Highfield Discovery Garden: Where Fairy Tales Come To Life

Admission To Glenwood Gardens

Highfield Discovery Garden is nestled within Glenwood Gardens, just off Springfield Pike in Cincinnati. To access the garden, visitors must either have an annual Great Parks permit or pay the daily admission fee for Glenwood Gardens.

Insider Tip: The main entrance to Highfield Discovery Garden is located inside the Glenwood Gardens Visitor Center—just follow the signs once you arrive!

Admission to Highfield Discovery Garden is in addition to the Great Parks Pass.

Daily admission into the Highfield Discovery Garden is sold separately inside the visitor center. As of 2025, admission was $7 per person.  Children under two are free. For the latest information regarding pricing and hours visit Great Parks.

Highfield Discovery Garden offers winter pricing, typically half the admission price, from November through March.

Family pass options are available, offering special benefits such as member-only days, discounts, and priority registration for special events. The daily educational programs, which are offered, are free with admission, regardless of whether you are a daily visitor or a pass holder.

Address: 10397 Springfield Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45215

Hours

Hours do vary month to month, so be sure to check their schedule before loading the kids up! They are always closed on Mondays.

Parking: There is ample parking available in the lot.

Educational Programs

One of the best things about this park is that they offer educational programs that are included in the cost of your admission. These programs can vary from building a fairy garden to learning how to grow a vegetable garden at home.

They also offer special programs throughout the year; for example, they host Frankenstein’s Garden during Halloween and my personal favorite Owl-o-ween! Even if there are no scheduled programs, visitors of all ages are always welcome to visit the Garden Workshop to learn about the natural world.

The Garden Workshop is home to a few resident animals, educational materials, and craft opportunities.

Gardens of Discovery

It is hard to miss the most notable feature of the park, which is the 25-foot Discovery Tree. My daughter loved peering into every nook and cranny and crawling through every hole. There is even a ramp to access the tree from behind.

Parents with multiple children may find this area a bit challenging to manage, as kids can easily run in multiple directions with limited visibility.

In addition to the Discovery Tree, there are eight smaller themed gardens to explore.

Frog & Toads Garden

Located next to the discovery tree, you will find the frog and toad garden. This peaceful garden is renowned for its resident frogs, which inhabit the pond. Fish can be seen swimming between lily pads as you step across the stepping-stones.

Tip: If you don’t keep a close eye on little ones, they will likely end up in the pond trying to catch the frogs.

Wizard’s Garden

After entering the park, you will come to a crossroads. Take the wooden steps down and enter the land of fairies, wizards, and a sleeping dragon. The resident fairies have made their home here, so be sure to find the fairy garden.

Vegetable Garden

Take a look at what produce is growing in the raised flower beds. This allows little ones to get a bird’s-eye view of a variety of vegetable plants, often with veggies on them.

Grandma’s Scent Garden

The aromas emanating from this garden will leave you wondering which scent you are detecting. Have fun discovering the different scents and maybe stay for an afternoon tea party!

Morph Garden

Kids of all ages love seeing gigantic mushrooms, caterpillars, and more! This play area is perfect for young children as the mushrooms are bigger than they are! The Morph Garden is home to a kid-sized cottage and tea set.

Butterfly Garden

Take a stroll through the perfectly manicured butterfly garden and be greeted by a multitude of winged beauties. Beautiful plants are everywhere, making this one of my favorite spots.  Butterflies of all sorts can be found in just a short walk through this garden that is shaped like a butterfly!

Trolley Garden

This is a favorite of ours. Running in front of the Discovery Tree are four small-scale model trains making their way through storybook land.  The train track runs high and low, making it a great place to bring little train lovers.

Pretend to be the conductor in the train station by pressing buttons to turn on the train signal, horn, and even start one of the trains.

However, the fencing around the trains can be easily bypassed to reach those tempting trains, so keep curious littles within arms reach.

Music Garden

The newest addition to Highfield Discovery Garden at Glenwood Gardens is a magical, music-themed oasis that invites kids (and kids at heart) to explore nature through sound and play. The Music Garden, which officially opened in 2023, features a whimsical treble clef–shaped pathway that leads visitors past larger-than-life outdoor instruments—including chimes, bells, and drums—designed for hands-on, interactive play.

At the center of the garden is a small stage perfect for impromptu performances, decorated with notes from the beloved tune “You Are My Sunshine.” Surrounding the space are thoughtfully chosen plants with music-inspired names like Johnny Cash Daylily, Lyrical Blues Sage, and Fiddlehead Fern, making the garden as beautiful as it is engaging.

Designed to be inclusive and sensory-friendly, the Music Garden is part of Great Parks’ mission to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for all ages and abilities. Whether you’re visiting for a peaceful stroll or a day of creative exploration, this new feature at Highfield is a must-see for families looking to enjoy something uniquely inspiring in Cincinnati.

More About Highfield Discovery Garden

• A paved walkway makes this park very stroller-friendly.  Be sure to check out the walking trails in Glenwood Gardens for more paved and serene options.
• The majority of the park is handicap accessible.
• Highfield Discovery Garden does not allow dogs.
• An outdoor patio is available for guests to bring food.
• Bring a school group, your scout group, or have a birthday party here.
• Be sure to check out the excellent gift shop that offers a variety of books and toys to engage your little nature enthusiast.
• Guests can purchase snacks and beverages at the gift shop.
• Bathrooms are located at the Garden Workshop inside the gardens.

This has been one of my favorite places to bring my daughter. It is a park that has grown with her through the years. Each visit she keeps discovering more while learning about the environment around her.

Are you looking for another fun park to check out in Cincinnati?  We recommend visiting the following:

Caldwell Nature Preserve 

Rowe Arboretum 

 West Fork Park

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Highfield Discovery Garden In Glenwood Gardens