Andalusia: Big House, Gardens & Arboretum

Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum is located along a stretch of the Delaware River in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. The 50-acre grounds combine formal gardens and native woodland with a historic house and arboretum. On a self-guided visit, you can explore the gardens and woodland landscape; the Big House’s architecture and collections offer a distinct cultural focus.

Planning Your Visit for the 2026 Season

The 2026 visiting season is listed through November 13. Andalusia is regularly open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with certain holidays excluded. Selected dates are scheduled for Saturdays. The remaining dates listed for the 2026 season are October 24 and November 7. Check the hours and choose a date that suits your visit before you travel.

During the rest of the season, garden tours are offered every Friday at 1 p.m. This weekly offering focuses on the gardens; you can also explore the grounds on your own. When planning, you can decide whether to include a tour or explore independently.

Gardens and Paths

The gardens at Andalusia have existed for more than 200 years. The Green Walk is their entrance and lies east of the Big House. The Walled Garden is located on the former site of the greenhouses. These distinct locations provide clear points of reference for a garden visit: the Green Walk marks the entrance, while the Walled Garden connects to the site’s former use.

The paths also each have their own landscape features. In spring, thousands of daffodils line the Woodland Walk. If you want to see them in bloom, you can take the seasonal character into account when choosing a date. The River Walk includes a paperbark maple, a Chinese fir, and an old shagbark hickory. These trees show that the paths draw attention not only to flowers but also to individual trees.

Another distinctive feature is the grotto, built in 1834 and 1836 as a Gothic “ruin.” Its role as a designed feature sets it apart from the plantings and trees along the paths.

The Big House: Architecture and Collections

The Big House is one of the finest and most distinctive examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States and is designated a National Historic Landmark. The historic house has exhibition rooms where personal belongings and clothing are displayed alongside portraits and historical representations. A visit to the house offers both its architecture and different ways of presenting history.

The objects include marble statues made in Europe, porcelain and lacquerware from China, and finely crafted American silver. The library contains more than 3,000 rare volumes, kept in original bookcases. For visitors interested in architecture and collections, the Big House offers several distinct areas of interest, separate from the garden landscape.

The Arboretum

The arboretum holds Level II accreditation from ArbNet and is listed in the Morton Register of Arboreta. Its public database lists more than 800 trees. Together with the named trees along the River Walk, the arboretum offers another way to explore the diversity of trees on the grounds, while the formal gardens and Woodland Walk reveal other aspects of the landscape.

Garden Symposium

Andalusia hosts the Garden Symposium annually. The program includes, among other things, book signings, lunch, afternoon tea, and a private garden visit. If this type of event interests you, check the relevant dates when planning; the seasonal opening hours and weekly garden tours are separate visitor information.

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For the broader travel overview: Bucks.