Donald E. Davis Arboretum — Attraction in Auburn

A pleasant visit, will return again in the spring next year. We were scouting out places for my father's 90th B-Day celebration. We wanted to visit pretty places easily accessible and something of interests to an active, older adult. This place fit the bill. The newly renovated walkways were wide and easily negotiated offering plenty of traction for footing and very few if any steps to negotiate in the areas we walked.

there are public bathrooms at the Donald E. Davis Arboretum in Auburn, AL, located on the east side of the pavilion. The arboretum is open daily from sunrise to sunset and has no admission fee.

We came at the very end of the season in terms of foliage (second week in November). There were fellow botanists taking notes and snapping pictures of plants and other nature lovers. We saw lovers just hanging out and enjoying their surroundings and each other. Then we also saw other people just out for a lovely stroll, enjoying the peace, community and Zen of this place.

There is a pond and waterfall, a couple of quaint little bridges and a small grassy area for some fun with little ones if they are included in your visit.

Nearby there is a Taco Bell for fast food and other restaurants for something more formal or substantial. Just down the street, you can also visit the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.

The Auburn University vibe inspires and gives hope to elders looking for a connection with members of the local community. All around, I would say this is just what we were hoping to find for next year's planned B-day visit from...

One of the few free public gardens in the area. Nice collections of trilliums, azaleas, oaks, carnivorous plants, and more. A few areas seem a little neglected. My main criticism is that it seems susceptible to fads. There were a few interesting trees that I used to visit that seem to have been removed merely because something else is more fashionable now. Every time I visit I wonder if the redwood or the Grecian laurel or something else will be gone. It was pretty shocking when they limbed up the glorious dawn redwood. I think that an arboretum ought to be a repository immune from fads. What is no longer fashionable will be fashionable again one day, maybe in 100 years. And wouldn’t it have been great if someone had left it alone 100 years ago so that it could be enjoyed in maturity when the public changes their...

Situated on 13.5 acres of Auburn University's campus, The Arboretum is a free public botanical garden offering educational facilities, event spaces, and a conservation program. The living collections comprise over 1,000 plant types, including 500 species. A network of walking trails spanning over a mile weaves through the grounds, featuring a peaceful creek and waterfall. Numerous secluded areas provide shaded respite. The Arboretum's beauty makes it a prime location for portraits, especially in spring when flowers bloom. A great place for walking, jogging, and meditating. Unfortunately, the only public restroom...