See Holiday Displays at These 5 Ohio Gardens

Once winter is on the horizon, the last thing on our mind is the bountiful blooms of a gorgeous garden. Although the trees have lost all their leaves and the flowers are no longer bursting with beauty, there is still something dazzling about Ohio’s botanical gardens, conservatories and arboretums this time of year, as they show off their holiday best by way of poinsettias, a multitude of glowing bulbs and elaborate displays that present these destinations in a new light. Check out these seasonal displays (which will all be gone by Jan. 5) to experience holiday cheer in a unique setting. 

Winter Wonders Walk | Select Nights Through Dec. 21
Walk under the canopy of native Ohio trees along the paved Parkwoods Trail at The Dawes Arboretum in Newark this holiday season. After navigating the 0.8-mile path, visit with Santa Claus and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa. Special events include a chance to visit with live reindeer during the closing night on Dec. 21.


Christmas at Kingwood | Through Dec. 30 
This Mansfield tradition combines stunning lighted gardens with the beauty of a historic mansion. Walk the grounds of Kingwood Center Gardens — through lighted tunnels and under archways — to see the glowing woodland gardens and festive greenhouse. Then, step inside Kingwood Hall to see 24 different areas decorated to reflect the theme “Caroling Through Christmas,” including the foyer with its 17-foot-tall live Christmas tree.


Conservatory Aglow | Through Jan. 5
See this beloved Columbus attraction in a new way during Conservatory Aglow at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Visitors can explore the indoor biomes and permanent exhibits as well as walk through tunnels of light and see animated displays in the outdoor gardens. The conservatory is also concurrently hosting its Holiday Blooms exhibit during the daytime (separate admission required), which features hundreds of poinsettias.


Frost | Through Jan. 5
Frost returns to the Cleveland Botanical Garden for a second year, bringing with it an immersive storybook world filled with towering evergreens, rich red poinsettias and lighted displays. The scenic gardens take on an air of whimsy, including little sprites within the plants, animal characters among the foliage and plenty of interactive experiences for kids.

Solstice Glow | Through Jan. 5
For nearly a century, the Khron Conservatory in Cincinnati has been delighting visitors with a holiday show that offers dazzling additions to year-round displays and 3,000 poinsettias. It also incorporates a train display from Applied Imagination, which uses natural elements like twigs to craft Cincinnati landmarks for the train to wind around.

For more Ohio holiday inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.