The Huntsville Botanical Garden covers 112 acres adjacent to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center on the western edge of the city, making a natural pairing for a day's outing. The garden holds a seasonal butterfly house (open April through October), a Japanese garden, a Children's Garden with an interactive water feature, a dogwood and azalea collection at its best in April, and a native plant garden that serves both as education and habitat. The grounds are well maintained and suitable for a leisurely two-hour walk.
The annual Galaxy of Lights event transforms the garden from November through January into an illuminated display that is one of the most popular seasonal events in north Alabama. In spring, the combination of azaleas, dogwoods, and the butterfly house makes the garden arguably more interesting than the Space Center for gardening-inclined visitors. Admission is charged; children under three are free. The garden is about seven miles west of downtown via Interstate 565, close to the Space and Rocket Center.