Donation Tickets

Environmental Education

Field Trip Chaperones

Please choose from the options below to purchase tickets for family members who are accompanying an environmental education field trip.  

Garden Admission

Open Daily 9:00AM - 5:00PM (last entry 4:30PM) 

Admission includes parking, access to the grounds during regular garden hours, and seasonal exhibits (Art Exhibit, Native Wildlife Exhibit, and Butterfly House). Tickets are single use and valid for one year from date of purchase and cannot be used for entry into special events. You do not need to purchase tickets for a specific date or time.  Garden admission is non-refundable.  

Visitor Reminders:

  • Guests must exit the grounds by 5:00PM.
  • Pets, drones, balloons, and sporting equipment are not allowed.
  • Small picnic lunches are okay; however, groups coming for parties and private events require a separate reservation and fee.
  • Groups coming for photos (amateur or professional) require a separate reservation and fee. This includes prom, maternity, family, engagement, graduation, wedding, etc. Groups without a photo reservation will not be allowed entry. VIEW PHOTO POLICY
  • Gardens Closed (2025) Mondays (Jan & Feb only), New Year’s Day, April 4th, Thanksgiving Day & December 23rd - 26th. 
  • Early Closures (2025), gardens will close at 4pm (last admission at 3:30) on the following dates: March 21st, June 6th & 20th, July 4th & 18th, August 8th & 15th, September 5th, October 17th, November 28th - December 21st.

 

Group Tour

Bird Walk

Enjoy birding at the gardens starting at 8am the second Wednesday of every month and select other days. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Tickets:

  • Regular Garden Admission
  • Free for Airlie Members
  • Pre-Registration Required
  • Registration includes Garden Admission

Airlie Member Tickets: Member tickets must be reserved in advance. To receive membership discount sign-in in the upper right hand corner of this page and then choose the "Member Ticket" option at bottom of page.  If you have not yet registered for an online account, select REGISTER at the top of page. Information on registration must match your membership card. For questions, please contact us at 910-798-7700.

*Members scroll down and choose "Member Ticket" option. Discount will appear on next screen! 

NHC Resident Free Day

NHC Resident Free Day admission includes: parking, access to the grounds during regular garden hours and seasonal exhibits (Art Exhibit, Native Wildlife Exhibit, and Butterfly House). A valid New Hanover County ID is required to be shown at check-in. 

Visitor Reminders:

  • Last admittance at 4:30PM. (December 3:30PM)
  • Guests must exit the grounds by 5:00PM. (December 4:00PM)
  • One New Hanover County ID is valid for 2 adults and any accompanying children. 
  • Pets and sporting equipment are not allowed.
  • Drones are not permitted.
  • Private events require a separate reservation and fee. 
  • Groups coming to the Gardens for photos (amateur or professional) require a separate reservation and fee. This includes prom, maternity, family, engagement, graduation, wedding, etc. Groups without a photo reservation will not be allowed entry. VIEW PHOTO POLICY

 

Discount will appear on next screen. 

Photography Reservation

 

Photography Reservation

We are happy to offer a unique backdrop for both amateur and professional photography. Our photography fee provides ongoing fundraising to help maintain the beauty of the gardens and its services. Photography fee covers admission for everyone involved in the reservation.  

In the event of rain or inclement weather, a reservation can be rescheduled or canceled with a full refund. We ask that these decisions be made at least one hour prior to a scheduled reservation.

 

Enter 1 as the quantity before selecting the "Register” button below.

Elopement Reservation

 

ELOPEMENT REMINDERS:

Guests: The maximum number of guests for an elopement ceremony is 10. Parking, admission and restroom facilities are available to your guests at no additional cost.

Smoking: Airlie Gardens does not allow smoking in the gardens.

Pets: Pets are not allowed on the grounds, though service animals are permitted. Service animals be kept on a leash and waste be picked up and disposed of in a trash can. Please inform Airlie staff if you are expecting service animals at your ceremony, as this will help us inform others and reduce questioning of service animal status.

Decorations & Rentals: Tents, tables, chairs, lighting and décor may not be brought in for elopement ceremonies.

 

Please enter 1 as the quantity before selecting "Register"

Accessible Birding

Join our educators and Jill from Wild Bird and Garden for a guided tram ride around the gardens to some of our bird hotspots! This program is ideal for birders of any experience level who may not have the mobility to walk for extended periods of time, who can board and exit our tram. Space is limited, pre-registration is required.

Airlie Member Tickets: Member tickets must be reserved in advance. To receive membership discount sign-in in the upper right hand corner of this page and then choose the "Member Ticket" option at bottom of page.  If you have not yet registered for an online account, select REGISTER at the top of page. Information on registration must match your membership card. For questions, please contact us at 910-798-7700.

*Members scroll down and choose "Member Ticket" option. Discount will appear on next screen! 

Guided History Tours

Dive into the rich history, horticulture, and ecology of Airlie Gardens on a walking tour of the grounds. Tours are approximately one mile of leisurely walking with frequent stops.  Program is held outdoors, in the event of inclement weather we will cancel the walk.  Advance registration is required.

This program is included Garden Membership - Airlie Member Tickets: Member tickets must be reserved in advance. To receive membership discount sign-in in the upper right hand corner of this page and then choose the "Member Ticket" option at bottom of page.  If you have not yet registered for an online account, select REGISTER at the top of page. Information on registration must match your membership card. For questions, please contact us at 910-798-7700.

*Members scroll down and choose "Member Ticket" option. Discount will appear on next screen! 

Homeschool Day

Hands-on, standard based programs to get your homeschool students excited about the outdoors! Designed for students ages 9 to 13 years old, parent or guardian participation required.  Participate in activities about plant anatomy, growth, and reproduction. Look at a soil samples up close to learn about the ingredients of soil, different soil particles, and the decomposers that help break down organic matter into soil.

Program will be held outdoors and indoors. Space is limited & pre-registration is required. 

Enchanted Airlie Limo/Minibus

Ticket includes onsite parking and admission for all passengers in your vehicle. All guests must arrive in the same vehicle. Approved Vehicles: 12-24 Passenger Mini Bus or Limo. 

After your purchase you will receive your ticket in a separate email from Etix our ticketing provider. Please allow 1-2 business days to receive this ticket. 

*If you do not receive your ticket in 1-2 business days, please check your spam or junk folder.

Bug Talk

Join an environmental educator in the classroom to meet one of our ambassador animals!  We will learn about native and non-native insect species, their characteristics, and get a chance to touch a hissing cockroach!  

  • Pre-registration required.
  • Free for Members
  • Registration includes garden admission

 

 

Winter Duck Program

Join our environmental educators to learn about the many duck species that frequent the gardens in the winter.  We will start with a presentation on duck species identification and their special adaptations, followed by a walk around the gardens to view these awesome birds.  

  • Pre-registration required.
  • Free for Members
  • Registration includes garden admission