Photo Courtesy of Old Westbury Gardens website
Old Westbury Gardens is the former estate of the heir to a U.S. Steel fortune, John Shaffer Phipps. The property was converted into a museum home in 1959 and is open for tours April through October.
Visit the Estate
Today, Old Westbury Gardens offers visitors guided tours. The estate hosts in-depth tours of the formal gardens, school visits, children’s programs and events, family programs, museum exhibits and classic car shows. Additionally, visitors can expect indoor and outdoor classical concerts, summer pop concerts, slide lectures, book signings, horticultural demonstrations and workshops, Scottish Games, and botanical arts and gardening classes.
Old Westbury Gardens’ Master Gardener and Educator leads a program called Talks and Tours, presenting topics relating to horticulture, art, history, design and architecture.
While at the gardens, you can experience two great tours: the gardens and the Westbury House. At the Westbury House, you’ll witness a gorgeous red brick structure with limestone accents. While touring the gardens you can pass through the Linden Alee, the entrance of the gardens which is accompanied by wrought iron gates. Continuing onward is the Walled Garden, which is one of the most popular attractions the gardens have to offer. Furthermore, you’ll experience the Rose Garden, Lilac Walk, West Pond, Thatched Cottage and several other colorful installations.
History of Old Westbury Gardens
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Charles II-style mansion was completed in 1906 by English designer, George A. Crawley. The mansion museum is nestled within 200 acres of formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes. The Westbury House is furnished with fine English antiques and decorative arts from the more than fifty years of the family’s residence.
“Excellent venue for a wedding or anniversary! Lovely gardens and grounds. Great concerts in Summer time!”
—Michael S., TripAdvisor
Take Amtrak to Old Westbury Gardens
Experience the gardens via Amtrak to Penn Station—Don’t forget to use the New York By Rail 15% discount! Transfer from Amtrak to Long Island Rail Road via the Garden City, Mineola or Westbury Long Island stations.
Or get picked up from Penn Station and taken to your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Click here to reserve your car or call the Chelsea office today at: 212-647-9777.
