Tips For Visiting Dow Gardens and Whiting Forest in Midland With Kids

Plan a great day trip with these tips for visiting Dow Gardens and Whiting Forest in Midland with kids.

Who loves a good day trip? We certainly do, and you better believe that we are making the most of our summer by doing as many day trips as we can!

We recently visited Dow Gardens and the Whiting Forest in Midland, Michigan and had a great day. I received some requests to share about our day, so I figured I’d round up a post so you know what to expect during a visit since it was my first time visiting with kids and I was curious too!

For starters, one of the most common pieces of advice I got was to pack LOTS of food, good walking shoes, and extra clothes if you have kiddos that enjoy getting wet. I have to say — those were all perfect tidbits, and I couldn’t agree more!

We started our morning by arriving when the garden opened. There was a line of day camp kiddos, otherwise, it wasn’t crazy at all. Still, as with most things with kids, arriving early is always a good plan. I also brought my mom along, which worked out great for keeping an eye on the kids when the playground got busy.

NOTE: Dow Gardens is currently open Tuesday – Sunday from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. The Gardens are closed on Mondays.

Check-in inside the building was quick and easy since I purchased tickets in advance online. We grabbed a map and planned our priorities. The kids were determined to do the Whiting Forest first, so that’s where we headed. It was a LONG walk to the Forest from the gardens, so if you have littles, I would for sure put them in a stroller or wagon. Even my big kids got tired and grumpy halfway there so we stopped for a snack and some water. We should’ve ate a bigger breakfast, so that’s something to keep in mind if you go even if you plan to eat at the cafe. It’s a lot of walking for little legs! I definitely accumulated about 8,000 steps while there.

On the way, make sure to stop at the rose garden if you visit during summer. The blooms were all colors and absolutely stunning! It would be an incredible stop for photos if you have children that enjoy being in photos. {As you can see my kids were NOT about that – LOL.}

Additionally, the children’s garden is right across the way too. The garden is super colorful and fun, and there is some shade, bathrooms, and a little fountain that sprays out of the ground if you need to cool off.

ABOUT WHITING FOREST

If you aren’t familiar, Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens features 54 acres of woodlands, ponds, apple orchard, meadows, and stream.

Guests of all ages and abilities {it’s ADA accessible} can enjoy the nation’s longest canopy walk, 1,400 feet long, soaring up to 40 feet above the ground.

Other features include a playground, apple orchard, cafe, and two pedestrian bridges. Make sure to go all the way to the end and look down on the clear floor…boy is that trippy! My kiddos also enjoyed jumping into the nets.

While I loved the bridges and beautiful views, my kids will easily tell you their favorite part was the playground and the ice cream at the cafe!

This is probably one of the BEST playgrounds we have been to in the state. It’s truly unique and has lots of nooks and crannies to explore. My kids quickly took off their socks and shoes to play in the water. They didn’t get soaked, so it wasn’t a big deal, but for kids that love getting IN water and getting wet, consider bringing a change of clothes! There also is a creek kiddos can play in nearby.

For those who have toddlers or runners, I love that this playground has a gate with a lock feature, which makes it hard for kids to escape. Even some tweens we saw couldn’t get that gate open, so little ones surely can’t escape without a lot of effort.

We brought a lunch, but enjoyed ice cream at the cafe after. The ice cream was SO good! And at $3 for a half pint, I thought the price was super reasonable. The cafe also had lots of fun coffee drinks, sandwiches, and locally made treats.

We strolled the gardens a bit after leaving the Whiting Forest area. They were beautiful in full bloom, and we enjoyed finding all of the glass sculptures that are on the grounds for the summer.

Overall, this was the perfect day trip for us. We were all exhausted after and the kids all slept soundly on the way home, which is always the sign of a good time!

TICKETS

Admission no longer needs to be purchased in advance. With that said, it’s encouraged. In fact, a friend reached out and said the day he planned to go ended up selling out, so grab tickets in advance if you are aiming to go on a specific day.

Admission includes entry to both Dow Gardens and Whiting Forest.

If you can go a few times a year, it may be worth grabbing an annual pass.

• Annual Pass $20/person
• Adult daily $10
• Kids (6-17) $2
• College Students $2 (with valid i.d.)
• Kids {5 & under} FREE

Honestly, we were there for almost four hours…It was worth every penny and then some of the $16 it costs for me to take my kids!

LOCATION

Dow Gardens is located at 1809 Eastman Avenue, Midland, Michigan.

If you’d like a place to stay in Midland, I highly recommend The H Hotel, which is beautiful and located downtown near The Tridge and has a pool. There’s lots to explore around Midland too. Popular destinations nearby include The Santa House and Dow Diamond, which is home to the Great Lakes Loons. I received lots of suggestions for eating at Pizza Sam’s downtown too.

Learn more about visiting Dow Gardens at their website.

Have so much fun if you visit!