Boerner Botanical Gardens - Late-Season Arboretum Strolls & Family Nature Walks

About this adventure

Located within historic Whitnall Park in Hales Corners, Boerner Botanical Gardens offers a serene Thanksgiving holiday stroll through world-class horticultural collections. Late autumn brings crisp air, ornamental grass plumes, majestic evergreens, and architectural winter berry shrubs across the formal Rose Garden, Rock Garden, and Peony Garden terraces. Families can wander down paved flagstone walks into the surrounding arboretum, exploring collections of towering native oaks, maples, and conifer groves. Inside the Boerner Education Center, children can observe botanical displays, borrow seasonal tree identification cards, and enjoy hot cider in the garden cafe. Family Experience & Accessibility: • Stroller Accessibility: Paved asphalt and smooth flagstone paths lead throughout the central gardens; gently sloping ramps connect upper and lower garden levels. • Nursing & Rest Spots: The Boerner Education Center features spacious heated restrooms with changing counters and comfortable fireside seating in the central hall. • Age Suitability: Welcoming to all ages, ideal for peaceful family walks and multi-generational outdoor gatherings. • Sensory Tips: Gentle, low-stimulus environment with fragrant pine boughs, rustling ornamental grasses, and sweeping open vistas across the Whitnall valley.