Gibbs Gardens - Spring, Glorious Spring! - Sun, Apr 23 2023

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. This is a paid event with payment managed by the trip leader(s) and NOT the AOC. Please read the event description carefully for payment details and instructions.



Gibbs Gardens - Spring, Glorious Spring!


The Basics:
Event Type:Hike
Event Location: 1987 GIBBS DRIVE, BALL GROUND, GA 30107   Hike: Gibbs Gardens - Spring, Glorious Spring!  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Sun, Apr 23 2023  9:00 am >> Sun, Apr 23 2023 1:00 pm
Registration Opens: Fri, Apr 14 2023 6:43 pm
Registration Cut Off: Fri, Apr 21 2023 6:43 pm
Event Duration:4 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D1: Easy
Pace:Leisurely
Trip Leader(s):
Allston
Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.
Member Cost:$25.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:10
Minimum Group Size:5
Number Registered So Far: 7 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

Gibbs Gardens in North Georgia is a beautiful set of landscaped gardens with flowers that bloom seasonally year round. At the time we visit we can expect to see Azaleas, Japanese Maples, Dogwoods, Pansies, and Tulips blooming, along with others.  We will spend the morning enjoying their gardens and then may grab lunch before heading back to Atlanta. Going early usually helps avoid crowds.

I plan to bring my camera and stop to take lots of photos, so this will not be a fast-paced walk. We will take our time and really enjoy the gardens. Everyone else is encouraged to bring their cameras as well!

Our first stops will be the Manor House, Inspiration Garden, and Japanese Gardens. We will then continue on to the other areas to explore further. After we have visited most of the gardens, we will take a last stroll around the ponds to view the water lillies, which hopefully will have opened by then in the midday sunshine.

Here's a link to a map of the property: https://www.gibbsgardens.com/visit/garden-map/

Please note: I'm marking this as a D1 event but there will be plenty of walking involved because the grounds are quite extensive. Per their website, they have 300+ acres of "artistically landscaped gardens surrounded by majestic forest, spring-fed ponds, streams, waterfalls and bridge crossings. Garden venues include four feature gardens including the Daffodil Gardens; the Manor House Gardens, designed to offer color in spring, summer and fall, with lush terraces, waterfalls, sweeping lawns and woodland; the Monet Waterlily Gardens, featuring 140 varieties of waterlilies blooming from late spring through fall; the Japanese Gardens spanning more than 40 acres with spring- fed ponds, islands, bridges, boulders, rocks and 40 handcrafted Japanese lanterns." 

Here is a link to their website with more information: http://www.gibbsgardens.com/

Tickets- below is a link to where you can purchase your tickets ahead of time online (doing so in advance means we won't have to wait for everyone to do so upon arrival before we can start our walk): 

https://prod5.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/ticketsearchcriteria.aspx?evtinfo=264624~7adde841-f498-433a-ad18-884ebb311fac&

The gardens open at 9:00 am, so I plan to have us arrive at that time to try and stay ahead of the worst of the crowds. PLEASE BE ON TIME. We will meet at the bridge near the entrance, and will want to enter as a group. 

 


Required Items to Bring:

$25 entrance ticket per adult, plus tax. Seniors can get a discounted rate of $18, plus tax. Please purchase your ticket online ahead in advance, to save time on the day. If you're already a member, no ticket purchase is necessary. 

Comfortable walking shoes.

Note: No outside food or drinks are permitted, except water. All bags are subject to search upon entry.

 

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

A camera

Sunscreen

Hat


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

FROM INTERSECTION OF I-75 AND I-285

  • Go north on I-75 to I-575
  • Exit onto I-575 and continue north to Exit 19A-B (Hwy 20 East).
  • Exit 19A heading east toward Cumming.
  • Proceed 8.3 miles to Hwy 369.
  • Turn left onto Hwy 369 and go 2 miles to 4-way stop.
  • Cross Hwy 372 and continue straight for 1.8 miles then turn left onto Yellow Creek Road.
    (See the Big Canoe sign and tree nursery on the right.)
  • Continue on Yellow Creek Road 6.4 miles and turn right on Gibbs Drive GARDEN ENTRANCE.

 

FROM SR 400 AND I-285

  • Go north on Hwy 400 for approximately 30 miles to Hwy 369.
  • Turn left onto Hwy 369 heading west.
  • Proceed approximately 12 miles and turn right on Yellow Creek Road. (See Big Canoe sign and tree nursery on left)
  • Continue on Yellow Creek Road 6.4 miles and turn right

Notes:
 

The Trip Leader(s) for this event has (have) elected either to personally collect the funds that event participants are required to pay, or to require participants to pay funds directly to a third party. No funds will be paid to the Atlanta Outdoor Club for this event. Therefore, by registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to the following: (1) the monies paid by registrants will not be monitored, managed, or otherwise accounted for by the Atlanta Outdoor Club; (2) that the Atlanta Outdoor Club bears no financial responsibility for this event; and (3) you waive any and all claims against the Atlanta Outdoor Club, and hold the Atlanta Outdoor Club harmless for the loss of any monies you paid for this event.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any paying registrant may request directly from the Trip Leader, prior to the event, a breakdown of funds collected, estimated expenses, and deposits made in anticipation of the event. Following the event, the Trip Leader must complete his or her financial accounting for the event, with supporting documentation, within 30 days of the completion of the event, and a paid registrant may request a breakdown of funds collected, money spent and supporting documentation after that time. If you are unable to obtain requested documentation, please contact the Director of Paid Events.

Although this is a paid event, you do not pay through the AOC. Instead, we will each pay individually for our tickets online ahead of time. 

Link to ticket purchases: https://www.gibbsgardens.com/visit/tickets/

 


* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Member Cost:$25.00/Person
Cost Includes:

This is the entrance fee for the gardens. You will pay it directly to Gibbs, not to the Trip Leader or AOC. If you're already an active member of Gibbs Gardens, you do not need to purchase a ticket for this event. 

Make a Payment:Although there is a cost for this event, you do not pay through the AOC. Please review the event details carefully for information about how/where to make your payment.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.
*Note:

This event may be cancelled if the weather is too rainy since the whole purpose is to enjoy the beauty of the gardens. Your trip leader will keep everyone up to date on the status of the weather and alert attendees if it appears that it will be an issue. Please note: if the event is cancelled, you can still use your tickets to access the Gardens any other day of the year. Of course you can also wait to purchase tickets until the night before the event as well.