Old Westbury Gardens — Attraction in Town of North Hempstead

We had family visiting and wanted to check out Old Westbury Gardens mainly because they had the house decorated for Christmas and a Holiday Market. I had only been once before during the summer just to hang out with a friend on the grounds. The flowers then were very pretty and the lawns were beautifully maintained. For this visit, we came on 12/1/2024 around 2PM. You check in at the booth (no check ins at the house) before parking and parking is on the grass. I had library passes which was great and I had them printed out prior to arrival. The place is stroller friendly even if you have to push the stroller on the grassy areas.

We walked up to the house to check out the decorations. I thought it would have been more decorated overall but the room with the huge tree and the Santa was great for photos! The Santa was very friendly and nice. Most of the house is blocked off for preservation purposes but you can still view inside each room behind the gates. I thought I saw somewhere about a tour but didn't inquire further about details. It would have been nice maybe to have a little description by each room about the family or the house's history.

The complimentary hot/cold cider and cookies on the West Porch (part of the house) were a nice little touch. Both the hot and cold cider were delicious! There's also a small gift shop inside the house. The gifts weren't really my taste but they did have these little German music boxes that were very cute and unique! All the staff we encountered were very friendly and nice.

The Holiday Market had a lot of local vendors (there were some food ones like baked goods and ravioli) and also two food trucks with outdoor seating. There were some more vendors in a house on the property but you have to walk around the different rooms as well as up stairs which don't have room for a stroller so you'd have to leave the stroller outside.

We did not check out Cafe in the Woods. To be honest I wasn't sure where it was (didn't see any signage), otherwise I would have gone just to see what they had. There was a little bit of a walk from the house to the Holiday Market so wear comfortable shoes. We stayed about 1.5 hours. Overall a nice little outing for the holidays but I don't know if I would have paid full price admission for their Christmas at Westbury House and Holiday Market. Maybe for the summer when all the flowers...

Title: A Slice of American History Amidst Spectacular Scenery - Old Westbury Gardens

Review:

My visit to the Old Westbury Gardens was nothing short of an unforgettable experience. Although I had attended an event here a year and a half ago and encountered some hiccups with the young summer staff, who seemed to be getting to grips with their roles, a very professional and competent manager swiftly resolved any early issues. The manager's swift resolution of the early problems made way for an incredible journey through history and beauty.

The grandeur and elegance of the French chateau-style mansion, once home to the affluent Phipps family, are awe-inspiring. It's hard not to be captivated by the intricate architectural details, a testament to the masterful design work of George A. Crawley and John Shaffer Phipps himself. The accompanying mansion tour added richness to our experience, offering a glimpse into a bygone era of luxury.

However, the estate's crown jewel is undoubtedly its sprawling 100-acre gardens. During the spring and summer, these well-manicured grounds burst with vibrant colors and offer a peaceful sanctuary that soothes the soul. The place was so captivating that I couldn't help but lose myself in its breathtaking beauty.

Despite some concerns over the admission price, I believe that the sheer scale, grandeur, and meticulous maintenance of the gardens and mansion provide value for every dollar spent. Old Westbury Gardens isn't just a tourist destination; it's a piece of living American history that educates visitors about the country's architectural legacy and the art of gardening.

However, future visitors should note that some preparation is required to enjoy this glorious estate fully. Make sure to buy your tickets online in advance, wear comfortable shoes to explore the gardens and mansion extensively, and carry a camera to capture the beautiful moments. If you're visiting during the summer, sunscreen and a hat are a must to protect against the sun.

Despite a minor initial glitch, my visit to Old Westbury Gardens was an experience that effortlessly blended leisure with a healthy dose of history and culture. Old Westbury Gardens is more than a garden; it's an enchanting historical journey I...

I love coming here all the time until today sep/2022... In the check in area there were 2 girls a Caucasian and an african American, they were so RUDE and NASTY. We got out of celebrating an AM wedding, I ordered tickets for us in advance and we had kids in the car to go there to relax and enjoy the silence and peace. These 2 insulting girls WITH NO EDUCATION AT ALL treated us with the worse attitude just because the bride and the groom had their wedding clothes on. I got very upset they gave us this attitude in front of the kids and to complete they were forbidding us the entry when I asked for refund they did not wanted to return my money after, I payed for each person including the kids!! This was so discriminating embarrassing. This caucasian girl was harassing us saying we are not allowed at all cost to use our personal cellphone to take any picture 😒... Meanwhile everybody else are taking them.. (BUT. OF COURSE BECAUSE WE ARE DRESSED UP YOU MOST THINK SOMETHING ELSE,HOW STUPID⁉️ IF, WE WANTED TO TAKE A PICTURE SECTION WE COULD DO IT I know you need to book for it BUT, WE WEREN'T THERE FOR IT and instead of you asking you decided to go off on us. Luckily for you there were kids. I Never EXPERIENCED that in this place until today. These girl with her brace on her left knee was provacating us to argue with her and it didn't stop there she started to following us everywhere so weird that girl she has such of discrimination and harresament problem. LIKE COME ON use your common sense ARE YOU GOING TO STOP 10 PEOPLE AT ONCE FROM USING THEIR PHONES⁉️🤌Ooh boy! What a humiliation and insulting moment. I HAVE NO WORDS HOW TO EXPLAIN HOW EMBARRASSING this was! Hope this doesn't happen to you. They shouldn't accept volunteers like her. I advise if you do meet someone like that JUST IGNORE HER/HIM OR ASK FOR A SUPERVISOR TO REPORT THE PERSON. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR ME I WAS VERY UPSET and I didn't do that instead I waisted my time arguing with this person trying to explain we where there only to relax but, Hey we are humans ✌️...