Last week, while on vacation, my daughter and I were looking for a quick activity to do while my husband took some work calls at the campsite. Not wanting to go too far or get too sweaty as we were planning on a family hike in the later morning, I immediately thought of the Charlotte Rhoades Butterfly Garden.
Located in Southwest Harbor, Maine and a 2-minute drive from Smuggler’s Den, and it did not disappoint!
Read through the blog for an in-depth look at our experience or head straight to the summary at the bottom for quick information.
General Information
The Garden is open from mid-April to mid-October. There is plenty of parking on site and the Island Explorer goes directly by the Garden and makes for an easy flag down of the bus.
The garden has compacted gravel paths and lots of grass. Strollers should handle the paths and grassy areas no problem. However, those with mobility needs may require some assistance around the garden.
There is a suggested donation of $5/family and the donation box is located right at the entrance to the garden. They also accept Venmo or Apple Pay but wifi is spotty and I had to wait until I was back at the campground where I had a better wifi connection to give them by donation via Venmo.
They also have a small, self-service gift shop of reasonably priced apparel and nature-based and nature-related toys.
There are volunteers on site each Thursday from 9:30-11:30am to answer any questions you may have about the garden.
In addition, they offer a FREE Junior Naturalist program for ages 6-11 every Friday in July and August from 10-11am. A list of topics and activities for this program can be found on their website. They also have a story hour in the education barn every Tuesday from 10-11am for ages 3-5.
The Junior Naturalist program is already on my list of things to do next year for us!
The Garden also holds talks and events for adults and they hold their annual fundraiser in late July; it’s an annual Butterfly Release.
Our Experience
We had a wonderful time exploring the Garden. If you have been to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Charlotte Rhoades Butterfly Garden gives off the same vibe just on a much SMALLER level.
Within the Garden, there are information placards, flower identification cards, and beautifully maintained gardens and pathways. I took a ton of pictures of flowers and their identification cards for inspiration for our yard back at home.
However, the most beautiful part of this Garden wasn’t the Gardens themselves, for us, it was the exquisitely manicured lawn, mature tree growth, and a play structure that gives jaw-dropping views of Norwood Cove.
This is definitely a place to return to with a picnic blanket and coffee and pastries from Milagro Coffee and Espresso. Take your shoes off and enjoy the grass under your feet while your kiddos play on the CedarWorks play structure.
Don’t have a picnic blanket with you? No worries, there are picnic tables and benches all around the Garden just waiting for you to sit and enjoy the views that are in front of them.
We explored the Garden, enjoyed the CedarWorks play structure, and checked out the self-service gift shop all in about 45 minutes. Had we planned better and included our morning snack here, you could definitely plan for about 1-1.5 hours here.
Bathroom Rating: B+
A bathroom is located in the Education Barn and when the Barn is open, the bathroom is as well. I asked a volunteer what this meant, and he shared that whenever there is an event or volunteers are working in Garden, the Barn will be open… aka the bathroom will be open.
So…the best time to ensure the Barn is open and you have access to the bathroom would be during the 9-11 am timeframe each day. The barn and bathroom are new and the bathroom was absolutely clean.
If risking whether the bathroom is open or not isn’t your jam, I highly recommend the Oxo Tot Travel Potty and liners.
Local Food Options
- Milagro Coffee and Espresso offers great coffee options and traditional coffee shop pastries. They also have gluten-free and vegan options.
- The Salt Shop offers fantastic ice creams, pies, and other yummy things. They also have a small assortment of grab and go snack boxes, salads, and sandwiches.
Additional Adventures
Looking to add on to your adventure to the Charlotte Rhoades Butterfly Garden? Here are a couple of options you add to your day on the quietside:
- Echo Lake. Echo Lake is within Acadia National Park with an Island Explorer bus stop conveniently located right in the parking lot of the Lake. It’s about a 10 minute drive from the Garden. Check out my beach recommendations for Acadia National Park and scroll down to find my insights on Echo Lake.
- Flying Mountain. If hiking is more your jam, Flying Mountain, also within Acadia National Park is a great hike for kids with access to Somes Sound at the end or beginning of your loop. It’s about a 5 minute drive from the Garden. Check out my hiking recommendations for Acadia National Park and scroll down to find my insights on Flying Mountain.
Summary
The Garden is open mid-April to mid-October with a suggested donation of $5 per family. Programming is available for children Tuesdays and Fridays. The Garden is beautifully maintained and the grassy area with the CedarWorks play structure is perfect spot for a midmorning play and snack stop.
There is plenty of parking and strollers should be able to handle the gravel and grass with no problem. The bathroom is new and clean but only open when there are events or volunteers on site.
We will definitely be adding this spot to our itinerary for Mount Desert Island next year…and will definitely bring a picnic blanket, coffee, and pastries to enjoy and take in the beautiful views the Charlotte Rhoades Park offers!
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~Natalie
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Looks gorgeous! Will try to visit next time we’re in Bar Harbor!