Children's Discovery Garden at Thanksgiving Point

Adjoining Thanksgiving Point's beautiful gardens is the charming Children's Discovery Garden, a place for young and old to experience nature in an exciting and interactive way.

Cool off in the summer with the whimsical Noah's Ark, complete with pools of water and shooting fountains.  Get lost in the twists and turns of a magical hedgerow maze.  Explore the secret Bear Cave and find the Eco Pond.

Admission to the Children's Discovery Garden is included with regular Gardens admission, or available separately.

Established in 1996

When Alan and Karen Ashton, co-founders of WordPerfect Corporation, purchased the property now known as Thanksgiving Point on Valentine's Day, 1995, it had 580 dairy cows and more than 350 acres of hay, barley, and alfalfa fields. Initially, the new owners bought the land for a farm where their children could enjoy riding horses and caring for farm animals. But their plans soon expanded to include beautiful flower gardens and extensive vegetable gardens.

By the summer of 2006, the nonprofit institute included the fifty-five acre Thanksgiving Point Gardens, the Children's Discovery Garden, Museum of Ancient Life, Farm Country, Harvest Restaurant, Deli and Bakery, eight large conference and banquet rooms, the Emporium with gracious offerings for your home, ten acres of beautifully landscaped reception areas; a 4,000-seat outdoor waterfall amphitheatre, and; an 18-hole championship golf course.