Leu Gardens Orlando: Tickets, Free Days and Dazzling Nights 2026

Harry P. Leu Gardens is 50 acres of camellias, roses, oaks and lakefront lawn about 3 miles north of downtown Orlando. It's quiet, it's pretty, and from November 20 it turns into one of the city's best holiday light walks. Here's how to plan a visit.

Leu Gardens at a glance

• Address: 1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando, FL 32803
• Admission: adults $15, kids 4 to 17 $10, under 4 free; free for members and active-duty military
• Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM through November 17; 9 AM to 4 PM from November 18, 2026 to January 3, 2027; back to 5 PM from January 4. Last entry one hour before closing.
• Closed: Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
• Payment: no cash; major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and personal checks are accepted
• Pets: not allowed (service dogs only)

Details from Leu Gardens' site on November 6, 2026. Prices can change.

Leu Gardens free days

Leu Gardens doesn't have a weekly free morning, but it does hold free days, sponsored by Orlando Health. Upcoming dates: December 7, 2026, then January 4, February 1, March 1 and April 5, 2027, plus the weekend of March 13 and 14, 2027. Expect crowds and plan to arrive early. More in free things to do in Orlando.

What to see at Leu Gardens

• Camellias: thousands of them, blooming from December to March. This is the best reason to come in winter.
• The rose garden: a formal garden near the house, best in spring and fall.
• Lakefront lawns on Lake Rowena, with big oaks and Spanish moss.
• Tropical, palm and bamboo collections, plus a butterfly garden.

The Leu House Museum, a farmhouse from the 1880s, is temporarily closed with no reopening date posted.

Picnics are welcome. Bikes and scooters aren't allowed inside.

Dazzling Nights 2026

Dazzling Nights returns on select nights from November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, with timed entry starting at 5:30 PM. It's a walk through the gardens lit up with light displays, and it sells out on popular nights.

• Tickets: listed in November 2026 at about $35 to $56 for adults (13 and up) and $33 to $53 for kids 4 to 12, with ages 3 and under free, depending on the night and entry time, fees included, plus tax
• Parking: on-site parking is limited to prepaid valet, with a free shuttle from an off-site lot; check your ticket email before you go
• Tip: weeknights early in the run are the cheapest and calmest

Leu Gardens also runs daytime Holidays at Leu Gardens events from November 20, including a Holiday Craft Day on December 5 and a free day with story time on December 7.

For more lights, see our Christmas lights guide.

Best time to visit Leu Gardens

• December to March for the camellias.
• Weekday mornings for quiet paths and cooler air.
• Evenings from November 20 for Dazzling Nights.

Things to do near Leu Gardens

• Winter Park is about 10 minutes north: Park Avenue, the boat tour and the Morse Museum. See our Winter Park guide.
• Loch Haven Park, with the Orlando Science Center and Orlando Museum of Art, is about 5 minutes away.
• Lake Eola and downtown are about 10 minutes south.

Want animals instead of flowers?

If the kids want something with more fur, Mini Moo Land in Kissimmee lets families pet, feed and cuddle highland cows, and the VIP bottle feeding puts a bottle in their hands for the baby calves. Our link takes 10% off.

Parking, food and how long to allow

Daytime parking is free on site, every day, according to the directions and parking page. The lot and its EV chargers are for paying guests only. From I-4, take exit 85 (Princeton Street) and follow the signs.

Leu Gardens' own visitor guide says most people spend 2 to 3 hours. If you only have one, it suggests the Tropical Garden and lakefront, the cottage and butterfly gardens, the rose garden and the camphor tree row.

• Food: you can bring your own, and there are designated picnic areas. Foxtail Marketplace and Cafe is open 8 AM to 5 PM daily, and you don't need a garden ticket to use it.
• Restrooms: in the Welcome Center, Cottage Gardens and Idea Garden.
• Rain: the gardens stay open rain or shine, with shelters around the grounds. Admission isn't refunded.
• Paying: major cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and personal checks. No cash.

Strollers, wheelchairs and other ways in free

Most paths are paved, says the visitor guide. Wheelchairs are free at the Welcome Center, first come, first served. There are no strollers or mobility carts to borrow or rent, so bring your own. A private mother's lounge sits next to the vending area in the Welcome Center.

Beyond the monthly free days, the admission page lists three more ways to skip the fee:

• SNAP cardholders get in free with ID through Museums for All, with up to three guests.
• Retired military and veterans are free on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Armed Forces Day.
• Members of other gardens in the American Horticultural Society reciprocal program get in free, up to 4 people.

None of these apply to night events.

Dazzling Nights: parking and entry rules

The event has its own site, dazzlingorlando.com, and its own rules. Tickets are online only, for a set date and entry time, and there is no box office at the gardens.

• Free parking is off site at the AdventHealth Imaging Center Innovation Tower garage, 266 E. Rollins St., with a shuttle that is ADA accessible. Get to the garage 45 minutes before your time slot.
• Valet at the gardens is prepaid only. Arrive 30 minutes early.
• Don't park in the neighborhood. The event FAQ says cars can be towed.
• Be on time. Entry closes 5 minutes after your slot, and late arrivals aren't refunded.
• Changing dates: tickets aren't refundable, but you can move a whole order to another night up to 48 hours ahead. Fees may apply.
• Leave at home: outside food and drinks, large backpacks, folding chairs, blankets and tripods. Bags are checked and guests are wanded.

It runs rain or shine, and the whole event is cashless.