Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

I would be remiss if I didn't recommend Meadowlark Botanical Gardens as a beautiful place for a hike.  We went on a Saturday, and there were people there, true, but it was not packed with people.  Many of the people we saw were laying on blankets in the grass reading or meditating, or quietly pushing babies around in strollers and just enjoying being outside.  There is a fee for entry - it was $15 for the four of us.

We started off by having a picnic at a wisteria-draped picnic pavilion that the park provides just outside, as food and trash are not allowed actually inside Meadowlark. I cannot convey how beautiful and peaceful this picnic shelter is.  So beautiful is it that they have to put a sign on it saying, "No Weddings In Shelter."  Which makes sense, you want everyone to be able to enjoy it.   So Aaron and I took the not-small-anymore ladies and  picnicked to our hearts and stomach's content.  When we were finished, we put everything we were carrying for the picnic into the car, allowing us to bring only ourselves on the walk.  I am walking with a cane much of the time these days, and so I brought my cane and it enabled me to walk for a very long time, which was wonderful.

 Two views from within the gardens.  The paths are paved, by and large, and are accessible for anyone.  The gardens feature many different gazebos and beautiful settings, different kinds of gardens, and statuary which are really quite lovely.  Perhaps one of our favorite spots in the garden was the Korean Bell Garden, which overlooks the wedding pond and chapel.  There is a large peace and harmony bell inside a pavilion set on a hill, and korean statuary surround it, including the pond you see in the left hand photo.  The bell looks like it can be rung, but was chained to keep it from making noise.  A good thing too, because the pavilion in the middle of the lake had a beautiful wedding happening while we were there - and yet the sounds we heard were only nature sounds.  It was really quiet and surprisingly serene.  A lovely day for a lovely hike with my favorite people.

Time spent on trail: 2.5 hours, but we could've stayed longer!

Difficulty:  Extremely easy, paved even.

Bonuses:  Educational signs that help you identify each flower or tree or shrub group, sculptures.

View:  Yes, yes.  Just look at it.  LOOK AT IT RIGHT THERE.  Even better, go look with your eyes.

Kid-friendly:  Oh yes, very.  There's even a charming children's touch-and-smell garden!