Public Tours

Slow down and take a look around.

Please review information below before booking an appointment.

Gardens remain open through October. Spring 2025 Public Tour Schedule opens in January.

TEACHERS - visit our School Tours page.

Public Tour Information

Overview

¿Necesita ayuda para reservar una cita? Correo electrónico - garden.hallberg@gmail.com

Self-Guided Tour

  • April - October

  • Wednesday - Saturday

  • Start times: 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm, or 2:30 pm

  • Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes

  • No pets, no smoking or strollers

For groups of more than 10, please contact us to schedule.

Educational brochures with a garden map are available at our information kiosk. This is an entirely self-guided experience in a historic garden and wildlife sanctuary.

Guided Tour

  • April - June

  • Friday - Saturday

  • Start time 11 am

  • Groups of 10 - 20

  • Duration: 1hr

  • No pets, no smoking or strollers

Learn about the butterfly life cycle and the History of the Gardens from an informative guide. Guests will be greeted at our information kiosk by a Hallberg Docent (tour guide).

Details

Hours of operation

April - October, we offer self-guided and guided tours by appointment with different availability. Spring public tour schedule opens in January of the same year. A gate code is required to enter the gardens.

  • Self-Guided Tours: April - October, Wednesday - Saturday, 10am - 4:30pm

  • Guided Tours: April - June, Friday - Saturday, 11am - 12pm.

Tour Duration

To walk the trails at a moderate pace averages 45 minutes to an hour.

  • Self-Guided Tours: 1 hour and 30 minutes. Appointment time is typically a little flexible. Please give us a heads up if you plan to stay longer, arrive early, etc.

  • Guided Tours: 1 hour. We begin Guided Tours on time—arrive early to use the restroom and get settled. Guests are welcome to use picnic tables after tour. Please contact for special requests - smaller group, extended time, specific topic, etc.

Visitor Capacity

  • One Self-Guided appointment permits 1-5 guests and one garden parking space. Book multiple appointments for more guests. For groups larger than 10 guests additional contact is required - info@hallbergbutterflygardens.org

  • Guided Tours require a 10-person minimum and have a 20-person maximum. Please contact for special requests - smaller groups, extended time, specific topics, etc.

  • We love your pets, but please leave them at home. We have ground-nesting birds that take refuge near paths. Smells from predators (such as dogs) can remain for an extended period, disturbing the behavior and survival of wildlife in the gardens.

Pricing

All tours are donation-based. Donations can be made online or onsite (card, Venmo, cash, check).

We suggest:

  • $5-10 per child

  • $10-15 per adult

  • $7-15 for Seniors and Students.

Parking

Garden parking is limited by appointment—note parking instructions while signing up (reminder sent in tour confirmation email). Public parking is available for excess cars or large vehicles. Carpooling is encouraged.

  • Map of Garden Parking

  • Map of Public Parking (5mn walk into the gardens)

Amenities

  • Drinking water is not provided.

  • Picnic Tables: Three large picnic tables are located near the information kiosk at the entrance.

  • Trails: Most of the trails navigate dirt paths on a moderately sloped hillside. Area near entrance/restroom is flat and covered with pressed gravel—subject to minor bumps/holes from gopher activity. We are not currently ADA certified, but working on accessibility near the garden entrance each year.

  • Restroom: We have one restroom which is an ADA portable toilet near the information kiosk. Path to restroom is pressed gravel—subject to minor bumps/holes from gopher activity.

  • Resources: At our Information Kiosk (across from garden parking) you can find self-guided tour brochures, garden maps, butterfly guide for sale, donations, and more.

  • Gift Shop: Our Gift Shop in the Pipevine Theater will remain closed until further notice (Barn is under restoration). A Fold-out Butterfly guide is for sale at our information kiosk for $10 (cash, check or Venmo). At our Pollinator Plant Stand we offer a hand selection of plants for sale (cash, card, check, Venmo). We also have books and more for sale at each of our annual plant sales.

  • Pollinator Plant Stand: During tours we offer a hand selection of plants for sale at a self check out station at our shade house (cash, card, check, Venmo). Visit “Our Nursery” page to see the full list of plants available at our annual plant sales. If you are with an organization developing a habitat project please contact for special requests.

Resources

  • Tour and home activities can be found on our Printables page.

  • Butterfly Activity - April to June is the most popular time to visit when the large swallowtail butterflies are most active. Later in the year, we see more species of butterflies and life cycle stages (eggs, caterpillars, chrysalis) but less abundance of large butterflies in flight. Plan for success: visit our Butterfly Information page for current activity and to learn about the butterfly life cycle.

  • Enhance your visit with extra “Hints and Tips” at the bottom of this page.

  • Please visit our FAQs page for more information.

Tips and Hints

Before you visit:

The more you teach you learn about the butterfly life cycle and the story of Hallberg Butterfly Gardens before your visit the more you will get out of your experience. Check out our butterfly information page or check out one of our short educational videos!

Gate code:

Be sure to have the gate code ready before your arrival. Press the code firm and fast to ensure the gate opens. Be sure to press the # key before the numbers (info is sent in your tour reminder email). An HBG team member is not often available to assist at the gate upon your arrival.

Brochures:

  • We recommend our using one of our tour brochures for the “Self-Guided” Tour option. We provide a self-guided or interactive brochure at our information kiosk, across from garden parking. Brochures include a map of the gardens with numbered stations throughout the gardens paired with learning material for each station.

Activities (print before arrival):

  • The Search and Find activity is fun to take on the paths or can also serve as a memory game. Leave the printouts behind as you walk through the garden and see what you can find based on memory.

  • Butterfly Stone Scavenger Hunt: Butterflies and their host plants are painted on stones through out the gardens. How many will you find?

  • Look over our plant lists or butterfly guides on our printables page before you arrive to familiarize yourself with our local residents.

Parking:

  • Garden parking: After entering the Gardens gate, turn right and pull off the side of the gravel road at the end of the apple orchards. Parking signs will offer direction. This is a working orchard, and parking is limited to the designated location.

  • Street parking:  Available along Oak Grove Avenue with a 5-minute walk into the gardens. Please pay attention to posted street parking regulations.

Looking for more information?

Visit our FAQs page.

Please do not hesitate to contact us, but keep in mind we are a small team often working in the Gardens. We generally take 1-5 days to respond.

Info@hallbergbutterflygardens.org or leave us a voicemail at (707)823-3420