Exbury Gardens won one of the organisation’s Visitor Attraction Accolades for 2024-2025.
VisitEngland added: “Accolades were awarded to 78 English attractions covering all aspects of what makes an outstanding visitor experience.
“The five categories include: ‘Welcome’; ‘Best Told Story’; ‘Hidden Gem’; ‘Quality Food and Drink’ and ‘Gold’ for overall excellence.
“The accolades were awarded based on scores that attractions obtained following their annual VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme assessment.”
Exbury Gardens won in the ‘Gold’ category for the south east region.
The full list of the VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Accolades for 2024-2025 can be found on the website here.
What does Exbury Gardens have to offer?
Exbury Gardens has a huge variety of plants and fauna to admire, with guests able to embark on lots of walks and explore the area.
On its homepage, it says it has “something for everyone” with different options as the seasons progress throughout the year.
Its gardens page adds: “A spring spectacle of countless rhododendrons and azaleas, towering magnolias and spectacular camellias; a summer packed with perfect perennials and dreamy riverside walks; a fiery feast of autumn foliage; a winter wonderland of festive fun.”
An additional selling point is the Steam Railway, which offers an elevated 20-minute journey around the gardens.
The website says: “Climb aboard our narrow-gauge steam railway at Exbury Central and enjoy an elevated view of the Rock Garden on a twenty-minute adventure that also takes you through a tunnel, over a bridge and around Dragonfly Pond.”
Guests can also enjoy food at Mr Eddy’s Restaurant and the Old Tennis Courts Outdoor Café.
The restaurant offers a seasonal menu for brunch, lunch and afternoon tea, while the cafe has light refreshments and ice cream under canopies in the gardens.
Alongside all of that, there are plenty of events and activities held here, with workshops, trails and even a music festival, held throughout the year.
At the time of writing, it is only open for two more weekends in 2025 (November 29-30) and December 6-7) before it opens fully again in March 2026.
What do visitors think of Exbury Gardens?
Exbury Gardens has been mostly well-received by visitors, earning a 4.2/5 score on Tripadvisor from 1,482 reviews.
One person shared: “Beautiful! Made sure we covered as much ground as we possibly could and at no point were we disappointed!
“Every section of the gardens offered something unique and the steam train was the cherry on top! Also lovely lunch and very kind staff!”
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Another wrote: “What a delightful experience, Exbury is such a beautiful place.
“I can’t think of anywhere better for a picnic, a family walk, or just as a soothing place to read a book and contemplate the world!”
A third said: “These gardens are fabulous with plenty to see and lovely walks. We had a lovely lunch in the cafe and will certainly be back again.”
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