Garvan Woodland Gardens, the botanical garden of the University of Arkansas, in Hot Springs, turns on Holiday Lights for the 25th year on November 21: more than eight million lights on the pines, woodland trails, bridges and buildings. It runs every night through December 31 except Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it is the only way to see the garden then, because Garvan does not open in the daytime during the run. Tickets are for a date and an entry time, and the garden says many nights sell out. Here is how the nights and prices work, and where to eat in Hot Springs before you go in.
We run Botanical Garden Near Me, a directory of public gardens and arboretums across the United States, and we are a guest here. Top of Little Rock asked for the garden. They supplied the restaurants.
The plan, in order
Plan this as an evening trip from Little Rock, and buy a dated ticket online before you leave: there are three entry times, 5, 6:30 and 8 p.m., the last admission is 9 p.m., and the gates close at 9:30. Eat first in Hot Springs, since outside food is not allowed in the garden, though the Chipmunk Café is open nightly and hot chocolate is free. Pick your night with the price in mind. Premium nights are every Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 27, and December 20 through 24 and 26. Community nights, November 30 and December 1 to 3 and 7 to 10, are $22 with $5.01 off using the code LOCAL501.
Holiday Lights at Garvan
Garvan Woodland Gardens is at 550 Arkridge Road in Hot Springs. Holiday Lights runs November 21 to December 31, 2026, every night from 5 to 9:30 p.m., and it is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Online prices are $22 for adults on standard nights and $37 on premium nights, $10 for children 4 to 12, and free for children 3 and under; at the gate, adults pay $30 and $47. Members get in free any night without a reservation, and memberships start at $65 a year but can no longer be bought at the gate on the night. Tickets are non-refundable and can be exchanged once before the date. The lights stay on in the rain; if the garden closes for lightning or snow, that night’s tickets are refunded automatically. Pets are not allowed. Guided cart tours cost extra and cannot be booked ahead. The garden is not open in the daytime during Holiday Lights.
The full list
Hours, prices and directions for each of these, with the official page for each, are on our side. The Garvan Woodland Gardens page on Botanical Garden Near Me lists them, closest first.
Where to eat after
Two tables in Hot Springs for dinner before your entry time, each checked against its hours. They come from Top of Little Rock lists: pizza in Hot Springs and Hot Springs restaurants. The scores are theirs, not ours.
SQZBX Brewery & Pizza
Insider Score7.2
Pizza · Hot Springs
Before the lights. About 5 miles from the garden in downtown Hot Springs, open from 11 a.m. every day until 9 p.m. (10 on Friday and Saturday). A brewery making its own pizzas in a converted piano shop.
Lost Creek Grill
Insider Score7.1
Seafood · Hot Springs
Dinner before the lights. About 6 miles from the garden, open from 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and from 11 a.m. on Sunday; closed Mondays. Gulf shrimp, grilled salmon, ribeye and blackened catfish on one menu.
Scores are Top of Little Rock Insider Scores. Restaurant photographs from Yelp and Tripadvisor.
Sources. Garvan Woodland Gardens, Holiday Lights and Holiday Lights tickets pages (including the 2026 rate calendar), home and Memberships pages, checked October 23, 2026. Restaurant hours from Top of Little Rock records. Top photo: Garvan Woodland Gardens by Brandonrush, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; other photo credit is under the photo.
Botanical Garden Near Me writes for Botanical Garden Near Me. Botanical Garden Near Me lists public botanical gardens, arboretums and conservatories across the United States, with hours, admission and directions taken from each garden's official site. This piece was written for Top of Little Rock.