Mounts Botanical Garden is a 20-acre tropical garden in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, parking, accessibility, and practical tips for planning a visit — part of my wider Florida travel guides.
This guide was last checked in August 2026. Note: some older listings still show admission at $15 for adults, but current pricing on the official site is $20 for adults.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Tue–Sun, 9am–4pm (last entry 3pm). Closed Mondays and some holidays. |
| Ticket prices | $20 adults; $18 seniors (65+), college students and military with ID; $13 ages 6–17; free under 6 and for Mounts members. |
| Address | 531 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33415 |
| Nearest transport / parking | Free on-site parking, including bus parking; located directly across from Palm Beach International Airport. |
| Typical time needed | Around 1.5 to 3 hours. |
Mounts Botanical Garden opening hours: when to visit
The Garden is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9am to 4pm, with last entry at 3pm, and closed on Mondays and some holidays. Through the end of August 2026, it runs “Summer Golden Hours,” staying open until 8pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, reverting to the standard 4pm close from September.
Mounts Botanical Garden ticket prices: how much do entry fees cost?
Like most US botanical gardens, such as the Atlanta Botanic Garden and the Memphis Botanic Garden, Mounts Botanical Garden charges an entry fee.
Standard admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (65+), college students and military with valid ID, and $13 for children aged 6 to 17; children under 6 enter free, as do Mounts members and American Horticultural Society reciprocal program members with a membership card.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026. Check the official site for current details or to buy tickets online.
Mounts Botanical Garden is part of the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Garden Network, so members of participating gardens elsewhere in the US can visit free with proof of membership. It isn’t part of any bundled city sightseeing pass.
How to get to Mounts Botanical Garden: transport guide
The Garden is on North Military Trail, directly across from Palm Beach International Airport, about 3.5 miles off I-95; take the exit for FL-80/US-98 and follow signs. From the beach side of West Palm Beach, expect roughly a 15-minute drive.
The Garden is about 30 minutes from Jupiter and 15 minutes from Lake Worth, making it an easy stop for visitors staying anywhere in central Palm Beach County. It also makes a reasonable day-trip pairing for visitors based further south; see my Miami travel guides for more on that end of South Florida.
Parking at Mounts Botanical Garden
Parking is free, with both self-parking and dedicated bus parking available on site.
How long to spend at Mounts Botanical Garden
Most visitors spend around 1.5 to 3 hours exploring the Garden’s 25 display gardens, with time to relax, take photographs, or bring a picnic. Since food and drink aren’t sold on site, visitors planning a longer stay should bring their own.
Accessibility at Mounts Botanical Garden
Mounts Botanical Garden has paved pathways throughout much of the grounds and accessible restrooms inside the Exhibit Halls in the Hutcheson Complex. Handicap parking is available at the front of the main parking lot off Military Trail.
Sensory backpacks, with noise-cancelling headphones, polarized sunglasses and fidget tools, can be borrowed from the Welcome Center and Gift Shop. Service animals are permitted throughout the Garden on a leash or harness; general pets aren’t allowed inside.
Inside Mounts Botanical Garden: what to see
Among the Garden’s 25 themed display gardens, the award-winning “Windows on the Floating World – Blume Tropical Wetland Garden” stands out, with gridded four-foot-wide walkways that let visitors walk directly over the wetlands. Nearby, Lake Orth offers an island overlook with views of koi, turtles and plecos.
Other highlights include the Butterfly Garden, home to a dozen or so species at any time; the Edible Garden, modelled on a French kitchen garden with raised beds of herbs and fruit; the Garden of Tranquility, an Asian-inspired space of stone, bamboo and living plants added in 2018; and the Signature Ridge Garden, overlooking Lake Orth beneath a Royal Poinciana tree more than 40 years old. The Garden also hosts a rotating art collection and seasonal events such as the Tropical Fruit Festival. For a different kind of Florida nature outing, the Everglades are within reach too — my comparison of an Everglades kayak tour vs. boat tour covers the options.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visiting during Summer Golden Hours (Thu–Sat evenings, through August) offers a cooler time to explore. |
| Crowds | Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than weekends. |
| Layout | Paved paths link the 25 display gardens, making it easy to wander at your own pace. |
| Entry process | Tickets can be bought online in advance or in person at the Welcome Center. |
| On-site logistics | Bring your own food and drink, plus insect repellent, since the Garden doesn’t sell either on site. |
Frequently asked questions about Mounts Botanical Garden
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Mounts Botanical Garden suitable for children? | Yes, children under 6 enter free, and the Garden’s paths and open spaces suit families well. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | No, tickets can be bought on arrival, though booking online in advance is also possible. |
| Is Mounts Botanical Garden open on Mondays? | No, it’s closed on Mondays and some holidays. |
| Is parking free at Mounts Botanical Garden? | Yes, free self-parking and bus parking are both available on site. |
| Are dogs allowed at Mounts Botanical Garden? | Only trained service animals on a leash or harness; general pets aren’t permitted. |
Things to do near Mounts Botanical Garden
- Norton Museum of Art: A large art museum in West Palm Beach, a short drive from the Garden.
- Flagler Museum: Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age mansion on Palm Beach, about a 20-minute drive away.
- Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society: A zoo with more than 500 animals, a short drive from the Garden.
- South Florida Science Center and Aquarium: A hands-on science museum and aquarium, also a short drive away.
- Rosemary Square: An outdoor shopping and dining district in downtown West Palm Beach.
Alternative attractions to visit
- Flamingo Gardens, Fort Lauderdale: A botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary, roughly a 45-minute to 1-hour drive away.
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami: A large tropical garden known for its palm and cycad collections, about a 1.5-hour drive away.
- Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami: An early 20th-century estate with Italian Renaissance-style gardens, roughly a 1.5-hour drive away.
- Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Fort Lauderdale: A historic estate with subtropical gardens, about a 45-minute drive away.
- Naples Botanical Garden: A garden focused on plants from around the world’s subtropical regions, roughly a 1.5 to 2-hour drive away.
More Florida travel
Other Florida travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- The highlights of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale.
- Exploring the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
- What you need to know before visiting the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens in Ormond Beach.
- Plan your visit to the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange.
- See the world’s largest collection of Tiffany glass at the Morse Museum in Winter Park, near Orlando.
