Royal Botanic Gardens · Kew · Richmond TW9 3AE · 300 acres
Kew: go for a reason
Kew is three hundred acres, which is far too much to see properly in a day and enough that people wander vaguely and leave slightly underwhelmed. The visitors who love it go for something specific and in the right season, and plan the rest of the day around that.
Which is not a garden you finish. It is a landscape with glasshouses, a treetop walkway, an arboretum and a palace in it, and the sensible approach is to pick two or three things and do them properly rather than trying to cover it.
Kew changes completely by season
Check what is on before choosing a date, since displays and events vary by year.
Bulbs and blossom
Bluebells in the woodland, cherry blossom and the gardens waking up.
The orchid festival
Inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory. Warm, which helps in February.
Everything at once
The busiest, and the glasshouses are genuinely hot.
The arboretum
Colour across the tree collection, and far fewer people.
Kent to Kew
Right across London to the west, which is further than most people expect.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley & Orpington | 19 miles | 55–85 min |
| Bexleyheath & Welling | 22 miles | 60–90 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 30 miles | 60–95 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 29 miles | 65–100 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 34 miles | 75–110 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 43 miles | 85–120 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 44 miles | 85–125 min |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 67 miles | 110–150 min |
What to actually do
Pick two or three of these rather than attempting the lot.
| What | Note |
|---|---|
| The Palm House | The famous Victorian glasshouse, and worth the visit alone |
| Temperate House | The largest Victorian glasshouse in the world |
| The Treetop Walkway | Eighteen metres up through the canopy |
| The arboretum | Where the space is, and where autumn is at its best |
| Kew Palace | Small, and often overlooked |
A day at Kew
Pick a season and a reason
Kew in February for the orchid festival, in spring for the bluebells and blossom, or in autumn for the arboretum are three genuinely different days out. Going in mid-July because it was free that weekend produces a hot, crowded wander through a place you did not really see. It is worth five minutes deciding what you actually want to look at.
It is a walking day, in daylight
Three hundred acres and paths between the glasshouses means several miles on your feet if you do it properly. Comfortable shoes rather than anything decorative, and a realistic view of what the group can manage. Our Christmas at Kew page covers the winter light trail, which is a different and shorter walk after dark.
TW9 is a long way from Kent
Out beyond Richmond on the western edge of London, which means crossing or going round the whole city. An hour from Bromley on a good day and well over two hours from east Kent. It is the most common misjudgement on this booking and it is worth an early start.
Richmond is worth building in
The town is close, sits on the river and has plenty of places to eat, which makes a considerably better lunch than most attraction cafes manage. A stop there before or after costs nothing extra when built into the day and turns a garden visit into a proper outing.
Kew Gardens questions
Seasons, distance and walking.
How big is Kew?
Three hundred acres, which is far too much to see properly in a day. Pick two or three things and do them well rather than trying to cover it.
Which season is best?
They are genuinely different days. Early spring for the orchid festival, spring for bluebells and blossom, autumn for the arboretum and far fewer people.
How far is Kew from Kent?
Around nineteen to sixty-seven miles, roughly an hour from Bromley to two and a half hours from east Kent. TW9 is further west than most people expect.
Is it a lot of walking?
Yes, several miles if you do it properly. Comfortable shoes, and a realistic view of what everyone in the group can manage.
What about the Christmas light trail?
That is a separate evening event with timed entry, covered on our Christmas at Kew page. It is a shorter walk, after dark, in December.
Is there parking?
Limited, and the surrounding streets are controlled. Being dropped avoids the exercise, which is why most of our Kew passengers book.
Can we stop in Richmond?
Yes, and it is worth it. The town is close, sits on the river and has far better places to eat than most attraction cafes.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking including the waiting.
Gardens and days out
West London and beyond.