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GUIDED TOURS
There are many ways to experience the Arboretum, with a guide or on your own, on foot or by car, bus or tram. Tours are conducted May through October and change with the seasons.
FREE PUBLIC TOURS
Enjoy a free "Arboretum Highlights" walking tour led by a highly trained volunteer Arboretum Guide. Visit popular gardens in peak bloom and hear the Arboretum's story. Tours are offered May - October at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and Saturdays & Sundays at 1 p.m., departing from the Oswald Visitor Center.
Available 2011 only: "Steelroots in the Gardens". This free guided walk features "Steelroots" sculptures by artist Steve Tobin amid the Arboretum's glowing gardens and quiet groves. The interplay of the art with our Minnesota landscape invites you to see both with fresh eyes. Tour is offered Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. April 23 - October 8, departing from the Oswald Visitor Center.
For information on "Walks for the Curious" led by Arboretum staff, click here.
TOUR PACKAGES FOR GROUPS REQUEST A DATE & TOUR
Groups of 15 or more may choose from one of our seasonal tours. Advance reservations are required.
From bursting blooms of spring to autumn's blazing palette, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum delivers vibrant, postcard-quality experiences your group will be raving about all year long. An increasingly popular destination for small and large-group visits, the Arboretum offers a multitude of sights and sounds to delight and inspire.
Choose our popular Basic Tour Packageor design your own for a truly one-of-a-kind experience. Add on a Morning Muffin Break, Flower Pot Lunch or an afternoon Lemonade in the Shade The Arboretum's tour coordinators will help you choose the options that fit your group's exact specifications, then ensure that every detail is taken care of.
We offer a variety of ways to explore all the wonders that await your group at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. You can choose from options for walking, tram or bus tours to customize your visit to meet your group's unique needs, interests and physical abilities.
BASIC TOUR PACKAGE
For groups with limited time, enjoy a seasonal guided walking tour of the gardens or motorized Trumpet Creeper Tram tour of Three-Mile Drive - and a 10% discount in the Gift Store.
$9/person (minimum of 15 guests). Allow approximately 1.5 hours. $50 non-refundable deposit required when reservations are made.
The Basic Tour Package includes the following:
- Free parking and gate fee
- 10% discount in the Gift Shop
- Tours led by expert guides
- Tour operator and driver receive complimentary admission
Choose from one of these tours:
WALKING GARDEN TOUR
Docent-guided walking tours focus on some of our most popular gardens and plant collections near the Oswald Visitor Center, including: dwarf conifers, roses, perennials, herbs, annuals, host glade, Japanese garden, and home demonstration gardens; 60 - 90 minutes.
A relaxed way to experience the garden and its beauty is to pick from one of the individualized tours:
- Enjoy a free "Arboretum Highlights" walking tour led by a highly trained volunteer Arboretum Guide. Visit popular gardens in peak bloom and hear the Arboretum's story. 60-90 minutes.
- Available 2011 only: "Steelroots in the Gardens". This free guided walk features "Steelroots" sculptures by artist Steve Tobin amid the Arboretum's glowing gardens and quiet groves. The interplay of the art with our Minnesota landscape invites you to see both with fresh eyes. 60-90 minutes.
TRAM TOUR
Come on board the Arboretum Trumpet Creeper Tram for a narrated tour of the 1,100+ acres of gardens and woodlands highlighting tree collections, shrub displays and themed display gardens and flower and vegetable demonstration gardens. The tram accommodates 42 people with one wheelchair space.
Tram tours are offered Mon-Wed and Fri-Sun at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m. Thursday tram tour times are noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m., and at 6:30 p.m. May through October. The cost for the Tram ride is $3.00, with children 2 and under free. Tickets are for sale at the Oswald Visitor Center. If you are scheduling a group tram tour for 15 or more, please call the Reservations Office in advance of date of visit at 952-443-1411 to arrange a $50 non-refundable deposit and to arrange payment. Tram tours are not reservable in advance for the Thursday 6:30 p.m. tram or on the weekends.
BUS TOUR (transportation provided by group)
The views are unsurpassed and continually changing, including the beauty of the gardens, the woodland's green serenity, shrub roses, crabapples and other tree collections, and the Maze Garden. A short stop for your group to go through a seasonal highlight is optional.
ENHANCE YOUR TOUR WITH:
Morning Muffin Break
Enjoy fresh morning muffins, hot coffee and tea in the Tea Room overlooking the gardens with Green Heron Pond in the distance. May be scheduled before or after your tour or walk. Minimum 20 guests. Add on cost $3 per person.
Flower Pot Lunch
Sustain your energy with our ever popular Flower Pot Lunches. Served in a reusable recyclable flower pot your guests can take home. Lunches served in the Tea Room and Terrace. Minimum 20 guests. Add on cost $11 per person.
Lemonade in the Shade
Quench your thirst with refreshing ice cold lemonade, iced tea and a snack in the Tea Room overlooking the gardens with Green Heron Pond in the distance. May be scheduled before or after your tour or walk. Minimum of 20 guests. Add on price $3 per person.
Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance and are dependent on availability. Please contact one of our group sales advisors at 952-443-1411 or email ARB-RESERVATIONS@lists.umn.edu. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required to confirm reservations. Final count for the flower pot lunches and afternoon snacks must be placed five days in advance by calling 952-443-1411.
Note: Prices are subject to change.
SELF-GUIDED TOURS
Each summer, the Arboretum presents a major outdoor exhibition that you can explore on your own, at your own pace. Be sure to pick up a visitor guide at the Oswald Visitor Center when you arrive-and check out the other self-guiding tour brochures for families, including a leaf tour, bog walk, and a bird walk.
As a partner of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the newly-remodeled Country Suites Chanhassen offers Arboretum visitors exclusive hotel discounts. The hotel is just a few minutes west of the Arboretum in downtown Chanhassen. Click here to book and save today!
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