 from 10:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. There will be no rides on December 24, 25, 26, or January 1. Tickets can be purchased at the door. A round trip through beautiful Hendrie Park will cost $10 per train car.
Shop at the Gardens
The Shop at the Gardens offers a selection of decor, goods, and unique items by local artisans that are ideal for gifting. Located in the RBG Centre, the shops are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.