Night Lights Dream World at New England Botanic Gardens at Tower Hill

It is impressive how little lights can make a feeling of magic and whimsy grow exponentially. The New England Botanic Gardens at Tower Hill are beautiful on their own, and a favorite winter spot of mine to come and see the flowers in the greenhouses for help getting through cold, dark, days. In the Orangerie and Limonaia I absorb some of the wonderfully moist air in which the plants are thriving and thaw my chilled bones. Right now, though, the New England Botanic Gardens have been transformed into a fantasy world with the help of 250,000 lights.

Childlike Wonder at the Botanical Gardens

Little lights, fresh air, beautiful trees and plants all offer childlike wonder for everyone. I toured Night Lights on a rainy evening and, even in the rain, it was a beautiful, fun experience. Children’s little feet could be heard tromping up the lit paths together leaving their parents behind in the distance. Their cries of glee at every turn, kept them well within earshot of their grown ups while still having a little fun and freedom among the night lights.

The New England Botanic Gardens at Tower Hill Night Lights display is large enough to make the trek from the city worth it, but small enough to give children a little freedom to explore a few paces ahead of their grown ups. This year, there is also the addition of a skating rink. The Orangerie and Limonaia are both indoor conservatories and there are cafe and dining spaces indoors should you need to come in from the cold to warm up. Night Lights runs from November 23, 2024 through January 5, 2024 from 4–10PM daily.

Beyond the Lights: Botanicals

If bright and bold is what you are seeking you will not be disappointed, but don’t let that take away from the beautiful flora and quieter Night Lights experience that you and/or your child might prefer. There are spaces to draw all kinds of eyes and minds. You can enjoy soft lights shining gently on evergreens or you can skip through rainbow tunnels. You can admire flowers in bloom in the Orangerie with the colourful glow of lights behind them or you can look up and see a rainbow of flowers and lights cascading down. There are enough twists and turns along the path to enjoy quiet moments together or you can gather as a group by the fire pit, make s’mores and catch up with friends and family.

Fire Pits, Trains and Skating Too

Over by the fire pit is a toy train that circles around a winter scene. There are some things one never quite outgrows and toy trains definitely falls under that category. For me, exploring nature, sitting around a fire, toy trains, and little tiny lights will always bring wonder no matter how old I get (I hope). If you have lost some of that wonder, being around little ones experiencing it for the first time is a great way to refresh that feeling.

Ticket Information

Tickets for Night Lights are $25/$27 for adults, $22/$24 for seniors, $15/17 for children, and free for children under 3. Members receive a 25% discount and a 50% discount for the evenings of December 2-4 (while supplies last). Click here to become a member.
Children includes ages 4-12 or 4-18 for members.