Arboretum in the News
“Spend an hour or two here to escape the noise and traffic of the city, walk nature trails, admire sculpture, and recline in soft, manicured grass.”– Fodor’s Travel
The 66-acre Dallas Arboretum is one of the world’s premier gardens, and certainly one of the most colorful. Local residents have deemed this urban oasis to be the crowning jewel of Dallas. As one of the city’s top attractions, the Arboretum garners repeat visits from members, local visitors and out-of-town guests. Many praise the Garden for its beautiful vistas, colorful display gardens, and groves of pecan trees, magnolias, crape myrtles, cherry trees and azaleas.
“I’ve been to many, many botanical gardens in the world, and I think yours is one of the most beautiful and colorful that I’ve seen. It’s extraordinary. The enjoyment that it engenders in so many people is quite amazing.” ~Martha Stewart.
“I’ve been all over the world, and the Dallas Arboretum is one of the most extraordinary experiences in my life. I cannot wait to come back!” Ali McGraw, actress
“Perhaps we in Dallas toss around the phrase ‘world class’ too liberally. But in the case of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, it happens to be appropriate.” Bob Miller, Dallas Morning News
“Visitors have a blast cooling off in the misty fern dell, picnicking amongst peaceful pecan groves and attending spectacular events ranging from art shows to summertime concerts.” USA Today, 2014
“The Dallas Arboretum is a vision in any season” DallasChild Magazine, 2014
“I have been all over the nation, and the Dallas Arboretum is, by far, the most beautiful garden I have ever seen.” Charles Osgood, CBS Radio Network
Other Laudatory Press Coverage
- Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in the U.S., National Geographic, April 2019
- “People’s Choice for Best Family Outing” by Park Cities People, Spring 2019
- The Urban Land Institute North Texas Impact Awards: Public Places Award, October 2018
- Topping Out Awards winner, October 2018
- Urban Living Impact: The Public Place Award, November 2018
- “25 of the Best Fall Festivals to Celebrate the Season,” Country Living Magazine
- 2018 Texas Pumpkin Patches, The Day Tripper
- “10 American Fall Festivals Every Traveler Should Experience,” Budget Traveler
- BEST CORPORATE HOLIDAY PARTY VENUES IN DALLAS, PartySlate, July 2018
- “One of the 10 Best Spring Flower Festivals,” ChepAir.com, April 2018
- 2018 People’s Choice Award “Best Place for a Family Outing,” ParkCitiesPeople.com, April 2018
- Fourth of “25 Beautiful Garden Wedding Venues,” MarthaStewartWeddings.com, April 2018
- Second among “America’s Most Beautiful Gardens,” CBS, March 2018
- Named “Favorite Ceremony Site” by the American Association of Wedding Planners, February 2018
- Gil’s Elegant Catering Named “Best Caterer” by American Association of Wedding Planners, February 2018
- Number 1 on “When Flowers Aren’t Enough: 13 Fun Festivals at Botanic Gardens,” Fodor’s Travel, February 2018
- “The Most Beautiful Place in Dallas,” Dallas Morning News, November 2017
- 8 of the Best Fall Festivals in Texas – Trips to Discover, October 2017
- Best Party Venue for Nature Lovers – Dallas Child, September 2017
- 2017 Certificate of Excellence, Trip Advisor, June 2017
- Best Family Outing, 2017 People Newspapers People’s Choice Award, March 2017
- The 11 Best Vacations Spots in Texas for Families, Culture Trip, March 2017
- One of the South’s Best Botanical Gardens” – Southern Living Magazine, March 2017
- USA Today’s 10Best – Top Botanical Garden, March 2017
- Best Outdoor Space – People Newspapers Reader’s Choice, March 2017
- Best Public Space – Dallas Voice Reader’s Choice, February 2017
- “Best Imitation of “Eden” – DallasObserver.com’s Best of Dallas 2016
- “Texas’s Best Christmas Event” – Southern Living Magazine, December 2016 (print only)
- “100 Things to Do for Christmas in Dallas” – D Magazine, November 2016
- DFW Bucket List: 50 Big Things Happening in the Metroplex – Vacations Made Easy, November 2016
- “Top 10 U.S. Pumpkin Patches” – The Travel Channel, September 2016
- “The 6 Best Places in Dallas for a (Public) First Kiss” – DMagazine, September 2016
- Two stars from the Michelin Green Guide September 2016
- “A Pumpkin Festival to Celebrate Fall” – Living the Country Life, September 2016
- Top Pumpkin Picking Experiences Across the Country – Trip Advisor “Vacation Rentals Blog,” September 2016
- Top Ten Things to Do This Week – Ft. Worth Star Telegram, September 2016
- Best Party Venue for Nature Lovers – DallasChild Readers’ Selection, September 2016
- #1 of 19 Trips to Put on Your Fall Bucket List – Orbitz.com, September 2016
- 20 Most-Loved and Talked about Botanical Gardens in the World – HolidayLettings (a TripAdvisor company), August 2016
- Best Lake Highlands Local Attraction, Best East Dallas Date Spot – Advocate Magazine, August 2016
- 15 Breathtaking Botanical Gardens to Visit This Season – Architectural Digest, July 2016
- Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Service awarded to DeGolyer Garden Cafe – City Beat Spectum Award, July 2016
- Place to Visit in the 14 Most Memorable Cities from The Bachelor – Expedia.com, July 2016
- Number One Most Romantic Thing to Do in Dallas – USA Today 10 Best
- TripAdvisor 2016 Certificate of Excellence
- Five Perfect Places for a Picnic in DFW – GuideLive
- 13 Festivals in Dallas To Get Excited For In 2016 – The Culture Trip, 2016
- The Best Spots to Enjoy the Vivid Colors of Spring – Ecophiles, 2016
- The Best Botanical Gardens and The Best Floral Festivals – USA Today’s 10 Best, 2016
- Top 10 Places to Visit in Dallas – iNewsJournal, 2016
- Best Short Drives from DFW to See Bluebonnets/Spring Flowers – Ft. Worth Star Telegram, 2016
- Top Botanical Gardens in the US Worth Traveling For – FlipKey by TripAdvisor, 2016
- 10 Best Makeout Spots to Steal a Kiss: The Grotto – CultureMap, 2016
- Honor Award for Public Design – Constructed: the Red Maple Rill – The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) – 2016
- The 10 Most Beautiful Gardens You’ll Ever See In Texas – Only In Your State, 2015
- Best Place to Get Outdoors – DallasChild, 2015
- Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden named a Thea Award recipient for Outstanding Achievement as a Science/Discovery Garden – 2015
- The South’s Best Holiday Experiences – Southern Living, 2015
- America’s Best Pumpkin Festivals – Fodor’s Travel, 2015
- 10 Best Outdoor Activities in Dallas: Green Spaces and Urban Parks Unite – USA Today 10 Best, 2015
- 10 Best Spots to Spend an Early Evening in Dallas – USA Today 10 Best. 2015
- 15 Reasons We Love Fall – Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, 2015
- Best Fall Outing: Autumn at the Arboretum – Dallas Observer, 2015
- 18 of the Best Fall Festivals to Celebrate the Season – MSN Travel, 2015
- 13 Beautiful Botanic Gardens Around the South – StyleBlueprint, 2015
- 18 of the Best Fall Festivals – Country Living, 2015
- 10 Best Romantic Things to Do in Dallas – USA Today 10 Best, 2015
- The Best Ways To Do Dallas Outdoors – Forbes Travel Guide, 2015
- 2015 Certificate of Excellence – TripAdvisor, 2015
- Fun Things to Do in Dallas – TheCoolestStuffInTexas.com, 2015
- The Nation’s Best Places to Play – Parents Magazine, 2015
- Best Things to Do with Children in the “Big D” – USA Today 10 Best, 2015
- Texo Distinguished Building Award – Specialty Construction – Dallas Arboretum Parking Garage – Texo Association, 2015
- America’s Best Spring Flower Festivals – Fodor’s Travel, 2015
- 13 Stunning Garden Allees – Architectural Digest, 2015
- One of the Best Dallas Wedding Venues – CultureMap, 2015
- One of the Top 10 Best Botanical Gardens in the United States – ealuxe.com, 2015
- 10 Best Botanical Gardens for Families – VacationIdea.com, 2015
- One Perfect Day: Dallas – Qantas Airlines, 2015
- 10 Fun Things to Do: Dallas – Southern Bride, 2015
- 22 Attractions in the South for Sizzling Social Events – ConventionSouth, 2015
- 2015 Grace Note Award winner – New Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving
- 10 Botanical Gardens with Wow-Factor Transformations – Fodor’s Travel, 2014
- Best for Families – Dallas Child Magazine, December 2014
- 10 Holiday Events in Dallas – Fort Worth – R We There Yet Mom?
- Best Pumpkin Patch in Dallas-Fort Worth – DFWChild, 2014
- Blueprint Award for Community Catalyst – Dallas Regional Chamber, 2014
- The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden named to the 2014 Traveler 50: World’s Smartest Cities– National Geographic Traveler, 2014
- Silver Award for Video of the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden – The Garden Writers Association of America, 2014
- Named one of “America’s Best Pumpkin Festivals” – Fodor’s Travel, 2014
- Reader’s Choice for Best Park for Nature Lovers – Dallas Observer, 2014
- Texas Excellence in Landscaping Grand Platinum Award – Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden, 2014
- 10 Best Attractions & Activities in Dallas, TX – USA Today, 2014
- Best Caterer – Two Sisters Catering – D Magazine, 2014
- 2014 Certificate of Excellence – TripAdvisor
- 50 States Series: Top Family Attractions Worth Traveling For – FlipKey by TripAdvisor, 2014
- Community Impact Award and Green Award Finalist for the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden – Dallas Business Journal, 2014
- DSA Industry Excellence Awards – Best Cultural Deployment Digital Signage Winner – Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden
- America’s Best Botanical Gardens – ProFlowers, 2013
- Best for Families 2013, Best Spot for Open Space and Fresh Air – Dallas Child Magazine, 2013
- Best Botanical Gardens in the US – Travel Channel, 2013
- The Nine Best Outdoor Venues in North Texas – Dallas Observer, 2013
- 10 Great Flower Shows and Garden Events – USA Today, 2013
- Best of Wedding Venues – The Knot, 2013
- First Place in Historic Preservation – Adaptive Reuse at the 2011 American Society of Interior Designers Awards – The DeGolyer House.
- The Best Place to Propose – Preston Hollow People, 2010
- 10 Fall Festivals the Kids Will Love – Grandparents.com, 2010
- Reader’s Pick – Best Outing With the Kids – Dallas Observer, 2010
- 5 Best Photo Opportunities in Dallas – AOL Travel News, September 2010
- Top 14 Most Beautiful Parks in the World – Chief’s World, June 2010
- 181 Places to See & Things to Do Before You’re 5 Feet Tall – Dallas Child, June 2010
- Ten Best Walks in Texas – Fort Worth Star Telegram, June 2010
- Your Best Photo Ops: Top Places to Take Photographs – Southern Living Magazine, May 2010
- Top 50 Places to Propose – Engagement Ring blog, April 2010
- One of the Top 14 Places in the World to See Spring Flowers – MSN.com, April 2010
- Best Place to Entertain The Family – 2010 Neighbors Choice Awards
- Best Date Spot – 2010 Neighbors Choice Awards
- Best Family Outing – Neighbors Go, 2009
- Best Botanical Gardens Across the USA – Nature Hills blog, July 2009
- Top 10 Public Gardens in 2008 – Southern Living Magazine, 2008
- Favorite Fair Weather Family Hangout – Dallas Child, 2008
- Dallas Arboretum Trial Gardens – ‘Best Garden Design Source’ – Dallas Observer, 2005
- Dallas Arboretum Fern Dell – ‘Best Place for a Walk in August’ – Dallas Observer, 2004
- One of the Top 10 Things to Do in the Country in Spring – MSN.com
- Best Outdoor Concert Venue – D Magazine
- Best Outing with the Kids – Dallas Observer
- A Top Outdoor Dallas Venue – Pegasusnews.com
- 10 Things to Do & 10 Places to Go for Healthy Living in Dallas – Healthytips.org
- Landscaping Ideas from the Dallas Arboretum – Better Homes and Gardens