How to Plan a Visit and Get Tickets for the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Updated

To visit the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (arb.umn.edu), start at the site's Plan Your Visit section and get tickets in advance — the site states that advance tickets are strongly recommended to guarantee daily admission. Before you go, check Today at the Arboretum for the day's events, and note that the Arboretum and its main entrance remain open despite construction along Highway 5.

Step 1: Get your tickets before the visit

The homepage's visit banner says: "Plan Your Visit and Get Tickets — Advance tickets are strongly recommended to guarantee daily admission."

  • Input: your intended visit date.
  • Action: use the Plan Your Visit / Get Tickets path from the homepage.
  • Expected result: admission secured for your chosen day, rather than depending on same-day availability.

The site does not publish ticket prices or a login requirement in the available material, so confirm current pricing and any account needs on the ticket page itself.

Step 2: Check what's happening on your date

Use Today at the Arboretum ("See today's events →") to see what is scheduled during your visit. The homepage also lists dated events you can plan around:

Event Dates
Dakota Sacred Hoop Walk May 1–Nov. 1, 2026
Scarecrows, Pumpkins & Harvest Fun Sept. 18–Nov. 1, 2026
AppleHouse (shopping) Aug. 20–Dec. 20, 2026
Full Hunter's Moon Hike (after-hours, 6:30–9:30 p.m.) Oct. 26
Northern Lights (separate ticketed event) Nov. 20–Jan. 3

Note that the Northern Lights event requires its own ticket ("Tickets are now available for this one-of-a-kind event!"), so admission to the grounds and admission to that event are separate things to arrange.

Step 3: Plan around seasonal highlights

  • Garden Highlights shows plants currently blooming or of special interest on the grounds — useful for deciding how to spend your time.
  • Fall at the Arboretum gathers seasonal happenings if you are visiting in autumn.

Step 4: Account for the Highway 5 construction

The site states the Arboretum and main entrance are open despite construction along Highway 5, and points visitors to "helpful resources" for the route. Check those resources before leaving so you know the current access situation.

Quick checklist

  1. Pick a date and get advance tickets through Plan Your Visit / Get Tickets.
  2. Check Today at the Arboretum for events on that date.
  3. If you want Northern Lights or the Full Moon Hike, arrange those separately.
  4. Review the Highway 5 construction resources for entrance access.
  5. Check Garden Highlights on arrival day to see what's in bloom.