Admission, Tours and Picnic Area Information
Admission
Daily admission is $5.00 for adults, $1.00 for ages 6-17 or anyone with a student ID. Children five and under are free. An annual admission card, which is transferable to a friend or family member, may be purchased for $10.00. Note: with the purchase of a daily or annual Dow Gardens admission you can also visit Whiting Forest.
Tour Policy
A user-friendly computer kiosk is available in the Visitor Center where guests can identify specific plants and print a personalized, self-guided tour.
Scheduled Adult Tours
Guided tours are available for groups of five or more. A $2.00 guide fee will be added to the $5.00 admission price. Groups of 10 or more will have the guide fee capped at $20.00. There is a maximum of 25 people per tour, larger groups will be split and require more than 1 tour guide. In order to assure the availability of a guide, arrangements must be made ten days in advance. Tours scheduled with less than ten days notice, and weekend tours, will be accommodated as resources are available.
Scheduled Student Tours - click here for 2010/2011 school program info
Guided tour prices are as follows:
Preschools – $1.00 per student
School-age groups of 10 or more - $1.00 per student
School-age groups of nine (9) or less - $2.00 per student.
Unguided tour prices are as follows:
Preschool – unguided – no charge for students
School-age groups - $1.00 per student
Chaperones (teachers, staff & parents) - $1.00 per person in all instances stated above.
Special Needs Tours
Arrangements can be made by calling the Managing Director at 989-631-2677.
Also, for our mobility challenged guests, Dow Gardens has available two wheelchairs and two amigos. The wheelchairs are available at no charge. The amigos may be reserved in advance at a cost of $5.00 or utilized at no charge on an “as available” basis. These mobility aids are available for either guided or unguided tours.
Golf Cart Tours Summer Schedule:
Cart tours will be scheduled Monday - Friday at 12:45pm beginning May 3. Reservations are recommended and can be made at the Visitor Center or by phone. Maximum of 5 people per day. Admission plus $2.00 per person. Please call 989.631.2677
Herbert Dow Home Tours Summer Schedule:
Herbert Dow Home Tours will take place Monday - Friday at 2:00pm beginning May 3rd. The cost is $7 per person, and does not include gardens admission.
Visitors may drop in at 2:00pm on weekdays. Reservations are encouraged but not required. Please call 989.631.2677
Food Policy
There are two picnic areas within Dow Gardens. The first area is near the Visitors Center. It includes the area behind the Visitor Center, as well as the hill area and area behind the Center for the Arts. The second area is in the Children’s Garden. Guests are encouraged to properly dispose of their litter in trash receptacles provided or to take it out of the gardens with them.
