Cylburn Arboretum

I really like this arboretum because it is a little bit of green super close to Baltimore city. It’s a small park, but it has some really cute spots to sit and chat, or read a book. Some of my favorite spots are the stretch of bamboo stalks, the cute wooden pavillion, and the nice stone bench under some trees. I recently discovered that there is a 5 senses garden with soft lambs ear, a variety of herbs, etc which was delightful to explore, and would be a fun spot to take kids.

In the summer, the first thing that will hit you is the incredible amount of great smells coming from of all of the lush gardens and forests here. The best part: absolutely free, and they’re open Summer hours Tuesday-​Sunday 8a-​8p, Winter hours are Tuesday-​Sunday 8a-​5p. Not only are there beautiful gardens to saunter through, they also have quite a few mild hiking trails that meander through the woods that are really nice. I’m surprised more people aren’t here taking advantage of the peace and quiet that this park offers; it’s a really great getaway from all of the hustle and bustle. They also have various events and classes you can find out more about on their website:
. Cylburn Arboretum is a true gem just minutes from the city, I definitely recommend making a visit here.

Here at Cylburn Jazz under the stars. Music is nice, a breeze is blowing. Mixed crowd. Kid friendly as well. Lots of vendors, and food trucks if you don’t bring your own food and drinks.

Beautiful local treasure. Highly recommended for even slow walkers/​hikers. My dog also enjoys it. And the welcome center volunteers are really cool and knowledgeable about everything from area history to birds!

Nice place for a leisurely walk through the gardens or a slightly more robust one on some of the trails. Definitely check it out if you’re in the area.

This is so beautiful and FREE! I love it. I’ve visited several times. It’s even nice when the flowers aren’t in bloom.

I visited the Cylburn Arboretum for a Free Jazz concert that I heard about on the radio. It was a awesome way to spend an easy summer evening. There were several vendors selling there wares as well as couple of food trucks.
All the concert guess set up on the lawn of the Mansion with thier pop up chairs, snacks and wine. Everyone really seemed to have a great time.
I can’t wait to go back on July 30^th.

I recently attended the annual Market Day event at the Arboretum. It was beautiful. It’s always held the weekend before Mother’s Day. There was a huge selection of plants, flowers, trees and crafts. They even had cute little red wagons for patrons to haul their purchases. Families, family pets and singles all enjoyed the event. There was something for everyone.
They also host an annual jazz series called Cylburn Sounds. It’s every other Wednesday. You bring your blanket or lawn chair, lay back and enjoy the atmosphere. It’s a pretty good, well-​kept secret. Check out their website and give it a try!
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You should definitely visit if you’ve never been there. The Cylburn Arboretum is not a huge property. You can walk around everything in an hour (that includes at least one of the trails… stop by the visitor’s center and get a map). We are looking forward to visiting again as more flowers start to bloom. Maybe we’ll pack a picnic next time.

Cylburn Arboretum is a great place for a walk, quiet reflection or to let the kiddos run around. The visitor center and mansion were closed when I arrived.
I’m looking forward to returning in the spring when flowers are in bloom and to check out both the visitors center and mansion.

Beautiful place in the fall, can’t wait to come back and see it in the spring!

The hubbs took me here for our anniversary and this was a really beautiful find! The grounds are well kept. There are tons of different kinds of flowers planted all over in a very orderly way, so you can walk little paths through the gardens and admire different types of plants and flowers. Most of them are labeled which was helpful for me since I don’t know much about plants. Butterflies were everywhere which added to the charm. Some of the gardens had interesting statues as well.
Benches are all over the grounds, so while we were walking we were able to sit and take a rest and just look around at everything. We happened to be there while the sprinklers were running which made it a little hard to walk around some of the areas without getting wet, but it was so hot out that I walked right under them & it was refreshing. They were only on for an hour or so, so we were able to go back to those areas later.
There were also dirt paths going through the woods, they were a little more rough to walk through, but it was a lot of fun. There were a lot of paths, some which wound in circles, so it kept us busy. There was an azalea area which was closed when we were there, I hope to come back when they’re blooming.

I agree with Cassie S. that this is really more of a park than an arboretum. Husband refers to this kind of growth as «willful neglect», which allows a lot of the natural flora to just run rampant. We actually love that — it’s (obviously) much more natural than a well-​manicured lawn. We walked most of the paths to do some geocaching and, though we weren’t too crazy about the side that borders the road, once you get back a little further it’s quite nice. Lots of daffodils about this time of year — they seemed to be overflowing from the mansion (which looks delightfully spooky on an overcast day near sunset). The ravine trail was especially nice, though we were disappointed to see all the large trash (appliances, garbage cans, etc) strewn about. In short — a nice little urban park, though nothing I’d drive up from NoVA especially to see.

This arboretum is really more of a pretty, large-​ish park than an arboretum. There’s the mansion, the big lawn, the formal gardens… and some woods that appear to be just the same sort of woods that occur anyplace you don’t mow by the side of any road in the Mid-​Atlantic area. To my mind, an arboretum is supposed to have a lot of trees cultivated to show you, say, what this or that type of tree is like. Or maybe even what trees from this or that part of the world are like. While I like the Cylburn fine, I don’t know that «arboretum» is what I would call it – if you go there looking for an arboretum after, say, visiting the Morton in Illinois or even the National Arboretum, you will not find what you set out to visit.

Gorgeous place. Affordable rental space. Looks so perfect for a fall wedding. We took gorgeous photos of the kids here that I have to post. Its just one of those gifts that keep on giving. Always something to discover. Just go! Its worth the time.

Fun!
I’ve been in Baltimore for business for the past few months and my family finally came down to visit me over the weekend with my dog! I was looking up dog-​friendly activities and I stumbled across the Cylburn Arboretum online.
We drove out, parked in the shade (there was plenty of parking) and then went for a walk. There are paved paths, which are nice, but they were in the blazing hot sun so we decided to get a bit more rustic and took one of the dirt paths in the woods.
We got plenty of exercise and it was fun. The mansion and surrounding gardens were nice to look at as well. The visitor’s center has a few brochures and a bathroom and chilled water fountain. There are also a few dog poop bag stations on the path so there are no excuses for not cleaning up after your dog.
There are benches along the paths for you to sit and take a rest and there are plenty of huge, grassy fields where you can lay out or picnic.

Who: Friends
What: Late-​afternoon mild hike
When: When the daffodils have bloomed en masse, before much else is stirring; in intermittent rainstorms and thick, fresh heat
Where: Cylburn Arboretum grounds
Why: to escape the oppressive concrete of Baltimore City; or, to see something beautiful; or, to dig up a salamander and let it meander in your cupped hands while you stand under a tree for slight shelter from the warm Mid-​April rain. Any and all of the above, and maybe more.
Pro tip: stop at Taharka Brothers for some ice cream afterwards.

This is a sanctuary in the City, its really surprising something so beautiful can be surrounded by such ugly things, I suggest going! I think the best time to go is when the daffodils are in bloom… which is in may? Im sure theres other times to want to go to this park, its diverse

The Cylburn Arboretum is fun to visit, taking you to parts of North Baltimore you might otherwise not see. The trails are quite enjoyable, the greenhouses and gardens are worth a look (or two), and it’s simply a great green space in a city that needs such locations. There are never crowds, parking is plentiful, and it’s a great place for relaxing for an hour or two.

Cylburn is the gardens and estate of chemical magnate Jessie Tyson, built in the late 19^th century.
The estate looks grand from the outside but inside, we found disappointment. Much of it is closed to the public and that which is open is mostly used for storage and contains almost no original furniture or paintings.
Outdoors, however, Cylburn shines. Although the trails are poorly maintained and often dead end unexpectedly, the grounds feature a wealth of wildlife, including cardinals, blue jays, squirrels, and a ton of chipmunks. Being the first time I had ever seen a chipmunk, I found the Arboretum novel enough to be worth the trip.
Cylburn also makes a great place for field trips, as they have an extensive educational program laid out, featuring a greenhouse, conservation education, and a first-​hand demonstration of composting.
Good escape for Baltimore city dwellers, great field trip target for local schools, and a decent destination for Baltimore tourists seeking a bit of green relief from the city (or maybe crowd relief from the Aquarium).