A Hidden Gem the Ohme Gardens in Wenatchee, Washington - Breathtakingly Beautiful & Budget-Friendly
During our family vacation to Lake Chelan, my husband just happened on Ohme Gardens as a nearby visit. It is about an hour away from Chelan, WA (depending where you're coming from) and 2.5 hours from Seattle. It is breathtakingly stunning where you'll see ponds, waterfalls, koi fish, several flowers/vegetation, pine trees and more. I absolutely LOVE those attractions where everywhere you turn offers a unique a beautiful view.
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It costs $7 for adults and even cheaper for children making it budget-friendly and entirely worth it. I was shocked to see many "unimpressed views" which I found interesting. I'm from Chicago and live in Arizona, so definitely gives an impressive view that I'm used to seeing BUT I have been to several different gardens, botanical gardens, etc in different parts of the world and still felt this was impressive - it was built as the Ohme's backyard and was never meant to be a tourist attraction, so I'm not sure if the negative reviews were factoring that in. We went in June 2022 and it was not crowded at all
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NOTE: Most links on our website are affiliate links, which means that The Bouj Crew collects a little bit of money or points when you click on certain links (this is at no extra cost to you). This is to help us with the upkeep and fees associated with running a website, offering products, etc!
TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR TOUR
To be fully prepared for your trip, here are our recommendations:
Good Shoes for tricky footing and steps throughout the gardens
Umbrella and/or Rain Coat - Washington weather is tough to predict!
I HAVE to recommend my travel rain coat - I got it 2 years ago and bring it to EVERY vacation. It's thin and lite, looks so stylish and has a hood and pockets. The pockets are SOO deep that I actually can fit my whole 40 oz hydroflask in there!
Walking Sticks - they offer for free at the front. If you use walking sticks at all, even just on occasion, I would recommend bringing them
Dress for a Hike - I wore a long dress, which was a mistake haha! But, I didn't do my research ahead of time.
Items to Relax and Enjoy the View - good book, headphones, etc
BUDGETING YOUR TIME
I would budget 1-2 hours here with two main factors involved: mobility level of you and your group and how much you and your group stops to take photos or enjoy the view. There are SEVERAL spots to sit throughout the garden, had I known I honestly would have budgeted time to bring my book and just sit here for a little bit
NOTE: Most links on our website are affiliate links, which means that The Bouj Crew collects a little bit of money or points when you click on certain links (this is at no extra cost to you). This is to help us with the upkeep and fees associated with running a website, offering products, etc!
MOBILITY LEVEL
This DEFINITELY has tricky footing. We knew nothing about Ohme Gardens when we got there, but it's built into the side of the hill so the pathways are steps (sometimes semi-steep with no railings), uphill/downhill and some paths can be pretty narrow. There are railings in certain areas, but not everywhere. If you cannot go that far there are some spots that can still be an easier walk that would still offer fantastic views, so I would ask at the front or have someone in your group run ahead and see what is negotiable.
BATHROOMS
There are fully functional bathrooms right behind the admissions/gift shop area. These are your only bathrooms throughout the entire gardens, so plan accordingly :-)
KID FRIENDLY
We saw several families with kids here and it looked like the kids were interacting with the map to find their way around the gardens which was great! Just keep in mind there are some areas where it's an easy misstep into a pond or down the hill, but overall, it's safe to bring kids
GIFT SHOP
It's small but they have unique items! Definitely stop in here. They also had some bottled drinks for sale and a coffee dispenser inside.
WHAT'S NEARBY
We enjoyed going to Pybus Public Market for lunch (there are several options) walking around their cute shops (olive oil shop, gelato, sandwiches, pizza, Mexican food and more). Leavenworth is about 30 minutes away and their Reindeer Farm and seeing this cute Bavarian town is a MUST do! Check out our blog about the Reindeer Farm here