Last week marked the start of Winter Wonders at the Royal Botanical Gardens’ (RBG) Hendrie Park, featuring colourful light displays, interactive installations, seasonal music — festive surprises around every corner.
Don’t sleep on the indoor displays: the Mediterranean Gardens offers another treat for the senses, with its lights and beautiful aroma, and kids and adults alike will be charmed by the Botanical Train. Watch Thomas the Tank Engine, Percy, and other model trains ride the rails in RBG Centre, with intricate models of Canadian landmarks set out amongst 2,500 plants.
Our pro tip for getting the most out of your Winter Wonders visit? Channel your karaoke persona at the Singing Tree (pictured below) to get the full experience — or try to cajole some passersby into doing the singing for you.
You will also find refreshment huts dotted around the park, where you can purchase hot chocolate and hot apple cider (in adult-beverage or child-friendly formats), snacks, and sandwiches. Relax with your drinks in Muskoka chairs around the roaring fires set up near the Rose Garden.
You can take in Winter Wonders each week from Thursday to Sunday until January 7, 2024, between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are available on the RBG website (click here) with timed entry.
The Botanical Train display can be seen during normal opening hours (and regular admission) as well as with Winter Wonders tickets; guests can also purchase tickets for to take a ride on the RBG Express train around Hendrie Park for $10 per car. Each seats a maximum of four people per car; regular admission fees (or garden membership) also apply.
